Another town you should put on your list is Brenham. Its population is just under 18,000, is home to Blue Bell Creameries and Blinn College (a feeder to Texas A&M), and is about halfway between Houston and Austin on US290. I start or ride through Brenham quite often and have yet to be honked at. Start a ride in the center of town and in 10 minutes you'll be on well-paved roads through rolling hills with light traffic.