Truck friendly places to see

That is so cool. We were able to make it to Keystone SD and park by the "The Borglum Story" museum. From there you can see Mt Rushmore at a left side profile but that was enough for us. I know other neat museums I have visited that involved calling museums ahead politely for secret parking spots that would be immediately closed off if I mentioned them.

 

Strasburg Railroad, more precisely known as East Strasburg is actually a working big truck transloading yard for freight to and from the North American Continent (The World) connecting to Lancaster and surrounding area by truck.

It's it's bread and butter. But in between freight turns, they run daily passenger trains under steam usually almost 5 miles to Paradise or more precisely Intercourse PA off US 30 and return. They offer a range of services ranging from Presidental Armored Heavyweight Private Car (F. Magellan) with staff to two other executive cars also with staffing, passenger cars with airconditoning for those who need it and open cars dating to the 1890's Under steam engines dating to world war one era with more being rebuilt to return to actual service hauling people for fun and freight for a living. You will pretty much leave technology behind to a certain degree on this line in the Amish Country. I rode it as a child and teenager pretty much 50 years ago and it's running like it was then with the exception of a handful of retired engines due to very specific natural causes vs carbon steel in them. Those are in the Museum across the street which contains a range of history such as the GG1 (All electric, warhorse capable of 100+ before there was even a amtrack and even after there was for a time) and other artifacts important to the Nation. You will also find a local pool of living history in antique vehicles and so on some days.

If it's not too busy you might be able to collect 8 spaces at the far end of the lot and not be bothered too much by working trucks coming and going.

A second place I used to visit often was Polk City Florida there is a Air Museum from my time but now converted to maintaining or restoring older planes to living history type situations. I don't think they run a pure museum anymore there in Polk City. generally 10 acres of grass at the gate you can circle and park at pretty much out of the way. I used to fly against the staffers when passing through on off duty days between loads in their simulators. Today's computers and so on probably allows for much more advanced but again, they are a working shop now. I don't know if any part of it is open to public.

There are many other places too number to list. Alot depends on what is possible PC bobtailing while storing the trailer someplace. Once bobtail and good for the whole day and night off, I become like a native almost. I'll draw a circle 150 miles radius and inform dispatch I will be anywhere in that area by morning and trailer is here. Just let me know when it's time to get back to work. That was one of the keys to having a relatively interesting life out there. I miss the sea and the Bay I learned to do a little bitty sailing there and might want to get back into it before too long to break off rust. (Probably sink which serves me right...) I know I'll have to return to Arlington in DC one more time and am piling up plans for that week. It will be a difficult time.

However it's not all bad at all once you run around bobtail. Do a spot of bowling in alleys so number I lost count. But I remember some of the oldies that were well maintained. I don't know yet if Bowling will still be valid due to the new joint next year, but we will find out. (I was never any good, maybe 200's on up as a youth and downgrade from there whatever competition I had was scheduled as a form of sudden death game against other previous champions to eliminate the one or the other to give the rest a chance.

Keep in mind things have changed and in some areas like the Eastern Shore it's always the same.

 

That's cool.

Somebody mentioned the Strausburg railroad, I don't think that place is an active rail, it only is a spur for the museum. I think it stops across the road for the museum. There are other tourist lines that used to be active freight (or still are) like the Colebrookdale and the Reading Blue Mountain.

I should also add I got into Steamtown in Scranton with a full rig, and they didn't have a problem with it, but I'd advise drivers not to try it because if anyone hits something expensive we'll all get banned.

Dearborn Museum near Ford is a must.

And I've heard Disneyworld in FL wil let you park there during the day. My father actually had a timeshare and I figured I'd give it a shot. I called ahead and said I was bringing an oversized vehicle and could they accommodate me? They said they could but I still got the feeling they didn't understand what I meant. They kept saying "just bring it to the gate." And I'm like, "I don't think so."

The gatehouse was gorgeous, but the clearance wasn't marked and immediately past it was a fountain I was pretty sure would be an issue.

I asked the manager, "seriously dude, where do the trash trucks come and go from?" And they took me to a gate behind the hotel, even going through that gate I still had to circle the lot to get into a line of spaces.

They were really nice though, even though a lot of places treat us like "dirty truckers" Disney's staff (more specifically the Wyndon timeshare people) were actually very accommodating. They might even make it easier for RVs and/or 18 wheelers in the future, because they discovered an undiscovered niche market.

 

We are looking at iconic foods from the 50 states. I could have thought of other California foods than avocado toast, maybe In-n-out burger or shrimp salad. Frito Pies are more Texas than New Mexico. But it is a great start as guide to what to try in each state:

50 States of Must-Try Food

 

HOME! lol

 

In 1988 while still serving in the Marine Corps I was in route to to North Carolina and stopped at Graceland. I always wanted to go back and finally made it a couple of years ago. I drove the truck there on a Sunday. Paid fifteen dollars for parking . spent the day and had a grand time.

 

You can't drive in downtown Chicago because of low clearances

 

Really?

 

It is much safer to park at a truck area near Chicago and use public transit like the train. A lot of low train viaducts and things.

 

Not true.
But you can't PARK in Chicago because,,,, truck.

I did a doctor's office & lab about 3 blocks from the water tower. (Park?) big hospital/med school there. They had a dock waiting for me, took forever to get into it, blocked traffic for 10 minutes.

But actually? It was easy to get right downtown. The problem is the elevated train north of downtown, there you never know when you pick an exit, if you can make a right turn or not.