My dad taught me to be suspicious of everybody.
That was probably back in the day before interstates and you had northern tags on the car cops at that time had suspicious ideas about northern people especially at night things are a lot different now.
Different raising for different folks
Infrequently traveled rural roads very common in the western USA. When going somewhere like that I always look up the telephone numbers of the police & tow truck companies along the way, store them in my cell phone in case of a breakdown. Cell phone covereage is usually pretty good, and in the unlikely event of no coverage somebody passing by will usually offer to help, even if it is just phoning for a tow truck at the next place they can get cell service. A breakdown in some areas, even after you get your car towed to the nearest shop, you may have to wait a day or two for parts to arrive. UPS trucks ply these routes, usually at least one trip per day, often 3, morning, noon, and evening. If the shop you car got towed to doesn’t have the needed part they will phone the nearest town that has it and ask them to put it on the next UPS truck. As you might expect this is a pretty common thing.
I bring a set of basic tools on those kinds of trips and can usually come up with a work-a-round enough to get me to the next town if something goes amiss, so don’t need to wait out in the boonies for a two truck. Break downs not a common thing in any event on a well maintained gently driven vehicle. About the only time I had to use one of those rural shops was when the water pump failed in a cattle ranch area. I was able to get to the next town, but the only gas station/shop was closed for the night. Somebody saw me knocking on the door, and they phoned one of the shop’s employee. He came over assessed the situation, phoned up his buddy, said he needed a water pump for a 351 Windsor; the buddy brings the replacement pump over after about 30 minutes, and they install it in the parking lot using flashlights, on a cold winter night. I had nothing to do so I walked across the street to a bar where the local ranch hands were having a sort of barn dance. The biggest risk was when when of the local ladies at the dance started flirting with me, asking me to dance, which I noticed arose the ire of one of the cowboys. Having been around the block a few times, I quickly moved to a different part of the bar … lol …
After a couple hours the mechanics came over to the bar. I paid their invoice, fair price, bought them some food and drinks as a sort of tip, said “thanks” and away I went.
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When I was a kid we had the habit of not being able to sleep the night before a trip and would just pack up and go at whatever time it was. We were heading through Wisconsin and I remember there was a long stretch with no gas stations at night. We stopped at one closed station and not sure how it happened but the local constable had a key for the place. Turned the pump on and took our money. Said it happens quite a bit. I don’t know if Ole George the station owner paid him a commission or not.
As far as avoiding McDonalds, we were in Germany on a tour and were within about 30 miles of the town with my name sake. The bus wasn’t leaving until late in the morning so we hired a taxi to drive us up to the quaint little town so I could get some pics for my dad. At the exit to the town off of the autobahn, there was a good ole McDonalds. It was about 6 am but they were open. After touring the town and only finding a couple people up and about and not speaking much English, we stopped for breakfast and headed back. I think it was the only place open so they do serve a purpose. The town looked too moderns so suspect they had rebuilt after the war.
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Back in the Summer of 1988 the family went in search of our roots on both sides heading east to Pullman WA to visit the farm that my mom-s grandparents once owned. Yellowstone on the way to where my dad’s family homesteaded for 2 generations, Grandpa grew up there and my dad went to his freshman year of high school. Flagler Colorado which had just shy of 700 residents in 1960. 567 recorded in the 2020 Census.
3000 Miles of long highway’s with seemingly nothing to see mixed with the back roads of the west. Our brand new Grand Voyager had more than enough room for camping gear and luggage for us without putting anything on the roof rack, Dad did wire in an inverter so we could use small radio/cassete players to listen to the music we wanted.
Most of the trip was either planned with a book showing all the motel 6 locations in the country, or Koa campgrounds. Tent camping with a big Coleman cooler behind the 3rd row with sandwich makings and food for the nights we camped. Our trusty camp stove, and 2 tents.
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Cannot find Bing Germany, sure you were not in Bingingham Alabama? Last 2 months 3 McD indoor closed, ie no bathrooms. Milwaukee, Tomah WI, and some other place. KFC also!
Yup. In my house, if someone breaks in and they can find what they’re looking for, godspeed. 
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I hear you, Family is like what do you want for Christmas? Take something away!
I have two good watch dogs sometimes inside sometimes outside either way they will watch you do whatever you want to do as long as they get some quality petting time. 
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Our joke was the golden will help you carry out anything you decide to steal!
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I flew to visit my childhood friend who moved to Colorado years ago. Below, checkered farmland from high above resembled the linoleum in our old apartment.
The crop circles were beautiful.
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What he wouldn’t show them where it was if they couldn’t find it ?
and a biscuit. Our girl, a lab/shep mix, will stare down or full stop a Fedex/ UPS driver till they toss her a cookie. Sometimes, they’ll hurl one out the window as they pass. Meals on wheels!
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If you need a tennis ball try and take it, the dog would probably follow the thief to the end of the world! She was a protector, had to go out and retrieve the dog once because she was following our daughter in the sailboat! She loved to play rescue dog, string hanging off a tube she would grab the string and drag the tuber to shore! So trying to keep it car related, she would bark at every lake we went by, get to the cabins out of the car and she was run run run, jump in the water and play, she loved the place as much as we do.
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I grew up in a place where being a bit suspicious was not a “healthy” attitude but a realistic one. Was still taught to believe in basic human decency. Many years and several places later, I realise that people are basically the same just about everywhere. + and -.
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I don’t know what it was but over the years I have had many dogs of different breeds mostly mixed breeds and have had only one an Irish Setter threwthat would play ball all the others when I threw the ball and told them to go get it they would give me a look that said if you wanted it why did you throw it away as you said to keep it to cars all of mine except one of the two I have now loved to go for car rides.
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Reminded me of Jay & The Americans ‘Come a little bit closer’ : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuWkVqum6a8 (not to be confused with Fleetwood Mac’s which I like)
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She loved to play rescue dog
Reminds me of one time when I was at a dog friendly beach in SC some one had a lab that when it would hear any squealing kids playing in the water would jump in and grab them by the seat of the pants and pull them out of the water.
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Back in 1971 I drove my 59 Corvette to the LA area and lived out there for a while. Back then I-40 was not finished so I did the Vette on Route 66 bit although the TV show never crossed my mind.
Old 66 was quite an unusual drive with all of the old cafes, motels, souveneir shops, and so on. I remember miles of signs touting Two Guns, AZ. Finally get there to a sign saying You’re Here. Two Guns at Last! Nothing but a burned down gas station…
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