I must admit stopping at service centres and truck stops have got to be my favourite places to stop when on the road Going to Montreal and coming back on the Highway 401 East and West bounds. There have been many experiences and I must say each one is so much fun. Sometimes I would stay for 10-15 Minutes to fill up gas and go get something to munch on from the Market, I’d stop in for half an hour, sometimes an hour if I am in no hurry. I’d often start making friends here and there and start up conversations with ordinary people. Its fun meeting people at service centres.
I don’t know if I have a map or GPS Written on my forehead but I would just be standing there, minding my own business when people come up to me and ask me and tell me Ma’am, how many minutes or hours left until we get to Montreal? It was this really nice family that came up to me. I said Oh I am headed that way as well. So from the OnRoute Service centre in Morrisburg at exit 758, I told them its about another Hour and a half, and they asked me what there is to Do in Montreal, and I explained to them what the hot-spots and great places to see there. Its like they know me from long ago, they said thank you so much for your help, I said no problem. I told them after 32 times to Montreal in Just this year excluding all the other years I have been to Montreal, I know Montreal inside and out. They said wow thats so awesome! After almost 30 minutes I had spent with them, They ended up giving me $20.00 because I helped them out a lot and said go and buy yourself snacks or whatever you want, I said “I can’t take your money!” They said no we insist, its not everyday we meet someone who actually cares to give directions and information to a place were going to go explore for the first time. So we gave each other our contact information and we have been friends ever since. They are just 15 minutes from me. Its so awesome. then they had to get back on the road and continue their travel journey to Montreal.
At times I would order food from Burger King, A&W, or get myself a french Vanilla from Tim Hortons, or get a few snacks from the Market and by surprise a few of the workers who I recognize all the time, they surprisingly remember me and a few times they said Hey its you again! I said yes, then they said wow you sure do make lots of trips on this highway, I said i sure do. I know all the exits, cities, towns by heart and I am like a personal tourguide to people who stop at service centres and I dont know what it is, but they always seem to ask me, The worker said, I guess people sense on who knows more than the other person at service centres and they said of course they would ask you of a friendly and lovely face like yours. I would just be like, Thank you! 
Now here is something funny that happened, I know I had said this about the Cops I had spoke about in several blogs ago, but do not want to repeat that in my OPP Post, but another funny thing had happened. This time we stopped in Brockville, Ontario going toward Montreal and there was a huge convention or something going on with cops from parts of Ontario, so here is me always finding ways to talk to Officers, and they had all come to Tim Hortons, so I said to this officer, Now this Tim Hortons is the safest one with all of these fine and incredible officers, The officer from Brockville started to laugh, He said thats the first time I have heard that one lol. He said thanks thanks, Then I told him and his officer partner, that I am on my way to Montreal and they said awesome have fun, and then they said DONT SPEED Or we’ll come after you, I go you have no problems with me because I dont speed. LOL They said good better not ahahaha. it was good ol fun, then I left for the road.
Now a few times I have stopped at truck stops like 5th Wheel, Flying J, Husky on the 401. I would see these big huge trucks and I would actually go stand right beside them. they are so huge, that you dont really realize it from your car driving on the highway all the time unless you stand right beside it. Its a huge beast! I have made many trucker friends. I am telling you, my adventures at these service stops are so fun! I sometimes dont keep track of time only the times i am not in a hurry of course as I said. There are these monthly trucker magazines on the rack and I would always go and get a copy of that and read about the transport trucking industry, about new truck lines, new laws and everything else. Its an awesome truck mag. I like those magazines, pamphlets, brochures about the areas, what to do, see. I keep them all and i document them.
A few of my friends told me, why don’t you work in a Highway Transport Safety Office? Tourism of Montreal office? Or Highway safety? Its awesome. I told them no, but recently, I found my real passion and it is to write, but giving people directions and explaining about the cities towns stretching across the 401 east and stuff is something i like to do on the side. I am not sure when I will go to Montreal again or visit these service centres, but I hope its soon. I just have a blast everytime and I do not think its long at all. 4 and a half hours and I am there. Gotta love it!
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