Ditto! I even stop and pet dogs. Joining a highly regimented bunch of spandex-clad men who block out everything else and just concentrate on their performance, is not why I took-up riding. A good part of the reason I ride on the road, is because I want to savor the atmosphere around me...not block it out. Also, the solitude and quiet and freedom of being out on a bike in the country- THEY are the jewels to pursue...not someone in front of me who is full of himself, and who fancies himself the next Eddy Merckx.

Every group needs someone on the back to push!

No, this is THE place- because it is only where cyclists assemble that some take themselves so seriously that they can't admit we are men who like playing with toys. I knew a guy years ago, who spent a disproportionately large percentage of his income on radio-controlled model vehicles; another guy who played with...er...uh... "collected" model trains and Matchbox cars. We play with toys just as much as they do....only our toys are capable of transporting us, and can be used on the road. The only time a bicycle ceases to be a toy, may be when someone uses it purely for transportation. But some guys riding in a pack; making like they are serious athletes; and using strict regimentation to try and bolster their manhood......are like teenagers with a fort going out on a mission. It's make-believe- and not that there's anything wrong with that- it's a good pursuit, IMO- but why kid yourself? The bike is a toy; the group ride is a game. My solo rides are just as much a game- just of a different sort- that is why I enjoy them.

Now go pick up your toys before you read anymore, or NO energy bar for you today, Buster!