Good for you! I know that I'm a very cautious descender, and I'm really working on it. (Especially since I'm spending every day off climbing up in the mountains - for every climb, there's a descent to practice on before my big trip to Colorado.) I found that singing definitely helps.

On the bike I'm building up for this trip, I put on new shifters (the new 2010 Campy design) that's easier to reach the brakes from the drops. But, how does one, after years of descending on the hoods, transition down to the drops? I think about it and can't even imagine feeling stable enough. Do you try it on a gentle grade first to build up to the steep stuff?