These pictures will help you understand why I get so frustrated going through cities. This is how I’m used to driving. This is the amount of traffic I like.
We left Louisiana just as the sun was almost completely up and it made the fields look a bright shade of yellow.
I kept looking at the sky and saying “Vince, are you sure it isn’t going to rain?” It didn’t matter . . we were going home . . rain or shine!
We got into Texas and, as usual on the roads we take, there’s just no traffic. I am not going to count but I’ll bet that I see fewer cars in the 8 hours it takes to drive back from Louisiana than I do in the 40 minutes or so it takes me to get through Oklahoma City.
Do you see a car anywhere on this road? Look at the shoulder! Texas roads are the best . . for the most part. Every now and then we drive on a road and we say “Are we still in Texas?” but the vast majority of the roads are amazing.
Maybe it’s just me but I think this is so beautiful. Peaceful . . easy driving.
I believe Texas has got hold of me and is not letting go. I feel like I need to apologize to the whole state because I always told Vince “I’ll move anywhere you want to go so long as it’s in the south but I will NOT move to Texas!” Now, as much as I want to move to Missouri, I just don’t think we’ll ever leave Texas.
It’s funny because the first Texas road picture I shared, the road has a big wide shoulder. The second picture has a narrow shoulder. The third one has no shoulder. It really is rare to find a Texas road without a wide shoulder.
I can drive all day any day on the back roads. Put me on the interstate, and I crumble!
Karen says
I know how you feel. I hate driving in traffic – I’d rather spend an 2 hours bypassing cities than sitting on the interstate not moving. The shortest route for us to get to Rockwall is thru OK City – we started going thru AR – it’s a little longer but nice 4-lane road with few semis. Speaking of sitting in traffic – Friday night when it snows drivers were stuck on the interstate for up to 10 hours – I’d be a raving maniac.
Vivian Oaks says
If you want good roads you definitely do NOT ever want to move to Pennsylvania! We’re among the worst in the county for our roads… Highest gas tax in the entire country and the worst roads. Makes sense, doesn’t it???!!! We’re still paying almost $2.50 a gallon for gas, and 10 minutes down the road in Ohio it’s well under $2.00…but i always seem to be going in the opposite direction….
Sherrill Pecere says
Well yeah! Who wouldn’t wanna drive on a road like that?!! Anywhere around here, it’s rare to find roads like that with nobody on em. But that’s par for the course in the DFW metroplex. I had to go pick up my brother and his family FRIDAY at LOVE FIELD!! UGH!! The other side of Dallas at 2pm on Friday and it was supposed to be raining. Fortunately we avoided the rain but 2pm on Fri. in Dallas starts rush hour. YUCK
wanda jordan says
Oh I remember those days way back when. It was when I first came upon your blog. You had moved and gotten settled. Then the word transfer came up and those famous words” I won’t move to Texas anywhere but there.”. I sent you a message and told you about my GREAT STATE. THAT IF YOU EVER GOT HERE YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO LEAVE.. Yes I’m shouting telling the world this state is the best….. I’m glad you now feel that way and are telling the world. I know it is hard to be away from family but you and VInce don’t seem to mind driving so stay awhile longer and enjoy life. See you later ya’ll. Born( 5th generation Texan) ,bred and raised in Texas love this place.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chris says
I, too, CANNOT handle traffic! That’s why I live in northern Idaho. Our roads are not straight (ha!!), but the scenery is out of this world! Glad you’re back home.
dezertsuz says
We always enjoyed Texas roads, of course. There’s a road from somewhere around Westlaco up to Victoria that is a divided highway, 2 lanes on each side, and there was so little traffic, it was wonderful. I agree about the roads there. E Tennessee roads are middlin’ fair. The winters here are hard on them, and they just patch, sometimes not getting it flat and even. The interstates here, 40 and 75, get a LOT of truck traffic, and the right lanes don’t fare well every winter. They aren’t as bad as some New England states, though! Arizona roads aren’t bad, New Mexico typically are. Texas does a good job, though.
Nelle Coursey says
When I lost my job at TU Electric, we went as far North as Cleveland Ohio and as far West as Mt. Rushmore. In all our travels we always said some of the Texas Farm to Market roads are better than these states Freeways or Interstates! Texas has always taken better care of it’s roads than any other state.