Iowa 80 - The Worlds Largest Truckstop

Okay we left off last time as 2148 and i were headind east across North Dakota on our way to Chicago. Well last night we got into South Beloit and pulled the curtains for the night. This morning we blasted into Chicago, carefully picked our way thru a residential estate (yep that was the correct route in apparently) and delivered the cow meat.

This place was right in the middle of a housing estate but surprisingly there was plenty of time to manoever. I had to wait about 2 hours to get unloaded as there wasnt enough space in the warehouse for the 20 boxes of cow pieces that i had bought. No internet either so there was only one thing for it, snooze time........................

Woke up, got tipped, took some photos, got my paper work then buggered off down to the local truck stop. I hadnt recieved a backload yet so i parked up and contemplated eggs, bacon, shredded potato, texas toast and coffee. Then the computer went beep and told me to go to Waterloo for a collection.

Now here is the dilema, the pickup wasnt till tomorrow so should i go and stuff my face or should i press on to Waterloo, drop my trailer then go and feed in the J. I decided on the latter as that meant i could have a lie in tomorrow.

On the way down i had to get the trailer washed out, it looked as though Sweeney Todd had been in there, there was blood everywhere. I pulled into the Iowa 80 which is the largest truck stop in the world, its in one of those places where i have never had time or inclination to stop so this was an ideal excuse. The site itself is huge with a Travel centers Of America and 2 Pilots. The main shop is so big it also houses 3 trucks, i took pics of them justy in case someone doesnt believe me.

Heres the blurb from the official website:


Over recent years, the Iowa 80 TA Truckstop has underwent significant expansion projects to widen the gap as the largest truckstop in the world. The truckstop boasts the Iowa 80 Kitchen, a 300-seat restaurant, Truckers Warehouse, Barber, Dentist and a food court featuring Wendy's and Dairy Queen. Iowa 80's most recent venture is in the mail order business. In 1997, the Iowa 80 Catalog was born. Drivers can now order everything they want from the Iowa 80 Truckstop even if their schedule or route doesn't take them to Walcott.

When trucking was just a gleam in some of today's drivers' eyes and Interstate 80 was not yet completed, the Iowa 80 Truckstop was founded. In 1964, Standard Oil built and opened the truck stop, and in September 1965, Bill Moon took over management of the truckstop for Amoco. Like many of the truckstops in existence at the time, Iowa 80 was a small facility that only took up a fraction of what it does today.

Under Mr. Moon's keen management, the truckstop began to grow and in 1984 Bill Moon purchased the truckstop from Amoco, that like the industry itself, has been a flurry of activity and expansion ever since. Even though Mr. Moon passed away in 1992, his family still operates the truckstop with the focus on the customer, and the continuous expansions prove it.
Mr. Moon's focus on the customer is what sparked the beginning of the Walcott Truckers Jamboree in 1979. This huge driver appreciation event has evolved over the years. Today, the celebration includes a cook-out, Super Truck Beauty Contest, exhibits, Live Entertainment, and Truck Displays.

and the website is:

http://www.iowa80.com/iowa80/shop?method=home

They also embrioder (shit how do you spell that word) they sew words into the hat, its dirt cheap and you only have to order one, ha ha jobe done..................