I use tire liners and would HIGHLY recommend them! Certainly gives me some piece of mind, in exchange for a few extra grams of weight. The only flats that I have gotten since using the liners, are those that come through the sidewalls. I run Vittoria Diamante Pro tires, which I love. They have lots of puncture protection, yet still have a low rolling resistance to keep them feeling "zippy". And they're great in wet weather, too.

I must admit...I am not too fond of riding alone, so I can totally relate on that aspect. I have weak hand strength, so getting my tires on/off is quite difficult for me. I tend not to venture out too far if I opt to ride alone...usually I stick to a 25-mile route. The rest of the time, I'm either riding with my DH or a male cycling buddy (who, lucky for me, happens to be a pro at changing a flat tire).

Sorry...can't help with the group riding thing, as I've never even attempted to ride with a group. I seriously doubt that I could hang with any of the club rides in my area. Those guys go blasting by us at well over 20mph. I can do 20mph for short stints (a mile here, a mile there), but certainly NOT for an entire ride.