Dale Davenport

Dale is a professional, over-the-road driver

Take advantage of layovers - the healthy way

What do you do with long layovers? Hang out at a truck stop, eat snacks and watch movies? If you answered “yes,” you’re not alone.
     Many of us eat and lie around because we’re bored. Layovers remind us that our friends and activities are at home and we’re on the road. We lie around waiting for something or someone to give us an idea of what to do. I can’t tell you what that something is, but I do know that the someone should be you. You have to make yourself get out and get some exercise.
     It doesn’t have to be a long and strenuous workout, but something that fills your down-time and is enjoyable, yet healthy. Filling a day off with healthy leisure activities will reward both your body and mind – you’ll sleep better and feel good about yourself. I carry a bicycle in my truck for these occasions, although a long walk is just as good.
     A smartphone can also help you find interesting activities in any given area. On many trips, I ride my bike 10 or 15 miles, eat brunch then look for a movie theater to relax in for a few hours before returning. I don’t have a set routine because the cities and climates are so different, but a little research on a smartphone or computer will show what’s within walking or riding distance. Large bike trail systems are also listed on Google Maps to help you navigate through the region.
     Shopping is another healthy leisure activity that can be done from a bike. Riding to a nice shopping area is always a good time killer. A good rack and saddlebags will help you carry your purchases – just don’t forget to lock your bike, or you might have a long walk back to the truck.
     I particularly love the outdoor malls of the Southwest, although indoor malls with food courts and theaters are also fun. I carry a small computer in my backpack, and if I find a nice outdoor café, I’ll hang around. Sometimes the towns I find myself in have flea markets. I can walk around them and find something I don’t need, but buy it anyway.
     If bicycling, walking and shopping don’t appeal to you, maybe you’d like to bowl, golf or fish. I carry a small set of golf clubs and a telescoping fishing pole in my truck to make sure I have a variety of activities that I can do. A daily fishing license can be purchased with a credit card at takemefishing.org.
     You just never know where you’re going to get a layover. It might be next to a lake or within a half-mile of a great golf course, and it pays to be ready to take advantage of the features wherever you are. The variety of activities this country has to offer and the fact that I get to try them somewhere different every week is one of the great pleasures of being an American truck driver.
     Dale Davenport is a professional over-the-road driver.