While I enjoy group rides, too often there's no one riding at my pace so I'm either hammering along with the fast group only to get dropped out in the middle of nowhere, or I'm tooling along with the more sensible crowd. Well, what usually happens is I get burned up by the fast crowd then the sensible ones come sailing along and pass me, too.

So I do a lot of solo riding.

Write yourself an exhausting schedule of chores to do around the house; make sure "She Who Must Be Obeyed" sees the list. Talk about how you're going to fix this, fix that, clean out the garage, weed the garden, bathe the dog, etc.

Sneaking off to go riding will never seem easier.