Traffic is a tool of the devil

This week I went to the AP (advanced placement) Summer Institute at Rice university, to learn how to teach World History AP (WHAP).  I’m not teaching WHAP next year (at least that I know of) but when I signed up for it, there was a possibility that it could happen, so I went anyways to learn and be prepared for anything that could happen in the future.
 
However, Rice is downtown, and Houston is trafficky. Please refer to the map below that shows scientifically where all the traffic is. (lol just kidding I made it- but it’s probably 94% true).



It took me all four days to figure out a good (or at least the least amount of traffic).  Here is a map that I

 made that showed my routes.

The first day I went the purple route.  Though it is the most direct, it is by far the most traffic.  The second day one of my coworkers who was there too, showed me the benefits of Westpark Tollway (definitely a fan!).  I took that to Sam Houston Tollway (blue route).  I was going to take 290 next, but traffic was already stopped on the ramp- so I though that going up to 249 and going the back way to the house would be faster- that was a NO! 

The third day I tried the tollways to 10 (green).  And I noticed that there is two HOV lanes and one says “Katy Tollway” where you can pay to go in the HOV lanes even if you are a single rider – well I didn’t take it because the HOV lanes in Houston are permanent, once you are in you are in so I did want to get in and not be able to get out in time.  Well on the fourth day I realized that yes I can take it and on the fourth and final day I got home in about an hour (unlike the 1 hour and 30 minute drive I had the first three days).  Going there wasn’t too bad (about 45 minutes).  But I was still having to get up and leave by 6:30 (waaaaaay to early for the summer)

But all that said and done, it was good to go- I learned a lot.  And if they need me to teach WHAP then I can (two of our WHAP teachers from this past year moved up to other grades- but we did bring someone else in that has taught it before).

Tomorrow I will once again wake up early, but it will be to take Russell to work, so that I can pick him up and go to lunch and he can take me to the airport- and then only have one car to deal with.  I leave for Tennessee to hang out with Christy before her wedding next week- can’t believe it’s already here!