First off, I've done a lot of biking in Healdsburg and think it's a great little town.

Secondly, other than just riding to be more acquainted with your bike, focus on changing your riding technique. I'm amazed at how many people who are even experienced riders that I see and hear shifting to a lower gear once they've already begun a climb. That not only make it more likely that you'll drop a chain or jam your chain a sprocket, etc., but that kind of shifting under stress can lower the lifespan of your chain and other critical components.

Lastly, to the extent you can, just relax on the bike. Your body will perform much more instinctively when relaxed, allowing you to maximize your abilities and just generally have much more fun. Even now, having been back on the bike seriously since 08, if I'm on a tough hill and hear a tractor trailer gearing down behind me because they're not able to get the visibility to pass just yet, it takes some doing to not be a little unnerved. But once I relax, I can easily draw from my experience that shows they're much better drivers than the typical SUV motorhead in a hurry. Overall, being relaxed will greatly increase the chance that you won't do something that will lead to undesired outcomes.