There's an entrepreneur who appears again and again against the charmingly continental backdrop of Tramonto. He's responsible for setting up Wheel World's fast travel system, which harnesses a sacred spiritual power via a network of porta-potties. "You just can't beat that kind of convenience for getting from place to place," says Portal John, in between thwacks of his hammer.
Among all the inhabitants of this compact open world, he's one of the few not to get it. Almost everyone you meet out here is enamoured with the momentous magic of cycling. The giddy glee of gravity-enhanced acceleration on a long downhill stretch, the smooth strategic satisfaction of a well-planned gear change. When they open their mouths, it becomes clear they're obsessed – either with the lightweight benefits of carbon saddles, the wattage generated while wearing toeclips, or bananas as a source of potassium ("nip those muscle crampons right in the buddskis"). Convenience? No thanks. Not when there's a ride to be had.
