Free STUFF

Some of the "free" stuff we can take advantage of and other free stuff does not apply to us.  When I started looking around at the free stuff that is available to educate our minds, keep us healthy, and to keep us warm and cool I found a gold mind that I take for granted.
 
Recently we stopped at the Sacramento 49'er in California and were able to plug into the free shore power.  We learned of this amenity by reading the sign and asking questions as we assumed that we were going to have to pay dearly for this amenity.  The 49'er is a pay lot so that part is not free but it pays for itself for us since can use shore power. 
 
Something I am very excited about and what I am using as I write this blog is the Courtesy Wi-Fi offered at many of TA/Petro Truck Stop in the Restaurants.  The speed of the Internet connection is good enough for everything I need to get done.
 
Another free item we take for granted is our parking and I grumble when we are in an area where we have to pay to park.  We will go to great lengths to stay out of areas where we have to pay.  Bob's background is that for a time he worked for the county and he learned how much it costs to pave a lot or a road and we know that to use that free parking we need to support the facility.  While I cook a lot in the truck we also support the restaurant and the laundry facilities as our choice to do our part to pay for the parking place.  Funny how that works if we have to pay I am very stingy but if we park for free I feel good about spending money in the store, restaurant, and doing our laundry. 
 
With the purchase of fuel we receive many free things or points that accumulate until we can get something for free.
 

• 50 Gallons of fuel = Free Shower
• Points add up till we can print a ticket for a monetary amount that can be used in store or restaurant.
• Points add up to a free coffee or fountain drink

 
We are seeing fitness centers in many of the trucks stops that have a few machines we can use to workout.  The rooms are set up nicely with towels and air conditioning and the windows are frosted so that we can work out in privacy. 
 
There are TV rooms and some of these are very nice with a large screen TV and comfortable chairs.  The TV rooms often serve a chapel on Sundays.
 
In all of the trucks stops there is a rack for publications that are free.  There are publications that feature current issues that affect our industry, pictures of show trucks, driver stories, and product reviews.
 
When we stop and look around it is interesting how many things we take for granted.