How much energy?

 I live at the bottom of a hill and like to ride my cycle. If I turn right I have a short steep climb to get to the top of the hill. If I turn left I have a long gentle ride to get to the top of the hill. It doesn't matter what way I go I still get to the top of the hill and have to come down again. At the top of the hill I have the same amount of potential energy no matter what way I go. I can get to the top in less than five minutes if I go the short way but it takes twenty minutes if I go the long way. It actually takes more energy to go the long way than it does to go the short way. Richard Dawkins would have us believe that it takes no energy to go the long way; at least, that is his argument concerning the gradual development of modern species. It always takes energy to go uphill no matter what way you go.