It's a Friday night. Maybe that's why there are so many people coming and going even at this hour. I keep forgetting, this part of New York State is touristy. Pleasant diversion at any rate.
I just finished saying goodbye to a couple who were working on their boat trailer in the parking lot. The bearings had gone out in two of its four wheels. One wheel more or less blew up, and the gentleman decided to check the others on general principles. He was quite glad he did. He fixed his wheel, we had a nice chat, and then they headed on, looking for a motel and a shower.
My, how I envy them.
Another thing I didn't really think about in my innocent days. Keeping clean. As you may have deduced, most trucks don't have bathrooms. (Some do, I'm told, but let's stick to the typical experience for the moment.) Truck stops and rest areas have restrooms--another thing altogether. You can wash up in a restroom sink. You can even shave there, as long as you're not holding anyone up (more common than you think). But even a decent sponge bath is a pain. Every once in a while you just need a shower.
Many truck stops have showers. They charge for them. Ten dollars is typical. Now there are times when it's worth $10 to get some of the grease and the grime off. Not to mention the smell. But this puts a hot shower in the "luxury" category. (Or a cold shower, for that matter. In the summer I sometimes find them wonderful...)
There are other ways to pay for a shower. Many truck stops will give you one free, if you fuel there. The usual minimum purchase is around 70 gallons--real easy to do when you're pouring diesel into two fuel tanks, each seemingly bigger than you are. Trouble is, if you're a company driver like me the company usually tells you where to fuel--and it's almost never where you're gonna stop for the night.
Fortunately, the company usually has me fueling at one of a few big nationwide chains. And those nationwide chains have nationwide "rewards programs." The third or fourth thing my trainer told me was to sign up for every rewards program those chains offered. You swipe your card when you fuel up, and then, sometime in the next few days, stop for the night at another of their locations. Wave the card at the nice lady behind the counter and Voila! Free shower.
Now all you have to do is find another location that's on the way to the customer. At the right distance, so you can stop at the right time. Funny how all the other chains have a branch at this exit...
In the winter this is a pain. In the summer, it can make you extremely unpopular, if you're not careful.
Rest areas, of course, have no showers. Hm. I wonder if they sell alcohol here. Wintergreen, preferably...
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*Things You Took For Granted
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