HileThoughts

I have been spending an inordinate amount of  time on Missouri’s Interstates, 44 and 70, driving back and forth across the state. Today I stopped by a rest area on 44 East near Rolla. Outside was a rather interesting opportunity – a “Rest Area Report Card.” So I grabbed one to give them some feedback. As I looked at the card, however, there was not enough room to tell them what I think and, in honor of the summer travel season, thought I would expand on my thoughts just a bit.

First, being a man of a certain age, I need to stop frequently as I drive long distances. This has provided me with a good range of experience with rest areas in various states. For example, in Paducah Kentucky  the rest area is built into Whitehaven a small antebellum mansion. Along the same highway (Interstate 24) the rest area at the Tennessee border is built into a beautiful original log cabin. Even when there are no historic sites handy, Illinois, Kentucky, and other states have build lovely modern facilities that are pleasing to the senses. 

So what about Missouri’s rest areas? Well, contrary to the title, they were probably not really built in the 50’s. However, they all seem to have tumbled out of some sort of time warp (like being in a White Castle at 2:30am) being build a wonderfully solid ceramic blocks that I remember from in my grade school restrooms.

Inside the only thing they have going for them is that they can be easily washed down with a fire hose. While it didn’t have an offensive aroma, I did make me what to get out as quickly as possible while touching as little as possible.  My favorite architectural detail are the mirrors – some sort of shiny metal. Evidently, the state is thoughtfully protecting us from seven years of bad luck if we were to break a real mirror. As a whole, it would not be out of place in a prison.

The rest of the area is quite acceptable. The grounds, parking, eating areas, etc. It is really only the restrooms that are an embarrassment to the state.

Back to the report card. there was one set of “you have to be from Missouri to understand” question response options. For such questions as “Would you like Tourist Info” The responses are “Yes,” “No,” or “Waste of $$.” Clearly what people think who stop in our rest areas must be “My, Missouri must be a great state because the sure don’t waste their $$ on frivolous services that would make their rest areas more pleasing to the visitor.”

So for my short evaluation – bulldoze the restrooms and build something that people will be pleased to visit rather than feeling as though they were visiting a local prison.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at 7:05 am and is filed under Rants. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.