Traveling this Christmas

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Take a back road or two.

I just got back from a weekend trip to Dallas. Now everyone knows you can shoot up I-35 from Austin to Dallas in about 3.25 hours if there isn't much traffic.

But how about another route? If you're traveling from Austin go through WACO on 35 and then take 308 north out of Elm Mott. When it ends at a Tee intersection go right (North) on 77 all the way to Waxahachie.

What a lovely drive. You go through 1/2 a dozen towns. Most aren't more than a 4-way stop. It's exactly 3 miles and about 15 minutes longer than going up the highway. But small town adventures abound.

A couple of years ago on December 24th I was driving to Dallas for Christmas. And boy did I have to use the rest room. Well I was about to go through Birome. Not much there but I did notice a bunch of cars. (In a small town any more than three cars in one place qualifies as a bunch.) Turned out to be a beer joint.

It was Christmas eve at 5 pm and I thought, "What have I got to lose?" So I pulled up next to a '75 Chevy pick up and went in. I ordered a beer and went in search of the facilities. The bar is long and skinny. Mostly a bar and a bunch of pool tables.

By the time I got back my beer was waiting along with an incredibly friendly bar mistress. She introduced herself and all the other patrons at the bar. Then the Coca Cola drive bought me a beer. Then I bought him a beer.

An hour and a half later I'd made 5 new friends and my friends in Dallas were wondering what happened to me. Never would have met those friendly folks if I hadn't taken the back way.

So, maybe this holiday, instead of scurrying as fast as you can to get there, you can enjoy a bit of the getting there by taking the road less traveled. Pull out the map and see what's available. There's almost always an alternative.
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