Last week when we took our little trip out to St Hedwig and Adkins, we saw a sign for Buc-ee's, a travel center - gas station type of place near Luling, TX, and thought we ought to check it out.
I have to tell you that the drive between the outskirts San Antonio along I-10 heading east is not so incredibly scenic that you would bust out the canvas and commence your very own work of art. Frankly, it is pretty dry and for long stretches, there are places that in a perfect society would be hidden by a large privacy fence or one of those fancy noise abatement walls like they have in many cities up north.I have often thought that it was a good thing my first time arriving in San Antonio was via an airplane because if I had seen the unspectacular scenery on the drive in, I wouldn't be so in love with the place. Note to Chamber of Commerce: we need to plant a bunch of pine trees or tall palm trees or perhaps a row of buried Cadillacs along I-10 so people won't get 20 miles from town and turn around from disappointment.
On your way to Buc-ee's, once you get past that 15 or 20 mile stretch of ugly, or if you turn off of I-10, there are lots of wonderful small towns and beautiful ranches and farms along the way. There are so many places to see and only so few weekends - boredom should never be an option. I am always tempted to just pull down one of these side roads and see where it leads.
Of course, along the road you will be entertained by the signs encouraging a visit to Buc-ee's.
Unfortunately, I was doing between 75 and 80 along the way, and the pictures can be pretty fuzzy, but you get the idea.
As we pulled off of I-10 at Exit 632, we were pretty excited to gas up and get inside to see what important souvenirs we would need.
Before going in, I filled up the truck and as I did, I noticed a group of Mopar enthusiasts were meeting for some sort of informal meet-up. Lot's of people checking out each other's cars.
I especially had a fondness for this beauty.
One of the big complaints we have about when we travel to different places is the lack of suitable souvenirs. You won't find that problem at Buc-ee's. Everything from mugs and cups and shot glasses to hand crafted items by local artists are available.
You will find a lot of things you wouldn't expect in a gas station - I mean, seriously, this is one fine seat.
Wanna grab a bite? I liked the way they had an ordering system set-up using computer screens. You make your order and submit it via computer terminal, then they call your name when it is ready. Reminded me of a high-tech version of WhichWich.
I know what you have to be wondering - what about the bathrooms? Right? I didn't need to partake, but my wife was kind enough to take a candid view of the ladies. You won't find such privacy at most Texas rest stops. This is no open troff situation.
Hungry? How about a little pulled pork? I'm game, but we didn't partake this time. (I'll tell you where we did eat in another post.)
A co-worker of mine is a huge fan of Buc-ee's Jerky, so I went ahead and picked up some of the turkey variety. They have lots to choose from and the stuff is good.
On our way out, we checked out the outdoor area full of grills and deer feeders for sale. My wife was ready to cap a cow and bust out some mesquite! In the end, we opted for something already in the pit and headed a few miles up the road to Luling.I'll tell you about lunch next time.
On our way to RenFest in October, Buc-Eees and Ikea were 2 of our "must-see" stops. Buc-Eees did not disappoint! They had sugar-free dippin' dots! I love that place! IKEA? Well, I guess if you're a young, broke, livin-in-a-box college student, they're great. Just not my cup o' tea. Thanks for sharing all the pics!
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