I live in southeast Iowa this time of year and there are rural roads I will not ride on. Two lanes, no shoulder, and too much traffic. You just have to make a judgment about safety. However, there are rural paved roads around here that are safe enough to ride on, so I just have to pick my route carefully. I found that other cyclists had used MapMyRide and plotted out routes. You my end up having to drive a bit to find the safe roads. I am fortunate that I can get to several good routes out my door. The drivers in the part of the country tend to be polite and give you a wide berth. Maybe it is because they already have learned to share the road with the Amish.