[Just fresh from the Austrian Alps...returning today for a trip...bit closer to home...🙂...]

Many years ago, when I started living in Texas (Austin) for a few years...being bit of a history fan, one of the first towns I visited was San Antonio, just ~70 miles southwest of Austin (an hour and half away, no issue, could be accomplished in a weekend day...). Then one day I was chatting with a local friend, and I asked about El Paso, and casually said to him...it should be a good 2-3 hours' drive, I guess. The answer was I should budget about (9-10) hours, El Paso being ~600 miles west of Austin. 

Texas is, by far, the largest of the contiguous states in U.S., noting, of course, that Alaska is nearly twice as large, but it is not contiguous. In Texas, e.g., from east to west, one could be driving on the highway (non-stop) for ~12 hours and be still in Texas...quite mind-boggling. Anyway, I did make that road-trip once from Austin to El Paso, across the dry flatlands of mid-south Texas, which is what I wished to re-visit today, from above, for a different perspective. KAUS (Austin) is at ~500 ft elevation, and KELP (El Paso) is at nearly ~4,000 ft. So, I started initially at 2,000 ft to take in the close-up view of the landscape below, but did have to remind myself, on my C172 autopilot, to gradually raise the cruise altitude 1,000 ft by 1,000 ft, so as not to run aground while observing the non-changing scenery...🙂...up to a final altitude of about 6,000/7,000 ft, for the landing on El Paso airport.

Yes, as I tracked the direct GPS magenta line (between KAUS->KELP), the scenery and terrain, though slowly (and deceptively) rising, indeed did appear flat and un-changing for most of that 600 miles (see my pictures, shot #s (7-11), and you will reach the same conclusion), except very near El Paso, where in the final 50 miles or so, started appearing on the ground, mountainous ripples... shot #s 12-13...(please note this is veteran of the Alps and Himalayas, speaking here, from the bountifully imaginary world of MSFS virtual aviation...🙂...Oh well...). But there was one exception on my route today, though, that I passed by, appearing north of my (direct) route, which is the highest point of Texas, the Guadalupe Mountains, with its summit at 8,700 ft (see one picture, shot #14 of my fly-by shot). 

So, hope you enjoy this collection of pictures, below, (though it's not the Austrian Alps...) from my complete trip (KAUS>KELP), closer to home, that I'd (actually) completed in RW once on the road...

Thanks for viewing.

Edited February 11, 20242 yr by P_7878

You've shown once again how MSFS2020's capabilities for world-exploring are only limited by one's imagination. Two shots stood out for me...#2 with the play of sun and cloud shadow on the Austin airport and environs, and third from the bottom: that cluster of warehouses at El Paso. We now have warehouses galore (and the accompanying trucks) infringing on what remains of farmland here in the Lehigh Valley of PA.

Lovely stuff, P. I'm fascinated by Texas - living my whole life in a very green and heavily overcrowded place (I doubt that even in the wildest parts of the country you're more than 20 miles from a dwelling of some sort, and in most places that's far more likely to be a few hundred yards tops) I am always taken by the "wide open spaces" thing. I have to say I've been surprised how green some of the state is though - I sort of expected nothing but desert, littered with cattle skulls and the odd discarded cowboy boot. But I guess that's a childhood involving a whole lot of John Wayne, Rawhide, and similar rearing its misguided head.

7 hours ago, John F said:

You've shown once again how MSFS2020's capabilities for world-exploring are only limited by one's imagination. Two shots stood out for me...#2 with the play of sun and cloud shadow on the Austin airport and environs, and third from the bottom: that cluster of warehouses at El Paso. We now have warehouses galore (and the accompanying trucks) infringing on what remains of farmland here in the Lehigh Valley of PA.

Thanks for the comments, John.

And you're absolutely right about Warehouses popping up everywhere...green vegetations and forests that I used to see, love, and walk around in, now giving way to these large buildings ...

 

45 minutes ago, andy1252 said:

Lovely stuff, P. I'm fascinated by Texas - living my whole life in a very green and heavily overcrowded place (I doubt that even in the wildest parts of the country you're more than 20 miles from a dwelling of some sort, and in most places that's far more likely to be a few hundred yards tops) I am always taken by the "wide open spaces" thing. I have to say I've been surprised how green some of the state is though - I sort of expected nothing but desert, littered with cattle skulls and the odd discarded cowboy boot. But I guess that's a childhood involving a whole lot of John Wayne, Rawhide, and similar rearing its misguided head.

Andy: Appreciated the thoughts. BTW, I must say one thing that happened on my way, and I thought of one of your recent posts...as I was merrily cruising along in the loneliness and flatness, all around me, suddenly, on my MAP popped up..."Lubbock - none flatter!"...🙂.... just north of my GPS Magenta line.... I didn't have any reason to divert of course...🙂...

Cheers...!

Beautiful set with a nice looking landscape around..

cheers 😉

nice shots, but why are your flaps always down?

Very nice shots! 😉 

Interesting views P_7878, from the rolling hills near Austin to the western desert parts...

Darryl

On 2/12/2024 at 12:02 AM, pmplayer said:

Beautiful set with a nice looking landscape around..

cheers 😉

Agree it's nice landscape to view and enjoy...in RW too...I didn't mean it to imply that RW travel along this path is anything but interesting...there are actually lots of things to do and see during these 10 hours of trip, which one cannot do from air...I wish I'd more time during my whirlwind trip...

 

On 2/12/2024 at 2:12 AM, jankees said:

nice shots, but why are your flaps always down?

Thanks, Jan, and the only reason for that deliberate (flaps) action was to keep my speed as low and slow as to my RW car-travel...🙂 ...I do have slower aircraft, but having an a/c with a good GPS/MFD-Map lets me direct to points of interest rather easily, e.g., the Guadalupe Mountain, here, that I was not aware of before ...I just set the Google Earth Lat/Long on the GPS FlightPlan, and it takes me there accurately without guesswork...

 

On 2/12/2024 at 1:35 PM, Alaska738 said:

Very nice shots! 😉 

Appreciated the comment, Will ...!

 

4 hours ago, SP2472 said:

Interesting views P_7878, from the rolling hills near Austin to the western desert parts...

Darryl

Yes, Darryl, quite a diversity, actually ...And those Windmill Farms, I caught from air, was something I distinctly recall from my actual trip. The (desert-like) high plains of Texas, with abundant winds and w/o any obstructing mountains, seem highly suitable for such sources of energy...