50 States, Day 280

  Marathon to Florida City,  88 miles

SPECIAL FEATURE
 
"Experience is a wonderful thing.  It enables you to recognize a mistake when
you make it again."
~Anonymous


 
Motels VS Campgrounds
 
Today we'll compare the two most common methods of abode during the adventure.
First:


INSIGHTS ON MOTELS

Motels are awesome. There's nothing like hauling your crap into a seedy motel room during a splattering, hideous downpour. No matter how shabby, rusty or smoke smelling, it's so much better than outside, or in a pop top tent.

Motels have TVs, and some of them-not all-have more than three channels. But the biggest feature of motels is the bathroom, a few steps away while still inside a building! Not happening in the pop top. Motels are generally quieter than campgrounds, except for plumbing sounds that reverberate though the walls.

Many motels feature microwaves and fridges, a real bonus, when the best piece of optional equipment on a pop top tent trailer is a cooler. The fridge just runs and runs, no ice necessary, nice.

Some motels feature scary people you meet in the halls or the stairways, and if they don't kill you, they might keep another killer from doing so. As soon as you meet them in the dark places, you should offer to buy them a drink.

Anywhere, any time.

And motels feature pretty much paved parking lots, with very few potholes.
 
INSIGHTS ON CAMPGROUNDS
 

Campgrounds are full of very friendly people, probably because they are almost homeless too. Camper folk are always there to help, particularly since they are seven feet away from you.


Tent trailers don't have issues with plumbing sounds. Of course, if a nut falls off a tree onto your roof, it sounds like an explosion, and a bird walking across the roof, eleven inches over your face, sounds rather loud too. And then there's thunder, wind... hail... drunks... diesel pickups... a mosquito buzzing inside the tent...

It's way easier to see if you left anything behind after breaking camp, as there is nothing left. In a motel, you must discern; is that our remote, pen, towel, television set, dresser? But after breaking camp, be sure to leave the picnic table.
 
Campgrounds have nice bathrooms, with multiple showers, toilets, urinals. So much more convenient than motels.
 
You don't miss a great sunset in a campground. You don't miss a sunrise either, as the birds are faithful to announce it. Or will be in an hour or so.
 
Campgrounds aren't bogged down with microwaves and fridges. Shoot, if you want to eat leftovers, no sweat, eat them cold!
 

Campgrounds are wonderful places to polish your off-road skills. Just ride up that steep gravel road, turn up the wet grass and cut over those tree roots. No problem, with a 960 pound bike, pulling a trailer. Oops, someone walked the dog without a plastic bag. Don't see that in a motel room.

And now, still fighting her cold (better read this wearing a mask), Quilter Girl!

I get to talk about food again!  This morning, no continental breakfast, we searched for breakfast spots.  We found an IHOP close by with the best service of the trip.  Those people rocked it.  It was a busy Saturday morning and the place hopped, but the host saw us coming and had menus ready so we hardly paused before we sat.  Drink orders were taken and as soon as we were ready, so was our breakfast order.  The food was great and we were out of there fast.  It was so much of a contrast to other times we have been to one.  

Dinner was a local chain restaurant named Sonny's.  We love bbq!  This is the state for it.  This place was no exception, good cole slaw and great sauces.  We ordered off the lunch menus, so didn't have too much food.  They had a nice salad bar, but we didn't try it.  The only thing I am craving is Key Lime Pie.   The next time I see that, it is mine, even if I only take it home for later.  

One of the fabrics for the 50 States quilt for Florida is a bbq fabric.
QG

Tomorrow, Church Surch and the Weekly Wrap Up. See you there!





 

3 comments:

Mel said...

If, when you stay in a motel and come home with an extra television set or dresser, or go camping and come home with an extra picnic table, you MIGHT be a bit too thorough about "tidying up the place" before you leave!

Mel said...

I can just hear the kids now... "Awww, Dad! You went on a 50States in 50 Weeks Tour and all you brought us is a... picnic table?"

Unknown said...

I was just saying MAYBE. Like giving an example. How we ended up with a flat screen, ice bucket and picnic table, I don't know.
KP