OOIDA tour trailer stop at East Coast’s largest truck stop

The next stop for Marty Ellis and the OOIDA tour trailer is the legendary White’s Travel Center in Raphine, Va. It now also is known as the Raphine Petro Stopping Center.

Ellis and the Spirit of the American Trucker tour trailer are scheduled Friday through Sunday, Dec. 2-4, to be in Raphine.

The Petro Raphine is at Exit 205 from I-91/I-64.

There are 725 parking spaces for tractor-trailers there. The truck stop is billed as the largest on the East Coast. There is a Quaker Steak and Lube restaurant there. For fast food, there is Nathan’s Famous Express, Papa John’s Pizza, Popeye’s, Burger King, Subway and Caribou Coffee.

It is almost like a small city at White’s, with a barbershop, gym, movie theater and medical facility on the premises. New this year is The Mercantile, a 27,000-square-foot shopping venue offering clothing, jewelry, toys, electronics, gifts and travel supplies.

As it happens, Ellis will be at White’s Travel Center the same night that Nashville recording artist Spencer Hatcher is scheduled to perform at the Quaker Steak & Lube, according to the website.

White’s Travel Center

This truck stop has been there since 1970, when Dave and Peggy White opened it. She ran the restaurant while he ran the truck stop operations. White’s became an AmBest Truck stop in 2001 and then a Petro in 2011. The founders died in the early 2000s.

When they owned it, the Whites lived at the truck stop, according to the “The All-American Truck Stop Cookbook” by Jim Clark, Ken Beck and Les Kerr. The Whites segregated the truck business from the passenger vehicle business, and the restaurants had rooms reserved for only truck drivers.

Reasons to be thankful, on Land Line Now

Ellis regularly discusses what he sees and hears from drivers on the road during Friday Land Line Now broadcasts.

On the broadcast right after Thanksgiving, he shared some of the things he is thankful for. In addition to some time at home with family, he says dry roads on the road home are welcome. He mentions a few other items too.

Stop by when you see The Spirit

If you see the OOIDA tour trailer, stop by and say hello. Ellis looks forward to visiting about the Association’s activities and current issues. There are copies of Land Line Magazine to pick up there. You can join or renew your membership for $10 off the regular price at The Spirit.

After Raphine, Ellis and the OOIDA tour trailer are scheduled to stop in Ashland, Va., and then Kenly, N.C.

Here is the schedule for The Spirit. LL