Carlisle, PA - Petro, Flying J, and Loves

this is the wonders of elogs, you either stop two hours before your time or take a chance of running out of time

as far as calisle at 2300 hrs, thats almost impossible, but it is possible someone may be leaving as you are entering

other than that, i would just stop early to avoid running out of hours, cant have tired exhausted illegal drivers on the road, even if they are wide awake

 

If you can't find parking at the petro, go north of there a ways and there is a hotel or two with truck parking lots. I don't think they'd hassle you to park there, especially if you don't idle.

 

The regulars know where there are a few wide-spots on the turnpike to pull off, but if you don't know them, they can be hard to find in the dark but if you see a truck parked in the dark, I'd slow and see if you can fit in. The service areas at that hour can be very frustrating and pulling in can be a huge chance that you may run into a moron who has the travel lane blocked, and the odds of finding a spot in the service areas after 20:00 are pretty slim. Say a prayer and keep your fingers crossed and live right that day, and you'll do fine.

 

The shoulder pull offs are along the pike, just make sure you are to the right of that second white line. It's about 20 feet over !

 

If you're proceeding towards Allentown (I-78 ), Trainer's Midway Diner usually has plenty of parking and is about 58 miles up the road from Carlisle if you can gain that much time. (Exit 16 I think)

This has the added benefit of getting you past the rest area truck inspection station north of Harrisburg on I-81 that is often open in the AM if the weather is nice.

 

There is a rather large(renovated)service plaza eastbound @219(bout 6 miles shy of carlisle exit)usually has parking--but anything at 2300 is touch and go--as for the widespots--there are many good ones--but if you do not know them it can be problematic--IMHO--eastbound(bottom of sideling hill)about the 174 is as good as they get--just past the plaza at almost at bottom of hill(plaza is around 172)the old road from the old tunnel comes back onto the new highway--you can pull off there--and get well off the road--actually you can pull all the way off and then back up all the way to the barriers (closing off the acccess to the old hiway)and not even be near the highway--there is literally a woodline between you and the hiway at that point--and when it is time to go--you are still at the end of the downgrade from the mountain--and have about 1/2mile running start into traffic--and your less than an hour from Carlisle at that point

 

i would not advise anyone to stop and sleep on the turnpike. there have been numerous reports of the tolls being raised due to what was called "excessive time spent on the turnpike"

when i used to run up that way, i would stop at the greencastle TA. just down the road and across from Keen transportation, there is a chrome shop that used to have a CB shop there too, in the old log cabin looking building. its been about a year, but the parking lot was wide open last time i was up that way. but with Elogs, i would not park unless i was certain it would be for 10 hours.

the loves is small. stay away from there. the petro or the flying hook would be the best bet. the TA in greencastle is big too, and it is at exit 5 if i remember, and carlisle is exit 52.

 

there is always Breezewood