The Internet has changed so much about travel not least the ability to find stuff online and in maps. Type 'rest areas' into the map search function and up they pop like little red toadstools. It's easy to dismiss rest areas as necessary evils but traveling with your home makes them ideal free legal stopovers. Far better than hotels you drive in, park and go to sleep if you want no more than that. In the morning leave quick and easily.
And then you are back in the headlong rush to get somewhere else.
The beauty of rest areas is that they vary wildly, and some are mere parking lots though others can offer a welcome center, vending machines, dump station for RV toilets and delightful wooded areas to walk your dog and maybe your camera.
South Carolina surprised us with many people wearing masks and superb rest areas. Expansive as though designed for social distancing.
We have driven to Asheville numerous times but I was still miffed that we couldn't take it a little slower and get off the freeways. This vacation is a yes tot see how our gear works, to see what's possible in a pandemic, and to see how we cope with renewed sense of life and living off the freeways of life. Hmmm...
7 comments:
The rest areas on 85 in NC are very nice too....
Try us 441 north out if Florida to north georgia and n car next time. A lot if it is still two lane and you can detour into the small towns. Us 23 north from Asheville can take you to Ohio, non interstate 4 lane, still some 2 lane. Have fun, slow and easy.
I like the US highways when I can find them. Usually 4 lane, often divided, but not the limited access of interstates. Sometimes they go through developed areas and slow you down but often they are very scenic with good speed limits.
I read a book one time, if I remember correctly it was The Blue Highways. In my travels I always searched for the Blue Highways after that book. It has taken me to some great adventures that would have been missed on Interstate ribbons.
I want to take this time to tell you how much I'm enjoying your writings from the safe-sheltering-in-place position on my couch. Being retired, the only thing that's changed for us , is our inability to travel. You seemed to have figured out the loophole in that and I'm now enjoying your travels. The good point about being at home is that I'm no longer tempted to travel the flea markets and antique shops of the area and thus have stopped acquiring "dust catchers and tchochkes" as you've called them. In fact, we're going thru them , dusting them, and gifting them to friends and family who have the room for them. We really do appreciate that you're taking the time to upload your thoughts and pictures and hope some day if you ever come thru the great state of NJ, that we can socially-distance meet you and share with you the pleasures of Pork Roll. Thank you again ! Mike and Arlene Rosol, Somerset NJ
...If I am feeling puny, I love the security of fellow travelers in rest stops......
You seem to be putting on a lot of miles. We found that too many back-to-back travel days got old really quickly.
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