I almost never ride in a group. Saddle time is ME time. It might also stem from my days of topping off a 3l camelback, stuffing compartments with food and extra clothes and hitting the trails up at Tahoe. I’ve always ridden solo & self-supported.
As others have mentioned, if there are areas you want to ride that are too far away, just toss your bike in the car and drive to a good jumping off point and go. I’ve been exploring new routes and making very long rides out of them to boot. Personally, I’d skip putting anything in one or two ears. Sure, it can fend off boredom, but I like to know who’s coming. Garmin radar is good but hearing them (except electrics) helps a lot.
Good luck! I hope you find something that works for you.