Originally Posted by gerv

Good advice. I would add: do you the route you feel safest and most comfortable with -- even if 15 miles. But read the book, get good experience under you belt and try to understand how you might navigate a shorter route. Perhaps try it early in the morning, or some other low-traffic time, just to see what it feels like.

I don't know your route and I would guess few posting here would. Sometimes a route is personal, something you feel comfortable with, something you enjoy riding.