Road Trip USA
Just finished an interesting 5 day, 1500+ mile trip covering 5 states, the crops looked to be doing well in most areas & no really visible signs of the economic downturn to the casual visitor. However prices seem to have risen since my trip last year by about the same percentage as in Canada so still making it a bargain especially with the low fuel prices (Big Oil continues it’s Rip-Off of Canadians while our gov’t makes excuses )
One disturbing thing I found was the rise in motel prices which is due mainly (IMO) to the demand by the traveling public for more useless amenities in the room. The days of the $35 room at Motel 6 where you got a clean room with a comfortable bed, a TV & coffee at the front desk at check out seem to be a distant memory.
It seems now one has to have FREE Wi-Fi, Free continental breakfast, Free in-room microwave, Free fridge, Free coffeemaker, Free hair dryer & the dumbest thing with the fabrics we have the Free iron & ironing board! No wonder the $35 room has increased to $65 because of all the useless FREE perks which the motels must offer to draw customers. Anyone thinking there is anything free in todays world is seriously deluded!
Now the way things work when one gets to Carlisle for the All Truck Nationals where rooms are at a premium the $65 room is now $100. Just for fun when I booked my room at the Super 8, I checked the reviews on Trip Advisor, out of the 6 reviews 5 of them described it as a horrid over priced place unfit to stay in, only one gave an objective review that it was a good clean budget motel that along with all other ones in town charges what the market will bear on show weekends. That is what I found & is the reason TA reviews are basically useless as they are mainly written by the same tourons that are looking for a 5* champagne vacation on a 2* beer budget!
Always nice to drive south of the border where the rules of the road are enforced & obeyed after having to put up with the morons that are allowed on Ontario roads, also a treat to be served by the staff in my favorite restaurants Cracker Barrel & Bob Evans where 90% of Ontario waitress’s wouldn’t last 5 seconds. OK rants over!
After getting my parts from the fine people at Super Scout Specialists in Springfield Ohio, www.superscoutspecialists.com who seem like family after 3 years of getting parts for my restoration project it was off to Carlisle PA & the All Truck Nationals. http://www.carlisleevents.com
The best truck show I have ever attended, big swap meet area containing every thing you need both new & used along with manufacturers displays, if you can’t find it there it probably doesn’t exist. The swap meet area is about the same size as that at Springfield but the show being strictly truck is much larger.
Along with the swap meet there is an invitational display of all sorts of trucks from stock & customised highway tractors to lo-ride pickups & every thing in between. There is off-road trials, rock climbing competitions, competitions for loudest stereo there is a truck tug-0-war where they hook 2 trucks together & step on the gas, high-low contest for highest ground to bottom of cab (50 1/2 in) & lowest ( 0 in) also a burnout contest, frame dragging contest—naturally a beauty contest (Ladies not trucks)—no truck show would be complete without a couple monster trucks & this year Megasaurus the 3 stories tall, 50’000 lbs fire breathing car eater was featured.
This show is a definite bucket list item for the truck enthusiast! Keep in mind you need 2 full days if you want to cover it all.
Upon checking Map Quest found that Gettysburg was only 33 mi away so took a drive down to see the Military National Park there, quite impressive, definitely worth a visit by anyone & not to missed by the history buff.
While in the area figured it would be a shame to miss the Antique Automobile Museum which also houses The Museum of Bus Transportation in neighbouring Hershey. If you only go one auto museum in your life make it this one. www.aacamuseum.org
Then it was time to head north, spent the night at another overpriced motel in NY state a couple hrs from Buffalo, crossed the border where the customs agent must have been half asleep as never got charged duty or GST on the $1200 in parts.
Stopped in Hamilton for an enjoyable 4 hr meeting with GOM from an internet Cuba forum, then managed not to get run over by the insane morons that Ontario gives drivers licenses.
Tags: Travel
busman7
Nothing is FREE! Also, the “SAVE” signs drive me nuts. SAVE 25%… How can you save money when you’re spending? The sign should say “SPEND LESS” instead. Then there’s the 0% financing… another rip off… Pay cash, and you’ll see the finance charges.
end of rant
An interesting aside, as I was checking out the manager/owner asked what I paid (think it was priceline) the internet provider for the room & when I told him he gave me his business card & said next year to call him direct & he would match that price. Iam assuming that priceline does give a discount on price but also charge the owners a commission. So if you are a repeat customer you are doing the owners a favor by booking directly.
Still prefer the old way with the basic no frills Motel 6
Thanks, good tip. Another interesting aside is the lodge owner where I usually go fishing told me that my points CC costs him 5%, and would consider a 2.5% discount for cash. Beats my 1% points by more than double, so I think I’ll take him up on it.
It’s things like that one doesn’t realize so sure for a one time deal use the web sites but when you find a place you would like to return to talk to the manager & you could make a deal where you each benefit.