Over the past month...
...I've soloed,where I could choose my own route and my own pace, good for training
...I've been on long group rides, which are sociable and challenging at the same time, some riders ahead of me to challenge me, some riders side by side to talk to, some behind me, which is especially gratifying as now I'm no longer the last.
...I've been on organized rides where we're given a cue sheet in the morning, and eventually you find your way to the destination, either riding alone or with spontaneous groups that form and then dissolve
Each one I've enjoyed in its own way, my favorites are #1 for doing it my way, and #2 for kicking back and following someone else's lead, don't really have to pay attention to the directions.