No, I do the same thing from time to time, and have found better commuting routes by doing so. I have been toying with the idea of riding home on a new greenway that my city just completed, which would extend my afternoon commute from about 16 miles to more than 30 miles. My usual commute is mostly on neighborhood streets with about one-third of the distance on heavily trafficked roads. The greenway route would be much more pleasant but would take twice as long. The path is also very dark and remote, and it's technically "closed" after dark, but totally car-free. It might be better to wait until the days get longer but it would be a great way to end my commuting year.