US 281 is an excellent road, though quite a bit more heavily traveled than
before the yups started moving out from Austin (for an experience of the old
days, try TX 16; folks still wave). An always good place for a cup of coffee
and some pie is the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls (just beyond the bridge)
and The Koffee Kup in Hico is also very good for that or dinner. If you run
Spur 220 from Hico to Chalk Mountain, thence thru Glen Rose and pick up 377
two miles east of that town, you'll be going the easiest route. Traffic
through Granbury is a real pain, those folks have ruined what could have been
one of the nicer towns in Texas what with unregulated growth and zero vision
of the future. The Pate Museum still has all the airplanes outside from years
ago that I remember, I would imagine they still have that incredible '30's
Packard among others inside. 377 from Granbury to I-20, Exit 429 is heavily
traveled by morons, but once on I-20 East you'll find the going easy. May I
recommend you travel to Exit 473 and take I-45 North into Big D, as this way
you'll avoid the downtown canyon and the lousy conditions of US 67/I-35. At
downtown I-45 becomes US 75 with no roadway changes (Central Expwy) and you
can zoom up this billion-dollar rebuilt road to Lovers Lane per earlier
directions. And, for the return trip. let me advise US 67 South from I-20 as
being a little faster and easier than 377. I've traveled these roads all my
life, and quite a lot recently, hope you enjoy the drive. Still has some
very good AM radio stations (such as 900MhZ at Hamilton). Used to be, you
got beyond Loop 410 in San Antonio and were immediately out of a metro area
until you hit Belt Line Road on 67 before you reached another. Used to not
other cars on weekdays for 20-30 minutes or more. See you at Kellers.
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