I know exactly what you are talking about. I live in rural NE and those are exact roads I ride. Do you have any shoulders to ride on? I won't ride the north highway out of town as it's too dangerous. Going south is better as the shoulders are nicely paved. East highway has the lightest traffic and going west is another don't even try.

The back gravel roads are the quietest but if a car/truck does come by it's at 60 mph. I think legal speed limit is about 50-55 when I just went online to check. I just bought my Mukluk to travel the gravel roads so I don't bounce or slide so much. If I wasn't so dang slow on the bike (it must weigh at least 35 lbs) I'd do more miles. Bike goes over gravel so well it's amazing even if it's as slow as a snail at 5-10 mph.

There is a trail about 15 miles away that I do use, but it's beyond boring. 6 miles of cornfields and 4 miles of wooded areas. There aren't any access roads to the trail in-between the parking lots and spotty cell phone service so if I get stuck somewhere it's a long walk back even if DH comes to get me. If I'm riding the shoulder of a highway, at least I have a ride back home.

Can you plan your own group rides with people that do ride? Get a couple of people that everyone likes, pick a time and go out and do your own thing.

Do what feels safe for you. It took me some time to get out on my own and adjust to traffic and to find the right roads. Make yourself highly visible as well. No one is ever looking for a bike out in the rural areas and I've learned to be as safe as possible. I need to purchase a mirror so I can see traffic coming up now that I think about it.

Riding rurally can be done. Once people have noticed me out on a bike and are used to me, most give me plenty of room and it all works out.