I had to take a quick trip to Seattle on Saturday and, being a coffee drinker, I can never make it all the way without a stop at one of the fine rest stops along Interstate 90. On this trip, I went by two of them, "Indian Johns" near Cle Ellum, and "Ryegrass", just east of Ellensburg.
I noticed that both of them have signs on the highway and at the rest stops themselves advertising they now have Wi-Fi connections so you can wirelessly use your laptop to get on the Net. What a great service, I thought to myself. I didn't get a chance to use it as I didn't bring my laptop on this trip.
After returning home, I did a little research. It turns out that Washington State Department of Transportation has installed wireless connections at 28 of the state's 42 rest stops. Most of them, of course, are west of the Cascades. And, while I assumed that it was free to use, it turns out that this is only partially true.
For free, travelers can log onto the state Department of Transportation's (DOT) Web site, other travel sites and Washington tourism sites at no charge. You can check the mountain pass conditions, ferry times, Amtrak times, Seattle Metro bus schedules and Sounder information...all for free.
But, if you want to check your e-mail or browse other Web sites, it is going to cost you. The prices...$1.99 for 20 minutes and $3.99 for a full day's use. The paying part of the system is being handled by a company called Road Connect. Besides Washington, they offer wireless Internet services at rest areas in Oregon, Texas and Kansas.
Still, in all, I am glad to see this service being initiated in our state. Now, you you can get free coffee, free Internet (well, almost) and free rest room facilities. Not bad, considering Starbucks charges for two of those three services. However, I am a little concerned that some travelers might tie-up the stalls a bit longer than normal as they browse the Net.
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