1 miles - suburban side streets, then 6 miles - serene nature trail/bike path (ahhh....), then 1 mile - commercial, high-speed traffic, three-lane highway with traffic lights. I ride the shoulder over debris and broken glass. After work it's home again, home again jiggety jig.
I am 40 (2002) y/o avid cyclist with about 25 years of very serious road riding experience. I just bought my first mtb - a Trek 6500.
My two longest rides over the years (not commuting): a) Frisco to San Diego down the west coast along route 1 (1987) with full packs. Camping or hostels each night. 2 weeks. b) South shore of Long Island (1994), NY. Wantagh to Montauk lighthouse and back in one day - 210 miles in 19 hours. My best commuting story is a stop at the bike shop on the way to work. While buying a new water bottle, a Chevy Suburban in the parking lot backs up into the bike rack and crushes my front rim (wedged under the bumper), then leaves without realizing it. With no place to go, I went back into the bike store, bought a replacement rim and 2 or 3 new spokes and laced the new front wheel right there in the parking lot with a screwdriver and my spoke wrench. I was two hours late for work.