All clubs and rides here are different. Our racing club is all business with little if any stopping. Eating is on the fly. My wife and I ride together all the time and we prefer power on all the time with minimal stops and eating. The most we do is stop for a Starbuck's coffee assuming we have a recovery day.

I ride with two different clubs (and a 3rd group that is made up of members of both clubs), and all of them do the coffee/breakfast stop differently. One club (that averages 15-16 mph for 50 miles) has a 20 min stop about 30 miles into the ride for coffee and a roll. The faster club (17+ mph ave for 40-50 miles) only stops at Circle K for water and a power bar, an some may stop for a bagel or breakfast at the end of the ride. The 3rd group rides on Tues and Thurs. Sometimes there is a full breakfast stop in the middle of the ride, and sometimes it is at the end.

I like these guys approach - training in Mallorca.

Most of the clubs (actually ALL) I've ridden with do have a "coffee stop" in the middle of the routes so the various groups (slow, medium and fast) can meet up and socialize. Most often the stop is just for coffee, many a lite snack and a restroom break. The big meal comes after the ride.

I have always wondered how people can eat such a big meal and then ride. Even on century rides I generally skip the big meal at lunch and still graze on small snacks. Now after a ride, I eat like a horse!

Eat sensibly. Stick to light easily digestible foods like scrambled eggs, a slice of toast with jelly, maybe risk eating a half-order of hash browns and juice. Or, you can avoid all risk and simply order some oatmeal with fruit. Wait at least 15 minutes after eating for food to digest. Also, pedal slow for the first 15 minutes after you get back on the road.

To avoid "stiffening up" there is little you can do. Joints will do that if you rest for half-hour to an hour. However, be sure to wear a warm-up jacket and something over the legs if you will be in A/C. That should allow you to loosen up rather quickly once you get back out on the ride.

When our club rides to a state park and has brunch, I seem to feel stronger on the way back than the way out. It is about 50 miles, or what feels like two 25 mile rides to me. As usual "conventional wisdom" doesnt always apply, not in my case anyway.