OK, then I'm already "ready" for a 50-mile ride (or a little more). Well.... I may just have to pick that as my "goal" ride, rather than a "measly" metric half-century. Hmmm... oh, but wait - the hills, the hills! Have to include plenty of time to catch up from my 1/2 mph hill climbs! :

Thanks again for all the help. I still haven't picked one out of the many, many options, but I'm getting there.

BTW, I have to say that I'm lucky to have experienced a pretty supportive and welcoming LBC. The first ride I rode with them was pretty challenging for me, but there was often someone willing to drop back to check on me and/or someone behind me.

Unfortunately, I heard an opposite story about the same bike club just this weekend. She was literally dropped from a town-to-town ride and had to decide to just turn around and head back on her own, not knowing at all where she was or how to get to the destination! (Unfortunately, I know a feeling very close to that from a school district wellness ride.)

Then again, I was *very* choosy about my first ride with the LBC, and we're lucky enough to have two LBCs in this city. Apparently the other club is for the really fast (and really insane), or so I've been told.