Because the production ended early, around 1:00am, I was able to
leave work at 3:30am and drove home. Went to bed around 5:00am, woke up at 8:30am but
stayed in the bed until 10:30am. Cooked lunch, did a load of laundry, get ready
to leave. I drove to the airport to pick up a rental car. I arrived at parking
around 3:00pm, I had to get behind of many cars wanting to go in, and my turn
came after waiting there for 10 minutes. I parked my car at Parking Spot, then to
the airport via a shuttle van to nearest termial so I can catch a bus for Rental Car center.
Just as I was riding to the terminal, the driver informed me that the parking is
full. I
took a bus to the rental car center and get a Nissan
Altima. Get the car ready, including SiriusXM, left the airport around 3:40pm, I took TX-59
south toward downtown, and
changed it I-610 west and again at I-10 west so I don't have to pay toll.
Traffic jam on the way to the airport
My ride for this trip, Nissan Altima, with SeriusXM
Driving east on I-10 in this time of year is pretty rough
The traffic to Beaumont was nor that bad and accident
free, but I had to slow down sometimes. When I get close to the Beaumont, it was getting dark and
hard to see stuffs outside.
Arriving at Beaumont around 5:00pm, I drove to event center near downtown for packet pickup for the 10k race tomorrow. It's getting dark and I needed GPS's help to get there. I parked on a street and walked in the building. I got my packet and T-shirt, leaving the building around 6:00pm, maybe it's time for dinner. The moon rising in hazy sky looked amazing. I set the GPS to the hotel and decided to eat something nearby. I found a Mexican restaurant, ate Teco salad and left after 7:00pm, Stopped by at a gas station to buy water before arriving at the hotel. Checked in at the hotel at 7:30pm, took things easy and went to bed around 10:00pm after finish preparing for tomorrow's 10km run.
Dinner, I had a taco salad,
Check in at the hotel
I woke up around 6:00am, stretched my body, grabbed breakfast then headed out to the event center around 7:00am under cloudy sky. I stopped at several location to take pictures of the town.
Breakfast
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| Amtrak Beaumont Depot | The Chambers House | McFaddin House | Rice Mill |
Arrived at the event center around 7:30am. I was expecting much smaller crowds but nearly 1,500 people taking a part on this event. I warmed up for the race and lined up. Unlike Houston Turkey Trot, they pledged region and anthem followed. The start was at 8:00am, and the race was conducted at the downtown portion of the city.
10k makes two
laps...
I finished around 9:00am, drove back to the hotel and get showered. After getting changed, I packed my items and left the place around 10:00am.
At Henderson around 1:20pm
Had lunch at
whataburger
At Longview 12:45pm, parked my car
Took picture of Amtrak
station at 2:30pm
Left to Marshall where arriving at 3:10pm
Leaving around
3:50pm
At Jefferson at4:10pm
Leaving around 5:30pm
The outside is
getting dark...
Had dinner at Dairy Queen
Arrived at the hotel
around 7:00pm
I already know that I have to skip several cities on the list in order to make it to Jefferson for taking picture before the outside is getting dark. So, I decided my first stop to be Henderson. I get on I-10 east then changed to US-96 towards north, Changed to US-287 to Lufkin,
Driving under
still okay weather, hope no rain today.
12:20pm-12:45pm?
Masonic Lodge and Howard Dickenson House
It was slightly misty, but okay to walk around
After a short drive, I arrived to
Had lunch at Whataburger since there aren't many places open today.
1:00pm-
Used to be called Richest Acre
Making a stop at Longview. The place more looked
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1:45p-2:30pm, there is no people walking around except homeless people
Going to Marshall was not that bad. Took I-20 east then
The square is getting ready for the holiday, it was another quiet town, the weather is holding which helps me a lot but getting colder.
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3:00-3:45
4:15pm-5:20pm, Parked at several locations,
(6:00pm)
Arriving at Texarkana, I checked in at the hotel straight. I hope I get to sleep well.
Checked in at the hotel (7:00pm)
Woke up at 6:00am, stretched my body and get ready for the day. The rain is gone for now but will come back sometimes soon so I quicky took shower and get ready for the day. I left the hotel around 7:30am, drove to downtown part of Texarkana. There is almost nobody there so I could easily park the car and began walking around.
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8:00am-9:00am
Left Texarkana arond 9:00am, I was concerned about the rain on the way to Paris so I checked the weather then get the GPS. getting on ?
Under fairly steady rain, and wind
It was hard to walk around because of the rain
Stopped at Jaxx Groumet Burger for lunch,
Walked around a few more then come back to the car and began heading to the next place.
Driving toward Paris under rain.
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11:00am-1:00p
Lunch at a local burger store
After leaving Paris, I took another
The sides of the road were flooded, I can see trees on the right side.
Arriving
Arriving at
I stopped at
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2:00-2:30
Still raining hard, so I only got to walk around for a short time. It was cold, too. I found a palce to park and stepped out, I had to walk into a cafe to use rest room, and drink hot coffee
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| Collin County Courthouse | Post Office |
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A cafe in McKinneny
2:30p-3:00p
Leaving McKinney at ?, drove west on ? and kept gonig. The traffic there was moving quite fast and Stopped by at Town Square to take a picture of the old courthouse. Drove to my friend's place,
Denton Courthouse, now a museum
5:00pm, at Denton Square. Arriving at my friend's apartment, because my shoes were soaking wet, I did not want to take them off. Decided what to eat and headed to eat at a Japanese restaurant. First we thoguht
Tempra...
Rained all night and my friend's apartment has so many windows and drops hitting the windows were quite noisy. Woke up around 8:00am, still gusty, 36F and still raining. I stretched my body and packed my items. Headed out for brunch with my friend after a quick shower. The rain was very much over now. We tried at Nana's Cafe at Lake Dallas since I did not want to eat at franchised restaurant. I had Texas Benedict; scrambled eggs, sausages and biscket, with fruits and hushed brown come along.
Brunch with my
friend, I had Texas Benedict
After the meal, we drove back and I started my car. It was still cold around 40F and chaces of rain expected today. I left the apartment and took I-35E south to Dallas downtown, then getting on I-45 south toward Houston. The traffic was not that bad, maybe because I started my trip back to Houston on Saturday instead of Sunday, and still early in the morning. Most of the time, the rain was misty or light, so it helped people cruise fast. Everything was good until approaching to Huntsville, where I saw the first accicent, the traffic was jammed and took nearly 30 minutes going slowly. As soon as I was cleared from the wreck, there was another one which one vehicle stuck in the middle of the road. I got off and stopped at gas stop.
Accident near
Huntsville slows everybody down.
Raining not so
heavy but more like misty
Finished my
trip.
Leaving the rental car facility at 3:40pm, a shuttle bus took me to terminal A after a 5 minutes ride. Caught a shuttle van to outside parking. Get dropped off and then loaded bags into my car. Left the facility then drove home under cloudy sky. Back at my apartment by 5:00pm, that's when the rain began to fall, and lasted for 4 hours. Chat with my dad in the evening, going to bed around midnight.
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