#476...

that's the number of this posting...which might actually be a long one. i've been so lazy in posting over the past couple weeks that it has become a virulent trend. i wanna read everyone else's blog but watch my own fester in a pool of putrid stagnancy.

you know the feeling...but maybe not to such a great extent ;)

if you recall, we went to central texas twelve days ago. the car trip was roughly 2145 miles roundtrip. we spent a night in a hotel en route, each way.

usually, if we're driving to coleman, we tough it out and drive to abilene, a twelve hour drive (non-stop)...and spend a night there. however, our eye afflictions beg us limit the hours behind the wheel. so...we spent the night in lubbock instead.

HUGE








FREAKIN'










MISTAKE








we were foolish enough to spend it in the Econolodge on the south side of town. note that when you're staying there, you put the emphasis on 'CON' because that's how we felt.

the above photos from this dump's website were completely deceiving. the shabby carpeting looked like it had been installed by a one eyed quadruplegic with a malfunctioning wheelchair (no offense to any physically challenged individual who may fit this description). really though, part of it was on the wall...while some floorspace lacked it completely.

just plain bizarre...

i think the owner also contracted this person to paint the paper-thin doors, for they lacked a complete single coating, much of which was peeling anyway. i'm surprised that the doors even stayed intact, they epitomized spontaneous disintegration.

the interior appearance wasn't the only beef we had though. the outside grounds were kind of atrocious as well. the parking lot was ridden with potholes that were lying in wait to swallow entire vehicles that dared to tread upon its ghastly wasteland. the soda stained sidewalk around the property was a playground of euphoric stickiness. i swear i saw prolific anthills the size of semi-trucks. you could easily lose a shoe, luggage, or even small children if you weren't careful in setting something down.

usually, a place like this might be equated with a fantasyland for drug dealing. well, i think the pushers have more sense than this; it might be bad for business.

the most laughable aspect about the hotel was its simply pitiful towels. not only were they few (two washcloths and two 'bath' towels), they were miniature sized (the bath towels could have doubled as king size pillowcases and the washcloths were easily cocktail napkins in a past life) and were the antithesis of absorbency. why bother? we could just use the bedsheets, which were shockingly free of stains and/or pubic hairs! wotta plus...

you know, i can't complain because we've actually stayed in (just barely) worse places in mexico and bolivia...but for a lot less! those places were $3-$7 a night...not $50. yeah, we paid that much.

you ask, why did you stay? for the beds and the dog. we got into town tired, hot, and cranky. we mainly stayed because the beds were (surprisingly) good and the fact that pets were allowed. we could put up with all of the shortcomings for one night.

besides, if we had stayed in a better place, i wouldn't have blog fodder and my five dedicated readers would have had two more minutes of time on their hands.

so now you know...