I like the idea of heading east from the video store & returning to your neighborhood via another route, if there is one that will work. Otherwise, on the return trip I would do the sidewalk thing just as you did. (Is that sidewalk as far off the road as it looks from the satellite image?) Respect other sidewalk users, etc, etc, etc, and you'll be fine.

I also like that even though you're a new cyclist, you're asking the right questions.