COVID-19 The New Strain & The Truth No One is Talking About

 Covid19 has spread through the United States like a runaway train. Not one corner of our country hasn’t been touched by the virus. We’ve shut down business, closed our schools, hid in our homes and watched helplessly as our family and friends have become infected and in many tragic cases died. 

Done are the days of blame! Where did it originate? Why didn’t the W.H.O. (World Health Organization) know more? Did President Trump do too little too late? Did  we as a society take this epidemic as seriously as we should have? At this point none of that matters…. except to politicians who will use this epidemic for many elections to come as ‘fodder’ to sling at the opposing side.

The truth and simple truth that NO ONE is telling you….. COVID 19 is here to stay.

Viruses are NOT eradicated, they are controlled to a point. The flu is a virus, we have a new vaccine every year to fight whatever new strain it has morphed into. This will be the future of COVID 19 as well, forever daunting us with a new strain every year. In less than a year COVID has evolved into a new strain, more contagious than the original…. it will mutate again… and again… that’s what viruses do. 

That makes the real question, what do we do next? 

Let’s put this in perspective, I’m in Sacramento County California. As of today the majority of this state is in a mandatory ‘business restrictions’ & ‘mask required outdoors’ order. These mandates are meant to keep the virus from being transmitted from person to person, good idea in theory.

Here’s were it gets stupid: 

Masks are required to be worn in public if you are going to be within 6 feet of others. Yet the Sacramento County Sheriff's office and Sacramento County Health Services have both stated they will not enforce that mandate, instead leaning to educate people of the dangers. The time for education is long over, now is the time to ‘put up or shut up’. 

Either enforce the mandates or stop making them! After a year it’s pretty clear that far too many people either don’t believe that COVID-19 is as severe as reported or they just don’t care about their health or yours. Fine, that’s democracy in action…. we all have our own ideas and beliefs and we are FREE to have them.

Well I believe that I should be able to drive 200 mph down Interstate 80, however I can’t because it would be endangering my life and the lives of those around me. So if I do it, law enforcement will take action… for my protection and yours. How is refusing to wear a mask, not maintain distance from others, and following other COVID-19 mandates any different. Rhetorical question…. there is no difference, just politics.

What does that mean? It means that without full public support, the government or specifically politicians don’t want to risk losing your support. It means creating guidelines so every store, shop, & business is required to police those mandates themselves, making you the bad guy. Yet if you are outside a business then you are on your own if someone approaches you without a mask.

Here’s something else that bothers me about our current COVID guidelines. Restaurants are not allowed to have indoor dining or are restricted in occupancy. So to save their buisnessesmany have resorted to outdoors dining, and due to the cold & wet weather have erected tents to places the customers under. In what universe does a virus transmit less effectively in an enclosed tent, than an enclosed building?

Every week small businesses statewide are given lockdown orders or unreasonable requirements that eventually run them out of business due to money constraints or sheer exhaustion from the changing rules each week.. While big box stores continue to operate seemingly unscathed. And yet the virus is still here, despite the lockdowns, stay at home orders and countless mandates.

The point I’m making is, nothing we do as a country is going to stop, slow or eradicate COVID 19. Like the cold, flu and dozens of other worldwide viruses, it’s here to stay. It’s time to learn to live with it rather than eradicate it. The plan of attack needs to change, unfortunately politicians want to keep you scared & off balanced, because scared & off balanced people vote for solutions… even if the solutions hurt them or don’t make real world sense. 

A prime example of a government solution that makes no sense… regulate small business to the point of going out of business, yet allow mass air travel worldwide.

I don’t know if Covid-19 is the killer it’s claimed to be. I do follow the guidelines, not so much because I’m convinced, yet rather for those around me… just in case. It’s unfortunate that not all people are as respectful of their fellow Californians. You know who you are…. 

Red Roof Inn Sacramento North - 4325 Watt Ave Sacramento California 95821

Red Roof Inns are a solid 2 star motel chain that have locations across the United States. So right off the bat you have to realize that these are considered budget lodgings, though on the higher end of room prices. Having been woefully disappointed by other budget lodgings in the area, I decided to give this Red Roof Inn at 4325 Watt Ave in Sacramento, California a try.

Well… just read the review, I guess,

This location is VERY conveniently located smack dab between Interstate 80 and Business 80. Giving you immediate freeway access to the downtown area, Cal Expo and Sacramento International Airport. The small patch of Watt Ave (a main through way that connects Interstate 80 on the north and Highway 50  on the south) where this inn sits is accompanied by a Chevron gas station, Phat Jerry's Phillies, Starbucks and Wendy's restaurant across the street

 A 2 minute walk to the north will take you to the SacRT light rail and bus station, giving you further economical access to the rest of the county. It should be noted that SacRT also has a dedicated shuttle service between downtown bus stops and the airport. A further 8 minute walk north will reveal a Super Walmart, KFC, Del Taco, Subway Sandwiches, Golden Corral Buffet, Carl's Jr, Waffle House and a Love Laundry laundromat.

The newly painted building is a rustic maroon and white. As I pulled onto the property, I passed a CHP (California Highway Patrol) vehicle, the officer stopping behind parked vehicles to look them over. This was not a good omen for this property. As I proceeded into the lobby, another guest came rushing out with a brass luggage cart full of suitcases and filled trash bags, cursing under their breath.

The lobby was big, much bigger than most budget inns. At one corner was a small waiting area with leather-like cushioned chairs in front of a big screen TV. A large table took up most of the space, situated by a breakfast station. The reception desk was large, a mini version of what you’d expect to find at a Vegas resort hotel. All in all, it was a clean and nicely arranged lobby area, however it was ridiculously hot. Whether the air conditioning was broken or just off, I don’t know. I do know it made me not want to spend any more time there than I absolutely had too.

The desk clerk was a soft spoken woman who spoke in such a low voice I found myself having to ask her to repeat herself several times. This location has a $35 fee for early check in and a $60 refundable deposit requirement if paying with cash. Check in was reasonably quick. WiFi password was written on the key card sleeve. Was then informed of breakfast hours and check out time, yet not even an ‘enjoy your stay’, was spoken as I took my room key card and left.


Finding my room, I went in and found it looked and smelled clean. The fresh smell of a mopped floor is hard to mistake, yet when I looked down, there were still small pieces of paper and leaves on the floor.

The bed was nicely made, the sheets and cover blankets all appeared fresh. The room was equipped with a hair dryer, coffee maker, microwave and mini fridge, nice conveniences. Unfortunately when I inspected the inside of the fridge it appeared clean, yet smelled odd. The microwave was clean as well as the coffee maker.

The TV, remote control, lights and A/C all worked as they should, however the problems begin here. I don’t use ironing boards, but my room had a crunchy, stained, ripped ironing board hanging on the wall by the bathroom sink. Oddly though there was no iron, I suppose many people travel with their own iron.

There was a hair dryer attached to the wall, so just to test it… I plugged it in and turned it on. It immediately popped the red ‘fault’ button on the wall plug. So I reset the plug and tried again, only to have the same thing happen. So I reset the plug and put away the dryer. Can anybody say ‘fire hazard’?

The tub was a bit dirty and had some items left from the previous guest still sitting in the soap caddy.

The floor of the tub was visibly dirty, stained with crude from 100 guests before me. Have I ever mentioned that I also travel with flip flops just for showers like this one… yes people, athletes foot is a real thing, and I don’t want it.

The shower rod was practically falling down. Visibly broken and coming apart from the wall, I was very concerned that it would fall when I was taking a shower. Toilet was clean and flushed… what more could a man want from his toilet.


Sitting down at the desk I turned on the desk lamp that had a convenient yet not functional AC outlet at its base. Just as I turned on the light a nice inch long cockroach made his way nonchalantly across the desktop. I of course squished him with the hopes he doesn’t come back as a Rottweiler in its next life or I may be in trouble.

I found 3 other cockroaches during my stay, one climbing the wall and two in the bathroom. We all just left each other alone.

Housekeeping only came by once during my 3 day stay, and one of those days I had to go down to the housekeeping laundry room to get fresh towels. The one day the housekeeper did visit my room, it was well after 5pm and I’m guessing I was just an afterthought. One of the housekeepers has a mouth like a ‘sailor’ and was dropping the ‘f-bomb’ every few words. This wasn’t an isolated incident, every day I was there you could hear here voice echoing through the corridor, cursing about something or someone.

The noise level after 10pm is ludicrous to say the least. Most motels, even the really low class ones, are strict about being quiet after 10pm, not this establishment. Here it's pretty quiet up until 10pm, when it seems like the place gets pretty lively. People roaming the property, groups gathered in corner areas and everyone being loud. One of those nights the police arrived on the property for something, my only indication was due to my being woken by the sirens then the flashing red/blue lights outside my curtain.

Hmm, the curtains… I’ve been to a lot of hotels, and curtains are often problematic. Some hang too far from the window, others are thin and a breeze from the AC can move them and others are adequate yet don't block out the light very well. This Red Roof Inn location has the best curtains I’ve found. They’re thick, heavy and hang close to the window. So NO ONE is peeping in through thin curtains or around open creases at this motel. It's sad that the curtains are the BEST thing about this Red Roof Inn location.

Oh this was funny, my room was across from the ice machine. So I could hear day and night whenever someone was filling their ice bucket. Each day I was there at approx 7pm, a young man would come to the ice machine and start filling his ice bucket. However his ice bucket was a 20 gallon trash bag. The first time I heard the ice machine dispensing so much I thought it was broken and looked out the curtain to see. He was nice and when another guest came to the machine he’d step aside and let them fill their ice bucket, then go right back to filling his garbage bag. I’m guessing from the load he walked away with each night, he was walking away with about 10+ gallons of ice

I went to the provided breakfast one morning, but only once. I knew they served a ‘continental breakfast’ from their website, meaning light stuff. So I was having mixed expectations, since I had seen such a large dining table when I checked in. I wasn’t disappointed, it was a ‘continental breakfast’, with choices of cereal, fruit, coffee and juice. But I had hoped for so much more… seeing that dining table against the small offerings it now seemed out of place in the lobby.

Check out was just as easy as check in had been, yet again the desk clerk a different person, said very little. No ‘have a good day’ or ‘thank you for staying’.

The fact is this location was adequate for a one night stay over if going over or coming from the Sierras. I wouldn’t suggest staying more than a couple nights here, mainly due to:

the inefficiency of housekeeping - not coming to refresh my towels and coffee supplies daily is inexcusable. And my having to hunt them down myself to get towels is unprofessional.

The noise level after 10pm. Even at 3am, people were still roaming around being loud, and the echoe effect in the corridors doesn't help

The roaches - Roaches are common in motels, but when one crawls across your path at a snail's pace when you turn the light on, the cockroach is basically telling YOU who’s in charge.

Broken shower rod - This motel has you sign a document making you liable for damages in your room. This is not uncommon, many motels have a separate form like this, or a similar statement on the room contract you sign. However unless you have hotel staff walk through the room with you upon arrival, maintenance concerns like that nearly broken shower rod could become YOUR responsibility if they choose not to acknowledge it was previously damaged. And there is not a doubt in my mind that housekeeping knew of the shower rod being damaged…. It was too obvious

Maintenance issues - a faulty bathroom plug or faulty hairdryer are fire hazards, additionally the inoperable AC outlet plug on the desk lamp, and the nearly broken shower rod


I’ve returned to this motel twice now and it still suffers from the same problems as before. Though on my last visit, the tub had been painted white... a very poor paint job too.

However when I have a craving for a great Philly Cheese-steak, I would stay at this motel JUST so I can go across the street to Phat Jerry's Phillies. So to the franchise owner of the Red Roof Inn location, you owe Phat Jerry's a big THANK YOU. Those sandwiches are the ONLY reason I would return to this location.

Motel 6 Review - 7850 College Town Drive, Sacramento, California 95826

The Motel 6 at 7850 College Town Drive Sacramento, California 95826 is a budget lodging, currently a franchise owned location.

Motel 6 is one of the few budget motel chains that keeps a tight rein on their properties both corporate and franchised, to ensure a consistent experience for guests no matter what Motel 6 you choose to visit.

This location is no different, a well run motel with professional front office staff and friendly housekeepers.

The rooms are exactly what you’d expect if you’ve been to any other Motel 6 in the United States. Clean beds, tidy floors/counters and acceptably clean bath/shower. I didn't include photos of the room just because I was so tired on arrival, I just unpacked, showered and went to bed... basically messing up any nice room photo I could of taken.

The exterior of the property is basic but clean, There is a pool, in the center of the property next to the ice machines.

During my stay I found this location to be up to par with other Motel 6 locations, having its maintenance related issues, but nothing so drastic that I would include it in a review.

** Note for long term guests: unlike most Motel 6 locations, this one WILL NOT allow you to stay longer than 14 days.

This location does shine in one area, that other Motel 6 locations in the area seem to falter, customer service.

I refer specifically to the office staff, who are of course friendly and professional, Yet are also quite accommodating.

Here’s an example, when I checked into my room, I noticed that the desk chair was wobbly. Who cares right, I didn’t but it was an opportunity to see if the staff would do anything if I brought it to their attention. So I called the front desk and told them my desk chair was very wobbly….. I was immediately told that a new chair would be brought to me. Within 10 minutes, a friendly housekeeper knocked and exchanged my chair with a better one.

Later that day I went to the office to ask where the snack machine was, and was informed there wasn’t one. Yet without being asked, the courteous desk clerk told me about the multiple places to eat or purchase snacks. Denny's next door, Chevron, McDonalds, Taco Bell, Mountain Mikes Pizza, 7-11 and a sandwich shop across the street.

The young man did add that they would be getting snack and soda machines soon, and would be in place within a month.

The next day housekeeping arrived in the mid morning and asked if I needed anything. It was going to be a rainy week and I was sure to be tracking in dirt, mud and water, so I asked if I could have FULL SERVICE daily.

Now most Motel 6 locations will change your sheets daily on request, but the more common routine is every other day. Of the 5 days I was here, I was out 3 of them, when housekeeping came. And as promised, each day my room was cleaned top to bottom, towels, soaps, ice bucket bags, trash and sheets changed when I returned in the afternoon. I even noticed that housekeeping had polished the chrome and cleaned the shower and toilet daily.

I did find the parking here to be challenging. There are plenty of parking spaces all the way around the property, but due to the layout of the buildings, you may not be able to get a parking space near your room.

There was one special surprise at this location that you wouldn't expect to find at a location in a major city.

Wild turkeys roam the property. I was told by a housekeeper that the wild turkeys have been there as long as she could remember. They are NOT pets or mascots, (DO NOT attempt to touch or feed them) but rather the occasional guest from the nearby American River Parkway.

These turkeys or maybe others, were also seen outside McDonalds as I enjoyed a Big Mac Meal. Then the next day at the 7-11 down the street.

The short version of this review is, it's a Motel 6 with all of the chain's pros and cons. However if you want to stay in a Motel 6 where the staff are very nice and helpful, this is the location to stay in while in Sacramento.

Motel 6 - 5110 Interstate Ave Sacramento California Review

My work takes me all over the country, however a few places I visit on a regular basis. One of the places I frequently find myself is Sacramento, California, a perfect jumping point to other cities and locals in the Western United States.  An International airport, an Amtrak Station and a central hub for Greyhound Bus Lines. So I know many of the local eateries, motels and entertainment. Motel 6 is a National Brand budget motel located at 5110 Interstate Ave in the North Highlands area of Sacramento, California.

This Motel 6 is conveniently located on Interstate 80, and a convenient stop for those who will be going over or have come from the Sierras. I’ve occasionally made this my rest stop and have always found the rooms to be adequate. Having its problems but never so much so that it wasn’t worth the money to stay.

Dennys, Jack in the Box, Starbucks, Chevron and a Scandia Miniature Golf Course are all 50 yards away. If you’re like me and enjoy a brisk walk, then a stroll down Madison Ave will find a slew of shopping and fast food. Target, GameStop, 7-11, Burger King, McDonalds, Wienerschnitzel, Panda Express, El Pollo Loco, 99 cent only, IHOP, Chik fil A, In and Out Burger, Staples, a Family Fitness Center and a bowling alley all within a mile.

This area has a moderate homeless population, and as you turn onto Interstate Ave, it is not unusual to see several homeless people sitting on the grass by Jack in the Box or lying on the sidewalk in front of the Dennys or Starbucks. Around dusk you can often see several homeless people congregating behind the Denny's near their garbage bin.

However, I have NEVER had any problems with the homeless population, rarely in fact do they even ask for money. They keep to themselves and may say hi as you pass by, making them friendlier than most people I’ve met in this area.

Check in at this Motel 6 location, is 3:00pm OR later. Not 2:00pm, 2:30pm or even 2:56pm. In the past I was able to check in immediately anytime after 2:00pm as long as they had a clean room. No longer do they extend that courtesy, as evidenced when not even calling the housekeeper on her walkie talkie, the desk clerk claimed that housekeeping had not yet cleaned the room assigned to my reservation.

This is of course a lie, since at exactly 3:00pm, as I stood there at the front desk, the desk clerk said, ‘oh its 3 o’clock, your room is ready”.

Was this desk clerk physic? Did she somehow ‘astral-project’ to my room and see that housekeeping had just finished cleaning my room… of course not. She was just stalling until their strict 3:00pm check in time. Let me be clear, I knew check in was at 3:00pm, only arriving early due to past visits letting me check in early.

Now all the desk clerk had to say was, ‘we now  have a policy that restricts us from checking in guests before 3:00pm’. Had I been told that, I would not be including the above interaction in this review. Lying to me, stalling me, may be easier, BUT it's bad business. Had I been immediately told about a firm policy, I would have walked next door to Dennys for lunch, rather than waiting in the tiny lobby for my room to be cleaned. By the way, that same ‘room not clean yet’ excuse was used on two other guests while I was waiting in the lobby.

This Motel 6 has a main section AND what they call an Annex Building that sits approx 150 yards away from the main building complex, on the northernmost corner of the property. If you’re lucky enough (I say sarcastically) to get a room in the Annex building, you’ll immediately feel as if you’re being punished for something.

The Annex area is well lit at night, however due to its distance from the main buildings, if something were to happen out there… well, as my neighbor in the next room told me (a young woman who was traveling alone), she just didn’t feel safe being so far from help if needed.

She added that even if she screamed for help, it was likely no one would hear her due to the noise from the adjacent Interstate.

The rooms are clean and maintained with a few exceptions. The sheets smelled fresh but as with most budget motels, fleece blankets and top cover blankets ARE NOT washed after each ‘check out’ and that is noticeable. Although when asked, housekeeping will happily supply you with a fresh cleaned fleece blanket.

Oh a Tip for my Fellow Travelers: How to tell if bed sheets have been freshly changed
Pull the blankets back and just look at the sheets. Both the top and fitted sheet WILL HAVE fold creases in them. Now at a budget motel the fold creases may not be as noticeable since they don’t fold them as tightly as a 4 star hotel would. However the folds will still be there. If you don’t see the creases made from the sheets being folded, than it's VERY possible those sheets are NOT fresh. I wouldn’t worry about that here, as I said the housekeeping staff is quite efficient.

The TV and remote worked, which is nice, unfortunately the WiFi was seriously lacking. Plenty of signal strength, even able to connect to the router, but NO internet. Just a constant RESOLVING HOST problem. I called the front desk to inquire about the WiFi and was told, ‘yeah sometimes it works good out there, sometimes it doesn’t, nothing we can really do about it from here’.  Oh well… what 1 or 2 star motel anywhere has reliable WiFi service. On other visits here the internet worked well, so this may have been an isolated incident.

 The Air Conditioning worked, though even on HIGH, the A/C doesn’t really cool the room effectively on a +98F degree day. On top of that, if you decide to go out to the State Fair or other day trip, decide to leave the A/C on to keep the room cool for your return….. Well you’re in for a harsh return.

When housekeeping comes by, they enter the room to make beds,  refill the necessities AND turn that A/C up to 75+ degrees. If you leave a note on the bed saying to leave the A/C where it is, they will.

The bathroom is adequate but you'll feel the need to get a can of anti fungal foot spray after using the shower. Its filthy, and NOT from lack of cleaning. Its old, stained, cracking and just generally ugly looking. I recommend wearing flip flops while in the shower, which is good advise for any lodging 1 star or 5 star, you just never know whats lurking on the shower floor.

The toilet is a toilet, really what more can you say about it. It flushes.... however, why can't they tighten the toilet seat. The toilet seat was so loose that I was sure I'd slide right off the bowl. I mean tightening the plastic nuts that hold it on is a simple thing to do Maintenance or housekeeping could do it in 3 minutes, literally, yet no one does. Are they waiting for the seat to completely fall off and hurt a guest??

Housekeeping Service here is REQUIRED if staying for more than a few days. I was informed that if staying more than 3 days, you could only refuse Housekeeping Service once. This is actually a good policy, allowing the rooms to be properly maintained, yet can be inconvenient since there is no schedule as to when they will be knocking on your door.

On a side note, I felt so bad when I saw one of the housekeepers pushing their FULL OVERFLOWING laundry cart 150+ yards in 103F+ degree weather to and from the Annex Section to the main Motel complex. Someone BUY housekeeping a golf cart to make that trip easier!

Oh if you stay for more than a day, expect to walk up to the office every single day to have your room key card reprogrammed. The majority of lodgings in America and the rest of the world, including other Motel 6 locations, program your key card to work for the duration of your stay. NOT HERE! Even when I specifically ask the desk clerk to program my key card for my full stay.. They seldom do.

There is a small area for pets to do their ‘business’, provided in the wide open space between the Main buildings and the Annex buildings, along with small dispenser w/ poop bags.

This location is NO LONGER corporate owned, it is a franchise location as of late 2019. You will not find a General Manager on the property if you run into problems. Although I have not met the owner, I have been told that he is immediately available to guests should a problem arise.

There is a separate review of this Motel regarding Reservations… if you plan on coming here you’ll want to read this or risk NOT getting the room you reserved.

Motel 6 Reservation Guarantee - Read the invisible print

The majority of motels and hotels in the United States, including Motel 6 adhere to an unofficial industry standard policy called ‘the walk policy’.

Basically this policy says that if you make a guaranteed reservation (and in some instances a non-guaranteed reservation), and you arrive at your motel to find they CAN’T accommodate your reservation for whatever reason, they WILL get you into a room that night EVEN if it means making arrangements at another hotel, paying for your first night at that alternate hotel and provide or pay for transportation if necessary.

Now first you have to ask yourself why wouldn’t your hotel of choice be able to accommodate your reservation. There’s actually many reasons, such as over booking, rooms being taken out of service due to maintenance issues, computer errors, employee error, etc. This isn’t really about the many reasons it COULD happen, but rather what Motel 6 did to me when it DID happen…. On two separate occasions.

These occurred at the same Motel 6 location at 5110 Interstate Ave, Sacramento, CA 95842. (Update: At the time I wrote this, this Motel 6 location was corporate owned. As of Late 2019, this location is now franchise owned)

Unlike most travelers, I read the fine print. And one of the reasons I don’t use third party companies to book rooms is because most of them won’t or can’t guarantee your reservation. So with most stays, I book directly on the hotels website, to ensure I get that guarantee from their property. As I did with Motel 6, like a dozen times before.

The first time it happened at this location, I had reserved a 2 bed room, yet when I checked in I was told there computer only showed me as booking a 1 bed room. The desk clerk, Stephanie, was non-apologetic saying she had no idea why my reservation was different on her computer. I began searching my emails from my phone to produce my Motel 6 email confirmation, when she stated matter of factly, “it doesn’t matter what confirmation you show me..”, informing me that the 2 bed rooms were not only fully booked but also fully occupied.

Stephanie was polite, while trying to think of an option, then offered to put me in a 1 bed room that night and would have a 2 bed room cleaned as soon as one of the current occupants checked out in the morning. No discount was offered in fact she was going to charge me the same rate as if it were a 2 bed room, so I asked for a discount on the 1 bed room I'd have to stay in that night.

Inconvenient yes, but she was at least attempting to make the situation right, I appreciated that. So I took the discounted 1 bed room, allowing my travel companion to have the bed and me huddled in a corner on the floor with a spare blanket provided by housekeeping.  The next morning I went to the office at 11am and she indeed had a housekeeper cleaning a room for me. By the time I was finished exchanging key cards and re-checking in, the housekeeper called on the walkie talkie to say the room was ready. Problem solved, guest happy and life goes on…..

Later in the year this same situation arises again. My reservation for a 2 bed room was now appearing as a 1 bed room reservation on the motels computer. This time the desk clerk (a new desk clerk, this location has a high turnover. Every time I come here there are different desk clerks) was of no help and had no idea how to handle the situation. Also he was surprisingly uneducated in policies, he was polite but obviously disinterested and unsympathetic.  But when he saw that I was frustrated, he kept his cool and did the only thing he was obviously trained to do… read the computer screen and call someone else.

I produced my confirmation email, and unphased by the error, the desk clerk kept telling me, ‘I don’t know what to tell you, my computer says 1 bedroom’.

Not wanting to sleep on the floor again, I asked to speak with a manger, but there was none on site… at 3pm during the rush of check-ins. He called his manager and left a message on voicemail, time went by and no return call from the manager. I told the desk clerk I would like to use the Guaranteed Reservation option, and be sent to another Motel 6 property.

The desk clerk had NO IDEA what I was talking about, he even said that reservations aren’t guaranteed. Seeing I was getting upset, he called someone he claims was in Guest Services, and told them about my claim that reservations were guaranteed. I showed him on the Motel 6 website, the guarantee that says my reservation would be honored, even if it meant going to another hotel at their expense.

        ‘YOU NEED TO KNOW’ this, if staying at a Motel 6.

I was always under the impression that if you made a guaranteed reservation on their website, you would always get the room TYPE reserved OR the ‘the walk policy’ would go into effect. It’s what it says on their website…. Or does it??? Below is the Motel 6 Guaranteed Reservation policy portion in regards to not honoring your reservation, copy/pasted from the FAQ page of their website, motel6.com on Oct 2019:

If guaranteed with your credit card, your reservation will be held all night for your arrival. If you are unable to guarantee your reservation, your room will be held until 6:00PM (at most locations).

 In the unlikely event that we cannot honor your guaranteed reservation, we will reimburse you for the first night's lodging at a comparable motel, transportation to that establishment (if needed) and a telephone call to your home or office to notify others of your new location.

To me that says, if I can’t get my 2 bed room as reserved, then Motel 6 will get me to a motel/hotel that does have 2 bed room… right??? WRONG!!!!

First off the Guest Service person had no idea what I was talking about and had never heard of a ‘guaranteed reservation’ policy. Then adding that all they could do was give me the 1 bed room or switch me to a 2 bed room the following day IF AVAILABLE, which it wasn’t.  She also explained that my reservation was downgraded to a 1 bed room by a KNOWN glitch in the on-site reservation system.

She had just admitted it was their systems fault so I reasserted myself, “If you know the downgrade was your reservation systems fault, why are you NOT trying to make this right by….. “

I never got to finish my sentence, she interrupted and said, “Oh no, it's not our fault, it's the reservation systems fault…. We have NO CONTROL over the reservation system.”

That's when I realized I wasn’t talking to anyone in Guest relations but rather another desk clerk, likely from a different shift or another area Motel 6 property. I suggested that at the very least I should be comp’d a second 1 bed room for the night so I wouldn’t be sleeping on the floor, NOPE!

NO discount for the foul up and NO upgrade to a different type 2 bed room either… which I later found out they did have a 2 bed room with a fridge available. I was done, this was ridiculous, so I said fine and gave him back the phone.

At this point I just wanted to wash 200 miles of Greyhound off so I asked him to call one of the other properties to see if they had a 2 bed room available, there wasn’t. So broken and defeated I bowed to the absurdness of the situation and the inevitability of my sleeping on the floor for the next 3 nights.  ‘We’ll check into the 1 bed room’, I told him.

Then as a final metaphorical slap in my face… the downgraded 1 bed room cost 6 cents MORE than what my 2 bed room email confirmation stated…. ‘Really, how can it cost more?’, I asked him.

He replied, ‘I don’t know, that's what it shows on my computer’.

So just fed up, I paid then went to my room and spent the next 30 minutes on the phone with a real Guest Relations who claimed she would file a report and send it off to the District and General Managers… I won’t hold my breath. I was also told these things by her:

The Guaranteed RESERVATION Policy  is not completely spelled out on the website. The actual guarantee is, they will get me a room, any room of their choice at their property. IF they are completely FULL and absolutely NO ROOMS are available, they will then and ONLY then begin the process of first contacting other area Motel 6 properties, then as a LAST resort will implement ‘the walk policy’, of paying your first night and transportation to another hotel chain.

So the room TYPE (1 bed, 2 bed, a suite, with or w/o a fridge, whatever) IS NOT guaranteed, the guarantee is that they will get a roof over your head. However let me point out… that neither desk clerks  that I spoke with had ANY idea about this policy, or they would have been able to correct me on the spot by explaining the policy to me…. They couldn’t, didn’t and probably wouldn’t have even if they did know the policy

The Guest Relations Dept also told me that after checking my reservation, they confirmed it was for a 2 bed room and someone at the property location downgraded it to a 1 bed room. Why someone at this property would downgrade my reservation she didn’t know. Perhaps this is the ‘Known Glitch’ I was informed of.

JUST FYI - this location has a 14 day stay policy. Meaning that you can stay 14 days, but you must not return to the property for 30 days. The guest services rep informed me this is in violation of Motel 6 policy. According to her, Motel 6 policy states you may stay 28 consecutive days then you must leave the property for 2 days before returning.

This policy is even reflected in their online reservation system which allows you to make a reservation of up to 28 days. (UPDATE: online reservation system at Motel 6.com no longer allows you to make a reservation at this location for longer than 14 consecutive days).

This guaranteed reservation policy is not a law, unlike airlines that have legal obligations to get you to where you’re going, the motel industry has no government oversight in this area. It was the motel and hotel industry that created and defined ‘the walk policy’ as a courtesy to guests. Each motel, hotel, inn, etc may interpret ‘the walk policy’ differently, based on any number of conditions there particular company chooses.

Now maybe the wording of this Motel 6 reservation guarantee is misleading, perhaps I’m reading too much into it, I don’t know. I do know that to ME, when it says your ‘reservations will be honored or they will get you a room at a comparable motel’, that means the reservation (number of beds) I MADE will be honored or I’ll get a 2 bed room somewhere else at Motel 6 expense (the first night). NOT my reservation will be honored with a 1 bed room, and I will just have to share with my travel companion.

What if I needed this 2 bed room because I was traveling with a female co-worker or platonic female friend. Would they still expect us to share a bed just because of a reservation error that MOTEL 6 admitted to making? Or what if the 2 bed room was for a pair of couples, would one couple then have to sleep on the floor? I can’t be the only one this has happened to, feel free to comment below about your Motel 6 experiences. Perhaps its time to hold the motel industry accountable the way we hold the airline industry accountable.

Sasquatch Hunters and Finding Bigfoot

Off all the branches of the paranormal sciences, cryptozoology is by far my favorite. In this pseudoscience one researches the existence of mythical or ‘unproven to exist’ creatures. One of the most popular cryptids to be researched in the modern age is the elusive Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot. 

How exciting or terrifying would it be to come face to face with an 8 foot 700lb fur covered man monster? Well believe it or not there are brave souls or perhaps crazy ones, that venture into the woods in an attempt to catch a mere glimpse of the mighty giant. And that is where I have a problem.

The cable TV shows that show these supposed professional Sasquatch researchers, doing their thing in the wilderness. Never getting more than questionable results though ending every episode as if it were a huge success. Here is a common list of tests done to locate or prove a Sasquatch is nearby, according to these amateurish professionals.

Sasquatch Yells - It has been long claimed by Bigfoot Hunters that Sasquatch lets out with an eerie wailing yell that can be heard for miles through the dense forest. And anyone that has spent time in the wilderness has heard these haunting cries. At least part of this claim is true as even I have heard yells in the forest that I couldn’t explain. And that's the point, NO ONE can explain them. It has NEVER been proven OR disproven that these cries come from a Sasquatch. As a matter of scientific fact, animals in the cat family will occasionally let out a horrifying cry moments before death, wolves let out a yell after the death of an Alpha, and some bears will roar a warning cry that sounds so high pitched that you’d never imagine it came from a bear. Perhaps the Sasquatch yell truly is from Sasquatch, or perhaps just another cry from a known wild animal that we have yet to document.

Knocking - Most Sasquatch Researchers agree that the elusive creatures partially communicate by knocking large rocks or branches against the side of trees. Possible of course, also possible is woodpeckers, tree branches falling, old trees toppling over, and the wind blowing two large branches together. Not one  Bigfoot hunter has ever claimed to actually see a Sasquatch doing this, or even holding a stick, so why is this considered a form of Sasquatch communication? Mainly due to the fact that we don’t know what or where this sound we occasionally hear in the forest is, so IT MUST BE Bigfoot smacking a tree… right????

Odor - Any cryptozoologist whether Sasquatch hunters or researchers of a different cryptid, will most likely tell you this if asked, Bigfoot stinks! Awww, that's just not nice to say, and is it true? Let's take a look at the evidence or lack of, have you ever been walking down a trail when you get the whiff of ‘putrid death’ in the air? Well according to Sasquatch Researchers, that means a Bigfoot is nearby.

Their reasoning is this, Sasquatch doesn’t take a bath and because Sasquatch is considered the possible ‘missing link’, making it partially human, it would have sweat glands that closely resemble humans. When a human doesn’t bathe for a week you smell bad, but go without a bath for a month, or a year and you will smell like ‘putrid death’ to all the noses around you. Although this is a semi-well thought out and logical reason for a horrible smell being a conclusive signal of a nearby Sasquatch, some more obvious reasons have been overlooked. Things such as a dead decaying animal, an animal with glandular condition, or decaying plants some of which do smell pretty rancid under the right conditions.

And don't forget the old saying, ‘you can’t trust your nose any more than you can trust your eyes’. The reason being that we have imaginative brains, and when something is unfamiliar, such as a smell that is new to us, our brain associates it with the closest approximation in our memory. That's why on occasion you will notice that something smells like (INSERT A SMELL HERE) to you, but not quite. And honestly, what make Bigfoot hunter even think that it doesn’t bathe, most animals wild and domestic, at least attempt to bathe in one form or another. Why would Sasquatch be different?

And of course the footprints. Literally thousands of footprints have been located and plaster casted. Some obvious fakes, others who know. 

I am the first person who would claim to believe in the myth of Bigfoot. However, being an experienced outdoorsman, I also know that many of the things people claim is Sasquatch or a sign of Sasquatch, is nothing more than nature doing what nature does. 

Did you know that the planet cries? It does, ask a geologist or seismologist. During the right conditions, the ground or more specifically the compressed air trapped beneath the ground, can escape and make a wailing sound that will make your skin crawl. This is rare, but it does happen. 

Have you ever heard of a rock-slide? If the slide is made of large boulders then we can all guess what it would sound like. However what about the difference in sound made between a rock-slide made of sandstone versus a rock-slide made of granite?

Did you know bears will often walk in the footprints of the bears that came before them? When a bear is walking they will often partially or completely step in the footprint made by a previous bear. This can create a larger footprint impression, that is often mistaken for Bigfoot prints. A Sasquatch Hunter will have you believe they can always easily identify the bear print and in good conditions I’m sure that's true.

However, what about bad soil conditions where the impression is incomplete. Or old imprints that have been softened and shaped by the weather? Something as simple as ¼ of water poured into a bear print, can depending on weather cause the soil in the print to smooth and shape causing the combined pawprints to appear as one. And yes this would even cause a small amount of soil to seep into the claw impressions hiding the claw prints. Suddenly you have a Bigfoot print.

I want to be clear, I have great respect for cryptid researchers, real ones. Not the TV based glory hounds who lead you on a 47 minute journey through the forest, just to show you broken branches, dented trees and unidentifiable footprints. Only to have you ‘tune in next time’ for the next great episode of ‘follow me to nowhere’. They're counting on you tuning in to satisfy your 'need to know', yet offer nothing of substance.

So PLEASE, I urge you not to believe what you see or hear on supposed documentaries, as rarely do they offer anything more than less than imaginative speculation and flimsy at best evidence.

Oh and just an afterthought, in this age of thermal detection, you would think that someone would have equipped a helicopter or small plane with thermal and night vision, then flown over these suspected Bigfoot hotspots. If an investigator can’t tell the difference between a 5 ft long bear or an 8 ft tall biped on a thermal screen, then they have no business calling themselves investigators. 

Tasers in California - Pulse versus Bolt

Let me start by saying that I am referring to Taser devices that fire 2 metal darts attached to wires. Many people use the word ‘taser’ interchangeably with ‘stun gun’, and this post is specifically referring to Taser devices. I am NOT a lawyer, NOT a peace officer and NOT in any way offering legal advice on the purchase, sale, ownership, transport or carrying of taser devices in the state of California. As of this post date, after conversations with several law enforcement officers, taser devices are legal in California, with some restrictions/requirements. PLEASE, before you purchase a taser device, check with your local law enforcement department regarding its legality. Although Taser devices are legal in a majority of states, most of those states have some kind of restrictions/requirements. Also counties or cities may have additional ordinances that further restrict the possession of a Taser device in your state. Now on to the show…. Taser devices come in 2 types, the Law Enforcement Models and the Civilian Models. Law Enforcement (LE) models are strictly for use by Law Enforcement agencies, and it is a crime for a NON law enforcement officer to posses one. Taser devices produced for law enforcement agencies are typically more powerful, have double the cable length on the metal darts and can be activated multiple times by pressing the trigger again. Some models have a variable trigger that allows for control of power that is delivered as well. The reason for this, LE models are meant for multi use, specifically; self defense AND non lethal submission & control. LE models are also often brightly colored yellow or orange. If you plan on buying your taser device on eBay or another used auction site, be sure to verify that you’re buying a civilian model or you could end up with some very serious criminal legal troubles. Civilian models are slightly different in that they are not as powerful as LE models, cable length is a maximum 15 ft, and it can only be activated once per cartridge. Unlike the LE models that can be reactivated by pressing the trigger again. We will be discussing two of the more common Taser devices available to civilians in California. Taser Bolt

This device is a similar version of the Taser C2 and maintains the same size and shape. The device is shaped like a ‘phaser’ from the TV show Star Trek the Next Generation (as seen in the photo). Because of the size and shape, it is slightly bulky and not the best choice for carrying in a purse. If not in a holster, you could easily reach into your purse and pull it out backwards. Carrying in a belt holster would be more comfortable, but due to its size, is easily detectable under a shirt or light jacket.

Taser Pulse

This device is compact, due to its relatively small size and low profile. The Pulse is easily concealed in a purse or belt holster and resembles the size, color and shape of a compact handgun (as seen in photo). This is a positive and a negative, the positive being that it is familiar to hold, easier to use, and quickly identifiable while blindly reaching into a purse or backpack. There is a negative with this form factor, while holstered or first drawn it appears ‘at a glance’ to be a small semi automatic pistol.

While I have found no law specifically restricting the Taser Pulse due to its appearance, my understanding of brandishing laws in California as well as common sense say; if the device is drawn or displayed in a manner to make someone believe it is a firearm, then there could be legal reproductions. What does this mean? Basically this; if you plan on carrying this particular Taser device, it should never be seen except by the attacker you intend to use it on. And really that is true with any Taser device, stun gun, pepper spray etc. Taser has recently upgraded the Taser Pulse to be smart phone friendly. With the use of a subscription APP on your smart phone, 911 will be immediately notified of your location when you discharge your Taser Pulse. The app and subscription are an OPTIONAL service and do not affect the normal operation of your Taser Pulse. However if you are uncomfortable with the added electronics in your device, you can still purchase the original non-smart phone version from many online and local retailers. Both of these devices use the same type ‘single use cartridge’. This means that when the darts are discharged and make contact, they will deliver an electrical current to the target, hopefully rendering the target incapacitated. However that is it, pressing the trigger again WILL NOT reactivate the electrical current. The civilian models are for self defense ONLY. They are intended to momentarily INCAPACITATE an attacker, DROP the Taser device and ESCAPE to safety. As explained to me by a retailer, if a Taser device is registered after purchase, the company will send you a FREE REPLACEMENT of your abandoned Taser device. Replacement is only available if your item is registered through Taser AND you provide a police report as proof of your Taser device being abandoned. I do not know if this replacement warranty is ONLY for devices purchased from authorized retailers, or if purchases of new or used devices from other online suppliers qualify. You should contact Taser International prior to purchase to find out the specifics. Something to consider; Taser devices, while quite effective are nearly useless if confronted by multiple attackers. Even if you were able to discharge your device towards one attacker, it is highly unlikely that you would be able to wait for the discharge cycle to finish, remove and replace the cartridge, then discharge towards a second attacker. In this situation, a pepper spray might be more useful. You could easily spray multiple attackers, though less effective in incapacitating someone, it would still give you the precious moments needed to hopefully escape to safety. Dogs and other animals are another consideration. While you could use a Taser device on a dog, it might be difficult to hit a small target that is facing you. I doubt the dog will stand sideways so you can get a good body shot, besides a Taser discharge may very well kill it. And a Taser device would NOT be effective at all on a mountain lion or bear. For animals I would consider researching pepper or bear sprays, animals have an elevated sense of smell and a pepper spray may disorientate even a large animal long enough for you to get to safety. And finally, if you discharge your Taser device and it determined that you did it unlawfully, mistakenly or maliciously, you open yourself up to many civil and criminal legal difficulties. Like anything, Taser devices have there pros and cons, so each person needs to carefully research and weigh their decision before making a purchase, especially one that could potentially save your life or get you thrown into jail.

Travelodge 9646 Micron Ave Rancho Cordova, California Review

Travelodge is a well known hotel chain most recognized by its signature mascot ‘Sleepy Bear’, a cute cartoon bear wearing a sleeping cap, robe and slippers. This fun character helped the brand become known as a family friendly budget motel, as children loved seeing the sleepy bear logo on all the decor and lobby walls.

In my preteen childhood, my family would travel a lot and it was always between two motels that we would frequent, and Travelodge was one of them.

Not since childhood have I stayed at a Travelodge, so when I saw one near my next destination, I jumped at the chance to stay and relieve the happy memories of my youth, minus bouncing on the beds.

This Travelodge is conveniently located off Hwy 50 and Bradshaw Rd on Micron Ave. A Chevron gas station, Carl's Jr Restaurant, Perkos Cafe & Grill and El Pollo Loco Restaurant are all within 2 minutes walk of the motel.

We checked into the Travelodge located at 9646 Micron Ave in Rancho Cordova, California. From the outside, it was just as I remembered, a tall multi-storied building that stood tall and majestic against the Western Sunset. That was where reality set in….

As I we walked into the tiny office, we checked in rather easily and quickly. The desk clerk advised us of the motel rules which were basic to most budget motels. Ending with the check out time and mentioning the complimentary breakfast. Then giving us our key cards and directing us to our rooms location.

We passed an ice machine, positioned opposite the elevator. However next to the ice machine was a HUGE open bag that was filled with smaller tied garbage bags. As a veteran of the ‘housekeeping minefield’ I knew this was the spot where housekeepers brought the individual room trash, once the bag on there carts got full. Due to the layout of the floors and tight walkways, this central location was the only spot large enough to hold such a huge bag on each floor….. Right next to the ice machine. Unsightly smelly and unnecessary as there are better ways to maintain room trash.

HERE’S a THOUGHT - Round plastic garbage buckets on wheels…. Housekeeper pulls her cart to a room, leaves the garbage bin with lid on by the ice machine. When it's ready to be dumped, wheel it onto the elevator and out to the dumpster…. Easy, but apparently not common sense.

On the way to our room, we passed the housekeeper cart, sitting in the walkway. As we approached with our luggage, the housekeeper didn’t even attempt to move the cart closer to the wall, just smiled and went back into the room she was cleaning. Well at least she smiled. I had to move the cart a bit and we squeezed by, though not easily.

Upon entering our room, there was a horrible stench, it smelled of body odor and I knew immediately that it was from the bedspreads and underblankets not being regularly washed. Wanting to run down to the office and complain, I held back to see what else was going to be substandard before doing so. Although I did spray about ¼ can of Febreze Air Freshener first.

Well here’s a few things I noticed just from my initial walk thru the room:

The room stinks likely from lack of washing the blankets, throw covers and carpeted floors. Carpets looked like they were vacuumed just not very well, as I saw small pieces of foot traffic debris under the desk and sink area

A little effort and a wet sponge would of cleaned this up nicely... what a shame...

The bathroom sink counters are firmly in place but when you see this you have to wonder why it was installed like this. Answer, it wasn't... this is likely from this old building settling wrong and the frame work is warping. Or worse, this counter is really actually going to fall apart at any moment.

The security bar was broken, sure it flipped to the secure position, but what did that matter. Not able to be seen in the photo, is that the screws aren't tight. They’re so loose that silly thing jiggles

No evacuation plan on the door, now is this a requirement of motels?? I don’t know, but when you have an odd floor plan as this motel does, an evacuation plan on the door is a MUST. I want to know wear the stairwells are in case of a fire

Speaking of fire, does this sprinkler look as if its been set off? Looks a little used to me, hope it still works

One thing I know doesn’t work is this light switch. For those who have never seen this type before, its a motion sensor light switch. It has an ON, OFF and AUTO. As you can see in the photo, part of the switch is broke off, does this affect the switch. Not an electrician so I don't know. What I do know is I have to flick the switch several times to get the fluorescent bathroom light to come on without flickering.

The bathroom door is a mess, and was not closable. Whether the door frame is warped or the door is, I don’t know

I do know that closing the bathroom door completely would of trapped me inside. Look how the doorknob has been installed, and yes it's nice and jiggly. I suppose this is a traveling mans ‘safe room’, which is good since my security bolt is broken and won’t stop anyone. Maybe locking myself in here will save me

The phone is an average motel room phone and has clear instructions on the face for how to call the desk, make & receive calls, and hear messages. This type of phone has a big red blinking light on the front, and continuously flashes when you have a message. And our light was blinking. So I followed the on face instructions to retrieve the message so I could delete it and stop the blinking. How unfortunate for me, the system doesn’t work… stuck with a blinking light for our entire stay.. Ugh!

Normally a fire alarm has a blinking or indicator light on it to signify that its active, ours didn’t blink once in our NON Smoking room.

The fridge was basically clean except for the obvious soda spillage that was seen on the ice covered freezer section. Simply letting the freezer defrost would take this unsightly smear right off

Thankfully the AC worked great, but is the bed supposed to be pushed right up against it. I thought these had filters that circulated the air? Can't really circulate air if no air can get thru..

The bathroom wasn't horrible yet was by no means clean. The toilet wiggled when sat on yet was reasonably clean. Unfortunately the seat was so loose I thought it would slide off with me on it every time I sat down.

The shower/tub was what really made my skin crawl. This is why I bring shower slippers to every motel I go to... .99 cents saves me from foot fungus and what ever other filth is in these non-maintained tubs. This photo is of hard water build up, and yes filth that has accumulated. This tub/showers original color was white... I know cause I clean some of the filth and found it was white underneath. Yuck!!

Nothing was so horrible that I felt the need to complain, I’ve actually stayed in worse places that charged more money. So I put on a pair of slippers, unwilling to walk barefoot on this filthy carpet and turned on the TV.

Oohhh lets talk about the amenities that are advertised on the website

Cable TV is not an advertised amenities, likely cause there cable is a joke, about ½ of the 60 channels worked. Not a big loss but several of the channels that did work appeared snowy, fuzzy and jiggly… and those were local channels

COFFEE/TEA MAKER… coffee and cups provided… but ummmm?? No Tea?? Why advertise it as a TEA maker if you’re not going to at least drop a couple teas bags out with the coffee?

DAILY HOUSEKEEPING - This is a straight up LIE! If you want housekeeping you had
better do 1 of these two things. Call the night before to be put on the housekeeping service list for the next day. Or listen for her cart rolling down the hall, and chase her down. This is true whether you need full service or just towels and soaps. Added bonus was on our last night there, we asked the housekeeper for fresh towels and were informed that she had no more bath towels, only wash clothes and hand towels.. WHAT????

FREE WiFi - OK let's be realistic, most motel WiFi is slow and unsecured and generally only good for checking email or watching YouTube at its lowest resolution. Well, I’ve used a lot of slow networks, this one was the slowest and most unreliable I have ever encountered. My signal never reached more than 37%. Sites like YouTube and Hulu would load eventually, but not enough to make them usable. The WiFi signal would cut out every 4-25 minutes and be offline for 3 min- 2 hours. I actually called the front desk about this, and he confirmed the router needed to be reset. And that obviously wasn’t the actual problem because the same unreliable WiFi conditions occurred the following 3 days I was here

FREE BREAKFAST - typical Continental breakfast that is placed under a big Bear Bites sign, in the hopes you will find it cute rather than pathetic. Keep in mind that a Continental Breakfast is small, despite sounding Big and Hearty. The basic Continental breakfast includes, juice, fruits, bread, jams, sometimes cereal, danishes or donuts. This place had an out of order juice machine, an empty cereal dispenser, bread, coffee and butter, and a roach that was nonchalantly walking across the counter. I passed on breakfast and walked across the street to Carl's Jr

PET FRIENDLY - An absolute YES! I have proof on the bottom of my shoe, after stepping on a dog turd in the hall.

At the time of posting this they no longer advertise a Guest Laundry Room, though do still have a picture of it in there photo gallery to leave people guessing until they actually ask, only to find out they don’t.

The thing is, with this and most low budget Brand Name motels, they really don’t have any incentive to clean up there facilities or even provide good service. The reason being, they are mostly franchise owned, meaning they are owned by an individual who pays to use the Branded hotel name, in this case Travelodge. The franchise owner has to follow certain guidelines to appease the franchise contract, usually things like using Corporation owned soaps & shampoos, room pricing, reservation procedures or providing the signature ‘Bear Bites’ continental breakfast, among other things. Yet day to day operations and maintenance are left to the franchise owners, who rarely keep the properties up to the quality recommended by the Corporation.The franchise owners are mostly unsupervised by the corporation that owns the Brand & franchise contract, in this case Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.

Another reason budget motels of any name feel free to let their properties and service diminish is due to supply and demand. A motel such as this that offers rooms as low as approx $63 a night, is very cheap in Sacramento. So whether the rooms are smelly, the blankets dirty or the plumbing is bad, doesn’t really matter. There will always be someone, often several someones who will pay to get a roof over there head for that low price and be happy they did.