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1. Ryan Finnie (foo@fosstodon.org)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:22:56 JST Ryan Finnie

   Initial question was "Why is the world's largest In-n-Out in Barstow? Sure, it's on a major route halfway between LA and Vegas, but it's not like there aren't plenty of locations along the way."

   Turns out it's to handle all the busloads of tourists going to the massive outlet mall next door, so followup question: why are busloads of tourists going to an outlet mall halfway between LA and Vegas? For that matter, why is there a massive outlet mall in Barstow?

   • Ryan Finnie (foo@fosstodon.org)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:30:00 JST Ryan Finnie

     in reply to

     • Bill Plein🌶
     • W6KME

     @W6KME It's about 150 miles from Vegas, and there's very few stops between them which have services, so it's mainly a gas stop. As @bplein pointed out, the best logic is "may as well add shopping as long as they're there".

   • W6KME (w6kme@mastodon.radio)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:30:01 JST W6KME

     in reply to

     @foo Why stop there? Why is there Barstow?

   • Paul_IPv6 (paul_ipv6@infosec.exchange)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:32:13 JST Paul_IPv6

     in reply to

     @foo

     i used to wonder about the outlets at vacaville for much that reason.

   • Ryan Finnie (foo@fosstodon.org)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:32:13 JST Ryan Finnie

     in reply to

     • Paul_IPv6

     @paul_ipv6 Vacaville is at least within the same "civilization" as the rest of the Bay Area (but I'm not implying it's part of the Bay Area, to be clear). Back when I lived in the East Bay, I'd go to Vacaville for the hell of it.

   • Ryan Finnie (foo@fosstodon.org)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:46:16 JST Ryan Finnie

     in reply to

     Semi-related musing triggered by some of the replies: I lived in the SF Bay Area for a few years, then lived in Reno for 20 years. Between SF and the Nevada border, there are, by my count, 142 exits along the 212 miles of Interstate 80 in California.

     And during those 20+ years, I'm pretty sure I've taken every single one of those exits at least once.

   • Ryan Finnie (foo@fosstodon.org)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:58:20 JST Ryan Finnie

     in reply to

     • Douglas VB
     • FuzzFace, Zombie Chicken, Esq.
     • W6KME

     @douglasvb @fuzzface @W6KME Yeah, the newer hotels are decent. Some friends and I have a hidden-ish desert camping site about an hour outside Barstow. I live in SoCal now, but back when I lived in Reno, I'd spend a night in Barstow before and after the campout, to decompress after/before the ~12 hour drive home.

   • Douglas VB (douglasvb@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:58:21 JST Douglas VB

     in reply to

     • FuzzFace, Zombie Chicken, Esq.
     • W6KME

     @fuzzface @W6KME @foo we stayed overnight there recently on our way between Palm Springs and Joshua Tree, and the rest of the state. The newer hotels on the West side of town are pretty nice.

   • Douglas VB (douglasvb@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:58:22 JST Douglas VB

     in reply to

     • W6KME

     @W6KME @foo maybe the better question is why isn't there Barstow 🤔🤔🤔🤔

   • FuzzFace, Zombie Chicken, Esq. (fuzzface@epsilon-ix.masto.host)'s status on Monday, 09-Dec-2024 13:58:22 JST FuzzFace, Zombie Chicken, Esq.

     in reply to

     • Douglas VB
     • W6KME

     @douglasvb @W6KME @foo Last time I drove east across the Mojave I was damn glad when Barstow arrived. It was an odd place, but certainly an oasis after NOTHING.BUT.SAND!