MidAmerica tour

[krigl]

Today we pick up some boom lifts at Galveston's boatyard, where they evidently don't need them any more, and take them to Houston, where they do.


Galveston has something of a European flavour. A foretaste of the east coast, perhaps.


Off to the boatyard now.


Beachside houses.


Tug at the boatyard. They don't make anything big enough to need tugging, I'd say, but perhaps it just berths here. Well, if it's never pulled anything, that makes this the Virgin Berth, right?


Sorry, it's early. Anyhow, Galveston is actually on an island, and in the background you can see the connecting bridge which we need to cross to get to Houston.






Onto the bridge. Or causeway?




I love coastal regions, having grown up in one. I miss the sea, living in the Czech Republic.










Very distinctive scenery around here, had to take a few... more than a few, lol.




Planes, yippee!


We've reached Houston. Beaumont, Galveston (and Bolivar) and Houston make up one big triangle of close-together urban areas packed with jobsites and interest.


The NASA heritage in Houston isn't that in-your-face, but it's there.


Ah, the Bank Regional. I don't use them. ATS Bank offers better rates to help your young company grow!


One hotel...


...and another. The views from up there must be grand. Maybe I'll splash out for once.






We Buy Boats... I don't doubt it. Looks like they use them to ranch dolphins.
Next time - we head for Houston's container port and then check out some last unseen parts of the city.
Cheers! Krigl

[krigl]

Visiting the container port and Space Park in Houston today.


Got to drop off those boom lifts.


Advert for the Space Park.


Beautiful engineering.




Back here again, cool location though.






Monumental scale.






Now for the Space Park.


No Trucks Allowed. Aaah, it's just like those 'no entry' signs you see on access roads when you look back. It's okay, we're coming out of there. I got this.




Love this region, tons of industry, tons of water.




Space Park, yes!! It's going to be awesome!




Whereisitwhereisit??!!




Yay!!


Er... THIS is the Space Park? There's nothing here! Where's the... Space Stuff?


Well, okay.


Picture of a rocket. Okay, nice.


Oh, well that's cool at least. Very cool, actually. The whole 'Space Park' left me somewhat less whelmed than I was hoping to be. I know Corpus Christi has rockets, so I guess I'll look forward to that, then.
Next time - Houston to Victoria.
Cheers! Krigl

[krigl]

A nice mix of epic Houston skyline shots and beautiful south Texas countryside shots today as we leave Houston and head westwards towards Victoria.


Booster rocket? Maybe.






Approaching Houston's downtown.


Yep, see?


Very imposing skyline.






I read that ATS only has something like 1/4 of the active player base that ETS2 does, and I can't for the life of me understand why. Even with all the DLCs and ProMods + other mods, large portions of the ETS2 map (including early DLCs) STILL look like crap more than 10 years after release due to SCS's obstinately glacial pace of reworking Europe. The incomplete UK was directly taken from a game released in 2008, for crying out loud, and the graphics were behind the times even then. Most of ATS looks fabulous, and there's tons of variety, much more than you'd think. So many people are missing out...


So looking forward to the routes possible as development moves east, passing through tons of stunning capitals. Imagine Chicago to the new version of San Francisco. Miami to New York. Atlanta to Houston. Hope we get to see it.








Lets's get outta town, then.




So, that's the eastern urban triangle of Houston, Beaumont and Galveston dealt with, then.


Now we're moving to the central part of the south coastal region, centred on Victoria, with San Antonio above and Corpus Christi below. Mainly Victoria and the roads around, as San Antonio's done and Corpus Christi is mostly being saved till the way back eastwards along the coast.




Out into the countryside now. Is that a field of lavender?




Looks like it, nice.






We've reached the Navidad River. We'll cross it and reach Victoria in the next set.
Cheers! Krigl

[krigl]

Today we basically head to Victoria and visit a jobsite north of there.


Between Houston and Victoria lies the Navidad River.


Happy Christmas!




Looks very calm and serene.


Wide, too.


I've visited most of Texas now, and it seems there is one 'less interesting' location at each of the cardinal points. In the west, that town is Fort Stockton, in the north it's Abilene, in the east it's Huntsville, and in the south it's... Victoria.


That's not a problem for me - some places simply have to be less interesting than others. If they just took the quirky places like Galveston in every sector of the state, and made them the only destinations, it would give a very strange impression.


Approaching Victoria now.


Here we are.




And that's done.


Time for a new paint job before we hit the sack.




Victoria's not ugly, just very flat, with not much except a ring road.


Slept in the cab this time. No swanky hotels around.


Time to get started on a few trips in the Victoria area.


We need to pick up an empty oil cistern from an extraction site north of Victoria, and drive it down south to an extraction site in the cotton fields north of Corpus Christi.




Victoria's distinctive water tower.


Oil site. Haven't seen one of those for a while.


The new paint scheme seems to fit the job, somehow.




Our destination is south of Victoria, so we need to pass through the 'town'.




We'll finish the trip in the next set. Cheers! Krigl

[krigl]

Completing a trip from Victoria to Corpus Christi in this set.


Passing through the Victoria area with my cistern.




Victoria is a bit dull, but it has some cool friends nearby, being midway between Houston to the East and Laredo to the west, and also midway between the two central southern cities of San Antonio (inland) and Corpus Christi (on the coast).




A representation of a ton bale rancher on horseback, ready to drive the bales to the barn. It's quite a sight seeing them spinning and bouncing across the landscape pursued by a mounted cowboy.


The small scenery village of Tivoli south of Victoria.






Coastal wetlands up ahead, it seems.






Crossing Copano Bay.


Very light milky brown water here, maybe due to mixing with the sea.


A seagull eyes the Happy Fisher watchfully, wondering if there's anyone aboard who would mind it investigating what they've got in the back. Probably nothing, but you never know. Beats doing the fishing yourself.




TWO planes doing circuits - unusual.




Heading back inland now to find the jobsite.




Cotton fields! Haven't seen those for a while either.




As is often the case for some reason, there's a renewable site right next to the oil one.




Great. A nice shiny cistern for them to fill up.


Back in Victoria now for the final shot. Next time we'll head up north again to a farm at Sutherland Springs with a planter in tow, and then continue to the edge of San Antonio.
Cheers! Krigl

[krigl]

Today we sample some south coast hinterland agricultural atmosphere with a trip around a bit more of Victoria, and then up to Sutherland Springs with a planter, and then an evening/night ride to the suburbs of San Antonio.


Early morning mists in Victoria.


The people at the jobsite were very chatty and the deadline was generous, so we didn't get going for ages.


Lovely spread of flowers in the sunshine.


Schulenberg - Halfway to Everywhere. I read they claim that because they're halfway between Houston and San Antonio, and also between Austin and Victoria. I guess between the four of them you've pretty much got everything you could possibly need, so it kinda makes sense.




What passes for the actual city centre of Victoria in-game, I guess.


Still on the ring road. I mean, it's not bad, really, Victoria. I just like getting in among the buildings and having more of a sense that it's a real place.




Northwards again, no train this time.






Sutherland Springs is an unmarked village/town a bit further north than the oil jobsite I visited last time. The building here is the new church built after a terrible mass shooting which occurred at a church here a few years ago - one of the worst such events in US history.


Farmland.




We've arrived. I wonder what those white things are. My guess is pig pens, but they're so close together.


Seems to be more of a livestock farm, but those look like grain elevators perhaps, so I guess they really might need the planter for something.


My my, is that the time? Must have spent longer than I thought chatting. Haven't even had lunch yet.


They heard my stomach rumbling and asked me to stay for dinner. Locally raised prime steak. Who could refuse?


No way we're going to make it to San Antonio by sundown.






Ooof, no thanks, I'm stuffed.


Not even tacos. Well... I could get takeout and heat it up for breakfast in the microwave. No, wait, damn, this is a day cab. Where's my sleeper setup?




Okay, lets get some fuel, a new paintjob and turn in for the night. Driving down from San Antonio to Corpus Christi next time.
Cheers! Krigl

[krigl]

This time we're driving down the middle of south Texas from San Antonio to Corpus Christi.


Waking up outside San Antonio.


Heading for the Wallbert jobsite in an industrial estate to the east of the downtown area.




Carrying Packaged Food between Wallbert stores. I guess they ran out of luncheon meat in Corpus Christi, or something.


Real lunchmeat cravings going on down there.




Taking the southbound with one last view of San Antonio's downtown.


And we're off. Victoria may be the most boring town in south Texas, but the route from SA to CC is probably the most boring drive in the entire DLC. I of course catalogued the highlights with thorough, tender loving care. Here goes:












I think this is the east-west road between Victoria and Laredo, which we'll be taking next time.




Approaching Corpus Christi now.




Again, we're not going to tour CC this time. Just going to find the Wallbert and then skedaddle back to Victoria.




Great. We're here. CC looks decent so far, looking forward to checking it out in a couple of days.


Back in Victoria for the last time.


We're off to pick up a giant Cable Reel that needs taking westwards to Laredo on the border with Mexico.




We'll make (most of) the Laredo trip next time.
Cheers! Krigl

[krigl]

Off to Laredo today, hurrah!


First, some last shots from Victoria. Off to pick up a Cable Reel.




What a contraption.




Okay, we rollin'.






Past the firehouse. Augustus and Tubby don't seem to be there, sadly.




This jerk just drove out straight in front of us, had to avoid, overdid it a little.


Roadside resting place. I'm not sure we'd manage to fit. Aaah, probably.


It's Liz Truss... bridge.


First sign of the West.


Another omen. I can't remember what the area around Laredo is like, it was so long ago that we were there. End of June 2023, during Part 2 of the tour. Was it rocky and desert-like? Or just scrubby and arid.


Oh, an airfield, nice. Watch out for those 'windmills', guys.


Third portent.






Fourth foretoken. It's cool to see how the different vegetation slowly starts cropping up as you traverse from East to West across Texas.


This was one of the 'highlights' of the last trip from San Antonio down to Corpus Christi - the intersection between that highway and the Victoria - Laredo route.




All across the state, empty gas stations stare eyelessly across boulevards at flourishing Gallon facilities, tumbleweeds and rusty cans occasionally skidding across the forecourt, ruined fixtures moving and creaking in the hot breeze. Inside the Gallon shop, tired service staff are able to ignore the presence of their deserted neighbour during the hustle and bustle of the day, but when night falls and the shift ends, they eye it nervously as they walk to their cars to drive home. It haunts their dreams.


And a fifth harbinger of the West, with Longhorns in attendance.




It's hillier and scrubbier now, and Laredo is drawing near. We'll get there next time.
Cheers! Krigl

[krigl]

This time we arrive in Laredo and see a bit of it by night before heading south towards McAllen.


Cessna drones over a rattlesnake at a nameless (or I just missed it) scenery town on the way west to Laredo.








Wide open landscape, straight roads... a bit boring, but feels right.




Patience, Krigl, patience.


A horse trots by with a rider as we wait for the lights to change.


Another convenient rest stop, but we're almost where we need to be, so that's a nope.


Delivery at a Deep Wells facility just east of Laredo.


Heading into town. I've just reviewed my shots from June 23, and I've already toured the town thoroughly, so I'll just include a few evening pics for the atmosphere. Laredo is a cool place, rather like El Paso. Western Texas is a nice region, and still better if you have the Reforma Mexico mods installed - though I think the area next to Texas is not part of their free map. It's payware, I believe, but I might be wrong.










I'd like to get an upgrade for the cab now, as we're at least halfway through Part 5, probably more. I really miss the microwave.


Done it. Got inspired by the rattlesnake 'statue' we saw.


So, what can we take south to McAllen?




Wallbert have some empty pallets for us, great.




Farewell to Laredo, then.




Heading south now, towards the very southernmost tip of Texas.


Before we get there we'll meet the city of McAllen in the next set. It has a very special look to it. Next time.
Cheers! Krigl

[krigl]

Driving to McAllen today in a south to south-easterly direction from Laredo along the edge of the Mexican border.


Passing a wealthy ranch - they have their own airstrip!


I wonder what's worth more, though, their C172 or my truck. From the first site on the internet found, a used Kenworth W900 2018 could go for say 130K - - there's a massive amount of variation which I'm not going to even pretend to understand but many options were around 130K. And a used C172 can apparently be anything from 40 - 300K depending on how used. Hmm. Looks like both are in the same ballpark, though maybe insurance, hangar rental, etc. would make the plane more expensive.


This is the scenery town of Roma.


It apparently has a lot of historic buildings, though I didn't notice anything too special in-game.




Plenty of palm trees around here.


Gallon Oil once again illustrating the trickle down effect in all its glory.




Working towards McAllen now.


Whoa, now THAT's a lot of palms.


McAllen is fairly ordinary in terms of what there is to see there, but...


...it is absolutely crammed with palm trees.


Looking back, I notice the mattress doesn't really go with the rest of the decor. I thought there was a hole in the graphics for a moment.


Yeah, anyway, tons of palms. They were apparently brought to the region from California to make it look more attractive to settlers. The region is also referred to as the Rio Grande Valley, RGV, but actually it's a wide, flat, delta region - again, it was marketing talk to bring more people in, sell land.






Waterpark. It's really hot in this region, so I can imagine it's very popular.


Time to deliver those pallets.




Let's go and have a look round.




Reminds me of my time in SE Asia. Very exotic feel.


There are a lot of palm tree types, though, and I'm not 100% sure SCS have used the right ones, as in all the pictures of McAllen I can find, they don't have that massive mushroom-like frill under the leafy head, except for on one old postcard. But perhaps local government employees trim that off? And perhaps I was just unlucky with my picture hunt. Whatever, they look good.


Next time we move further south to the similarly palm-infested but much more interesting town of Brownsville at the very tip of southern Texas. Cheers! Krigl