Quote Originally Posted by Penny4 View Post
Sometimes it seems like finding a new friend is harder than finding a significant other! I think as we get older, it's also harder because women are so busy with their kids/families, etc.
Meetup.com is a good suggestion, look for a book club, or women's social group. Also, maybe before your group rides begin, ask if anyone would like to go out for coffee/drinks/lunch, etc afterwards? Maybe there are some other newbies who are looking for friends
You know, I do think you sometimes have to approach it like dating. It seems a little weird to ask someone out on a platonic date, but that's kind of what you have to do if you want to move past just being acquaintances. Two of my best friendships more or less developed like that.

I met one of these women at a New Year's Day yoga class that had half the room crying because of the teacher's emotional "New You" theme. Aftewards, the teacher had mimosas for us. I approached the woman whose mat had been next to mine and started talking. Turns out that she was in the middle of a break-up (as was I), had just returned from living in Paris for two years (I was getting ready to go on one of my trips to Paris) and was a cyclist trying to get back into the swing of group rides. I asked her out--platonically--on the spot for coffee. We've been friends since.

Gone are the days (at least at my age) that friendships form as organically as they did in school/college. Sometimes you have to be kind of pushy with people if you sense they are friend-worthy.