These are all great suggestions that I have done most of. I'm still in the "too chicken to group/club ride"...yet. But, that one I am changing this season.

My normal spin I have time for is a 20mi loop. There is the most beautiful postcard picture perfect farmhouse almost dead in the middle. I tell myself... "I have to ride far enough to see how the flowers are doing"...

This ladie's yard is SO amazing. One day I saw her gardening and turned around to tell her so. I know she thought I was crazy. But, oh well.

The actual "dead center" is a cemetary. That's my turn the loop point.

I have stopped there before and had the snack under a tree with the dead folks.

Also, as a gym roadie pal pointed out... if he runs out of water, cemetaries have water. There is norally an outside facuet that peeps use for the gravestone flower vases. Interesting tip.

Just keep at it... you can do it.