Thanks for the suggestions! It's really hard to find somewhere I feel "safe" here. We do have a rail-trail, but it has been the target of a lot of crime lately - and I'm a firm believer that I am substituting one kind of danger for another (cars for kids, skateboarders, crime, dogs, etc.). Sadly, that's it for MUPs.

Our neighborhood is actually really good for biking in general - we're within a couple of miles of the downtown, and there is definitely more awareness here of bikes than other places. This is just one bad area (and the parallel street is 2 direction with cars parked on both sides - and not enough room for 2 lanes because of that - so other issues there). I don't think that there is really a good place I feel safe riding I can drive to I'm not sure about riding with others either - riding with my DH tends to be an exercise in frustration for me because he is *so much* faster than I am - as are most of the other people I would ride with. It's compounded by the fact that I'm now seriously out of shape for biking. I don't actually know of any group-ish rides that would be that slow (and I've looked!). I'll be OK - I will get myself back out there. Fall is my favorite season for that, so that helps!