I have choices.

My direct route, which I use only in inclement weather, is 4.5 miles and dead flat. The average is 25 feet per mile, but most of that is on the bridge over the river.

My long loop is 16.25 miles flat. It starts by heading over five miles in the wrong direction, picks up the Erie Canalway, overshoots work, then doubles back in city streets. In the three-seasons a 13-mile cut of this route is my favorite route coming home. There are a couple of baby rollers in that first five miles, but nothing I can't handle in the 39-23, even with the panniers on. But that's part of what gets cut on the way home.

My hills, parks, cemetery route is 9.5 miles travelling along a line of hills at the city's southern border. To give you an idea, the first park is called Cobbs Hill Park, and the second park is called Highland Park. Pinnacle Hill lies between the two. The cemetery is where my fabled 10% cobbled climb comes in. Continues up around that corner.



Dragging the panniers up these (generally into the wind as well) is why my commuters have triples.