Traveling America By Van: On The Road

by John Kumiski

Getting out of Austin was crazy. Morning traffic, a near-wreck (we got a bird flipped our way), a stop at Starbucks, and stop-and-go for most of an hour- the joy of back roads was not with us early on. But we then cleared the Austin city limits, and we started to roll.

Street art in San Angelo. John Kumiski

We were on Texas Route 71. In Florida you seldom feel like you're driving in a commercial for an expensive automobile. Once we got away from Austin, almost the full length of Highway 71 to Brady felt that way! Speed limit 75, no other cars, a windy road up and down hills through cattle ranches and sheep farms, road sides lined with wildflowers and mesquite, it was fun! And I'm not even that fond of driving.

We'd have to slow to pass through towns. The prettiest was Llano. We stopped at the Visitor Center there. The man staffing the place asked us where we were from. When we told him near Orlando, he told us how he and his wife had once visited Orlando because she was in a beauty pageant there. He seemed quite proud that she had won.

I had seen jackalopes before. The visitor center in Llano is the only place I've ever seen a bassalope. It was mounted, hanging on the wall. I should have photographed it! It was an eight-point buck!

Once we reached Brady we had to change roads. The new one was US 87. Perhaps not as scenic as Texas 71, it was a divided highway with four lanes, and we made some time! I can say I've been to Eden- Eden, Texas, that is, population about 2650. One wouldn't think they'd need a prison in Eden, but there it is, housing about half the town's population.

An hour or so past Eden is the town of San Angelo, the oasis of west Texas. I was not expecting much. We stopped in the Visitors Center, staffed by two mature ladies who did their best to be helpful. They directed us to Paintbrush Alley, a collection of street art by local artists. They have some talent there in San Angelo! The work was top-notch, and we spent over an hour taking it in.

Street art in San Angelo. John Kumiski

We also visited the water lily garden. San Angelo boasts the largest collection of water lily species in the United States. Texas had a killer freeze about a month earlier, and while most of the plants had been moved indoors prior to that event, many had not been moved back into the outside gardens yet. The bright midday sun made for poor photos of the lilies that were there. 

Then our San Angelo time was up. We had a campsite reservation at San Angelo State Park. While the official Texas Longhorn cattle herd resides here, as does a small bison herd, we saw neither. A hard wind and temperatures in the low 50s kept us from wandering too much. I found a gulch with some water in it, that was out of the wind, and spent time looking for interesting rocks and fish.

Mural in San Angelo. John Kumiski

As the sun got low we prepared for a cold night in the van. After watching the sun set we turned in. An even longer drive waited the next day.

Morning dawned cold and cloudy. We hit the road promptly- no coffee, no breakfast. An hour's drive on US 87 brought us to Big Spring, where 20,000 souls make their homes. The town has a Starbucks, and we found a little greasy spoon for some toast, hash browns, and eggs. Then it was Texas 176 to the state line.

Street art in San Angelo. John Kumiski

I don't want to be judgmental, but this is an ugly corner of the United States. Mile after dry mile passed. Oil wells, wind turbines, power lines, and corn fields larger than New England stretched to the horizon. Every plastic shopping bag that's ever been lost decorated roadside fences, yucca plants, and the rare mesquite tree. 

We passed the state line. "Welcome to New Mexico- Land of Enchantment." As soon as we crossed that line there was a huge landfill next to the road. It was if New Mexico couldn't get it close enough to west Texas. And if anything, there was even more plastic litter here. The landscape changed not at all.

The road surface did, though. In Texas the road was impeccably maintained. In New Mexico it was bumpy, with numerous pot holes. We had to slow for several badly needed work crews repairing and widening the highway.

We finally reached Carlsbad, glad to be out of the van. I love that Sienna, but there had been a lot of driving the past two days.

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