Before the Coronavirus pandemic, the only real road trip we’d taken is driving down to Key West (because there are no convenient flights there from Orlando.) Of course, there were a few quick jaunts to Tampa to eat at Bern’s Steak House.
Post-COVID, we’ve completed four road trips and there’s one major change from our past travels. Potty breaks.
Before 2020, when the car stopped, we went to the bathroom. Usually, this was at a Starbucks, gas station or a drug store/supermarket. After the pandemic, we’ve gotten a bit choosier about where we spend our time when nature calls.
So we’ve been searching out the one place we’ve avoided in the past—the state-run highway rest areas.
While a local McDonald’s, CVS or Exxon will only clean its restroom once or twice a day if you’re lucky, a state-run rest area has more stringent guidelines. According to the Georgia Dept. of Transportation:
Restrooms in both rest areas and welcome centers will be regularly deep cleaned throughout the day between the hours of 7 AM and 11 PM.
In addition to this, the highway rest-stops often have open-air circulation in their bathrooms. While I usually view the lack of heat or a/c as a negative, I now prefer the circulation of outside air to remove any traces of coronavirus.
There is one place where Sharon and I will still use a roadside bathroom.
When we stopped at the newly opened location in Warner Robins, GA, the bathrooms were spotless, with Purell hand sanitizers next to every urinal in the men’s room and plenty of sinks.
Since we try to bring enough food in the car to sustain us throughout the day, our trips are centered around the “Rest Area – 60 miles” signs and finding places to fill up the car before the fuel light turns on. I am NOT going to run out of gas on the side of the highway every again. 🙂
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
1 comment
Buc-ees is opening in St. Augustine next week. That will be a little closer for you and then there is going to be a Daytona one shortly.