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Road Side Rest Areas

2K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Pietperson 
#1 · (Edited)
Texas has a lot of roadside picnic areas on the back roads. Just tables with a awning build in the 30's. Some with rest room and a few with storm shelters. When out riding I frequent them often, stop for a smoke, a bottle of water and a beer. There are times we stop for gas and pick up bread, lunch meat and chips for lunch if there is a roadside park close. It is cheaper and faster to stop and have a picnic. Some roads there are no roadside rest areas, but most have them. But many of the back roads rest areas are not being maintained like in the past. They're not used like in the past. Everyone is using the interstates and major 4 lane highways. I can remember when these 2 lane back roads were the main roads 50 years ago. I live about 400 miles from Ft. Worth, TX and remember when there was nothing but 2 lane roads that went through every little town along the way. You would pull in to a small grocery store with a gas pump or 2 and a one car garage with a mechanic that could do small repairs. You could go back to the meat market in the store and they would make you a fresh baloney sandwich. They would slice the meat and slice a tomato, onion and what ever you wanted. They would cut the meat and cheese as thick as you wanted it. Wrap it in wax paper and we would stop at a roadside park and eat. Just some pleasant memories from my youth.
 
#2 ·
Sounds nice. The old interstate rest areas that used to be popular in years past are getting closed up. States don't want to bother with them anymore. Hopefully that doesn't happen down there but sounds like it's easier to maintain.
 
#3 ·
man I was fortunate enough to have had that simple pleasure many times here in Canada and in the USA....smile every time one crosses my mind...great Share Nab!!

Ride Safe,

Rob
 
#4 ·
I have used a few of the backroad ones a couple times. No my brother who passed on a few years back...... I think he was crazy sometimes. If on a bike trip and got tired he would pull over and lounge out on one of them tables and take a nap. And never worry about some shmuk messing with him. Days have changed friends.
 
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#5 ·
I've taken a nap in roadside parks. I know a lot of bikers that do all the time especially when they need to be some place and don't have time for a room. Pull into a roadside park lay over the gas tank and get a short nap. It's safer than falling a sleep going down the road at 75 mph.
 
#6 ·
remember those rest areas also. Used to go to silver dollar city in branson in the early 70's and sleep on a picnic table at a roadside park near the shepard of the hills play. Never gave a thought to danger, never had a problem. Used to go to laundromats and nap on the bench late at night, too. Stayed in the branson jail one night when I was young because it started raining. You could do that in the 70's but not now.
Problem was counties needed money and selling them instead of maintaining them looked like the goose that layed the golden egg to them. Now they have closed several rest areas along the interstate and replace them with an outhouse.
 
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