Try to plan your road trip fuel stops ahead of time

Road Trip!

The definition of "Road Trip" is almost (key word, almost) inherently about free-wheeling it, winging it to use an airplane term, pretty much improvising as you go.

"I'll start looking for a place to refuel when I get down to 100 miles worth of gas left in the tank (or about a quarter-tank for older, 'technology-light' models)."

Don't do that.

The price of desert gas.Photo byBachelor on the Cheap

I did just that, however, during a recent trip to California. With 108 miles worth of gas left in the rental vehicle tank and seeing one of those blue Interstate informational signs that read "No gas or services for the next 55 miles" I decided to pull off the Interstate for a fuel stop and break rather than push it. I was in the Mojave desert mind you and I anticipated the price of gas would be higher than what I paid at the last stop, but OMG did my jaw drop when I saw the prices on the pump! My immediate thought after seeing those prices was, "I should have pushed it." As it was, at a Chevron in the Mojave desert on historic Route 66, I overpaid for gas and had to pee in a porta-potty because there was no Men's room in the store. It thankfully was a nice Porta Potty and had running water and soap to wash your hands with, rather than one of those hand sanitizer setups or nothing at all.

It can be tough to plan stops for refueling or simply to take a break from driving, especially when you aren't traveling alone. But if you can take the time to pre-plan and reserve your hotel stays, you can also plan your fuel stops. At the very least, before taking your trip, you can look online and research where your preferred gas/convenience/truck/travel stops are along the route you plan to take. Some chain outfits even have trip planners on their respective websites to help you out with that very task. Shame on me for not doing so for my recent trip out west. I prefer travel stops, a.k.a. truck stops when I travel. Travel stops have large gas pump areas where there's usually no waiting to refuel, large restrooms where there's no waiting to pee, and multiple restaurant/snack options. Below is my list of preferred stops, plus some highlights of places I stopped at during my California trip that were, well, less than impressive. Call it a 'Hit and Miss' list if you will.

Truck Stop/Travel Center Stop Hits

• Love's Travel Stops: With more than 500 locations in 41 states, Love's has become my preferred place to stop when on the road. Their facilities are always clean, a pump is always open if you need to refuel, the convenience area for snacks and drinks is always well stocked, and Love's always partners with a variety of fast food dining options from Arby's to Taco Bell. That means there's an alphabetical list of joints from A-T for those of you who live in Valley Center.
• Travel Centers of America: More commonly known as 'TA", this full-service truck stop chain has 285 locations in 44 states. They feature sit-down restaurants in case you're not feeling like fast food. In the mood for a country-fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy? Put a TA on your refueling stop list.
• Pilot Flying J: This is the largest truck stop chain in the country with over 750 locations in 44 states. They feature both fast food and sit-down restaurant options depending on the location, partnering with joints like McDonald's, Subway, Denny's, and Huddle House. Flying J used to be my preferred truck stop, but some of their facilities need some updating, and overall prices are a bit higher than competitors. Still, it's a better option than an isolated gas station with a porta-potty in the middle of the desert.

Convenience Store Hits

• Casey's General Store: If a truck stop isn't your thing or you can't find one that's timely along your travel route, you can't go wrong with a Casey's. I like to stop at Casey's when on the road because they're consistent. There's no fear of scary bathrooms, they're usually one of the cheaper options for refueling and their pizza is pretty good, all breakfast and traditional varieties. They have over 2,200 locations in 16 states, primarily in the Midwest. I frequently travel to my home state of Iowa, and Casey's in Bethany, Missouri is my go-to stop for that trip. With a large gas pump area, clean facilities, convenience food options, and even a place to walk your dog if you have one, this place is always busy no matter the time of day but they handle it all with little to no wait.
• QuikTrip: With over 1,000 locations spread out throughout the Midwest and South, QT is my #2 Convenience Store pick. They do everything Casey's does, but the overall prices are a bit higher. Their in-store kitchen offers more variety than Casey's, but it's hit-and-miss. Their pizza is decent, and the soft pretzels are good, but the burritos and breakfast sandwiches are "eh"... I'd rather buy a bag of chips.

Traditional Gas Station Misses

• Chevron - 31251 Goffs Rd Essex, CA 92332: This place takes full advantage of gouging customers in my humble opinion, with no other options for fuel or water for miles. Thank goodness my cooler didn't need replenishing! They charge absurd prices for everything including $8 for a bottle of water, and the Men's bathroom is a row of porta potties outside. The parking lot has several potholes. Avoid this place, refuel elsewhere. Chevron has over 1,800 gas station locations in California, and this without question is the highest-priced one.
• Phillips 66: This chain is SO hit and miss! One location is decent, the next is a dive, with four gas pumps and a one-hole, dirty restroom that's out of paper towels to dry your hands with. You have a 50/50 shot of stopping at a decent location, as in acceptable, not to be confused with good or excellent. In my traveling experience, when I see a Phillips 66 refueling option, I look for another. Phillips 66 has over 2,500 locations in 32 states, it's a last resort in every state for me.

A gas station option that's better than the above is Shell. They've done a nice job of updating their facilities in recent years, and have more than 12,000 locations throughout the U.S. They're far superior to Chevron and Phillips in every way.

Truck stops can make for a comfortable stop, providing everything you may need to take a break from the road. They're not always timely on the road, however, and are greatly outnumbered by convenience stores, which are great Plan B stops, if not priority ones. As far as gas station locations go, Shell would be my choice over any others, but we're talking Plan C.

Happy travels and $pend Wisely My Friends...

~ Mike