When I say "now what?" I mean, what can I do now to build up some know how on using and applying them with out having other musicians to play with?

uh... switch to a chordal instrument? j/k

Here's how I progressed... find 20 songs that you really like and find accurate tab/sheet music for them. Then learn how to play them. This should give you and idea of how chords are put into use. Pick some easy-sounding songs first.

(cue learn-by-ear responses)

Learn about chord inversions

Apply those chord patterns and inversions to Rhythm styles.

- arpeggios
- walking bass
- root note
- riffs

Practice with a metronome.

Learn about chord inversions

Apply those chord patterns and inversions to Rhythm styles.

- arpeggios
- walking bass
- root note
- riffs

Practice with a metronome.
A simple chord inversion would be to put the third or fifth on the bottom.
Example Cmaj built E G C would be 1st inversion. G C E would be 2nd.
My advice would be to study your scales and modes. Then see how they fit with chords.
Practice these until your hands can't take any more. This will become ingrained in you and give you a supply of knowlege to pull from as you play. You can't play what you don't know.

I would actually recomend studying voiuce leading and rudimetary counterpoint. If you have a solid understanding of how to fit chords together, and how to make the notes of one chord move smoothly yet distinctly to the notes of another, you will find your basslines become much more powerful in terms of driving the song both melodically and in the context of the rest of the band.