Looking for 'area' advice for a soon-to-be transplant

[Aulani]

Hey Lora, THANKS! Yeah, I kind of forget that TX gets "winter" weather (I say...as we are supposed to get ANOTHER snowstorm & 35-40 MPH winds tomorrow!). I probably should bring both sets of tires that I have? (I have a set of summer tires & another set of more aggressive, winter treads). Maybe I could hire myself out as a driver in the winter time for locals? I'm damn good at driving in yucky road conditions - hang on & don't scream...we'll get there in one piece!). I didn't realize deer were so plentiful; I'll keep that in mind. New Braunfels, huh? Sounds good, thanks, I'll check it out. I want to be close enough to my dad, but...not TOO close, if you know what I mean. Since I was born in Texas, there was a mandatory 'piece of my heart' deposit required before I was allowed to leave, that's what calls me back. I'm sure I'll be glad to get back home. (I always tell my New England compadres that when you're born in a TX hospital,they inject you with something that makes you loyal to your dying breath to the state. :-) They don't always 'get' it.

[Lora weems]

Yes, I agree that the deer warning systems don't get the deer out of the way. However, we have used them and they DO tend to make the deer slow down and look to see what is comming on the road.

You could bring both sets of tires. Do snow tires work well in muddy/slick conditions? if not, i would sell them up there. Because even when it freezes here the problem you will have isn't snow, but ice - and usually black ice. Best to just hibernate if you can when there is a storm - it usually won't last too long.

I'm one of those transplanted Texans - Navy brat - but my husband was born south of Wichita Falls, and has repeatedly said he can't imagine living anywhere else!

Although I wouldn't mind spending a few weeks in the mountains when the temps are 107 here, I always want to come Home.

[Aulani]

Hey Lora! Yes, snow tires have a pretty agressive tread (they aren't studded, though), on ice they're better than summer tires, though I can still get a good slide going - especially on black ice. I'm guessing that the TX DOT, or town guys, don't salt/sand roads quite like they do up here?
Do all the businesses shut down for winter weather storms?
107 degrees, huh? Ugh - I'll have to get used to that again! I've become a bit of a New Englander in that respect (though, they start whining about the heat at 78 degrees & up - it takes me until the high 80s, low 90s before I start crying )

[Lora weems]

Well, OK .

My sister, who lives in New Braunfels, could not get to work for 2 days during the early Feb blizzard, due to ice. Hard freeze, some snow, lots of pipes broken.

Trucks do put chert (fine gravel) on roads, but usually just the major ones.

Some businesses close, others don't.

The storm that just went thru this week didn't send much precip to NB, but it did get pretty cold, and the bridges/overpasses froze.

The early Feb storm caused cold temps all the way to the Rio Grande Valley -

So, there ya go.