Today I found myself navigating some 13 miles (20.5 km) in a southeasterly direction over a flat grid of north-south country roads. That means you’re zigzagging and having to be alert for every turn. Then, to add some “realism” to this test, I also experienced a drenching rain that lasted for but an hour.
Despite all the zigzags, I managed to follow a few small streams one of which was creatively harnessed by a waterwheel with a 15 KW output—the stream was barely 12 ft wide. I was impressed they went to the trouble of doing that.
And the things you encounter: a McDonald’s and Burger King (these are not big cities I’m going through); an Old Wild West Restaurant; a field of dense red poppies (it’s not that they’re everywhere); and the calming chimes of church bells calling the flock to mass (there’s something about them—I can’t describe). And, one forgets, but these bells go off hourly in these small villages (and sometimes even more).