Riding by myself, I can vary the route however I feel like. I can ride at exactly the pace I want, stop when I want to, quit when I want to. I can take my camera and stop for pictures when I feel like it. So there's advantages there, too.

I also have been riding some of the charity rides (where you go pay $30 or whatever and ride with 800 other people). That gets you in a "group" of sorts, although you're not necessarily riding with other specific people. But it's still a change, and change is good.