Houston, Texas, Jan. 28 — With some time on my hands, I had the chance to visit one San Antonio attraction I hadn’t done earlier in the week, the Tower of the Americas. Ironically for me, I was there too early and had to wait until it opened. After it did, I spent time looking at the history displays at the top and the skyline outside, although it was too windy to be in the outer portion.
Tower of the Americas
But as I headed north, the GPS’s frontage road issues bit me again. I spent 15 minutes getting on and off TX Loop 1604 before finally arriving for a dinner meeting — only to find that plan needed its own audible. Texas Roadhouse in Texas? How meta.
Going north, the sprawl never really stopped. It was at least three lanes one way the whole way to Austin. I filled up in San Marcos, then made my way right past the hotel I stayed at my first two nights and right back southward on US 183 toward I-10. While this may seem counterintuitive, it accomplished my major goal: I have now traveled all of I-35 in Texas and have it continuously from its south end to Wyoming, Minnesota, excluding both I-35E routes. (Des Moines to Austin, excluding that portion not part of the Kansas Turnpike, was almost entirely covered in one shot with the Houston Bowl trip.)
On US 183, there is construction to build a freeway and bypass of Lockhart. Traffic is currently on what will become the frontage roads. This confused the GPS at times, showing me “off” but running parallel to 183. I don’t know if this should count as traveling the route or not.
Southeast of Luling, US 90 splits off from US 183 just before I-10, something that is not shown on AAA or RMcN maps, probably because it’s so close it IS the frontage road. At the interchange is a truck stop called “Buc-ee’s,” which has a beaver mascot and (in)appropriate merchandise sold inside.
On to Houston!
As I got onto I-10, I saw the “Speed Limit 75” signs that had been put up less than 24 hours earlier — and was promptly tailgated by four drivers in succession for doing precisely that.
Colorado County crossed my 40% threshold for the entire country.
At Exit 735, there were four things of note: I-10 becomes six lanes here; the speed limit drops to 65; there is a ghost ramp in the median; and the rest area that was supposed to be three miles back doesn’t exist.
I pulled off at the last exit before the sprawl really hit to inquire into a hotel and was told that a room would be held for me for a few hours. With darkness setting in, I decided going straight there was the best thing to do. I-10 rapidly expanded in lanes and traffic (this is Saturday at 6, mind you), but I made the exits to the hotel safely.