I decided to talk about our various motel accommodations we have had since not much else happened today. In general, most have been very good and a reasonable price for what you got. But a couple have been overpriced and offer sparse amenities. Our current one is an example.
We are here for three nights. It has been our habit all along to cook (mostly barbecue) our own dinners to save money on eating out. And we’ve always had the small frigs, microwaves, and coffee machine in our rooms, but not here. Our drivers bought food for three nights and that is a problem. I think we were able to stash some of the most perishables, like meat, in the restaurant attached to the motel, but what a bummer.
A couple motels only had fans, no air conditioning. Some nights, like last night, were very uncomfortable sleeping.
My biggest complaint about almost every single motel is that the lighting is the pits. I realize people usually only want to sleep but some are so dark, it is like sitting in a cave. It is really hard to try to read. I think I have complained about this in every single motel. I’m sure my roommate is tired of hearing it.
Most bathrooms have had only one hook on which to hang a wet towel and several have had no wardrobe hangers where we could hang damp clothes. This motel has no vanity on which to even put our toiletries.
And over half had no laundry capabilities available, this one included. Not sure what we are paying for here but it is way over priced.
Today, it was very dreary, off and on rainy day, all day. Six of us took a road trip in the van this morning to check out the next day’s ride. It is a 13% grade up (road sign said so) and there is road construction on the downhill side. So I plan to ride up and get a ride down.
We only went half way but that is supposedly the hairy part. Came back and spent the afternoon trying to read my book in this dark hole of a room. So frustrating.
The other four riders got up super early (6:00 for them) and went on a hike looking for moose. No luck. We didn’t see any either but I’ve seen enough at home that I didn’t care if we saw one or not.
I promised myself that if I rode the entire road up yesterday that I would treat myself to this awesome photo I saw, two days ago, of our route in the motel in Margaree Harbour. So today, I called the photographer and the photo is on its way to my house. It shows the road along the coast, better than my photo I posted yesterday, and with fall colors. A great momento. It is being shipped home so will be there when I get home.
I rarely ever buy momentos when traveling but magnets are the one thing I do buy. My frig is covered with magnets of the awesome places I have been. So I did get two of Cape Breton because the pictures remimd me of the magnificent hard day’s work and my ability to do it.
The weather forecast for two days from now, when we are supposed to ride, is for 90% chance of rain and much cooler temps. Tomorrow is only 40% chance of showers so I think those of us who plan to ride the big hill, North Mountain, are going to ride it tomorrow to our next destination, leave our bikes there, and be ferried back by van and not ride the next day. That is our current plan.
My other happy shot from yesterday.
BikerAl Across America 2018 