My commute looks like this:
So... uphill, both ways.
I work on the left, live on the right. That low spot in the middle is the Trinity River. I work on one side of it and live on the other, so there's no missing it. That ridge on the right end of the chart (at about 14 miles) runs across southwest Fort Worth, a little east of the river, so it's hard to miss that as well. Depending on the route I take, it is either a long, gradual climb through Overton Park, or a steaper climb up Hooters Hill or the Oakmonster (Oakmont Blvd.) I think the steeper hills are about 10-15% grade at the worst.
I used to work at about the 10 mile mark. Back in those days, the ride in was easy, the ride home was always a bear. Now it has a climb both ways (which was a tough adjustment for me), but I slog through.