Between Abilene and Fort Worth lies a void that somehow contains Dublin, home of the original Dr Pepper bottling plant. It’s a solid pit stop. Also, Ranger, TX—population 2,000, mostly ghosts. I swear, the gas station attendant there told me, “You’re from Fort Worth? That’s a long way.” He wasn’t wrong.
Does traffic change things?
Oh, honey. Yes. If you leave Abilene at 5 PM on a Friday, you’re not going to Fort Worth. You’re going to purgatory. The stretch between Weatherford and downtown Fort Worth can add 45 minutes of bumper-to-bumper rage. Friday afternoon I-20 is a parking lot for trucks hauling suspiciously large pipes. I recommend leaving at 9 AM or 8 PM. Middle-ground times are a trap.
Scenic Drive from Abilene to Fort Worth: A Spring Journey on I-20 - YouTube
And don’t get me started on rodeo season (that’s like half the year in Texas). The Fort Worth Stockyards will suck up all the hotel rooms and slow down traffic near the exits. You’ll see more cowboy boots than brake lights.
Okay, but why does this matter?
Because Abilene and Fort Worth feel like two different planets, even though they’re only two hours apart. Abilene is slow, dusty, and polite. Fort Worth is “Cowtown” but also has a Whole Foods and bike lanes. That drive is a cultural bridge. You start in a town where “downtown” has a single traffic light and end up somewhere with a museum for modern art. It’s weird, and I love it.
Steve made the drive, by the way. He called me from a gas station in Cisco to complain about the wind. Then he sent a photo of the Fort Worth skyline at sunset. “Worth it,” he texted, followed by a thumbs-up emoji. Classic Steve.
So, if you’re planning the trip: pack snacks, keep your gas tank above a quarter, and mentally prepare for the flatness. It’s not far, really. It’s just… Texas far. Which is a whole different measurement system. You’ll be fine. Probably.
