Traffic Snarls...with Snails!

I think there may be something wrong with me. Certain things make me giggle like a child and I feel great joy when modern civilization begins to break down.

Take, for instance, this morning's walk. My route took me along the service road for I-35 in north Austin. There seemed to be more vehicles lined up than usual. At one point I was walking faster than the cars were. Although that's not really that hard when they're at a complete standstill.

In this example of snarled traffic, the principle cause seemed to be traffic light that was precariously dangling over one of the lanes. Knocked loose by the vigorous gusts of this morning's storms.

I'm sure there is some technical term in psychiatry for this mental state, which rapidly gave way to pity. These poor souls trapped in cocoons of steel, plastic and aluminum.

Unable to appreciate the brisk north wind on the back side of the low level disturbance swirling north of us. Unable to take deep breaths of fresh, rain washed air. Unable to appreciate the sky painting Mother Nature was offering.

Plus, a great migration of snail kind, on a slow journey across wet concrete. It's possible this little guy was moving faster than some of the herds of morning commuters.