Road Trip

Recently I drove to the Northwoods of Wisconsin and back, and I am more annoyed than ever that transporters have not been invented yet. There are many inconveniences and irritations to flying, particularly to the more rural areas of the country, and it often seems less cost effective, so I decided on a road trip.

To fly to where I was going, I would have had to take a connecting flight and spend several hours in the Minneapolis airport, then arrive at my destination late in the night after the rental car places closed. This seemed impractical, as there would be still a drive to get to the lake house after landing. There were other options but I had reached my stubborn state and so ‘had’ to drive.

When driving cross-country, there are several types of roads you must take – small, local roads, bigger state or interstate highways, and toll roads. Smaller roads can be problematic if you need rest stops, because you have to find a gas station/convenience store that will allow such pit stops and sometimes they are few and far between.

Highways are better because they tend to come with rest stops dotted along the landscape. They are good because you don’t have to buy anything to use the facilities. But the signs are not always the most helpful (like, there is a roadside park, but you need to guess which side of the road it’s on and you have passed it before you know it). But if you need gas or real food (that doesn’t come in a vending machine), you have to leave the highway.

Toll roads have rest stops that have food and gas as well. They often have signs telling you not only when the next one is but how many miles to the next one after that. They have been scientifically spaced out so that when you see the sign you think you can make it to the one after without being desperate but you most definitely will be desperate (for gas or facilities or both) by the time you get to that one.

The best toll road rest stops have at least a 7-Eleven. Not exactly haute cuisine, but predictable and with some variety (such as it is). Some have a state-branded market that is like a higher priced 7-Eleven with less variety. Many of them have food options, and by options I mean Starbucks and one or more fast food places. If you are lucky, you will hit the stops when these options are open and NOT under construction. I was not so lucky.

The Pennsylvania turnpike actually gets a failing score on rest stops, as they are very sparse in the part west of Breezewood. I had skipped the last one in Ohio because I figured there would be one in PA that was not 50 miles into the state. I was wrong.

Hotels on road trips can also be a gamble. On the way out I stopped at a Comfort Inn and found that it cost almost $200 for one night. That seemed excessive but I was tired. I do not recommend this particular hotel – it’s the first time I’ve seen a hallway through the bathroom (shower/toilet on one side and sink on the other). I mean, there was a door to the toilet, but still seemed odd. Plus, the shampoo/conditioner seemed to be sized for people with short hair – very skimpy considering the price.

I mean, I could have tried the Value Inn across the street, but that looked a bit, um, sketchy. It reminded me of a hotel I stayed at once where the washcloth had a strange dark brown stain on it (I got a replacement) and the continental breakfast included ho-hos (which were delicious). I have to say that breakfast would have been better than the one at Comfort Inn, which included something that was supposed to be eggs (they were yellow) and the most rubbery sausage links I have ever had.

Well, the trip was long, about 16-17 hours both ways, and my body is no longer fond of sitting for such long periods. But there were some nice things. Got to see family I love and the lake was beautiful (it’s called Meta Lake, pronounced MEAT-A, and has no affiliation with any other Meta). And the rest stops in Michigan had some great views of Lake Michigan.