MidAmerica tour

[krigl]

Very simple set this time: we arrive at San Antonio, and drive through it to a car factory. San Antonio is very big, maybe like El Paso or bigger, so there’s plenty to see… and the car factory seems to be ‘life size’ too.

After buying a new coffee and downing it, we’re approaching San Antonio.


A river with some water in it, nice idea.


Entering western San Antonio past the golden arches.


As big as El Paso maybe, but very different.






There’s the skyline. San Antonio is the southern ‘peak’ of the ‘upside-down Texas triangle’ of roads and cities that we’re going to tour in Part 3 of the Texas Tour after checking out ProMods’ Sweden. So I want to leave some of the city for then.


Now we’re heading into south San Antonio.




Looks like some warehouses or whatever around here.


And a pharma company, or perhaps a clinic.








The journey to the car factory passes through a short stretch of countryside.




And here we are, at GMC. I’m kind of in two minds about the Real Companies mod I’m using. On the one hand, it makes things feel more realistic. On the other, I enjoy SCS’s brand design work. Now I’m wondering what was here before the mod changed it…


The factory is huge, just like a real one. I visited one once, it was very impressive. They had a huge robotic arm that picked up whole cars like Godzilla.


A second security check to get into the inner area. Good to see you’re taking things seriously there.


We’re not actually delivering to this part of the factory, I just wanted to have a look round. As you do.






Puzzled look from security as we leave the inner area without delivering anything.


Ah, that’s where we’re going. One more pressing of ‘ENTER’ to go.


And that’s the end of this trip. New glass delivered for their office refurbishment.
Back to Del Rio next time.
Krigl

[krigl]

Here we are again in Del Rio for the third and final time.


A new coat of paint. We’re going out on a trip to Lake Amistad first of all.


Another shot of that awesome sign.




Another tiny drop of uniqueness in Del Rio.


Approaching the lake. We’re set to pick up some heavy plant from this roadworks site tomorrow morning.


There it is, with that bridge.


Parked up, and went hiking for the rest of the day. Very pleasant indeed, if rather too hot. A bit of a breeze from the lake, though.


Next morning…


Passing through Del Rio for the last time.




Yet another piece of custom scenery. Del Rio’s not a bad place, really.


It’s got a soccer field, too.


Alright, we’re driving to our final new destination in Part 2 of the Texas tour: Laredo.




Southern Texas country sights abound as we make good progress southeast parallel
to the Mexican border.


On the way we meet the scenery town of Eagle Pass.


I’d be expecting something a lot more mountainous and dramatic with a name like Eagle Pass, but seems like a pleasant place to chill.




Typical US urban scenery.


And those great palm trees. Really looking forward to touring the coast.


Industry here too.










Alright then – that was Eagle Pass. Next time – on to Laredo.
Krigl

[krigl]

Today we're driving to Laredo via Carrizo Springs.


We've just left Eagle Pass...


...and now we're entering nearby Carrizo Springs.


Tons of these scenery towns everywhere in western Texas, and each one is a bit different.


Real company mod doing its stuff here, though. Hmm. Maybe I should have left it on default. Hard to decide.




Carizzo Springs is an average place, lots of businesses and billboards. And that's cool. It would give a strange picture of the state if only the most picturesque places were included. I can imagine most of Texas, and the US, looks pretty much like this.






On the final stretch to Laredo, and things are getting really green.




A lot of masts, too!






And here we are. Laredo is like a mini El Paso or mini Albuquerque. Exotic, perhaps Mexican or American Indian or Spanish flavour (not really sure to be honest, but these cities certainly have a 'different' feel) and a large interchange.








Let's get this big yellow hunk of metal delivered, then.




Is it Monday? I hope it's Monday.




Alright. Let's drop this off. For some reason I feel like drinking Fanta, not sure why.


Another day, another paint job. We're going to have a look around Laredo in the next set.






There's some nice stuff to see, but it will have to wait till next time.
Krigl

[krigl]

This time: touring Laredo and picking up a cargo for Junction.


There's a fair amount to check out in Laredo.


And lots of lovely palm trees!


The real rig would be great, the traffic jams, paperwork, financial liabilities and danger not so much...


In the central part of Laredo.


Guardians of the Galaxy, yay.








Once again, Laredo is a city where the local authorities have made sure everything looks super nice around their roads and bridges.


Well, this looks a bit scuzzy, but...




The local Truck Headquarters.


Half frog, half lizard, all marsupial.


There's a Subway at Gallon? Next time I need gas, I'm choosing Gallon! Haven't had a full-length spicy meatball sub for a long while.


Not good to eat with one hand while driving through the city, though. They tend to fall and then roll out of reach, leaving lashings of tangy sauce all over the floor. And then roll somewhere else when you make a turn on sixteenth.


Time to pick up some cargo, methinks.


Hmm? OK.


Double trailer, nice.




Another wacky American junction. Handy for trucks though - no need to wait for the lights twice and make a sharp turn over two lanes...


...just follow the curve round and you're going back in the opposite direction.


Time to get out of town - but first, let's see this awesome interchange from above.


And there it is, in all its glory.


Wow... I wonder how they broke this to the modellers. 'You know that massive interchange you made for New Mexico a few years back? It took a while to build it all and make it fit together and fit the city around it, right?' 'Yeah, we remember. It still haunts our dreams.' 'Well for Texas we're going to need about fifty like that'.


Alright, done with Laredo, off we go north to Junction - next time.
Krigl

[krigl]

Embarking on a two part journey from Laredo to Junction today.


Just out of Laredo. There's plenty to see on this route, which is quite a long trip by my standards.


Another nearly completed inspection point.


In this part of the trip we pass through Carrizo Springs and Uvalde, places we've visited before, providing a couple of new perspectives on those scenery towns.






Here's Carrizo Springs.




Not far beyond lies the small settlement of La Pryor.














Small rest stop between the river and Uvalde.


Interesting circular tracks on that field. Must be where the wheels of those long irrigation booms (or whatever they're called) run.


And here's Uvalde. We're entering from the south, last time we went through it was from the west (from Del Rio).








Fine little place, Uvalde.


I just looked up 'irrigation boom' and they are indeed called that. How did I even know that?
The second half of the trip will be in the next set.
Krigl

[krigl]

Continuing the journey northwest from Laredo to Junction.


You could say the agricultural business is 'booming' round here. Heh heh. Heh.






After rumours emerge that residual elements of COVID vaccines are entering the state water supply from urine via the sewage system, Texas Governor Greg Abbot signs legislation to stop all rivers from flowing statewide.




Some fine scenery along this route!






Cacti are plentiful.


Yellow wildflowers too.


Another dry river bed. Better safe than sorry.


A fine little ranch below the level of the road. If I hadn't sent the drone up to take a shot, I'd have whizzed by without even seeing it.




A rare man on a horse, and they hid them, the sly old so-and-sos.


Cuttings through the rock - could we be nearing Junction?


Entrance to a distant ranch, no doubt, or millionaire's retreat. Or a 'dude ranch'. Had to look that one up. A dude ranch, lol.


Nice place to live, proud Texan family business selling gas. What could possibly go wrong?








Nope, no water here either. Junction's nearby.




And here's the Junction junction.


And here's the Junction junction JUNCTION sign.


A motel. A bit far out of town for me, though.


Whaaa.... water. And with it danger.


Gingerly crossing the bridge over the river into Junction.


And here we are again, delivering to the same spot as last time we were here.




And now we're back in Laredo for the final journey of Part 2 of the Texas tour - Laredo to San Antonio.
Cheers!
Krigl

[krigl]

Here we go with the final set from Part 2 of the Texas tour... from Laredo to San Antonio.


We're off to Laredo's rail hub.


Workers there are already busy.


So, is this truck green and black, or orange and black?


Both barriers need to remain open to let this bad boy through. Actually, for any trailer, by the looks of it.


Leaving Laredo, we pass what looks like a nice bit of Spanish heritage.


It's a short trip today, up to a cotton farm near San Antonio, and then finishing in SA.


Still, we poke our heads into the La Salle County Safety Rest Area, or LSCSRA for short, as the locals call it. Bit too familiar if you ask me, but standards will keep dropping.


Rest areas usually worth a visit, as each one is a little different, so I get myself a coffee before continuing. Actually, I think I'll go and do that IRL. Just a moment.


Back again. Hope I wasn't gone long. Pumpjacks along the route.


I have a feeling a lot of central Texas is going to look like this, but we'll see.


Rivers aren't what they used to be.


Farmland. So THAT's where the water went! Scooby-dooby-doo!! Nearly time to get off the highway.


Cemeteries are a relatively new thing in trucksim, and, while grim, add more welcome realism and detail, though the scale means they are sometime incongruously overshadowed by things you might not normally see at a real cemetery (I hope), like huge advertising billboards. This cemetery, however, takes such things to the next level - it is surrounded on two sides by a humungous quantity of cotton bales.


To be honest, I feel it's a little creepy, especially knowing something of American history and the way things have sadly been for millennia all around the world: it's almost as if the cemetery is for the cotton plantation workers who died in the fields as they worked and were then transported straight here. A horrible thought. But who knows... who knows...


Aaaanyway, the cotton farm is just along the road from the cemetery - hence the bales everywhere - and we're going to drop off this cargo there. There wasn't actually anything going there from Laredo, so I took the most agricultural-looking cargo I could. Not sure what they are, but perhaps they could be for harvesting cotton???? In any case, their real destination was Colville in Washington state, a journey of 38 hours, 25 minutes. That's a LONG trip. Brownsville at the southern tip of Texas up to the most distant point in ProMods Canada (don't know what that is - Vancouver?) would probably be about, what, 45 hours? ATS is getting really big now. Not sure how it compares with Europe. I have a feeling that Nordkapp to Reggio Calabria, or Kulsari (east of Great Steppe with direct road connection via RusMap) to, say, Lisbon, are both going to be longer. But still, impressive, very impressive.


Crazy...


Not sure if you need these, people, but you're getting them anyway.


Made a quick sally along the same road to La Pryor, as otherwise it will be missed out.


Some kind of park, with a young local couple chilling with their dog.


Then we headed back to the highway to San Antonio past the cotton farm.


Last stretch to San Antonio.


I'm going to take a break from Texas now for a few weeks. It'll be a week or two away from trucksim, and then a tour of ProMods Sweden. Looking forward to it!!


Entering the outskirts of San Antonio - let's find somewhere to park.


Strange building opposite the parking spot.


And we're done for now. I suppose I'll get back to Texas sometime at the end of July, or maybe in mid-August. A lot of holidays this year.
Enjoy the start of the summer!!!
Krigl

[krigl]

Hey there, after completing Part 3 of the ProMods' Fennoscandia tour, back in here to do part 3 of the Texas Tour. This time: Central Texas - i.e. the big upside-down triangle of main roads and major cities that lies at the heart of the Texas DLC, and then all the roads and the one city that lies within it.


Here it is, in orange. For some, it may suggest a bikini in shape, for others the claw-scratched symbol of the relentless, nefarious Skaven. The first section of the tour will take us through some familiar territory, starting in San Antonio at the southernmost point of the triangle, and then heading northwest through Junction and Fort Stockton to Van Horn. After that will come Odessa, and then we'll begin to move into unvisited territories further east. I'm very curious to see how the landscape will change as we cross Texas from west to east.


Well, here we are in San Antonio. The city is large, and we're going to check out the parts we didn't get to previously in this set.


Nice day for it.




Attractive skyline. It will be some time before we see something similar again on this tour, as the cities in western Texas are quite lowrise.










Clouding over as we hit an industrial part of town.






Trailer park with a pool.


Well, this is it. I've gone done bought me a spankin' new trailer home.


Coke factory.




All this industrial stuff around reminds me - I should be looking for something to haul to Junction.


Interesting stadium.


Imposing buildings in the downtown.




Muscle.


General Mills.




Finally got the call about the Junction job, picking it up tomorrow. Let's turn in for the day.


Next morning, we set off for a Newmont quarry somewhere outside San Antonio.




Alright, we're ready to pick up the first cargo for this part of the tour. Off to Junction next time...
Thanks for looking in!
Krigl

[krigl]

Today we're driving from San Antonio to Junction from this very nice quarry, or whatever it is. Open cast mud mine?






It's the 'something yellow' job.


Love all the details.


They seem to be keeping a close eye on what goes in and out.




Driving through SA...






See ya! We'll be back.


Cemetery and monastery, maybe.


A bit gloomy right now.


Err... it's getting dark? What happened? The people at the quarry were a bit short with me, I noticed. Must have overslept. Well, better get some kip I guess. Again.


Looks like a nice spot. Better pull the blinds down to keep the orange light out. J.C., I haven't even had lunch yet.


Woke super early with a rumbling belly. Grabbed some stale sandwiches and two double espressos from the tired, harassed staff (I thought Karens were normally customers??) and continued on my way.






Back at the Junction junction JUNCTION sign.


Delivery coming up, strangely not late. Arrived at the end of the night shift, so more rudeness.


Well, whatever, excellent, job well done, zero damage, now 1/50th of the way closer to the next level.


Junction is relatively small, and not that exciting, but there are a few things to see. Quite different from SA.








Time for a new lick of paint. Driving to Fort Stockton next time.
Dan

[krigl]

This time, we're picking up some oil industry equipment from the unmarked town of Sonora NW of Junction, and taking it to Fort Stockton.


The job's not till tomorrow morning, so taking things slow.




On the way to Sonora still through the cuttings so typical of this region.


Next morning found us at a BP jobsite south of Sonora.




Sonora itself is a 'scenery town', I guess. I think the BP jobsite counts as 'Junction'.


Sonora has a garage, a McDonalds and a few other things.


And this windmill on a plinth, which one can just about see is marked with 'Sonora'.


Sonora also has an airfield, with Cessnas doing circuits.




More cuttings tower above us as we take the highway to Fort Stockton.


It's a picturesque route. We are, after all, at the eastern edge of the 'Wild West badlands' that we toured in Part 2 of this grand tour of Texas.


Each of the four cities along the route NW from San Angelo through Junction/Sonora, Fort Stockton up to Van Horn, has something to offer, but Fort Stockton has the least.


It really is quite an unprepossessing place. San Angelo has a great skyline and lots to see, Junction is more of a small town, but it has the JUNCTION sign, the bridge and river, and Sonora nearby, and Van Horn has a bit of a Wild West vibe, with some interesting landmarks and a nicely decorated bridge, plus of course El Paso and the country around is great. Fort Stockton stands out through its dullness.




Rest stop, no time to tarry, though.




We've arrived at Fort Stockton, and really, this patch of waste ground with a feeble attempt at decoration is all there is of interest to see here.




Oh, and this ruined garage.


Well, okay, it does have a roadrunner and a train running through. Could be worse, I guess. What is interesting, actually, is that the road it's on acts as a dividing line between the western badlands and the greener heart of Texas region that lies not far east of this town.




Back here at Hitachi again. They're probably going to service the equipment I've brought, or something.


No time to loiter, grabbing a cargo for Van Horn.


Fort Stockton: mostly dull.


And we're off again, continuing north east.


Will they ever learn? Van Horn next time.
Dan