We definitely saw the good, the bad, and the ugly during this road trip when it comes to lodging. We were aiming for mid-range hotels because they usually include breakfast and they always have free wi-fi. In some areas where were traveled, we had a very small number of hotels available from which to choose. We also discovered a growing trend in price gouging.
Our first stop was Iowa City, IA and we expected to find a reasonably priced room because a search showed lots of hotels in the $109-129 range. We stopped a several hotels only to find that they were full. We went to Coralville, a suburb, and chose the Hampton Inn. Although the hotel was a bit worn looking, the room was large and clean and near the hotel's great workout room. Apparently when it is a very busy weekend (a wedding party and lots of families at the hotel), hotels charge more. We paid $139 instead of the expected $129. Two nights later, we stopped at a La Quinta in Golden CO and secured their last available room. This hotel normally charges $109 but charged us $169! The hotel was old. The ice machine on our floor was broken. The rooms were clean but way past their prime. But that was not the most egregious example of price gouging. We stopped in Flagstaff when we left Utah and headed to Tucson to visit my brother. We chose a Holiday Inn Express. Their usual advertised rate is $109. When we asked for a room, we were told the rate would be $229! When I expressed shock at the high rate, the hotel clerk explained that this was freshman registration week for Northern Arizona University.
We like to travel without booking all rooms ahead of time because we never know when a place will appeal to us so much we need more time or when we decide to move on to the next destination. This price fixing discourages that practice and it does not matter that you are a "rewards" member for the hotel chain. I will be writing to La Quinta and Holiday Inn Express to let them know that I find this practice deceiving and reprehensible. I do not expect to get anything out of the letter-writing except the knowledge that I have made my opinion known.
I had noticed price disparities due to location before, but this trip underscored the value of staying in small cities. One of our favorite hotels, Drury Inn, charges more for "popular" locations and for seasonal travel. The Frankenmuth hotel runs about $120, but it can jump higher - $125 in Greenville, $155 in Nashville - or lower - $117 in Independence, $90 in Valdosta. We were happy to stay at the Drury in Independence MO. They gave us a great room and we felt at home with their happy hour and great breakfast.
Because we were going to the National Parks in Utah during the summer, I decided to book ahead so we would know we had a room. This is a "shot in the dark" process for me. I do read the reviews and I read the "about us" section of the hotel's website, but I'm still just guessing. We were fortunate in our choices. In Moab we stayed at the Adventure Inn Moab. This is a small, old fashioned motel that was purchased by a couple and renovated. The room was bright, clean and quiet. They provided us with soft, thick towels and with a continental breakfast that included croissants. It was also perfectly located a few miles from the park entrance and in the middle of town where all the restaurants are.
At Bryce Canyon I chose the Bryce Canyon Pines because they had cottages in addition to motel rooms. Our cottage was comprised of a large bedroom, a nice bathroom with walk in shower and a small porch with comfy chairs facing the mountains and meadows. It was a few miles outside the park but had a restaurant onsite. The restaurant had generous portions of well-prepared food with friendly service. This inn also had a campground and general store.
The slightly quirky find of Bumbleberry Inn in Springdale was our Zion park hotel. Springdale operates a free shuttle service to the park and one of the stops is in front of the Bumbleberry Inn. The inn also includes breakfast vouchers for Wildcat Willie's - a great breakfast place! Although the room was spare and not large, it was clean and had a small patio looking out toward the mountains - great view.
These good finds were priced from $105, $140, and $122 respectively and I would recommend them to any travelers. When we travel out west, we encounter the Best Western chain and we stayed there in two different locations. They were both updated and provided a really nice breakfast and very helpful hotel clerks. One even upgraded us to a suite just because.
We stayed a few days in Taos NM and I picked an interesting inn just from their website. It was called Burch Street Casitas. The inn consists of just four casitas. Each one has a bedroom and bathroom and a living room/kitchen. The kitchen has all the utensils and dishes you need to cook for yourself. This is a huge money saver. It was very comfortable and homey and I would recommend it to those who, like me, want to have a more home-like setting and control over food prep.
Probably our oddest hotel experience was the Four Corners Inn in Blanding UT. We wanted to drive to visit the Four Corners Monument and take the obligatory tourist shot of us standing in four states. Then we were driving on to Zion. There were not many hotels (3), so I just chose one. It was old but clean and basic. There was only one restaurant in town! The inn was owned by a family and they had a picture of mom and dad (the original owners) arriving in Blanding in the 40's. Blanding is a very small town and it is surprising that they even have three hotels that can stay open. Even with a few hotels and a restaurant, it felt very isolated.
Our experiences taught me a few things. I need to do research - it paid off. I need to think about our travel dates and see if we are staying in any college towns at the start of the school year. Book ahead in those locations to get the best rate. If we want to not book every night ahead, we need to stay in small cities or towns to control lodging costs and we need to just keep driving if the rates are not good. It is pretty easy to find good food everywhere - even vegetarian options, but not enough whole grains are served as common practice. Country music is popular in way too many places.
I love road trips. It gives us the chance to really see our country. We are gaining knowledge about the different states and about the vastness of open spaces still out there. It helps keep us from generalizing about people from different locations, because there are friendly, helpful people everywhere. That person to person contact builds our sense of community. I'm glad to be home, but I'm looking forward to our next trip.
Friday, September 9, 2016
Friday, September 2, 2016
Following the Cimarron Trail
After our sojourn in Dodge City without a single bar room brawl or gun fight, we decided to continue along the Santa Fe Trail on the Cimarron Cut Back to Kansas City -- well, actually, to Independence Missouri. We kept trying to imagine what the journey was like for folks making this journey in wagons or on horseback and herding cattle. In a covered wagon our ancestors could cover 10-15 miles in one day. We traveled more than 335 miles in 5+ hours. It would have taken the wagon train 22-34 days!
We were imagining how endless the prairie would have seemed to them. There were many miles of acres of farmland that now take the place of wild meadows. When we reached I-70 about halfway through our journey, the terrain became hilly and green. It was a big contrast to the prairie. Here there were rivers and ponds and wetlands. Cattle drivers would have known that they were nearing their destination by the change in the vegetation and the softening of the land. I admire the courage and fortitude of those tough settlers who made the original journey of discovery.
We turned our attention to the location of the towns and to their products. The Cimarron Trail follows the railroad - or actually, the railroad was built along the trail. There are tiny towns strung along the rails like beads made of grain silos. We didn't see most of the towns. We only saw the numerous grain silos that could load semi trucks or train cars full of grain for transport. These grain cooperatives seem to be the life blood of our nation's "bread basket." We marveled at the un-countable acres of fertile farm land. I know that agribusiness has promoted some land unfriendly practices and has resulted in narrowing our food sources and crop diversity to a dangerous level. But I have also observed the growth of sustainable farming practices and the renewed interest in heritage crops and "artisinal" foods. It has given me a lot to think about --it will certainly inform my grocery buying habits.
The other huge farming trend we spotted was wind farming. We saw one enormous wind farm; one small one; and one solo windmill in a farmer's field. The windmills look like huge, ungainly sentinels marching across the landscape in rows - each seems to turn to it's own rhythm. They were not all in sync. We even saw three windmills that were under construction. I wanted to see the cranes put them together, but we didn't have time. One town, Spearville, took great pride in the wind farm. At the entrance to the town they had a large sign that proclaimed "Spearville, KS -- Home of windmills and the Royal Lancers." I'm guessing the Royal Lancers are their high school football team, but it somehow fit together: Spearville -- windmills -- lancers.
After our peaceful trek across Kansas, we arrived in Kansas City, Kansas: Siamese twin to Kansas City, Missouri. What a change of pace that was as far as traffic and driving - yikes! Everything is, indeed, up to date in Kansas City! It is a strange feeling to enter another state while driving through one large city. We continued on for a few more miles and arrived at our destination for the evening, Independence, Missouri.
We were imagining how endless the prairie would have seemed to them. There were many miles of acres of farmland that now take the place of wild meadows. When we reached I-70 about halfway through our journey, the terrain became hilly and green. It was a big contrast to the prairie. Here there were rivers and ponds and wetlands. Cattle drivers would have known that they were nearing their destination by the change in the vegetation and the softening of the land. I admire the courage and fortitude of those tough settlers who made the original journey of discovery.
Through the prairie land.
We turned our attention to the location of the towns and to their products. The Cimarron Trail follows the railroad - or actually, the railroad was built along the trail. There are tiny towns strung along the rails like beads made of grain silos. We didn't see most of the towns. We only saw the numerous grain silos that could load semi trucks or train cars full of grain for transport. These grain cooperatives seem to be the life blood of our nation's "bread basket." We marveled at the un-countable acres of fertile farm land. I know that agribusiness has promoted some land unfriendly practices and has resulted in narrowing our food sources and crop diversity to a dangerous level. But I have also observed the growth of sustainable farming practices and the renewed interest in heritage crops and "artisinal" foods. It has given me a lot to think about --it will certainly inform my grocery buying habits.
The other huge farming trend we spotted was wind farming. We saw one enormous wind farm; one small one; and one solo windmill in a farmer's field. The windmills look like huge, ungainly sentinels marching across the landscape in rows - each seems to turn to it's own rhythm. They were not all in sync. We even saw three windmills that were under construction. I wanted to see the cranes put them together, but we didn't have time. One town, Spearville, took great pride in the wind farm. At the entrance to the town they had a large sign that proclaimed "Spearville, KS -- Home of windmills and the Royal Lancers." I'm guessing the Royal Lancers are their high school football team, but it somehow fit together: Spearville -- windmills -- lancers.
Wind farm in Spearville KS
After our peaceful trek across Kansas, we arrived in Kansas City, Kansas: Siamese twin to Kansas City, Missouri. What a change of pace that was as far as traffic and driving - yikes! Everything is, indeed, up to date in Kansas City! It is a strange feeling to enter another state while driving through one large city. We continued on for a few more miles and arrived at our destination for the evening, Independence, Missouri.
Another state welcomes us.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Looking out the Window
Dennis took first shift driving this morning and we had the most amazing drive. We ate breakfast at our casita and packed up to leave by 8:30 am (mountain time). We drove out of Taos headed toward Angel Fire on state highway 64. We had spent three days in Taos, in the center of the historic district. We visited museums and galleries and shops, but we did not see much of the area where the real Taosenas lived.
We drove along mountain roads and saw some houses -- some large, some small, some extravagant. We drove through mountain passes following the Santa Fe Trail and wondered how people did this before we had roads. The mountains were beautiful. We were surrounded by forests of pine trees. We drove on curvy roads with sharp turns that climbed up and plunged down. The sun was shining and the temperatures were in the low 50s. As we drove the houses became fewer and farther between. I looked down the hillside and saw just the red steel roof of a small house tucked into the hillside beneath a stand of huge pines -- I couldn't even see the driveway to it. This was a peaceful, beautiful isolation. And then I wondered what it was like in the winter.
After we had been driving for 60 minutes or so, we were approaching Eagles Nest and were up at 9000 feet above sea level. We rounded a curve and I looked out through the trees and said, "Look, it looks like a lake is nearby." I had seen the thick mist that signifies water and had seen what looked like a lake clouded with rising mist. I was totally fooled! As we descended into the valley, we realized that the familiar "mist maidens" we see on our lake on some mornings, were larger and more plentiful in mountain valleys. We saw the mist rising from the valley floor and completely blocking the sun! We drove from sun into fog and then drove along the valley floor and saw the fog dissipate completely. It was beautiful and awe inspiring.
I have to admit that I preferred the sunny forest glades with small cabins in the mountains. After we were beyond Eagles Nest, we drove through New Mexico's flatlands approaching the Oklahoma border. This land was all ranch land. We saw lots of cattle but not much farm land. Then we passed into Oklahoma and saw farm land stretching away on both sides of the road.
I saw corn fields and was not surprised, but I also saw fields of a plant I did not recognize. So, 21st century Americans that we are, I asked Dennis to look it up on his phone. (It was the second shift, so I was driving at this point.) I suggested amaranth and quinoa. He looked it up and said that the plants looked like amaranth - kind of. When he drove next, I looked them up and thought that the plants looked more like quinoa. If they were quinoa, we are growing a huge bunch of quinoa in this country!
As we drove, I remarked on the great geological change between the New Mexico countryside and the Oklahoma/Kansas countryside. We drove for hours and miles with farmland stretching as far as the eye could see. I told Dennis that I felt like I was driving into an Andrew Wyeth painting.
As we approached our destination of Dodge City, the landscape gave way to cattle feed lots. I know that my vegetarian friends would be distressed to see how many cattle are fed this way. I was wondering how ground beef can cost so much when there are so many cattle available. Surely there is not a shortage in the U.S. Dodge City has lots of history associated with it. We saw sculptures of a longhorn bull and of Wyatt Earp as we drove down Wyatt Earp Blvd into town.
We were blessed with folks who wanted to give us a nice hotel room and we settled in with no problem. The manager even gave me directions for the shortest route to the highway for our morning drive. I love the hospitality we received here.
In all of our travel today we were again reminded of the plenty of land and food that we have in the U.S. I mentioned that a nation plagued with over population, like Pakistan or India, could live here with room to spare. We have so much that we are immune to it. I love my country, but I love the planet, too, and hope that we can all be part of the solution. The bounty and beauty of this nation is almost overwhelming. The hospitality of those around us is always heartening. I know we can do more to make the whole planet a better place. I love traveling and learning and hope that it makes me a better, more proactive citizen.
We drove along mountain roads and saw some houses -- some large, some small, some extravagant. We drove through mountain passes following the Santa Fe Trail and wondered how people did this before we had roads. The mountains were beautiful. We were surrounded by forests of pine trees. We drove on curvy roads with sharp turns that climbed up and plunged down. The sun was shining and the temperatures were in the low 50s. As we drove the houses became fewer and farther between. I looked down the hillside and saw just the red steel roof of a small house tucked into the hillside beneath a stand of huge pines -- I couldn't even see the driveway to it. This was a peaceful, beautiful isolation. And then I wondered what it was like in the winter.
After we had been driving for 60 minutes or so, we were approaching Eagles Nest and were up at 9000 feet above sea level. We rounded a curve and I looked out through the trees and said, "Look, it looks like a lake is nearby." I had seen the thick mist that signifies water and had seen what looked like a lake clouded with rising mist. I was totally fooled! As we descended into the valley, we realized that the familiar "mist maidens" we see on our lake on some mornings, were larger and more plentiful in mountain valleys. We saw the mist rising from the valley floor and completely blocking the sun! We drove from sun into fog and then drove along the valley floor and saw the fog dissipate completely. It was beautiful and awe inspiring.
I have to admit that I preferred the sunny forest glades with small cabins in the mountains. After we were beyond Eagles Nest, we drove through New Mexico's flatlands approaching the Oklahoma border. This land was all ranch land. We saw lots of cattle but not much farm land. Then we passed into Oklahoma and saw farm land stretching away on both sides of the road.
I saw corn fields and was not surprised, but I also saw fields of a plant I did not recognize. So, 21st century Americans that we are, I asked Dennis to look it up on his phone. (It was the second shift, so I was driving at this point.) I suggested amaranth and quinoa. He looked it up and said that the plants looked like amaranth - kind of. When he drove next, I looked them up and thought that the plants looked more like quinoa. If they were quinoa, we are growing a huge bunch of quinoa in this country!
As we drove, I remarked on the great geological change between the New Mexico countryside and the Oklahoma/Kansas countryside. We drove for hours and miles with farmland stretching as far as the eye could see. I told Dennis that I felt like I was driving into an Andrew Wyeth painting.
As we approached our destination of Dodge City, the landscape gave way to cattle feed lots. I know that my vegetarian friends would be distressed to see how many cattle are fed this way. I was wondering how ground beef can cost so much when there are so many cattle available. Surely there is not a shortage in the U.S. Dodge City has lots of history associated with it. We saw sculptures of a longhorn bull and of Wyatt Earp as we drove down Wyatt Earp Blvd into town.
We were blessed with folks who wanted to give us a nice hotel room and we settled in with no problem. The manager even gave me directions for the shortest route to the highway for our morning drive. I love the hospitality we received here.
In all of our travel today we were again reminded of the plenty of land and food that we have in the U.S. I mentioned that a nation plagued with over population, like Pakistan or India, could live here with room to spare. We have so much that we are immune to it. I love my country, but I love the planet, too, and hope that we can all be part of the solution. The bounty and beauty of this nation is almost overwhelming. The hospitality of those around us is always heartening. I know we can do more to make the whole planet a better place. I love traveling and learning and hope that it makes me a better, more proactive citizen.
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