Sunday, May 29, 2011

Milano Texas and country music history

US 79 southbound at Milano
Milano is not a large town that I am aware of. At least you don't see much from the highway. Used to have a truck stop that we used to stop at quite frequently. It had a decent grill that was a good place to eat. But the last time I came by the other day it looked more or less deserted.

The bridge that is visible in the picture is the place where the accident occurred that claimed the life of country singer Johnny Horton back in the day.

All right, "I'm a One Woman Man", I never went "North To Alaska" and "I'm Ready If You Are Willing. It's "All For The Love of a Girl."

Highway Construction

  
Large beam rests in place in new bridge

This new bridge is part of the new highway that is being built to extend Texas 130, the bypass around Austin, from its current terminus (May 2011) north of Lockhart, Texas where it ends against US 183, to connect with IH10 near Seguin, Texas.

The picture caught my eye because about 10 or so years ago I used to haul those bridge beams. The beams I hauled were manufactured in San Antonio or San Marcos Texas.  We took them all over Texas to highway construction projects.

This is a long beam. We hauled some up to 130 feet in length. That of course is a load that requires a permit. Shorter beams could be hauled on pole trailers or stretch flatbeds without a permit. But longer beams require more equipment and longer trailer capabilities.  Sometime I will catch a picture of a current beam hauler and post that.

I had a little experience one night. We were hauling beams north on IH35 to somewhere in the Dallas area. We were just past Temple (I was the last truck in a convoy of about 6 or 8 trucks.)  A bear spotted me and knew he had himself some real work to do here to take care of me and my lawbreaking. He came up to my cab hollaring at me what I thought I was doing out here at night breaking the law. I informed him that we were permitted and were allowed to drive at night on the interstate. He told me I was all wrong, collected all my paperwork, license and insurance card and went back to his car to write the ticket. In a few minutes he came back, threw everything back in my window and told me to get the *#&^& out of there.   That was it. No "Sorry, I was wrong."  I proceeded on and soon caught up with the rest as my truck could travel faster than the slower trucks in the convoy.

Oh well, it is all part of a days work.

Moulton, Texas

      
The Friendly Little city
Moulton, Texas is billed as the friendly little city with a heart as big as Texas. That is apparent during the annual Moulton Town and Country Jamboree held every year during the last full weekend in July.

Moulton is a Czech settlement and is about as country as you are going to get in South Texas.

Moulton Texas homepage



Wednesday, May 25, 2011

More from Hochheim, Texas

Church in the city of Hochheim
The little Baptist church in Hochheim is still used, at least occasionally.  Not sure if the services are open every Sunday or not. They have Vacation Bible School, which my grandchildren attended. (they live just past where the trees on the right of the road are blocking the view of their house).

This view is looking right down the City Of Hochheim Road and leads right through downtown Hochheim which perhaps sports a dozen homes (more or less), a church and a business.


Hochheim, Texas

Hochheim, Texas

Northbound on US 183 out of Cuero, Texas you will pass through several small used-to-have-beens before you get to Gonzales, Texas which is the next town of any size north of Cuero.

The bigger one of these places is Hochheim which still sports its own little post office seen in the foreground (of the buildings, that is).  It is the smaller building sort of to the left of the larger building which was the old Hochheim Store. Currenty it is being rebuilt and looks like something, perhaps an antique store, is preparing to open for business there. To the right and up the hill is the City Of Hochheim Road.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway

John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway
Here I am crossing the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway over the Laguna Madre headed to the Intracoastal waterway bridge there in the distance and on to Padre Island.  Construction on this was finished in 1950 and it was the first post-tensioned concrete segmental bridge built in the United States.


Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Fiesta Market

Fiesta Market
This Fiesta store is in Houston where a number of this Mexican atmosphere stores are located. There are a few elsewhere in the state but without checking I am guessing most of them are in the Houston area. They normally serve a growing Hispanic population in the parts of the city in which they are located.

Little Country Church

Little Country Church
It is not the most obvious thing in the picture but there in the distance is a little country church which I spotted the other day. There are a number of these around the state. This one is in DeWitt Country, Texas between the towns of Shiner and Yoakum. 

Houston Skyline

Houston Skyline
I was headed north towards downtown on US 288 when I took this shot while I was following a flatbed loaded with what looked like crane weights. I have hauled such things in the past. I don't know what any of the buildings are called except for Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros (Astros Ball park).
You can just see the curvature of the retractable roof sort of to the right of the photo and right over that exit sign.  Read more about it on that link I provided.