Driving rural Texas roads (San Antonio, Austin: living, fence, dangerous)

[doss1]

Hey folks,
It was a good day to be driving from Blanco to San Antonio today. I fixed a blown gasket in my old Jeep and I decided to go for a spin around the backroads (FM473) after visiting some friends in Wimberley. Gosh, what beautiful country! The ruby red sun was setting low off in the distance and I had the whole ranch road to myself with my windows down and ol' Don Gibson singing "Sea of heartbreak" on the radio waves. Horses and cattle grazed the lush green fields with gently rolling hills rising out in the distance and becoming softer as they reached out into the horizon.

It had been a while since I've seen a live armadillo and I finally had my chance to get close to one...except that he decided to jaywalk across the road while I was going 65mph....nothing scares an armadillo. NOTHING. I nearly flipped the Jeep by trying to swerve around him...and I wasn't sure if I had run over him. I immediately checked my six on the rearview mirror and noticed him spinning on his back in a circle, and, get this, he jumped back up and walked back across the road like a drunken sailor. He was almost road kill today.

Further down the road, I noticed 2 cowboys on horseback trotting down the road shoulder. I saluted and they returned the gesture by waving their cowboy hats at me. I wondered if they were riding horses to save gas and so I checked my fuel tank and noticed I was dangerously low despite having filled the tank earlier that day.

When I got on 281, I was shocked by the level of traffic. It seems each year it gets worse. As I pulled onto the highway, I nearly collided with a knucklehead in a black beemer that overran a stop sign. I honked like hell and noticed an OBAMA 08 "Believe in Change" bumper sticker planted on the back as she sped by trying to act like nothing happened. "Change"...yea....it's inevitably coming.

Further down the road near Spring Branch, I noticed a patrol car with its lights on and he was driving fast...BACKWARDS. Turns out the sheriff was trying to corner a disoriented young calf near the fence and prevent him from running across the highway and becoming hamburger meat. It was funny watching several F250 trucks pull off to the side of the road to assist the sheriff...each driver had a ten gallon hat and boots. Yea, we don't have a shortage of wranglers around here.

Wish I had a camera to take some photos that day. Note to self: Always take a camera along with you no matter what, even if you are just going to the grocery store. You never know what you will see!

[NOTAM]

LOVED your post!! Oh hey, i have my digital camera with me every day, wherever i am, at work, shopping, whatever...never leave it behind

and i LOVE that stretch of 281 between Blanco and Spring Branch.........beautiful, breathaking...............

[Philip T]

Do I smell romance in the air?

Oh wait a second, might be roadkill I smelled.

[NOTAM]

nah, i aint a cougar-been there, done that, never doin' it again tee hee!
but seriously, TexasNick is one of those folks who cherish Texas as much as I do...I have had a love affair with snall town, rural Texas for many many years, and have a genuine appreciation for it. i spent ALOT of gas money in my pickup, just drivin' caliche back roads off the beaten path, just for the hayull of it. and i take pics and videos wherever i go. my friends know, if they are in my presence, shutterbug will be ever present. i wish i could travel back roads of Texas and explore different towns, attractions, eateries, take pics and do freelance journalism to capture my journeys in print, for a living. now THAT would be the best job-i envy Texas Country Reporter guy....

Originally Posted by Philip T

Do I smell romance in the air?

Oh wait a second, might be roadkill I smelled.

[Texan in Virginia]

TexasNick-
Loved your post. I see a Sunday afternoon drive in my future!
Lori

[desertsun41]

I hereby nominate your post for the best of the day. You also have some writing talents too. Great post !!!

Your story easily put the reader in your shoes while seeing and hearing everything you described.

It also reminds me of when I take those nice drives way east of you in Polk and San Jacinto Counties. Those FM roads out in the country are awesome !!!!

Only complaint though are you guys drive pretty dang fast on those skinny roads.

[Delta Planter]

Ahhhh, I sure enjoyed this, this morning. Good write, good writer. Thanks!

[GoTexan]

I live in Leon Springs and have to drive to Austin several times a week for my job and the route you described is the same one I take.

You'd think the commute would get tiresome but I absolutly LOVE driving the backroads to Austin. but.....shh...we don't want to advertise this too much and increase the traffic flow

I usually have the windows rolled down and the radio tuned up as I cruise back into the 'rat race.' Being able to take in the breathtaking views is definately an added job perk, I feel like I'm in a different world for 2 hrs.

And I don't receive cell phone service for about 20 min so it's a great excuse to tell my co-workers I have to get off the phone!

Also it's hard to not get a bit envious of the motorcyclists I see riding out there enjoying the open roads as I am playing 'road warrior' for corporate USA! Know what i mean?

[case44]

Originally Posted by TexasNick

Hey folks,
It was a good day to be driving from Blanco to San Antonio today.

When I got on 281, I was shocked by the level of traffic. It seems each year it gets worse.

You think it's special now? Wait until San Antonio gets the U.S. 281 toll project built up to the Comal County line in a few years.

But, to be fair, when you're further north, 281 won't ever lose its mystique. There will always be that magic, both in the country settings and in the small towns, that is still, forever, postcard-worthy.

[wyatthiggins]

Loved your post TexasNick....it made me smile