Yup, there are roadies here
I commute 40mi 5days a week and end weekends with 40-70mi endurance rides plus mountain biking for general handling skills and when I'm sick of pavement. Ride solo and with my club, gotta love muscular thighs in lycra while drafting a clydesdale( you'll meet tons of men cycling since they outnumber ladies 10/1)

Currently hill training for a few imperial centuries coming up with good climbing. Once every few months I make trips to throw myself at a mountain lol, you're right- never gets easier, you just put up with more.
Clif bars rock but you can make your own. Bonk breakers are softer and my fav. Nutrition is key with cycling, i do clif bars/shots/gels, Hammer perpetuem when i can't stomach solid food, HEED for same reason, etc etc.
Speed comes when you train for it, slow goes slow, fast goes fast. Starting cycling is more about getting used to the drain and time in saddle, train for what you want to do though eventually you'll find out what kind of cyclist you are. For example, I'm small and should be a great climber- I suck(except descending0. However, I can Time Trial like no one's business. so I train what i suck at.
be warned, you burn a ton but you will turn into a bottomless pit the second you get off bike, just sayin'. And cycling is about as expensive as boating, at least my version is, damn italian carbon fiber lust
you on RBR or BF?
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