The Rest Stop Challenge

If you do a lot of driving eventually you wind up at a public rest stop.   Most states (I don't think there are any in Rhode Island as they want you to literally go somewhere else) have rest stops.  The character and amenities reflect much about the state.  In Alaska the rest stops tended to have a definite outhouse ambience with piles of trash all around.  In Wyoming, there hardly were any but it was somewhat confusing that in a state with so much wind the rest stops are solar powered.  Additionally just about all of them are guaranteed to have no cell phone service.  I think it was in Tennessee that the rest stops provided Wi-Fi (how thoughtful is that?).  Some states in the deep south have great sprawling rest stops that look like plantations.  Kansas has talking rest areas that are constantly providing information on weather and road conditions.  Those are great during tornado season.  No matter where you go the best rest stops tend to be the ones with the Welcome Center attached (I can't remember if New York has those).  Some Welcome Centers have events like art festivals or mini fairs.  California rest stops have the most pan handlers and Texas rest stops seem like the perfect place for the story of your disappearance to begin.  But by the time we choose to accept the hospitality of whatever state we're in it would have to have a gunfight in progress to deter most of us from completing the mission.

Above is an image of a California rest stop.  As you can see there is a sign announcing that there is a pet area and a big orange arrow pointing toward it.  Immediately in the path of the direction the orange arrow is pointing is a brown and white sign informing you that no pets are allowed.  It kinda makes sense in a Californian way.  Just tell the dogs that Reno isn't too far away and if they can hold it you are bound to find a less confusing rest area.

Be safe out there.