Colt, I would agree that there are many rural areas of Texas that are relatively sign-free. Sometimes, though, there's an exception with those blue Adopt-A-Highway Litter Control signs that seem to be State-sponsored mini-billboards for businesses and organizations in the nearby town. I've never heard how they work, but I presume that the business or organization pays a fee to the State in return for getting its name on the sign. Whenever I see a proliferation of them in an area, I wonder if they aren't creating more visual litter than the sign fees can be used for cleaning up "real" litter.
I particularly enjoy driving in the rural parts of Texas that are within the first 100 miles or so west of I-35, as well as the area between I-10 and 290 out west of Houston. A real driving endurance test is the 600-mile drive out to Big Bend National Park, a place like none other in Texas or maybe anywhere else. I've done it twice and enjoyed the time in the park both times.
Houston has a billboard ordinance that includes some grandfathering, so it will take awhile to get rid of the worst monstrosities. The newer signs for services stations and other businesses are much smaller and lower in height, so there is some progress being made.
I haven't driven in Ksquared's NJ but have driven in most of the New England states, where billboards were rare or nonexistent, if I remember correctly. Interesting driving in that part of the country. The West has more spectacular and panoramic scenery but the long distances between "civilization" makes traveling there a little monotonous at times.
A part of the country I haven't seen is up thru the middle north of Oklahoma. Would like to take a driving trip up that way sometime to see if there is something more than cornfields in Kansas and Iowa, which I suspect there is.
Justin
