My mountain biking friends say that road riding is boring, no "whoop de doo's." A friend who rides the road thinks mountain biking is insane. Each thinks the other is more dangerous. Personally, I think I'm more likely to get a minor injury (scrapes, cuts, bruises) on the trail, but if I get hit by a car, well, that could be serious. I believe mountain biking is more exciting and emotionally challenging--overcoming fears and self-doubt, but road biking is more calming, almost a meditation, and a mental challenge. Now that I have a bike for each occasion, I can enjoy the best of both worlds. They both have a place in my life. When I get more comfortable on the road bike, I hope to join in some club rides and learn to ride with a group. That is one big difference I've found between the two kinds of riding: single track doesn't allow for much conversation, except at breaks. On the road, you can socialize more. Maybe that's why I see a number of recreational road bike clubs, but few (if any) mountain bike clubs that are not involved in racing.