Yeah, curves, terrain..it's pretty interesting. Lola, never notice mileage? It's one of my ocd things. I am always setting the 2nd odometer to check mileage from here to there, and timing.
Back way to work is 4.8 miles. Front way to work is 4.2 miles. Both take 8 minutes from driveway to parking lot, usually. Going home the mileage is exactly the same because I am on the same roads (not like on the highways where you are traveling on different sides). Going home takes 11 minutes back way, 10 minutes front way. Still I most often go to work front way, go home back way.