"I'm an introvert, but I prefer to be by myself on my own terms."

I just joined a club at the beginning of the year and I miss riding with them. The weekday rides were made up of retired folks- both old and young- people who had flexible schedules, and those who were between jobs, like me. It was mostly a mature crowd, wide ranging B pace, with regroups every ten or fifteen miles. The fast kid would finish the climbs then do laps to the last rider and back to the top a couple of times. Regroups were a time to socialize, so there was never a rush to leave as soon as the last person arrived.

I did a few rides with them before joining the club, so I knew it was something I liked. I figure if I rode with a club that was more intent on racing instead of racking up distance and elevation, then I probably would have kept looking. I had done some other clubs' rides that didn't appeal to me and I never went back to them.

The club has begun to resume some rides, so I'm anxious to join them, but it's not like they'll be the same rides as before. I'm going to be more standoffish, keeping my distance. The groups are going to be smaller, and the vibe will be different. We'll see if I keep going.