The Reitnouer is a 10’1” sliding spread on 19.5s yielding a main deck height of 37”. Other than having 13 lights per side and nine across the back it’s just a plain Jane working man’s trailer. I’ve been driving since 1997, bought my first truck in 2005 and Incorporated and started running under my own federal Authority in 2008. It’s a lot of work, but I now know that I could never have another “job” again. I work when I want and even in this crappy economy make way more than enough to pay the bills. When I’m on the road I usually stay out three to six weeks and bust my ass for all it’s worth, but then I come home for two to four weeks, so I get a nice vacation every month or so.

I don’t eat at any of these places anymore, but when my wife team drove with me, we’d stop when we got a chance. The best places (truck stops) left I know of on the road to eat are:
Seven Feathers (Exit 98 I think on I-5 in Oregon)
R Place in Morris, IL off I-80 (Exit 112, I think). TA bought it a couple years ago, but so far has lived up to its promise not to screw with the restaurant.
Jubitz in Portland, OR (Exit 307 I think, off I-5) is pretty good as well
There’s a little mom & pop east of Boise that’s pretty good, too. I think they’re called The Stage Stop and might be at exit 71 off I-84, or something like that. They actually have a sign prominently located that informs patrons that truck drivers will be seated and waited on before anyone else.
When we used to haul cars and ran the NW a lot, we used to like to stop at Shari’s (think Denny’s or Perkins only ten times better with excellent coffee). There’s one located between the TA and Flying J in Troutdale, OR (Exit 22 (maybe)) off I-84 in Oregon that we frequented a lot.
Black Bear Diners are nice when you can find one in a mall that won’t kick you out for parking for an hour or so.

You’re right about the disgusting state of most truck stops. That is one of the reasons why I buy my fuel and get the hell out. If I need a shower, I try to stop in the middle of the day when there’s less chance of some non-driving dumbass taking my hood off. I prefer to park on rest area ramps and exits where there are wide berms and little traffic.
One of the newer fads being driven by certain immigrants is packing three or four or five guys in the truck and all of them taking turns driving. The truck never stops except for fuel and to deliver or pick up, so they cut a hole in the floor of the sleeper so they can shit through it while the truck is going down the road. I thought this was bullshit until I heard if from several mechanics over a couple years. They say they will go in the pit to service a truck and it will have toilette paper stuck all under the frame and driveshaft. Most of them refuse to work on those trucks and I don’t blame them.

One time, I was getting fuel at a Flying J at night, and this guy, pulls into the fuel island next to me and starts pumping fuel. I’m over by my driver’s side tank by the catwalk and I look over and the guy is on the passenger side of his truck by the catwalk and he strikes up a conversation with me. I immediately realize that this guy is not only pumping fuel, but his standing there with his dick out, pissing at the fuel island while he’s trying to talk to me about the weather. I tell him I hear it’s going to be “pissy” and hang up the nozzle and pull out of the island. Some people are just too dumb or inconsiderate or selfish to get it.