Starbucks Spotlight: Calhoun GA

Regardless of how you feel about Starbucks coffee, a Road Warrior is hard pressed (or french pressed) to find a better oasis in the desert of all those highway miles.

What's that?  Corporations make you nauseated?  If you're really going to turn down what is without a doubt the cleanest roadside stop that you are likely to encounter, simply because of its corporate ownership, then, my friend, you will never truly be a Road Warrior.  Do I like to hunt down local coffee shops when possible?  Absolutely.  Sadly, there a fewer and fewer of those to find.  For the Road Warrior, Starbucks is a consistent, reliable, and clean source of refuge, coffee, wifi, and spectacular bathrooms.  Most are within a half-mile of the interstate, which makes them that much more ideal.

Yesterday, I paid a visit to one of my favorite Starbucks stops, off of I-75's exit 312 in Calhoun, Georgia.  While the parking lot is a little funky, there are plenty of spots, a large patio area, and outdoor electric sockets (random but often useful).  Staff is extremely friendly and prompt as well.  The setup for this Starbucks does not include the computer-friendly cluster (which I call the triple booth) but I have rarely had trouble finding a table near an electric outlet.

The staff is accustomed to my hauling in the printer, although I still get plenty of strange looks from patrons.  Yesterday, three little girls kept staring at the printer, pointing, and asking their mother to explain.  You're welcome, ma'am.  Glad I could be a side-show freak for 20 minutes.

I actually watched President Obama's inauguration last January in the parking lot of this Starbucks.  I later went in to buy coffee and a cookie as payment for "stealing" the internet.

One final random moment occurred yesterday as I was packing up my car to leave.  A man asked me to give him 85 cents.  I found that to be an odd number, and legitimately did not have coinage in that amount to "give" to him, even if I hadn't been suspicious.  I walked back into the building to grab the last of my goods, when I noticed he'd come in behind me to order a cup of coffee.  Panhandling for a cup of Starbucks?  Bizarre indeed.

Next time you're traveling I-75 in this neck of the woods, I'd highly recommend taking a break to enjoy the wonder and majesty of this great Starbucks.

Top Bathrooms: Brand New McDonald's

Let's face it: Road Warriors had better know the best and the worst of the public bathroom options.  Miscalculations in planning can result in the dreaded emergency stop, which could involve scenarios as bad as pulling over to the side of the road, or using an outside entranced gas station bathroom.  These are to be avoided at all costs.

Properly familiarizing oneself with the top bathroom options is relatively easy and well worth the time and effort expended.

A new McDonald's ((built within the last 6 months)) bathroom ranks fairly high on the top bathroom list for a number of reasons.  I stopped at this location last night in Lagrange, GA :

1.  McCafe: Coffee Shop ambiance somehow makes it feel less like a dirty fast food restaurant.  While not all of the newly remodeled McDonald's (to be reviewed at a later date) do an adequate job of capturing the coffee house feel, a new McDonald's almost certainly has fake slate stone walls, exposed wood beams, plasma televisions, and a neutral color scheme.

2.  Bathroom location:  Most McDonald's have a secondary entrance on the side of the building that allow for almost direct access to the bathroom, minimizing the risk of encountering an employee, and making an in-and-out trip as painless as possible.  Compare to Wendy's, Krystal's, or Taco Bell.

3.  Size:  When dealing with a multi-person bathroom, it is crucial that there be room enough to maneuver around the masses (or easily escape if needed).  McDonald's bathrooms are easily double the size of the aforementioned  fast food chains.

4. Foaming soap: (Although they have crap air dryers.  It would have been nice if they'd gone with an XLerator.)

5. Multitudinous locations:  While finding one of the new locations may be slightly more difficult, there is literally a McDonald's at every exit in the state of Georgia.  Ok, not really, but close, and most all of them have at least undergone a renovation within the last year.

6.  Access to cheap, drinkable coffee (we'll get into the coffee rankings later) as well as free Wifi.

All in all, a new McDonald's ranks fairly high on my list of public bathrooms, followed closely by a renovated McDonalds's.  Plan accordingly.  Know your stops.  Don't fall prey to an emergency break!!