.....and other random stuff......

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The Motel Chronicles, con’t

We used to drive from New York to Florida, via the I-95 corridor (the main interstate along the east coast.)

It’s a long and boring road.
1,400 miles of tedium.

With two small, energetic boys in the car you look for ways to pass the time.
I guess the owners of ‘South of the Border’ knew it was a mind-numbing ride because they put up funny billboards to advertise their hotel/restaurant/’theme park’ (using the term very loosely!)

Two states before you even reached the place the billboards started.

Hundreds of them!

We made a game out it. The first one to spot the next sign got points and the one with the most points won a prize when we got there.















It was, without a doubt, the sleaziest, dirtiest, kitschiest, roadside attraction.

But at the time it was the only motel in the area (and it was strategically located at the half way point of our trip, the point where if we didn’t get out of the car and rest we’d kill each other.)

PLUS, Pedro was smart…..along with the motel and restaurant, he had fireworks for sale (legal in South Carolina) AND a small play park with rides and lots of flashing lights for the kids.

Every year it seemed to get dirtier.

On our last stay, I kicked off my shoes as I entered the room (as I always do indoors) and walked across the 70’s green shag carpet and flopped on the bed.
Son1 looked at me in horror and said, “Mom! What’s on your feet?”
When I looked down, my socks were BLACK!
I don’t mean they were grey, dirty, been walking outside in your socks dirty, I mean BLACK!

It gave me the heebie-jeebies!
I was wide awake all night, watching the clock, just waiting till I could bolt out of bed and leave!
At about 4:30 AM I couldn’t take it any longer! I got everyone and everything shoved into the car and we left!

I didn’t feel clean for days! LOL

5 comments:

  1. A friend of mine worked the desk at a motel chain. She told me horror stories about what got cleaned and what didn't. :-O

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  2. I thought 35 miles from the motorway to Barnstaple was tedious!...boy, 1400 miles of it!! When you said about staying at Pedros my mind was ahead of itself, won't say why..lol.

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  3. This is hilarious. We used to live in Orlando, so I remember that 95 trip and these signs. I also have vague and moldy memories of having to stay in a similar motel along the way. Shiver shiver!

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  4. Yep...been there many, many times over my 40 some years of east coast living...but never had the pleasure of staying overnight!

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  5. I have been kind of 'blue' today... not sure why, just am... but then I came here and caught up on your stories, and now I am grinning. Thanks. Love the stories... I can just imagine the race to the garbage cans! and yes I remember hearing about geritol... too funny!

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