Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Best places to stop on the road?

When you go on a long ride what type of place do you like to stop when you need a short break? I'm not talking about you final destination, I'm talking about a quick stop to rest, bio break, etc....

country Store
state or county rest area
restaurant
fast food joint
gas station/mini mart
scenic viewing area
points of interest or historic site
other

Truck Stop's (P&H, Wells River, Vermint)

If its a quick stop than any old gas station will do. But if its a full eating time stop then,

Any of the big chain restaurants will do for me. Cracker Barrel being one of my favorite roadside eating places. that and Waffle House....luvvvv Waffle House. Except Indiana, Waffle Houses in Indiana are horrible.

If it's just a stretch, usually a mini-mart then I can get a drink or fill up. For meals I like the local owned places, I would rather stay away from chains. At the small local restaraunts the people are usually friendly and you can get a feel for the area and ask questions.

how about strip clubs?

I try to never eat at national chains. The local guys care, are more friendly and are actually cooking the food rather than just reheating it.

Fast food chains such as McDonolds and Burger Kings always have a no-pay restroom (loo) and something to drink that won't get you arrested.
Truck stops usually have a slightly better selection of food and free restrooms, but are more of a problem geting safely in and out.
I have to stop for gas every couple of hours anyway, but I try to find one with a fastfood place nearby. Used to be that they had free restrooms and often free coffee for customers, but they also used to check your oil snd tires too. Now, it is common to have to dump 50 cents or a dollar into the slot to unlock the door. They don't change your money, so if you don't have the right coins, you are litterally SOL.
Rest areas are a good place to stop and stretch out the kinks, but watch out for idiot drivers, avoid the vending machines like the plague and only use the facilities in an emergency.
Especially in the western half of the US, be extra careful around the good old roadside bushes, you are likely to be sharing these "facilities" with a rattlesnake.

Jerry - If you're out there

Tell everyone about your buffalo burger road house in the bowls of West Virginia. If anyone likes, quaint country charm and more flying fauna than a tropical forest - That's a place to stop!

When traveling by myself, I like to stay away from any chain places to eat. I like the samll mom and pop diners. Usually they will have something unique on the menu, freindly people and good food.

Restroom/smoke breaks, I am not picky really at all as long as it is not too much off the path if I am headed somewhere. If I am just out and about riding to ride, I'll go out of the way, beacuse I can, and it could lead to road I haven't been on.

Soren

Usually look for gas stations with a GOOD mini-mart in them. Mobil on the run, that sorta thing. They usually have rest rooms too. I once stopped for lunch at a Wendy's, an hour or so later I had to stop at another one to give em back what I got

From the little experience I have in over the road here in Az ......The minute market/convenience stores with gas stations are the best bet for a stretch your legs/ gas up and to put some liquid into the body. Quick in and quick out.

My brother lives in Oxnard, CA. but works in the LAX area. When I'm out on the left coast for whatever reason, I fly into LAX, he meets me, and we drive up the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) through Malibu. We almost always stop at the 'Malibu Inn' and have a brewski between bros before continuing North. It's one of my favorite places to stop, and Malibu is always entertaining, since you never know what notorious/famous person will walk through the door.

When riding two-up, it will usually be the first place that has a bathroom. Riding solo, the first vacant overlook or the first place that has caffein’ated beverages and sugar laden morsels. Given no need for leg stretching or waste excrement, any place that catches the eye is a proper place to stop at.

PS: You don't see fast food places on backroads!

Malibu's okay JB, but livin' in this friggin' concrete jungle, I've found that the very best place to stop is when I'm in the middle of nowhere, riding a lonely stretch of two-lane highway(like CA Hwy 58, just east of Paso Robles), and I see a clump of trees up ahead, just off to the side of the road.

Cheers,
Dwight

I try to aim somewhere with a few or lots of other bikes

not that easy really, I just like to have a blether and find out who's been where/going where

I like to stop at a variety of places and it depends on how big of a hurry I'm in, what roads I'm on, and where I'm going. Out on the interstate during the hot summer months. I look for a Circle K(like a 7 Eleven). Why? Because they often have walk-in coolers, and when it's 110 out those walk-in coolers are welcome relief from the heat. I'll just stand there Like I'm browsing for a case of beer for 5 minutes or more. If I'm in Phoenix, usually I hit In-N-Out for a double double cheeseburger.

If I'm on backroads, like when I ride to Albuquerque, a lot of the small towns have little grocery stores with gas pumps out front. Inside they'll often have pics up of hunters filling out their tags on some big deer or elk. And of course when you're in New Mexico, you have to eat something with green chiles in it. Omelets, burgers, doesn't matter what meal of the day.

On day rides a nice shady park in the middle of some small town is often a good spot. Patagonia is one place like that, and Kitt Peak has a good picnic area on top with tables and restrooms.

For eats I like diners. There's a breakfast ride we sometimes do to the Good Food Cafe in Huachuca City. Best chicken fried steak around, and they have a singing chef who belts out country tunes. Reb's Cafe in Benson isn't the best, but prices are cheap...less than $4 for a cheeseburger and fries.

Cracker Barrel, a NJ diner or any Mom & Pop joint.