18 Comments

  1. Sabina
    July 17, 2011 @ 4:39 pm

    I love reading your impressions of America! Your second paragraph is so eloquent. And the bit about an entire aisle being dedicated to dried meat is hilarious. I’ll be interested to see what strikes me as remarkable when I finally return home.

    • Andrew
      July 24, 2011 @ 4:36 pm

      Thanks. I will write more about that trip at some point. Back in Europe and likely do some more current things interspersed. Definitely interested in seeing your opinion of going home. It was wacky for me.

  2. Allie S.
    July 10, 2011 @ 3:28 pm

    The TA travel centers are the absolute best. They have auto part sections, food, clothing, showers, fast food sections, sit-down dining sections – they have IT ALL! When we’re going from NC to PA (and back again), we always aim for the TA truck stops!

    http://www.tatravelcenters.com/

    • Andrew
      July 16, 2011 @ 10:54 am

      I don’t know any of the chains. This was a Pilot I think. It was perfectly fine and at the time I was driving around the US, I would not have thought about it. Just being away so long it was an experience to be in one again.

  3. Jeremy Branham
    July 6, 2011 @ 7:50 pm

    There may not be a lot of people that can relate to this post. However, you can consider me one of those who understands what you are talking about! 🙂

    • Andrew
      July 16, 2011 @ 10:54 am

      Thanks Jeremy. There must be truck stops in California as well, right?

  4. Sabrina
    July 6, 2011 @ 6:17 pm

    So true 🙂 And I love that you can always see locals doing some shopping in the smaller truck stops in the rural areas. I guess it’s what you do if you live in a town of 5 people 🙂

    • Andrew
      July 16, 2011 @ 10:55 am

      It reminds me a bit of your Country Fried Chicken post. The rural culture in the US is so much different than that of the big cities. I guess that is true the world over, but it seems somewhat stark there.

  5. Heather
    July 6, 2011 @ 4:25 pm

    I wouldn’t have thought to highlight a truck stop — the things you take for granted as being new to someone else! I stopped at my fair share on the Oz road trip and loved that we could grab a $3 shower at the more remote stops. When friends from London have come to visit, they can’t wait to go to Walmart and enjoy walking up and down each aisle — just like I do in grocery stores overseas O:-)

    • Andrew
      July 16, 2011 @ 10:59 am

      I think of it as seeing old things with new eyes. And seriously, going to a 24 hour Walmart at 2am is a great thing.

      Although I have taken showers at the ports in Greece, somehow the idea of stripping down at a truck stop to shower is odd. I guess there is enough space to keep clothes dry? Do they usually offer towels as well, or strictly BYOT?

  6. Scott
    July 6, 2011 @ 9:21 am

    Great post! The intricate and expansive highway system of the U.S. truly is a sight to behold. One thing you forgot though is the entire fridge dedicated to energy drinks, lol.

    • Andrew
      July 16, 2011 @ 10:56 am

      Indeed, the fridge of chemical drinks. Ugh, of course how else would someone be able to drive across the US in 3 days?

  7. Erica
    July 4, 2011 @ 4:53 am

    Aww – I love truck stops. If you find a good one they will have a cafe attached with some of the best chicken fried steaks of your life!

    • Andrew
      July 4, 2011 @ 7:59 pm

      Mmm fried stuff.

  8. lara dunston
    July 4, 2011 @ 3:53 am

    Absolutely loved calling into truck stops when did our Route 66 road trip many years ago – Australia is dotted with them too – but love the old diner-style of truck stop. I would not call McDonalds a truck stop, even if it adjoined to a gas station – you’ll find them all over the world.

    • Andrew
      July 4, 2011 @ 7:58 pm

      This truck stop had a number of pieces, a McDonalds being one of them. Pretty much all the gas stations and truck stops have fast food franchises in them now. Subway started it and was quickly followed by all the chains to one degree or another. These truck stops are modern not traditional or cute. This is part of what makes them an interesting thing. If you stop at one outside of Georgia and then one in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina off a highway, they are likely to be the same. Perhaps down to the patrons. This samness is part of the culture aspect of it. National chains and brands at the local level.

      Ooo diner style sounds interesting.

  9. Ali
    July 4, 2011 @ 1:34 am

    I think you were actually pretty polite about this particular truck stop. It’s definitely a good way to see authentic US culture, just not the culture we really want the rest of the world to see. What I also find sometimes baffling is how something like this trashy truck stop can be just a few miles from really nice, wealthy neighborhoods. Well, and also goats and chickens and such. Hmm….

    • Andrew
      July 4, 2011 @ 7:54 pm

      I guess you are right about being polite, I was trying not to be totally sarcastic. It really was a classic grotty yet shiny place. The selection of unhealthy shit was amazing and vast. I do hope customer number 21 enjoyed shower number 3.