newer nicer place

Just finished a couple stints of housesitting so i'm in a new place tonight, the Cool Harbor Motel in Front Royal, VA. Because snap judgements are so satisfying and fun, i've got to say it's a nice place. New paint, chairs that don't rock, no pitch black on the bottom of my feet. I even have a telephone that isn't in the bathroom. The network isn't exactly reliable, but it's good enough to make this post.

And it's $5 / week cheaper than the Bluemont Inn right next door. The point is that what you pay is not what you get in motels, particularly low-budget, mom-and-pop type places. One of the nicest places i've stayed was a small place on Long Lake in far upstate New York, and while it wasn't the cheapest (something like $60), it was far from the most expensive. One of the reasons i want to write about motels is to give myself a reason to be braver ab't the places i stay. Because there are nice surprises out there if you can take a chance for them.

black feet

I stayed a couple nights between housesitting stints at a Super 8 in Manassas (the inconvienent one, not the one out by 66). The carpet felt odd on my bare feet, but nothing really seemed wrong until i got into the shower. Something on the carpet left a black dust on the bottom of my feet. At least all my toes are still attached. Blech.

Bluemont Inn, Front Royal, VA

The Bluemont Inn is a relatively modern, two story, outdoor entrance motel on 522/340 in the northern end of Front Royal, Virginia. It was likely built in the 1980s and is in fair shape.

To get a room, i had to call the manager on the phone, but he was on site, and a phone is a lot nicer to hear than the buzzer i heard in a couple other nearby motels. The manner of the manager is a bit odd, something like aggressively obsequious, but better than some of his neighbors. He didn't object to me checking the room before settling up.

The room itself is in ok shape, maybe not as good as the exterior might suggest. It was clean and nothing was broken, but there were a few electrical plates askew and patches visible in the wall. The smell was what you'd expect for a smoking room, but after a few days it became noticeable enough to motivate me to douse the room in Fabreze. The bed was good and firm with clean sheets.

The network was reliable, the air conditioning was fine, the plumbing was rickety but functional (and plenty of hot water), and the cable TV had the narrow range of what i watch. Oddly, there was no telephone (except the one without a handset in the bathroom).

It was a good deal. Quoted at $225/week (tax included), and when i extended my stay, i think days were miscounted (in my favor, though i tried to correct him). All in all, i'll likely stay there again, but not before trying other motels in Front Royal.

And Sometimes the Cops Show Up

I was very tired Friday night so i was getting ready to go to sleep early. While i was, an argument was erupting at the other end of the motel. Someone upstairs had offended someone downstairs (on the street or in the parking lot, not sure which), and Mr. Downstairs was calling on Mr. Upstairs to come down to meet him. It was far enough away to ignore while i brushed my teeth. When i checked on it again in a few minutes, the cops (Front Royal PD, i think) had arrived. I don't know any of the details, but the rest of the night was quiet...

Late Night Disturbances

Hearing neighbors is something that happens to everyone who lives with shared walls, apartments, townhouses, as well as motels. However, in less transient housing, the ongoing nature of the situation tends to make neighbors more considerate. After the 3:30 argument i overheard last night (it didn't last long, at least), i'm hoping my neighbors are plenty transient.

A Vague Proposal

... mostly to myself, but maybe beyond that.

Weekly rate motels can mean a lot of things and not all of them good, but in "these economic times", i suspect they're more and more common. I have a vague idea of using them to travel across the country a week (or so) at a time and as a home base to use for photographing and finding interesting places.

I'm pretty much committed to this degree thing for the next year, but i'm going to use this blog to sketch out some ideas, and maybe, after the year, this could be a major focus of what i'm doing. Or maybe this is just a dead end, but it's worth a look.