I've had almost the exact same experience. (Right down to the distance, hilliness, time it takes me, and stopping by a body of water to appreciate the tranquility!)

I remember buying my first car at age 21, and saying to myself, "I hope I don't become one of those people who drives somewhere every day." 14 years later, I'm reminding myself of that daily as I go through a long-overdue rehab for car dependency.