Hi TSPoet - sounds like you are having fun - keep up the good work!
If you are serious about doing Walla Walla next year there are a few things you should or will have to do.

1. You need to have a road bike with drop handle bars (no flat bars). It does not have to be the newest fanciest racing bike around, but it does have to meet USCF standards so - no aerobars unless you are doing a TT, no softrides or other bikes without seat tubes, and sorry no recumbents.

2. You will need to buy a USCF racing license - you don't have to be on a team to get one -any one can buy one and beginners are generally allowed to purchase one day race licenses at most races. Even Walla Walla was allowing one day licenses this year for cat 4 women. I've never seen a "citizen's" race here WA. As a beginner you are just considered to be in the lowest USCF category, which is 4 for women and in many races you will only race against other cat 4's. If you are from Washington you may want to buy a WSBA (Washington State Bicycle Association) number. Beginners and out of staters are allowed to rent them at the races. Walla Walla used its own numbers so if you only ever want to do that race then you wouldn't need one.

3. Learn to ride in a group safely. Join a team if you can - you don't have to be experienced or fast to be on a team. What you will get is the support and benefit of the experience of all of your team mates and it is invaluable. Most teams recruit members in the fall, so look for meet the team rides to happen around September/October. If there isn't a team in your area that interests you, at very least find a group to ride with so that you get the experience. Like I said before you don't have to be on a team to race, so if you don't feel ready to make that kind of commitment it is OK, but I still recommend it - cycling is really a team sport and a team makes racing more fun! Plus to tell the truth it is generally assumed that unattached riders don't have good handling skills, so you may find people staying away from you. If you are at all close to Auburn you could try some of the women's training series at Pacific Raceways 7pm some Thursdays. It is not a USCF race so you don't have to have a license and they have a beginner category in addition to the regular cat 4. (check it out at www.buduracing.com) I might hesitate to tell anyone to jump right into a race, but this one is a little different. There is an experienced rider that goes with each group and teaches and they do have the beginner group for people who have never raced before - still some practice group riding would be very beneficial. If you have any skills clinics availabe in your area by all means do them.

Wow - I guess this a lot to hit you with all at once, but as a first year racer I am having so much fun that I want to encourage you to try it and give you the information that you need to get started. I hope it doesn't sound too confusing - its really not as complicated as it sounds. Keep asking questions about anything that is unclear!