i prefer to ride alone. It's more stressful for me to ride with a group, watching for cars and pacelines, and chit chat, and wanting to go faster, or feeling too slow. I've started riding with a girlfriend, which has been nice, but went for a 50 miler myself and it was great! I like to just be in the moment, and not have to think or talk, I have to do lots of that in my job as a school teacher. I like to do my imaginary races, trying to catch people up ahead, or not let some roadie catch up to me before random finish lines in my imagination. I also like to leave my routes and milage open, depending on how I feel.