Originally Posted by MetalPedaler

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.