Denise, I absolutely agree with you. When my SO and I go out, we practice pedaling at a consistant cadence and speed (and I practice changing gears on the hills). Neither one of us are out to win races, but to enjoy riding and the scenery! We stop at rivers, creeks, swamps, and sometimes to help a little turtle across the road.
When we do organized rides, we are more prepared to do our steady pace and enjoy the ride!
"The bicycle was the first machine to redefine successfully the notion of what is feminine. The bicycle came to symbolize something very precious to women - their independence."—Sally Fox