Truck Stops, Gas, Coffee & Laundry

Pricilla - the Queen!

Date: 10/4/13
Location:  A truck stop
Written by: DJ Doran

TAKE NOTE: This post was written while DJ & Joey were on their RV roadtrip across America. Sadly, their trip ended before it really got started. No worries, Shelly & Lucia are taking the Connextions Out n About Roadtrip to new heights, exploring one RV park at a time!

Thursday we woke to cloudy skies and high humidity.  I hate feeling sticky and the sheets damp from the humidity so of course I woke up grumpy.  Tonight’s the big night and I didn’t sleep well and now I feel like I’m covered in maple syrup.  There is so much to do and so little time to do it in but first things are first, I must have Coffee!  As I am rubbing the crust out of my eyes and preparing the coffee pot I notice that we have some new neighbors, a young couple that are pulling a trailer behind their pick up.  The trailer side doors were open and directly across from the galley window of Priscilla, so of course I couldn’t’ help but do my best Gladys Kravitz imitation and check them out.  The first thing that I noticed was that their trailer was neatly packed and organized, I hate them already I said to myself.  The next thing that I noticed was that they had a composting bucket of some sort for their, you know, business and a bed was set up in the back of their pick up which was covered by a camper top.

Being the social butterfly that I am, I finished getting dressed and walk out there with my coffee to “meet the neighbors” because after all, strangers are just friends waiting to happen, right?.   The young couple were busy doing whatever we all do in the morning when I strolled up and said “Good Morning!”.  We introduced ourselves to each other and began chatting about our separate road trips and adventures. Right away I liked both of them, Chad and Jessica from New Hampshire.  Nice, polite and respectful, a rarity with young people nowadays.  We traded stories of why we were on our adventures and shared tips and insights about what we have learned so far during our road trips.  I offered them some coffee and was told that their French Press or small coffee maker wasn’t working (not exactly sure which) and that they would LOVE some coffee…  As a fellow coffee addict I know what it would be like to not have that morning coffee and have to resort to Tea… ugh!   Don’t get me wrong, I like tea, especially Green Tea but it’s just not the same thing as a good cup of Coffee first thing in the morning.

I went back aboard Priscilla and filled 2 extra plastic travel mugs that came with Priscilla when we got her and proceeded back outside, both cup filled with steaming hot coffee.  I told them they could keep the cups to remember us by and they warmly thanked us.  We spent the next 20 minutes chatting about what our plans were for the day when Joey came out and we all talked and laughed for a bit.  Chad and Jessica explained that they were heading to Cedar Point Amusement Park, the roller coaster capital of the world later that morning and we had errands to run.  We invited them for dinner aboard Priscilla that night and we both finished getting ready to leave.  As we were pulling away I sounded the trumpet horns and waved hoping to have an enjoyable evening of dinner and drinks with our new friends.  Dinner with Chad and Jessica didn’t work out but we exchanged contact information and know that we will keep in touch as we both follow our passions for exploration and travel.

We headed to Cheektowaga to purchase some diesel fuel that according to the iPhone app Gas Buddy was supposed to be $3.95 per gallon.  Apparently sometime between our departure from Niagara Falls and arrival in Cheektowaga the price of diesel went up to $4.05.  We walked into the truck stop and scoped out the place.  Fuel, check, Laundry, check, Showers, check.  We started our laundry and used the showers.  After a warmish shower we went to the restaurant for a snack while we waited for our clothes to finish being dried.  Joey and I decided to order the small hamburger when the waitress proceeded to tell us how small the burger was and we were shamed into ordering the larger big boy burger.  When our food arrived my jaw dropped at the portion size of the food on the plate.  Don’t get me wrong I like a good burger but geesh.  Joey and I each cut them in half and resolved to take the other half back with us to Priscilla.  As we were finishing our lunch one of the truckers decided to strike up a conversation with us thinking we were fellow truck drivers.  I am not sure how that makes me feel but he was pleasant enough so we chatted across the aisle for a bit.  I realized that our laundry was probably done drying but the check hadn’t come yet so I politely excused myself and left Joey there to handle our new fellow trucker friend.  The look on Joey’s face, priceless.

We walked from the laundry section through the truck stop and right past the smoking section of the restaurant.  Yes,  there WAS  a smoking section.  Now, no disrespect to smokers but clouds are for computing not eating and no food could taste good in a cloud of tobacco smoke.  Just sayin…  Joey and I walked back to Priscilla with a basket of clean laundry (we hurried by the smoking section) and it was weird but we felt like we were on display as the eyes of each trucker in the cab of their truck followed us as we walked past.  I for one was happy to be back aboard Priscilla and ready to go.  It’s funny sometimes Priscilla looks soo big to me but next to rows of big rigs, she looks like a toy.

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