And then the rains came....

It's a wonderful day in the ....???? After the long drought, we have been getting above-normal amounts of rain. The ground that dried out and compacted several feet down is now swelling with water again. Woe be it to the infrastructure that is in the ground. Here, in McGregor, Texas at the intersection of state highway 317 and US Highway 84 a water main has broken, just in time for the evening rush hour. This is a major crossroad in the city and the only traffic-light controlled intersection in US 84 (notice how brightly the traffic light shines - NOT!).

To the urban dwellers among you who are asking why people don't take the freeway.... the nearest freeway is Interstate 35, located thirty five miles to the east and headed north-south, while US 84 is headed west. The nearest east-west freeways are Interstate 10 in San Antonio, located 100 miles to the south, or Interstate 20, located 110 miles to the north. US 84 is the ONLY major east-west highway in this part of Texas.

Really? During Rush Hour?

Another foggy morning, I am on my way to work and guess what? Someone just has to move this oversized tank. It got hung up trying to negotiate the turn onto US 84 in McGregor, Texas...

Back and forth, back and forth, again and again. They were trying to maneuver the tank through the intersection without hitting any of the signs, poles, traffic lights and other obstructions. We sat there and sat there, seemingly for hours. It was only about twenty minutes: it just seemed like hours!

Why couldn't they have moved it late at night or very early in the morning and try to avoid the traffic backup??

Sunset in Traffic

Here we are.... stuck in traffic on US 84 at sunset.