OP~ that sounds like a great commute. I did 17 miles for a couple of years, not year round and not everyday but 17 was doable. we moved to a 13 mile office and that was what I think of as ideal and did it year round and most days of the week, but that was all roadway and traffic lights, and everything that goes along with it. if I had a 17 mile commute mostly paved path that could easily compete with 13 miles on the streets. in my opinion 10 -17 miles in one thing - less than that it's another thing. I moved to an apt 6 miles from work and it wasn't worth the bother to bike commute. 6 miles was just too short and not even a workout.