Hi John,

Sometimes we are lucky and these are not mutually exclusive. The only road path to my work site is very treacherous. That route would be 10 mi one way. Instead I ride limestone/gravel trails through forest preserves that is very scenic and has lots of wildlife (deer, coyote, hawks, etc.) and no cars. My shortest route is these trails plus some less treacherous roads for 12 mi one way. I often take that in the morning because I am rushed for time. I have a route that is 15 mi one way that involves only about a mile of road that I take in the morning when I have time, and home on the longer days. I often take a much longer route for fun and health so my commute is probably on average 30-32 mi round trip, up to 36 mi.

If you can make the time I would recommend safety first and scenery over speed. Those are my priorities and I get a lot of satisfaction commuting this way. Otherwise it would be very tedious (and dangerous) to me, and I wouldn't be motivated for very long.