Monday, February 12, 2007

 

I'm on my way to Del Rio!


It's true. Tomorrow I'll teach sentencing and oral advocacy, and then hit the road for Del Rio. On Tuesday, Henry Bemporad (recently named the new Federal Defender for the Western Dist. of Texas) and I will give a presentation to the criminal bar down there. As you might expect, they handle a lot of immigration cases.

I love a drive like that. My plan is to make it as far as Uvalde tomorrow night. I usually enjoy towns that size, with a bit of isolation. A week from Monday I'll be going to DC for the Claiborne arguments at the Supreme Court, but the fact is that Uvalde intrigues me much more than DC does.

So, here is question some of you may be able to answer. In going through Austin, is it better to go top or bottom on I-35 when it does that bizarre vertical split thing?

Labels:


Comments:
I am not sure about I 35. Just be very careful driving. OH and I found a new car for IPLAW to look at sort of a convertible-esque thing called the VW EOS I think? wait I'll get a link.

http://www.vw.com/eos/photos_360.html


It can be a convertible but even when it is not, it still has a lot of big windows.

I worry about him driving Mamie Eisenhower Iplaw around in a Wrangler.
 
Depending on the time of day, neither. Take the new tollway over to Mopac.
 
I believe I have already answered this question for you on numerous occassions (246 times to be exact), but apparently you were not fully satisfied by the answer.
 
It doesn't matter, either way is equally slow. Just try to avoid rush hour traffic and you should be ok.
 
I vote the top! During the day, the view is nice!
 
Top. Less exits, sure, but that's because the bottom level has all the exits for UT. And the students will kill you if they get the chance. They have the awareness of deaf bats.

And at 2 am, you can often find yourself amid a lemming-like migration of semis. Only going a lot slower... and with lights.
 
I like the top myself. The bottom is like crash car derby and you feel like you are driving through a canyon. The best advice so far is to avoid rush hour, but then again, when is it not rush hour in Austin?
 
Uvalde is the home of former Speaker of the House and two term Vice President John Nance Garner, the man who was quoted as saying that "the office of Vice President isn't worth a pitcher of warm spit." Although I'll bet you a pitcher full of Uvalde Pecans he really mentioned a different bodily fluid.
 
Tyd,

The EOS is lovely. I already have one though, only its called an Audi A4. And the problem with both is that the it only has two doors. Iplawwife aleady hates trying to get young Mamie E. Iplawbaby in and out of the back seat of this car. I really doubt I could sell her on the concept of buying an identical automobile only with a few less fancy amenities.

No, we need a four door convertible... or we need to go the three car route.

As for I-35, your best bet is to go in the middle of the night. Of the 5 or six times I've done that drive, the only time I didn't end up in a mind numbing traffic jam was the time I blew through at about 10 PM. On top.
 
As you come into Del Rio and Highway 90, just on the east side of town, there is a little restaurant called "Mexico Tipico." When I lived in Del Rio, that was my favorite place to eat. $3.80 for chips & salsa, caldo de res, 2 machacado tacos, and rice & beans. That was some tasty food--still haven't had better salsa.
 
You have to stop by Brackettvile, specifically a place called "Alamo Village". The experiance is quite unforgetable, complete with a gun fight!!

By the way, there is a speed trap half way between Del Rio and Brackettvile, so be on the look out.
 
Having driven the Austin - Waco route every day during my time at Baylor, I can assure you that those who advise you travel at non-rush hours are correct. Top deck, bottom deck - it's all the same. Just don't be on either from 6 a.m. - 10 a.m. or 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
 
iplawguy -

I have found you the perfect four door convertible. It is truly designed for someone of your class and stature in the DC legal community. Indeed, I believe you will enjoy driving it up and down 14th Street and around Logan Circle during the warm months...

http://www.zimmermotorcars.com/awesome.html
 
Squeeker--

I was just looking for a 247th opinion. All the experts say you should do that.
 
Take the top. My Austinite cousin claims that the 3 miles on the bottom is the most dangerous stretch of highway in the nation. Sometime on your trip out west you should stop by Balmorhea.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/balmorhea/
 
OH.

Hmmm well usually I am good at this.. picking out cars for people, but you seemed to have stumped the panel. I will keep looking.

SO here is what is new with MY boring life. TOday the concrete guys finished the patio, the poured the concrete, let it dry a bit and then stamped it and everything IT looks like stone, but it isn't.

ALso today the gargantuan dumpster arrived, because tomorrow AM the floor guy is coming and he is going to rip out every inch of flooring in the house. we are replacing it ALL with red oak, except for the kitchen and two of the bathrooms - THey are getting tile.
THe downstairs half bath is going to just have wood like the rest of the main floor.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The rest of the stuff is: countertops, a new gas instead of elec stove, a new range hood, some built in bookshelves, and then a LOT of painting. WE will be without a kitchen for like three weeks, and have to basically keep moving one step ahead of the floor guys for like a month. THey are even doing the stairs.

GAWD.
 
Tradelawguy,

You know, there was a time in my life when I would have LOVED that Zimmer car. Law school for instance. Sadly I'm a little more conventional these days... and I can guarantee you that Iplawwife would NOT approve.

But you got the four door thing down!
 
As a former deaf bat, er I mean UT student, I would definitely say, the bottom deck is faster. (The Ice Bats are our hockey team, is that what you mean, Yee?) :)

It ain't as pretty, but it is usually faster because you don't get hippies wanting a nice view, instead you get Mad Max-style driving. The Medievalist is right, the bottom deck is like flying the trench run on the Death Star. Awesome...if you like that sort of thing.
 
Ha. Actually no. UT students (myself once included in that group) would be better drivers if they had the maneuverability of hockey players.

Although I do remember the constant emails warning us not to kiss the bats we found around campus. I guess Austin just means "bats" to me.
 
Yee--

Was there a problem with students making out with bats???
 
Interesting note: At one point in time, the I-35 split in ATX was ranked among the most deadly stretches of highway in America. Consequently, the civil engineer responsible for the design, eventually killed himself.

Take the centermost top lane in either direction. It is usually faster, but even if not, it does not have as many exits or any 25ft entry ramps and is safer.
 
Fine, but I charge after the 246th time. Bottom. (But the best advice is Mopac.)

I can't wait till the next time you ask me, I am going to keep a record then send you the bill.
 
P. S. IPLAW about that ZIMMER car:

Now that one I like. You could dress up like Huggy Bear. That is one BAD RIDE.
 
How do you know that I don't dress up like Huggy Bear already?
 
I'd just like to note for the record that IPLawGuy does dress like Huggy Bear.

It's Tradelawguy who wears the Daisy Dukes.
 
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