On longer rides yes, maybe only for an hour or so at a time. Natural sounds are great and so is the right music at times. Early in the morning, can’t beat birdsong and the sound of tyres on dirt. But also have great memories of riding along in particular places with certain music on. I think music links to memory and state of mind so strongly that I’d never go on a long ride weekend or trip w/o an MP3 despite only using it maybe 5% of the time.
Found the Cycle Show radio / podcast site recently and have a few interviews on the mp3 for the next overnighter trip, can see it working for tours too, less so for while riding though.
Putting on headphones puts you back in a little closed environment –
For some maybe, or at times yes, but it can add to it imo. I vividly remember riding out of a small town in Montana on a beautiful morning through open ranch land on rolling tracks and popped some music on, something that seemed to come to mind at the time, started singing along and felt incredibly happy, alive, light – a mix of music and place and state of mind. 10 mins later the MP3 was back in the bag. Now there’s a permanent link in mind between a particular song and a very memorable time, it’s like having a photo.