I'll ignore all the ad hominems and other crap on this thread and stick with what I think the spirit of the OP was, which is to offer solid, reliable advice on how to ride with the big boys. It's about more than showing up in good physical conditioning. Every one of those tips is not only excellent, but they're all necessary for and prerequisite to playing with the fastest guys and gals out there. It's not ego or elitism, it's about safety.
Your ride sounds exactly like our Wednesday Night Worlds, which draws not only Cat. 1 and Cat. 2 racers, but professionals (if riding in the TdG and Tour of California counts as professional) as well. The rules are pretty much the same, and the reaction for transgressions can be similar, although those of us in Ohio tend to think we comport ourselves with more decorum than you Michiganers....
I'll offer another one for the list: It your team is riding the local training race and some of your teammates get disconnected during one of the extended 30+mph sessions, don't bring your surviving teammates to the front, take over the entire lane, and then proceed to slow the pace down into the 20s to give your lost guys a chance to reconnect. You will definitely get yelled at.