Thanks for all of the advice, and I will try to remember this during this week when I head back out on the bike. I WOULD like to practice what hills I can before next Saturday.

I have tried to pedal downhill, but found that it was just free-wheeling and just odd - however I didn't try to shift into a harder front gear.

So what I am hearing is that I need to practice more, of course, and resist the temptation to coast downhill. I LIKE coasting downhill - it is fun However I need a different approach because this isn't helping me much in getting up the next hill. I do NOT want to wind up walking that 1.5 mile hill next Sat Not that there is anything wrong with walking up a hill, just saying...