I'm a solo country road rider, too. I did decide last year that I would like to have a cell phone with me, it has my emergency numbers under "ICE" and also the numbers of a few neighbors who are home during the day.

I think it is good to vary your route - and good for your training, anyway.

And I stay alert - twice, vans have passed me and stopped, as if waiting for me to pass them. I turned and headed the other way. Most likely they were just folks lost on our confusing back roads, but my intuition said to keep away.

When I head out, I always say a little prayer/blessing - Ride strong, ride safe.