Karen
two things. I'd say my average (NOT on hills) is under 12mph. (read my earlier post on this thread)
on hills.... it is miserably slow as we've already discussed.
HOWEVER, my dh was saying to me; just wait those hills that have been bullying you around aren't going to be so bad anymore.
So I rode to work yesterday and going home there's this 8% grade that always bites me. My legs are stiff and sore from Saturday. I start going up the rise, my legs are screaming, but... what? I was done with the hill without the normal hystrionics!!! even sore; that big climb diminished my commute climb!

Raleighdon made a goal last year of some insane number of climbing miles. As a result, he is now faster all over. So as much as we hate the hills, they are our friends. The more hill work we can do, the faster we're going to get.

And a good lighter bike helps too. (Although Raleighdon was riding his 40 lb bike saturday and he was still circling me!)