Who's got a long commute?

[rhyme]

My total commute is 40 miles of rolling hills. It’s 80% bike path starting right from my house and 20% road (near my work). I have to hit the path by 5am so I can arrive by 6:30am. The wildlife I see is simply breath taking. There are hundreds of bunnies, foxes, birds and a few deer. This morning I rode along side a buck! He was absolutely beautiful.

You and I live in very different parts of the world methinks. Wildlife around here equates to:

1. Squirrels
2. Dogs on a leash.
3. The occasional rat.

Thats about it.

Also, to contribute.... my commute is pathetic by comparison. I can't believe that I ever wondered if I could do it. Its a paltry 4.5 miles each way. I've actually been thinking about intentionally extending it because it doesn't even take half an hour to do (even with red lights and such) and I don't feel like I get a workout unless I really redline my heart rate, which isn't as beneficial as going slower and just extending the ride. I've been trying to find a nice way to extend it - ie a park or something, but so far I haven't had much luck finding anything. I'm thinking of riding east a mile or two so that I can bike by the lake, but it would also mean then riding west in the middle of rush hour downtown traffic on roads with lots of cabs and no bike lanes. Not sure how I feel bout that - but it would extend the commute to about 8 miles each way.