Ha, it's an unwritten rule of group ride route designers that it must be a loop ride. I'm guilty of this myself.

Out and back rides on the Blue Ridge Parkway are so nice. New perspectives, different sun angles, and seeing what I missed on the outbound fast downhills.

The Virginia Creeper rail trail's second section is 15 miles of steady uphill. There are shuttle services that drive casual riders to the top, and they coast and easy pedal all the way down. But you have to watch the trail surface and look out for other trail users. Riding uphill, I stopped a lot at scenic spots, and could hear the mountain whitewater splashing on a lot of the climb. The uphill direction was so much better.