Kinesthetic Awareness

With Christmas, it'll be tough to get any workouts in for about a week, so I am trying to push myself this week. So I went for an 8 mile bike ride this morning, upping my average pace to 14 mph. I am trying some kinesthetic awareness (riding, self diagnosing issues, and then using google to find answers).

1. My butt gets sore
2. I think I still might be a little low in the saddle.
3. I still need to learn to ride with one hand. (How else can I drink any water or eat?)

(1) From the indefatigable Sheldon Brown:

You'll notice that I do call them "saddles," not "seats." There is a reason for this. A "seat" is something you sit on, and is designed to bear essentially your entire weight. Recumbent bicycles have "seats," but conventional upright bicycles have saddles. A saddle is intended to carry some, but not all of your weight. The rest of your weight is mainly carried by your legs, and some by your hands and arms. (Me: I may not be carrying much weight with my legs)
 A cyclist who is out of cycling shape from being off a bicycle for a few months or more, will start out strong, but the legs will tire rapidly. When the legs tire, the rider sits harder on the saddle, and that's when the trouble starts. (Me: Yes) Many saddle complaints are actually traceable to fatigue caused by starting out the season with a longer ride than you are ready for.

(2) Again from Sheldon Brown:

You cannot judge the saddle height to any accuracy by just sitting on it, or riding around the block. As you get close to the correct position, the clues get more and more subtle.Most people start with the saddle too low. .... Riding with the saddle too low is like walking with your knees bent. If you walked that way all the time, you'd also get used to that, but you'd think that half a mile was a long walk. The way the human leg is made, it is strongest when it is nearly straight.
I suggest gradually raising your saddle, perhaps half an inch (1 cm) at a time. Each time you raise it, ride the bike. If it doesn't feel noticeably worse to ride, ride it for at least a couple of miles/km. If it had been too low before, your bike will feel lighter and faster with the new riding position. If raising the saddle improved things, raise it again, and ride some more. Keep doing this until the saddle is finally too high, then lower it just a bit.
When the saddle is too high, you'll have to rock your hips to pedal, and you'll probably feel as if you need to stretch your legs to reach the bottom part of the pedal. Another indication that the saddle may be too high is if you find yourself moving forward so that you are sitting on the narrow front part of the saddle. 

(3) From How to Ride Your Bike Like a Veteran

Learning to ride with one hand takes a bit of skill and coordination. Your weight needs to be firmly placed on the seat, with the one steering had locked out for support and stability. Bent elbows are a no-no here. Some folks find that engaging your core muscles can help!