thanks all!

Jim, you have been particularly helpful with routes and I thank you for that. you're right - there was a time I would happily add 2 miles to my commute to avoid an 8% grade, and I seriously considered selling my otherwise-bulletproof Soho because it only had 8 gears. these days I am scaling those hills just fine!

I think Commuting is the single most useful forum on BF. I also haunt Clydes, Folders, and Road, but this is the best.