Change of Venue

The fact is, neon enhanced motels and greasy spoons are very hard to find. The very premise of this trip was undermined from the start by the triumph of corporate standardization over the unique. Reliablility trumps Individuality. We've stayed in the following so far:
1. Holiday Inn Express, north of Richmond, VA
2. ...it will come to me...a beach hotel...the Holiday Inn was full..., Kill Devil Hills, NC
3. Red Roof Inn near Fayettville NC
4. La Quinta Inn north of Atlanta, GA

We are traveling, mind you, with two rambunctious dogs cooped up in a car all day: not every innkeepers dream guest. Most places added $10/dog to the bill if they accepted us at all.

Only the Red Roof Inn was disgusting, proving perhaps that corporate standards are no panacea, and the La Quinta north of Atlanta was absolutely wonderful. So wonderful, in fact, that when it came to finding a hotel in the Dallas area we dialed 411 to find another one along Rte.20, and were directed to Arlington, Texas where there were several. When we arrived however, tired from the 12 hour, 850 mile haul from Atlanta, they were completely full…all of them. Family reunions and visiting athletic teams had every single room. There was a moment there of…not despair really, but…uh.

With the help of the desk clerk, we landed instead at Best Western just down the street.

College students drinking beer on the corridor veranda outside our room kept waking us up.

900 Miles to go, on not very much sleep. It’s a big country.

Route 20 headed west

Dallas, United States