OK- 2 more questions and I'll stop! (I promise!)

1) the 20 and 30 mile flat routes- is the towpath an alright surface for a road bike? Or are we talking cinders & gravel? Because I have some rail-trail by my house that I would not ride my road bike on...

2) on the entry form, it looks like you don't actually register for a specific ride- you just register & show up at the appropriate time, right? So we could both register, then if it rains or something & she doesn't go, I could go and ride whatever I wanted?

Thanks again! Looking forward to it!