It is not just an issue of road riding or not, but of limitation.
To get the mileage I want and also stay off roads I deem unsafe, or just obnoxious due to noise, traffic volume and fumes, I need to ride on roads, MUP's, dirt and grass, all on the same route, and the MUP's require frequent unclipping to safely cross intersections.
My routes involve about 10% off-road, 30% MUP and 60% roads. I sold my road bike and now ride a hardtail 29'r with slicks, and a hybrid because of this.
But I love everything about bikes; looking at them, cleaning and maintaining them, riding them, talking about them, etc. Most of all, of course, riding them. I like to ride fast, I like to ride slow, I like the exercise and the scenery, I like it all. But most of all I love to explore on them. I am an old guy and remember as a kid and young man I could go wherever there was a road (except highways) and there were roads everywhere. Mountain bikes had not been invented but we road our old single speed bikes, and then our 3 speed "English Racers", everywhere, including off road and we could explore to our hearts' content.
Those days are gone where I live, and I suspect most places. I ride the same few routes over and over and the vast complex of roads are off limits, not because I will not ride on roads, but because I will not ride on just any road, regardless of traffic.