Rural Arkansas here. I start on city streets, mostly stay on lesser traveled ones and duck into sub-divisions when I can to get out of traffic. I eventually run into longer "city" streets with limited housing on it, more like a county road before it reaches the end of the city. Then on to county roads, occasionally crossing highways or a few times on a highway - but I try my best to stay off of these. I use the city MUPS on one leg or other, either going out or coming back.
Asphalt in the city is always good, gets rougher and more patched on middle roads and is usually crappy chip and seal on the county roads. This is why I stick with a hybrid, although my bike is more road bike like than they typical hybrid. A Giant Roam 2, 700C wheels (although 40mm wide), trigger shifters, flat bars (no drops).
It's taken me about 2 years but I have a bunch of routes that I can lengthen or shorten depending on time alloted, weather, how I feel or other factors. Most stay out of heavy traffic and I can really enjoy the open countryside and nature. I'm hemmed in with hills, mountains, valleys and a 35,000 acre lake, so I am limited as to how far I can go before it becomes a real challenge.
Last edited by Rootman; 10-05-13 at 10:18 AM.