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During
most of this decade, I have become a passenger rather than a driver. Drivers are
focused on “keeping it between the ditches”, with only fleeting glances at what
you are passing. As a passenger you are permitted to stare. The following is what
I stared at on a Sunday drive in April from Rockport
to Houston.
Before reaching
Tivoli, we pass a couple
of recently completed gas wells. Both these wells have locked cages built around
the Christmas Tree (the series of valves for well access at the head).
Possibly that is because the wells may flow to the gas compressing and transmission
station just south of town. |
| North of Tivoli
the highway crosses the Guadalupe River and its 4 mile wide Delta. This highway
includes seven bridges repeatedly crossing Buffalo Lake that is to the south.
Adjacent to the other side of the road is Green Lake. It is 3 miles in diameter
but not visible from the highway because of growth. |
Leaving the delta
we immediately cross a high bridge over the Victoria Barge Canal. This ~28 mile
long canal leads from Victoria
to Seadrift.
The purpose is to connect Victoria
to the Intracoastal Waterway in San Antonio Bay. I always get an expectant feeling
when approaching this bridge thinking I might get a chance to take an overhead
barge photo. So far, I have had no luck.
A few years ago a refinery on
this canal needed a railroad crossing in the area. A negotiation resulted in the
highway being elevated at the crossing. The fill dirt required was taken from
the nearby land which created ponds for a fish farm. |
| While crossing Lavaca
Bay it becomes obvious oyster harvesting is in full swing. Oyster boats require
a crew of 3 with a rear hoisting device. One man pilots the boat, one sorts the
haul and the other sacks the catch in burlap bags. When a boat appears dangerously
low in the water it means their haul has been good. |
| In the distance on
the north shore of Lavaca Bay is a dirty pink group of buildings. This coloration
indicates this is an aluminum ingot producer. Catty-corner across the highway
is a plastic pellet plant. Between the two plants are several earthen wastewater-settling
tanks (needed for both plants). But my purpose here is to illustrate an engineering
term known as “the angle of repose”. Depending on local soil variables this angle
changes. Angle of repose is the greatest angle local soil can tolerate without
collapsing. |
| Continuing on Hwy
35N to a flashing yellow light, there we turn north on Hwy 172. Quickly we approach
and extra tall-galvanized steel power pole with an antenna near the top. When
a radio signal is received the mounted switchgear executes a change in operation.
At Ganado we join Hwy 59N. |
| Near El
Campo is a source of large translucent tanks for storing liquid chemicals
remotely on private farms. These tanks may be used for fertilizer or insecticide.
Located near the highway, at the ends of crop furrows are small green insect
traps. The trap contents allow the farmer to know what action to take to protect
the crop. |
| South of Wharton
is a regional airport. Across the highway from this airport there are large orange
balls mounted on power lines. These are warnings to pilots landing that collision
with the wires can cause them to crash. |
But since we are
driving (not flying) what we are interested in is just north of Wharton. A crowded
restaurant, peeking out of the woods, reminds us that a Sunday dinner of turkey
and dressing is still popular in Texas. Stopping will add an hour to our trip
to Houston, but we will be full as a tick, till we get there.
Copyright
Ken Rudine
May 1 , 2010 | |
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