Sturbridge, MA Truck Stop (Currently Pilot)

Huge amount of politics involved. The town council that allowed the original Sturbridge Isle TS by a narrow margin was voted out of office because of it. They just figured they could add to the tax base of the town to offset the ridiculous residential real estate taxes. It turns out the local gentry would rather pay some of the highest real estate taxes in the country than allow businesses of almost any nature to operate. The only one they tolerate is Old Sturbridge Village, a very high priced tourist trap.
From 1984-1992 I was on a dedicated run in New England every week. Had all kinds of friendly places to park, eat etc. All of them are gone. Glad I don't go up there much.Good riddance.

 

The one on route 20 is New England truck stop, still there, showers are older design but have been kept up and are not nasty, Cracker Barrel down the road and an Applebee's over by Walmart, I prefer flynns in shrewsbury personally, fuel, shower, then go back down the road to the abandoned supermarket plaza by rt122 to the 99, I won't stop at a pilot unless I'm desperate.

 

The Pilot there is really a mess - avoid when possible. The Sturbridge Host Inn and Conference Center is decent with dining, truck parking, fast food and adult beverage store. No truck parking in the shopping center parking lot west of the facility. For truck parking, one must turn in the access road on the east side of the McDonalds. A favorite whenever I was in the area, now retired.

 

There's a reason I left New England and am never going back, not to live there anyway. And I lived in NH, much more blue collar friendly than MA. Still a snooty folk nightmare.

 

The cops cruise the lot there making
sure nobody is dumping or sweeping out their trailer. I don't blame them. The Mob used to handle the contracts for hauling hazardous waste out of Jersey and NY in the 70's and 80's and they turned much of New England into a hazmat site. They would send the tanker trucks up to the back roads of NE, open up the spigots and drive around until the tanks were empty. They charged a high fee to dispose of it properly, but it was just dumped onto the road. I read a a good book about it in the 80's. I was just thinking about it the other day.

 

The city council basically forced them out. Put in place an ordinance that only allowed 4 hour parking, the cops would come mark tires and write tickets. You could pair up with someone and swap spots every 4 hours.

It was a gorgeous place inside , big beams in the ceiling , 4 star chef , hot tub down at the showers . They basically antagonized this guy out of business.

Pilot didnt have a dang thing to do with it , they just picked up the scraps

 

Nope you were required to use the showers first.

Not quite like you pictured

 

in all my years, i ain't never been there.