Some regret at missing the cultural festival, which after further research, seems to be a very important event in this part of the world. But if I had made a beeline for it, walking next to Bulgarian highway traffic for hours, I might have been there, but I wouldn't have found it. The arc through the mountains was the better choice, even if it came up short in the end. Not to make a thing out of the reach perpetually exceeding the grasp, but it is important not only to do the right things, but to do them in the right manner. However important the thing might be. The way we have of doing things is what we are.
There are no regional busses in this area -- I could have booked a ticket for a more distant place and asked the bus to stop, and then walked back, though. Ultimately, you need a car, or access to a car, as with many things in the present world. Which is a bit troubling. It's one thing for a car to be required, but it's quite another for automotive traffic to be the main obstacle on the path.