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Old Truck Stops and Pics


farmer52

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The one truckstop that sticks in my mind that went "over and above" for me,was the Duke Travel Plaza at the intersection of OH 79 and I-70 in Buckeye Lake OH. Many years ago,i stopped in there one night and I was sick as a dog with the flu! all I wanted was to get out of that truck,get a room to lay down and go to sleep,they at the time also operated a small motel adjacent to the truckstop,I checked in,and the lady at the desk said "you don't look so good bud!" told her I felt like I had died and no-one told me! Went to the room,cranked up the heat and passed out! Lady was kind enough to go to the store and get me some cold/flu medicine and some home-made vegetable beef soup! their whole staff checked on me that weekend to make sure I was alright. Something I never forgot! not too many people today would go out of their way to help a stranger,especially one as strange as me ! LOL! Dukes went out of business in 2008-9 I believe,there is what appears to be an asphalt plant on the property now,but I haven't been out that way in a couple years.............Mark

I passed by there yesterday. That's the old Dukes sign...or the frame the sign used to be in anyway.

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Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999.

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Thanks Al. I just learned how to scan photos on this thing. Maybe I can contribute a little now. I got lots of pictures.

Wish my scanner still worked, I have several photo albums of truck pictures I took over the years with a 35mm camera. Now I have to take a picture of the picture.

Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999.

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Speaking of diners, in Blairsville, PA along Route 22 is Dean's Diner. Not really a truck stop but curious if anyone ate there and if the food is good. 1987 pic from the web. Diner still looks the same today.

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I ate at Dean's a few times when I drove for Shuster's, 2004-2008. Back then it had good food, good prices, and a friendly staff. It was exactly what you'd expect to find in an old school diner.

I remember the HoJos on the PA turnpike. Full service "home cooked" food. The Turnike closed several of the rest stops and reconstructed the old ones into fast food. The only thing I do there is take a wizz. I can get Stubway, Booger King, etc. anywhere. The Midway stop near Bedford PA was a fancy place at one time.

That pic is of the Bedford South plaza on the eastbound side. Rather than tear it down and rebuilding, it was gutted and modernized and now features and awesome collection of turnpike history and memorabilia. The upper level windows were once a second floor bunk room for truckers. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area and have some time.

Jim

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Good idea for a topic Ken! i'll "get er' started" many oldtimers remember the famous or (in-famous) Rubes Jersey City Truckstop, place has been the subject of many tall tales over the years! A lot of the meat/produce haulers would hang out there after delivering to Hunts Point or the old Bronx Terminal Market...................................Mark

Lose the canopy over the fuel island and hang a Coca-Cola sign on the red brick building and voila! it's 1975.

Jim

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Anyone know if the Chuck Stop on RT 41 in Gap, PA is still open? The owner passed away a few years ago but was quite a character. He would walk around to each table telling stories and doing card tricks. It sure was a nice way to wind down at the end of the day.

Jim

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Does anyone remember the old Bordentown Junction and Sandman long before the Pilot/Loves and Petro? exit 7 at the entrance to the Turnpike.............................................................Mark

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Mack Truck literate. Computer illiterate.

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Does anyone remember the old Bordentown Junction and Sandman long before the Pilot/Loves and Petro? exit 7 at the entrance to the Turnpike.............................................................Mark

yessir, used to fuel there on the Boston runs- ain't been there for years.

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The Illinois Tollway is going to start tearing down the Des Plaines Oasis (I-90 west of 294) in April of this year to make way for future expansion of the western corridor around O'Hare Airport.It originally opened in 1959 as a Howard Johnson's. During the blizzard of 1967,my grandfather had to spend the night there as the State Troopers closed the roads.He argued with them and told him his new VW Beetle was doing just fine in the snow,as he was on his way to his second job,a machinist.

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IF YOU BOUGHT IT, A TRUCK BROUGHT IT..AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH IT, A TRUCK WILL HAUL IT AWAY!!! Big John Trimble,WRVA

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Fred,many locals don't want see it go either. The gas station/convenience stores will stay,just the fast food restaurants/seating area (the whole overpass) will be dismantled to make way for an extra lane on both sides as the Elgin/O'Hare Expressway connects with I-90,just west of the Oasis.

IF YOU BOUGHT IT, A TRUCK BROUGHT IT..AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH IT, A TRUCK WILL HAUL IT AWAY!!! Big John Trimble,WRVA

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lebanon jct n KY I forget what it was called before the p---t took it over was a good spot to eat and fuel.. also grama's kitchen in mortons gap KY .. before that same bunch p----t took it over. there is a citgo fuelstop restraint with a shop just north of the I-81/I-64 turn off going south into NC I would stop there all the time.. I am surprised no one remembered the miniskirt jct truckstop in Pa

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lebanon jct n KY I forget what it was called before the p---t took it over was a good spot to eat and fuel.. also grama's kitchen in mortons gap KY .. before that same bunch p----t took it over. there is a citgo fuelstop restraint with a shop just north of the I-81/I-64 turn off going south into NC I would stop there all the time.. I am surprised no one remembered the miniskirt jct truckstop in Pa

Miniskirt junction was the one mentioned in the first comment. I think I know which one you're talking about on I-81, sits on the right when you're going south? If I stop anywhere around Wytheville that's usually where I go. I like the chili burgers there. Last time I came up that way I was really hungry. Started to stop at exit 30 in Tennessee to eat, but said "nah, i'm going up there and get a chili burger"...and when I got there the restaurant was closed, so I went on up to exit 101 and ate at the Huddle House.

Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999.

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Stopped- well, I was going to stop, but the lot was still snow covered- at the old Ponderosa Truckstop yesterday. This is the old restaurant, but it looks like it's now a home. Good thing I didn't pull in, looks like some shrubs growing in what used to be the parking lot...probably grass under there too. I took a drive-by picture though.

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The fuel desk was to the right of the restaurant in a separate building, and there was a shower room in between, towards the back, also in a separate building.

Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999.

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This may be heresy considering the fine foods that many of the mentioned establishments turn out, but has anyone ever been to the biggest McDonalds in the world- the one on I44 in Oklahoma that is built over the interstate??? I remember being in there when I was about 9 or 10 with my father.

TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS

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