Best route from Woodlands/Conroe area to Brenham? (Magnolia: driving, small towns)

[astrohip]

My wife is going to be driving from the Woodlands/Conroe area to Brenham (and back) a couple times a week. To be exact, she's at 1488 & Old Conroe Rd, which is about 5 miles west of I-45. She will be driving at non-rush hour times. Either on the weekends, or between 10am-3pm weekdays.

She's looking for the best route. I can read a map, but what I don't know is local conditions, as I personally never drive that area. While one way may seem shorter to me, if it goes thru a million small towns or traffic lights...

She can go back to 45, north to 105, then west on 105 all the way to Brenham. She can take 1488 west, thru Magnolia, all the way to 290, then 290 to Brenham. She can continue west on 1488 to 149, then up to 105. Or maybe some other way y'all might know?

Ideas?

[EasilyAmused]

The few times I did it, it almost seemed faster to get back to 290 through the back road driving and up. 1488 direct isn't bad, except if you get behind slow pokes.