Texas Part 3 - Reaching Rockport

US-90, TX FM-140, I-37,  TX-358, US-181, I-35

I wanted to give the perspective of the whole state of Texas and how far I drove today. It looks small, but it was over five hours of driving. That includes a bit of a slow down for some road construction.

Still adjusting to Central Time, I woke up at 11 o'clock. Luckily I had an hour until checkout, so I managed to have my coffee, walk the dog, pack up the car and go in time. My room key did stop working while we were out on the walk, so it may have been after noon. But I went back to the office and they reprogramed it.

I stopped to get gas and cleaned the bigger of the bug graveyards I've seen in a long while. And that was just half a day's worth of driving. Granted it was dusk in west Texas.

Once gassed and cleaned, I got back on US-90 and wanted to get two hours of driving in before taking a break. Comparing the scenery on US-90 east of Del Rio to that of the western portion, I'd say the western side was more like what I think of a classic desert; a scrub climate, harsh, pointy succulents, lots of rocks and little water. And that's how yesterday's drive felt. But today, I'd call it more of a prairie. I could see raising cattle on it. There were lots more wildflowers and grass.

The grass in Texas isn't as friendly as the drivers. River is getting to learn not to just run onto a lawn without checking it out first. Burs. I can tell when he gets one. His usual hapless trot turns immediately into a cautious tiptoe. It doesn't curtail his explorations, though, just slows them down. I usually take pity on him and call him over to take them out.

In Pearsall i stopped to get gas and my eye was caught by a concise BBQ sign.

I don't know why I stopped at this place that just seems to be the definition of austerity. The sign clearly says OPEN, but there was no one in the giant parking lot. 

I went in and ordered some brisket to go. As I was ushered down the aisle to the cash register, I saw a sign saying Homemade Pies. They were small slices that looked like they had fallen apart as they were put into the serving bowl. Just like homemade! So I had to get one. When I asked for one of the peach pies, he corrected me, "They're cobbler; is that okay?" I didn't really know there was that much difference, but I said it was ok.

I ate some brisket on the lawn in front of the restaurant, with River sitting nearby.
They gave me enough brisket to make three sandwiches. I could have eaten all three, but it was so hot and sunny that I just couldn't stay. I packed up the rest of the brisket and we got back on the highway.

At Campbellton we switched to I-35 and I went to Corpus Christi to get River some food at Petco.
Then we took US-181 over Corpus Christi Bay and all the way out to Rockport.

I fed River out on the grass at dusk. And as I was feeding him, apparently I was also feeding some local mosquitoes with the backs of my knees.