Mountains near Ludlow, California

We’ve traveled along Interstate 40 through Southern California and Arizona enough times now that most of the rest areas have become familiar stopping places. Some of the amenities we find are less than impressive — although we sincerely appreciate that they exist at all. There is nothing quite like the disappointment and anguish of the long-distance road tripper who finds that long awaited rest area is closed for renovations! My opinion is that the quality of the rest stops seems to improve as we travel east. I do sometimes pause to check out the warning signs and the historical information on display along I-40. And some of the rest area signs make me long to stick around and explore the areas we’re whizzing past in our car. (Click on any image to get a closer look.)

Haviland Rest Area, Arizona

Lupton, Arizona

Rushing through Tucumcari, New Mexico, I captured the plaque but missed the dinosaur bone!