"The Big Boys"? I thought this was a Clydesdale thread at first glance.
Group rides are not always convenient or particularly fun, but there's no substitute for them. You can only get so good on your own, or so it seems.
I have not done any for several years, and my group riding skills, which have never been great, have I'm certain deteriorated from tens of thousands of solo miles. Which is always good for a few comments from other riders. And makes me want to avoid group rides even more.