Well, I had my first experience riding entirely on the road instead of bike path on Sunday. My boyfriend and I went out for a 15 mile ride and all went well. I was surprised that so many motorists actually gave us enough room when passing, etc. I would almost call them 'courteous.' The road goes through our park system, so I think that many drivers are used to cyclists on the road. Still, it was a HUGE step for me.

This boosted my confidence level and I decided to hit the road by myself yesterday after work. At first, I was somewhat nervous. Shortly, that melted away and I felt great! Saw a few cyclists along the way... some acknowledged my presence and others did not. Hehe! Me... tooling around at 14-15 mph on my MTB with knobbies! Some of those guys on the road bikes probably thought I was some kinda nutcase. (And, I picked a good day to ride the road because I noticed that they're repaving sections of the bike path.)

I've come to the realization that I need to look into getting a set of slicks and some cycling shoes. I don't feel that I'm quite ready to go clipless yet, but someday I will. Heck, someday I might even buy a road bike.

Good, now that we have our hooks in you...resistance is futile...evil laughter is heard in the background

Congratulations Julie! I know that was a BIG step for you.

Have you considered taking an Effective Cycling course?
You might want to contact one of the local cycling clubs or advocacy organizations and ask where and when the courses are offered. They teach you how to ride safely in traffic.
Group rides may also help. Ask about those too, plus they are a lot of fun and a great way to meet other riders.

Here is the website of one of the local groups.
https://www.ohiobike.org/