Gas Station Mastication

Most of my road trips are for work and performed solo. This mini trip was different. I was traveling with my most favorite person in the world, my dog was in tow, and we were heading to Wisconsin to visit my family. Spirits high and appetites were healthy.

It should come as a shock to no one that we had to stop for road food before we even got out of the City. We stopped at a Circle K (My general opinions of the chain are positive). We wanted to make sure we got well-rounded snacks so we covered all the bases: potato chips (carbs), beef sticks (protein), giant fountain soda (caffeine), and butterfingers (dessert essentials).

Most of the items were absolutely vile. The matadors were downright inedible. The giant fountain sodas, however, were spot on. All is well.

I originally started this project when I was traveling frequently for work. Shortly after starting the blog, however, I found a new gig, which involved little to know travel. My life as a professional roadtripper ended for about a year and a half. Well, I’ve decided that a life without endless and grueling roadtrips is no life for me. I recently accepted a new position, which puts me in the air and on the road all over this lovely country. I plan to document the egregious amounts roadfood I consume as well as the weird things I may encounter along the way. Enjoy

Gas Station:  Newville Travel Center

Location:  Newville, WI

Date Visited:  October 17, 2010

Roadfood Consumed:  Gatorade, Gatorade, Gatorade.

Rating:  2 stars.

Comments:   This was really a simple pit stop.  We were hungover as hell after a rough wedding and were in the midst of a long road trip home.  Food was not an option.  This was your pretty standard small town Wisconsin gas station.  It had cheese curds, sausage, and mini liquor bottles available for the road.  That said, I can only really comment on the quality of the Gatorade.

Although I prefer eating from gas stations while on the road, sometimes a girl needs to grab some road food at an actual restaurant.

Enter the Beef-a-Roo, Rockford, IL.  We were slightly off-put by the fact that the store was open and serving food while still clearly under construction.  Also confusing:  the fact that the Beef-a-Roo was employing no less than 3 different fonts on it’s various signs.  For instance:

Road Food Purveyor:  Beef-a-Roo

Location:  Rockford, IL

Date Visited:  October 17, 2010

Roadfood Consumed:  A bbq beef sandwich and two diet cokes.

Rating:  3 stars, 1 solely for the catchy/appetizing name.

Comments:  In the end, the strange signs and construction only added to the charm.  Although not sold on the food, I looooooove the name Beef-a-Roo.

The food:

The construction:

Just because.

Roadfood Purveyor:  Culvers, world’s largest

Location:  Milton, WI

Date:  October 17, 2010

Roadfood Consumed:  Fountain Soda.  I was not hungry, but wanted to visit a landmark.

Rating:   1 star.  Again, not for the food, but for the disappointment regarding the size of the Culvers.

Comments:  Despite claims that it is the “world’s largest”, this Culvers is not big.  It’s essentially an average Culvers with an attached conference room.  This addition is neither impressive nor cool.  As such, I hate this place.

There are few things I enjoy more in life than making my loved ones eat strange and disgusting foods.  This gas station was really a treat.  It was filled to the brim with revolting option after revolting option.  Thank you, Indiana.

Gas Station: GoLo

Location:   Hobart, IN

Date Visited: October 3, 2010

Roadfood Consumed: Cajun-flavored deep fried peanuts (eat ‘em shell ‘n’ all!), Spicy cracklin’ curls, Mellos coconut bar

Incidental Purchases:  Lotto Tickets

Rating:

Comments:

I would not endorse the deep fried peanuts nor the cracklin’ curls.  The Mellos bar, on the other hand, comes highly recommended despite being approximately a decade old.

Also of note:  1) no roller machine, 2) no fountain soda.

Also awesome:  the surrounding area:

Gas Station: Mobil Mart

Location:   Libertyville, IL

Date Visited: October 2, 2010

Roadfood Consumed: Corn Dog.

Rating:

Comments:

The corn dog may be the perfect roadfood.  It has all the qualities one looks for in roadfoods:  it’s easy to eat while driving, it provides a good balance of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and (most importantly) it fits on a roller machine.

This particular corn dog did the trick.  It wasn’t amazing, but it was good and warm and came off of a roller machine.

Minus points to this Mobil Mart for scolding me for taking photos.  Bonus points for the nearby field of school buses:

Gas Station:  Kwik Trip

Location:  Unknown Wisconsin City (near the WORLD’S LARGEST CULVERS)

Date visited: May, 2009

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This blog was created out of love.  Love of road trips.  And food.  And gas stations.  

Please join us as we drive around, fill up our vehicles, and document our questionable roadfood choices.

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