I Visited all 254 Counties in Texas in 52 Days

Started by ImpulsiveTravelerGuy, August 12, 2020, 04:33:16 PM

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ImpulsiveTravelerGuy

From late December 2019 and early February 2020, I drove 16,000 miles throughout Texas and a quick trip up to Wisconsin to sign a lease. I visited all 254 counties in Texas and made the following video on it. The roads you will see when you do this sort of trip!



Ketchup99

Hi Beto!
All kidding aside, sounds like a fun trip. Never been to Texas but would very much like to, even if just to drive through some of the vast open expanses.

ImpulsiveTravelerGuy

Quote from: Ketchup99 on August 12, 2020, 10:11:28 PM
Hi Beto!
All kidding aside, sounds like a fun trip. Never been to Texas but would very much like to, even if just to drive through some of the vast open expanses.

I remember when Beto did that and then I forgot about it until after I did my trip and people were pointing it out. The vast expanses can be crazy. Driving the narrow secondary highway system known as the farm to market roads. The speed limits are 75 on many of them and you can pretty much go as fast as you want since it's desolate and nobody is patrolling it.

SectorZ

That's awesome. My state has 14 and I still haven't been to one of them (because islands). Kudos.

ImpulsiveTravelerGuy

Quote from: SectorZ on August 13, 2020, 03:16:58 PM
That's awesome. My state has 14 and I still haven't been to one of them (because islands). Kudos.

Thanks. So do you ever plan to visit that remaining county? I know I'm starting to put plans together to visit all 72 counties in Wisconsin now that I live here.

SectorZ

Quote from: ImpulsiveTravelerGuy on August 14, 2020, 12:43:16 PM
Quote from: SectorZ on August 13, 2020, 03:16:58 PM
That's awesome. My state has 14 and I still haven't been to one of them (because islands). Kudos.

Thanks. So do you ever plan to visit that remaining county? I know I'm starting to put plans together to visit all 72 counties in Wisconsin now that I live here.

At some point yes (it's Nantucket for those wondering). It's one of those things where my interest level is there but just not that high. I've hit every county in Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island for New England (still missing 2 in Vermont), and that's good enough for me right now.

paulthemapguy

Congratulations on making it happen!  I have gotten to all 102 counties in my home state of Illinois, but it took me more than 10 years heheh.  I see a lot of your photos taken for proof are in front of county courthouses; I've kind of started photographing Illinois county courthouses to evidence my visits to all the counties (emphasis on "kind of").
Avatar is the last interesting highway I clinched.
My website! http://www.paulacrossamerica.com Now featuring all of Ohio!
My USA Shield Gallery https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHwJRZk
TM Clinches https://bit.ly/2UwRs4O

National collection status: 361/425. Only 64 route markers remain

Ketchup99

Quote from: ImpulsiveTravelerGuy on August 12, 2020, 10:48:53 PM
Quote from: Ketchup99 on August 12, 2020, 10:11:28 PM
Hi Beto!
All kidding aside, sounds like a fun trip. Never been to Texas but would very much like to, even if just to drive through some of the vast open expanses.

I remember when Beto did that and then I forgot about it until after I did my trip and people were pointing it out. The vast expanses can be crazy. Driving the narrow secondary highway system known as the farm to market roads. The speed limits are 75 on many of them and you can pretty much go as fast as you want since it's desolate and nobody is patrolling it.
Being able to go even 75 on two-lane roads without worrying about blue and red lights coming up behind me sounds wonderful.
I've been to 43 of Pennsylvania's 67, I believe. So still a lot to do.

ImpulsiveTravelerGuy

Quote from: paulthemapguy on August 23, 2020, 01:31:53 PM
Congratulations on making it happen!  I have gotten to all 102 counties in my home state of Illinois, but it took me more than 10 years heheh.  I see a lot of your photos taken for proof are in front of county courthouses; I've kind of started photographing Illinois county courthouses to evidence my visits to all the counties (emphasis on "kind of").

Thanks! Ideally, I'd love to visit every county in the US. Being that I'm now in Wisconsin, Illinois will probably be one of the first states I tackle after I get Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan done.

ImpulsiveTravelerGuy

Quote from: Ketchup99 on August 23, 2020, 01:43:16 PM
Quote from: ImpulsiveTravelerGuy on August 12, 2020, 10:48:53 PM
Quote from: Ketchup99 on August 12, 2020, 10:11:28 PM
Hi Beto!
All kidding aside, sounds like a fun trip. Never been to Texas but would very much like to, even if just to drive through some of the vast open expanses.

I remember when Beto did that and then I forgot about it until after I did my trip and people were pointing it out. The vast expanses can be crazy. Driving the narrow secondary highway system known as the farm to market roads. The speed limits are 75 on many of them and you can pretty much go as fast as you want since it's desolate and nobody is patrolling it.
Being able to go even 75 on two-lane roads without worrying about blue and red lights coming up behind me sounds wonderful.
I've been to 43 of Pennsylvania's 67, I believe. So still a lot to do.

It's definitely really nice and it's been driving me nuts lately as I drive around rural parts of the Upper Midwest and the speed limits are only 55. I wish I could drive faster to get to point A to point B faster. Also, the tolerances for speeding are higher in Texas. In Wisconsin, anything much more than 5 over and you might get pulled over. Most cops in Texas won't touch you until 15 over so 75 really can be 80-85 with no worries.

paulthemapguy

Wanted to make sure-- do you know about this website that helps you keep track of all the counties you've visited?  www.mob-rule.com
Avatar is the last interesting highway I clinched.
My website! http://www.paulacrossamerica.com Now featuring all of Ohio!
My USA Shield Gallery https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHwJRZk
TM Clinches https://bit.ly/2UwRs4O

National collection status: 361/425. Only 64 route markers remain

ImpulsiveTravelerGuy

Quote from: paulthemapguy on August 25, 2020, 08:40:35 PM
Wanted to make sure-- do you know about this website that helps you keep track of all the counties you've visited?  www.mob-rule.com

This site has a place where you can keep track: http://www.mob-rule.com/home

corco

Quote from: ImpulsiveTravelerGuy on August 28, 2020, 02:15:04 PM
Quote from: paulthemapguy on August 25, 2020, 08:40:35 PM
Wanted to make sure-- do you know about this website that helps you keep track of all the counties you've visited?  www.mob-rule.com

This site has a place where you can keep track: http://www.mob-rule.com/home

Did you know there's a website you can keep track of counties visited? http://www.mob-rule.com/

kphoger

Quote from: corco on August 28, 2020, 02:29:43 PM

Quote from: ImpulsiveTravelerGuy on August 28, 2020, 02:15:04 PM

Quote from: paulthemapguy on August 25, 2020, 08:40:35 PM
Wanted to make sure-- do you know about this website that helps you keep track of all the counties you've visited?  www.mob-rule.com

This site has a place where you can keep track: http://www.mob-rule.com/home

Did you know there's a website you can keep track of counties visited? http://www.mob-rule.com/

Or, if none of those suits your needs, you could always head over to www.mob-rule.com/home instead.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

hotdogPi

Quote from: kphoger on August 28, 2020, 02:31:38 PM
Quote from: corco on August 28, 2020, 02:29:43 PM

Quote from: ImpulsiveTravelerGuy on August 28, 2020, 02:15:04 PM

Quote from: paulthemapguy on August 25, 2020, 08:40:35 PM
Wanted to make sure-- do you know about this website that helps you keep track of all the counties you've visited?  www.mob-rule.com

This site has a place where you can keep track: http://www.mob-rule.com/home

Did you know there's a website you can keep track of counties visited? http://www.mob-rule.com/

Or, if none of those suits your needs, you could always head over to www.mob-rule.com/home instead.

I personally prefer http://www.mob-rule.com. It's better than the others.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

kphoger

#15
I just remembered, www.mob-rule.com/ is a decent travel mapping site as well.

(For those playing along at home, we're up to six websites and two Easter eggs.)
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

ImpulsiveTravelerGuy

Quote from: kphoger on August 28, 2020, 03:08:21 PM
I just remembered, www.mob-rule.com/ is a decent travel mapping site as well.

(For those playing along at home, we're up to six websites and two Easter eggs.)

I use it every here and there. This weekend I plan to visit all 15 counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I need to start tracking things there.

bwana39

Quote from: ImpulsiveTravelerGuy on August 12, 2020, 10:48:53 PM
Quote from: Ketchup99 on August 12, 2020, 10:11:28 PM
Hi Beto!
All kidding aside, sounds like a fun trip. Never been to Texas but would very much like to, even if just to drive through some of the vast open expanses.

I remember when Beto did that and then I forgot about it until after I did my trip and people were pointing it out. The vast expanses can be crazy. Driving the narrow secondary highway system known as the farm to market roads. The speed limits are 75 on many of them and you can pretty much go as fast as you want since it's desolate and nobody is patrolling it.

75 on FM roads? Lots of them are 70!  I thought all of the 75 mph were either four lane divided or at least two lane with full shoulders. Interstates, US Highways, and State Highways.  As to the speed limit mattering on the FM Roads, that is mostly true.
All of this said, northeasterners are always taken aback with 70 or 75 MPH on two lane roads.  Sometimes they react with a question with speeds as slow as 60 or 65!

Let's build what we need as economically as possible.

kphoger

Quote from: bwana39 on September 02, 2020, 03:21:28 PM
75 on FM roads?

Yep.
Example
Example
Here's one that doesn't even have edge lines

Quote from: bwana39 on September 02, 2020, 03:21:28 PM
I thought all of the 75 mph were either four lane divided or at least two lane with full shoulders. Interstates, US Highways, and State Highways.

FM roads are state highways.  And some of them do have full shoulders.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

paulthemapguy

Quote from: ImpulsiveTravelerGuy on September 02, 2020, 12:33:26 PM
Quote from: kphoger on August 28, 2020, 03:08:21 PM
I just remembered, www.mob-rule.com/ is a decent travel mapping site as well.

(For those playing along at home, we're up to six websites and two Easter eggs.)

I use it every here and there. This weekend I plan to visit all 15 counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I need to start tracking things there.

I just went to the UP and finished my counties up there less than a month ago!  Hiked, kayaked in Lake Superior, and saw waterfalls too!  You can discover the magical quirk of how every county bordering Wisconsin is in Central time, but every other county is in Eastern time.  Hit me up if you'd like suggestions.
Avatar is the last interesting highway I clinched.
My website! http://www.paulacrossamerica.com Now featuring all of Ohio!
My USA Shield Gallery https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHwJRZk
TM Clinches https://bit.ly/2UwRs4O

National collection status: 361/425. Only 64 route markers remain

ImpulsiveTravelerGuy

Quote from: paulthemapguy on September 02, 2020, 10:08:27 PM
Quote from: ImpulsiveTravelerGuy on September 02, 2020, 12:33:26 PM
Quote from: kphoger on August 28, 2020, 03:08:21 PM
I just remembered, www.mob-rule.com/ is a decent travel mapping site as well.

(For those playing along at home, we're up to six websites and two Easter eggs.)

I use it every here and there. This weekend I plan to visit all 15 counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I need to start tracking things there.

I just went to the UP and finished my counties up there less than a month ago!  Hiked, kayaked in Lake Superior, and saw waterfalls too!  You can discover the magical quirk of how every county bordering Wisconsin is in Central time, but every other county is in Eastern time.  Hit me up if you'd like suggestions.

I just completed this trip. I'm putting together the Facebook posts for my blog and also the dash cam footage. I think I'll be making my 7 year old Macbook Air scream a little bit. It was an awesome adventure and it feels like I just scratched the surface. The Central\Eastern time is an interesting quirk. Also the fact that US-2 between Iron County (Crystal Falls) and Dickinson County dips into Wisconsin and goes through Florence.

doglover44




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