The first time I saw a hunting dog race down the hallway of my hotel, I will admit I was surprised. He was followed by his owner, in camouflage and carrying bags to the room after a day in the fields of South Dakota. I was also on the way to my room in the Holiday Inn Express in Aberdeen, and might have been less surprised had I already seen the sign posted in the rooms there that said:
Please do not clean game in the rooms. Thank You.
Over the years, I have stayed in many types of hotels and rooms in my travels. Everything from economy rooms that do not even provide shampoo, to suites with everything available at any time of day or night. For a road warrior, the ability to roll with the punches is essential. One day in Waterloo, IA I proceeded to my room and opened the door only to find opened luggage on the coffee table and someone in the bathroom. I quietly retreated and suggested to the desk clerk that she re-check her guest log and try again. Imagine if there had been an NRA convention in that hotel. Or a gathering of Ultimate Fighting hopefuls. Things might not have turned out like they did.
One thing that is common to every place of lodging along the highways of this great land is a lack of any reliable method of heating and cooling the room. No matter how many times the thermostat is adjusted, it is almost impossible to find the "sweet spot" and sleep soundly. This results in insomnia that is only tempered by watching David Letterman, or one show all about the making of another show that is only airing at some other time on HBO.
As the night drags on, along the corridor, fellow guests are tossing and turning in a vain attempt to find comfort. There we are, all under one roof, trying to make it through the night. And the only ones really happy are the hunting dogs, dreaming of plummeting waterfowl in the Dakota fields, and the thrill of the chase.
Please do not clean game in the rooms. Thank You.
Over the years, I have stayed in many types of hotels and rooms in my travels. Everything from economy rooms that do not even provide shampoo, to suites with everything available at any time of day or night. For a road warrior, the ability to roll with the punches is essential. One day in Waterloo, IA I proceeded to my room and opened the door only to find opened luggage on the coffee table and someone in the bathroom. I quietly retreated and suggested to the desk clerk that she re-check her guest log and try again. Imagine if there had been an NRA convention in that hotel. Or a gathering of Ultimate Fighting hopefuls. Things might not have turned out like they did.
One thing that is common to every place of lodging along the highways of this great land is a lack of any reliable method of heating and cooling the room. No matter how many times the thermostat is adjusted, it is almost impossible to find the "sweet spot" and sleep soundly. This results in insomnia that is only tempered by watching David Letterman, or one show all about the making of another show that is only airing at some other time on HBO.
As the night drags on, along the corridor, fellow guests are tossing and turning in a vain attempt to find comfort. There we are, all under one roof, trying to make it through the night. And the only ones really happy are the hunting dogs, dreaming of plummeting waterfowl in the Dakota fields, and the thrill of the chase.
