My ride into work is just about 10 miles and though it's almost impossible for me to do it (traffic lights etc.) I sometimes aim for the golden 1/2 hour commute. I usually give myself 45 minutes to do the ride but sometimes considerably less and then I have to hammer. I wish I could say I loved doing that every time but I don't.

Sometimes I'll give myself an hour to do the ride and that's when it really is enjoyable. I've stopped and sat along the river, maybe take a picture, watch the geese- it's restful. And if I want to go fast I get to work all that much earlier, which I'll need since I find I need the time to recover a bit from the fast rides.