Showering is a fantastic example of ways that I can lower quality of life while living in a vehicle. In general, I try to take extra responsibility for bathing - as an experience- because it's part and parcel to my happiness specifically because I choose to live in a vehicle.

To physically clean my body, I can do that in a wide number of ways using the supplies that I have in my vehicle.

To allow myself the cliche of a meditative moment under hot running water, I try to take responsibility for it as an experience, the first step being separating it from the physical act of cleaning body.

Back to your question, the truck stops suggested are about 40 miles and an hour of driving round trip at the cost of 5 to $10 plus fuel. Also, they are gas stations and not spas, showering at truck stops is honestly kind of stressful.

So that's too great of a distance, too long of a time, and too large of an expenditure for the quality of experience. Better just to clean my body (dog bowl, hand towels, twenty minutes) and shift my expectations of stress relief to a different experience.

Planet Fitness is wonderful in part because if a customer wanted to they could view the business as the McDonald's of showers. I've been to a lot of Planet Fitness locations around the country (100?) and I'm for sure that kind of customer, I view the description as a compliment. Quite literally, Planet Fitness affords me the experience of a shower.

I've never had the opportunity to say this but I will, Planet Fitness changed my life. It's been a lot of years physically chasing dreams, with all how everything has changed in the decades, Planet Fitness is just as potent as the internet. The experience of a 3 of 5 star shower pretty much anytime, anywhere in America. So thankful. I have no idea how my career was possible without the internet and I have no idea how my life was possible without Planet Fitness.