Stretching to the East for miles were wide canals separated by grass and swamp. There were no roads in sight. Clara's original plan had been to enter Thecity via Gray Point Road, explore Thecity for a day or two, and then head North on a road that according to the maps led to the hill that was her meeting place with Helen.

It might be possible to follow the Eastern shore of the Lake and then cut across to the road that led to that hill, but she would have to cross an area marked "Mac Men", which was rumored to be a dangerous place. Also, if she took that route, she would not be able to tell Helen what Thecity was like. Sharing what they each had learned -- about people and places that they had never seen -- was an important part of their plan.