The session did flow well, and it didn't even feel like it was shorter. With that being said, I would still like to keep the normal time if everyone else would as well. 2 hours and 45 minutes is too short a time to spend with such excellent and admirable hobbits as yourselves. As for the story content, I think that there was a definite climate shift in the entire campaign. For the first time, we actually had free reign to go where we wished, and that definitely gave me the feeling that there was a literal world waiting for me to explore. I imagine Rob has the same feeling I get when I look at the map in my campaign and can't wait until my players get to the Caverns of Tenebrous Wyrms, or explore the Moor of Black Thunder inside the Kingdom of the Sundered Rebels.