As I was driving around in Missouri, after the sun had gone down, I hit a wall. No, not literally. Granted, I've really only been on the road for two days at this point. But they were very long days. A lot has already happened.
I'm also a little paranoid about missing the crossing into Iowa... I had almost missed the change into Missouri, and now it's dark. So, I had to stop.
I wasn't seeing anything on my GPS to indicate which state I was even in. I'm not sure how a person can get so disoriented in so short a time, but that's where I was. Huh... maybe those fumes had a little more effect on me than I realized...
The first opportunity that I had to get off the road, I took it. I saw a sign for a truck stop. Perfect!
I didn't exactly need to eat again... not after that Taco Bell debacle, so I was happy to see that there was a cute little country store attached. I walked around for a while... okay, cute was a stretch. But that's what I needed to do (stretch) so, for that, it worked. I happened to find some un-needed trinkets to purchase... so as I'm standing at the counter checking out, I happen to ask the clerk; "Where are we?"
"We're in Cameron." She didn't catch the blank look on my face... so I had to ask: "Where's that?"
I was surprised to find myself actually still in Missouri.
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It was very late when I arrived in my destination city for the evening, Des Moines, IA. When I was still in Kansas, putting the destination address into my GPS, I thought it a little bit odd that the location didn't come up so easily. Recognizing that I was running behind schedule, I picked an address that appeared to be in the same area. But how can you really tell, when still two states away? Duh.
Amazingly, when I arrived where I told the GPS to lead me, there was nothing there. Seriously. There was nothing but a pitch black street in a residential area. (Realize, I'm not saying it was dark just because it was late. There were almost no street lights on. The only street light around for quite a ways was at a gas station, but even that looked sketchy. I was NOT getting out in this location.)
You'd think I would learn from my previous getting lost episodes... this time, I can honestly say I tried.
First, I checked my address in the GPS. So far as I can tell, it matches the address on my motel confirmation page. Next, I tried calling the listed phone number. No answer.
Call again? No answer.
Now what?
If the neighborhood wasn't so... so... questionable, I probably would have gotten out and asked.
So, I sat there for a minute. I sat there trying to figure out what to do. A quick search for area motels on the GPS doesn't come up with the one I want. So that's out. Dang. If I hadn't already paid for these reservations (since it was WAY beyond when I could cancel and get my money back) I might have given up and tried to find something where I was. Surely things would make sense in the morning.
I'm beginning to wonder if this motel really exists... when I notice, on the confirmation page... in really, really small print.... The address has the motel in a different city. Interesting. Why does the name of the motel say it's in Des Moines then? Wouldl you be surprised if I told you that trying to put in that address came up immediately?
I was about 15 minutes out of my way. So, wasn't it beyond frustrating when I arrived at the new location... only to NOT find the motel I'm looking for?
Are you kidding me? I see McDonalds, Applebee's, another motel... but not the Motel 6. How is this even possible??
I think I drove around that particular cul-de-sac three times before spotting what I was looking for. Behind the very large Applebee's sign, is this teeny little sign telling me that the Motel 6 is back there. It's not even lit very well. I'm very nearly amazed that I found it at all.
So, believe me, I had something to say when I walked into that building. I wasn't mean, just frustrated. Which is exactly what I told the gal at the desk. She told me I should write a note to the manager, because that's exactly what she's been saying for months.
So I did. I was beyond caring that it was so late at night, that I had been driving all day and was exhausted before I got there. Dangit, I was going to be heard!
Imagine my surprise when I got a response back! The manager was very apologetic about my experience. On top of that, he told me that he took my comments to the city hall meeting that night. (Yes, that would be the night after the one I arrived on.)
Maybe that experience was a little more divine than I realized!
I'm also a little paranoid about missing the crossing into Iowa... I had almost missed the change into Missouri, and now it's dark. So, I had to stop.
I wasn't seeing anything on my GPS to indicate which state I was even in. I'm not sure how a person can get so disoriented in so short a time, but that's where I was. Huh... maybe those fumes had a little more effect on me than I realized...
The first opportunity that I had to get off the road, I took it. I saw a sign for a truck stop. Perfect!
I didn't exactly need to eat again... not after that Taco Bell debacle, so I was happy to see that there was a cute little country store attached. I walked around for a while... okay, cute was a stretch. But that's what I needed to do (stretch) so, for that, it worked. I happened to find some un-needed trinkets to purchase... so as I'm standing at the counter checking out, I happen to ask the clerk; "Where are we?"
"We're in Cameron." She didn't catch the blank look on my face... so I had to ask: "Where's that?"
I was surprised to find myself actually still in Missouri.
------------
It was very late when I arrived in my destination city for the evening, Des Moines, IA. When I was still in Kansas, putting the destination address into my GPS, I thought it a little bit odd that the location didn't come up so easily. Recognizing that I was running behind schedule, I picked an address that appeared to be in the same area. But how can you really tell, when still two states away? Duh.
Amazingly, when I arrived where I told the GPS to lead me, there was nothing there. Seriously. There was nothing but a pitch black street in a residential area. (Realize, I'm not saying it was dark just because it was late. There were almost no street lights on. The only street light around for quite a ways was at a gas station, but even that looked sketchy. I was NOT getting out in this location.)
You'd think I would learn from my previous getting lost episodes... this time, I can honestly say I tried.
First, I checked my address in the GPS. So far as I can tell, it matches the address on my motel confirmation page. Next, I tried calling the listed phone number. No answer.
Call again? No answer.
Now what?
If the neighborhood wasn't so... so... questionable, I probably would have gotten out and asked.
So, I sat there for a minute. I sat there trying to figure out what to do. A quick search for area motels on the GPS doesn't come up with the one I want. So that's out. Dang. If I hadn't already paid for these reservations (since it was WAY beyond when I could cancel and get my money back) I might have given up and tried to find something where I was. Surely things would make sense in the morning.
I'm beginning to wonder if this motel really exists... when I notice, on the confirmation page... in really, really small print.... The address has the motel in a different city. Interesting. Why does the name of the motel say it's in Des Moines then? Wouldl you be surprised if I told you that trying to put in that address came up immediately?
I was about 15 minutes out of my way. So, wasn't it beyond frustrating when I arrived at the new location... only to NOT find the motel I'm looking for?
Are you kidding me? I see McDonalds, Applebee's, another motel... but not the Motel 6. How is this even possible??
I think I drove around that particular cul-de-sac three times before spotting what I was looking for. Behind the very large Applebee's sign, is this teeny little sign telling me that the Motel 6 is back there. It's not even lit very well. I'm very nearly amazed that I found it at all.
So, believe me, I had something to say when I walked into that building. I wasn't mean, just frustrated. Which is exactly what I told the gal at the desk. She told me I should write a note to the manager, because that's exactly what she's been saying for months.
So I did. I was beyond caring that it was so late at night, that I had been driving all day and was exhausted before I got there. Dangit, I was going to be heard!
Imagine my surprise when I got a response back! The manager was very apologetic about my experience. On top of that, he told me that he took my comments to the city hall meeting that night. (Yes, that would be the night after the one I arrived on.)
Maybe that experience was a little more divine than I realized!
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