Thanks everyone for the advice. Mike, I'm so sorry about your son. One of the reasons I really wanted to get a bike this summer is because I am living in a part of Upstate New York that is really perfect for someone who is just starting to seriously road-bike. There are lots of long roads with good pavement and high visibility lines. I think I'm a fairly cautious rider and this is really a great area to start out in. Of course, the helmet is a given. (I still don't understad how you could ride without one, especially the motorcyclists who ride sans helmet...)
So I went for my first ride today on my new Lemond Tourmalet. The clipless pedals will take some time to adjust to, but it was so great to be on a quality bike after dealing with a junker. I also found out how horribly out of shape I am. Looks like it might be a while before I turn pro and enter the Toure, but not too long
-Jimi