On the Road Again

As the song goes, I just can’t wait to get on the road again. But, when I do, there is that issue of where to go when you gotta “go”!!



I’ve recently made several trips across country. Some by myself (well sort of) and others in the company of family or friends. I must confess the ones I did by myself included my faithful companion, Dobie. He is 55 lbs of lovable beast, which just complicates the issue of what do you do when you have to “power you nose”.


For those of you who are not quick on the uptake, I’m discussing the delicate topic of having to pee.


Years ago when I was just a kid, we used to drive from Minnesota to Montana to visit the grandparents. In those days, the solution was one stop shopping at the local gas station. Generally, the little room for the ladies, was relatively clean, not spotless but tolerable. Then the world changed.


As gas stations migrated from full service to self-serve, the latrine went from tolerable to deplorable. You wouldn’t catch me in one on a bet. Making the best place to relieve oneself, the state provided rest areas.


Of late you can’t count on the state run rest areas. Navigating across the state of Arizona, I was confronted with a harsh reality. All but two of the public rest areas (read bathrooms) were closed. The ones which were open were on either side of the state. What did they expect you to do in between???


Fortunately, the world of free enterprise has stepped up to the challenge of filling in the gap. In my recent travels I have come to grow very fond of Love’s, Pilot and Flying-J. For those of you who have not ventured forth in your autos, these are what were commonly called Truck Stops years ago.


These modern miracles of service, offer everything the road weary warrior needs. From gas to fast food or snacks, these little oases have all the stuff to keep you going. But, most importantly, they have clean, clean, clean places to pee. Plus they always offer a little bit of grass for my four-legged baby to hike his little leg. Bless them for stepping into the vacuum left by our short sighted state governments.


So, the next time you find yourself “on the road again” with the need to “go”, just follow the line of truckers and Airstreams to closest truck stop. You will be glad you did ‘cause the next rest area is 27 miles down the road and it will be closed.