Shutting Down

most small towns have a small truck stop or even a walmart, some even have a park you can park next to and get your rest...

 

My truck stop guide, National Truck Stop Registry "The Truckers Friend" has maps of each state. You can look on the map to see where there are stops along US highways. I also will use my GPS to search for other options.

 

Forgot to add, if I find a truck stop in my guide or the gps and I'm not sure about it, I'll use the map app on my phone to look at satellite images of the lot to see if there is actually room for trucks.

 

Down US 31 south of Tipton is a little McClure on the east side of 31 with room to park about 10 or so trucks with a little cafe next door. Perfect little spot.

 

Google maps has been one of my best friends in finding places to shut down at night. I have used it to scout out many a Walmart with good truck access for my boyfriend to stop at for the night when there are no good truck stops or rest areas at the right spots.

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought satellite images(at least the ones we can access) are usually days, if not weeks or months old. Due to security issues and the elliptical orbit of the satellite itself. The satellite doens't pass over a given point but every so often. What does it show at nightime?

 

You're right. I've only seen daylight images of anywhere I look at. What I was getting at is that sometimes, particularly on my GPS, there will be a stop listed but it gives no information about available parking. Maybe it's just fuel, or a store, I'm not sure. I'll use the map app on my phone to see if they have a parking lot there big enough to fit. If there is and it's full, I won't know until I get there. I know it can take awhile for these images to update (my house still has cars parked in front of it from 3 years ago), but I've had good luck with finding parking this way.

 

They are helpful for figuring entrances and parking though.