NO ROOM @ THE INN!

       This past week-end after arriving in Praire de Chien, we decided to look for lodging and catch Pikes Peak and McGregor the following morning. No such luck. I know, you are telling me I should have made advance reservations. It was about a week early for peak foilage color and in the past we have never really had a problem.

     I have learned in the last few years to check out what I call clean "ma and pa" type motels. There are still a few around and normally much cheaper than the bigger chains. A guy at a service station told me about  a motel close by and I gave it a whirl.

     A big burly guy was at the front desk and the first thing out of his mouth was that he only had one room left. Heard that one before! I asked him a dumb question like what was going on to make rooms so tight. His response was that it was "This is Praire de Chien!" Rippy Skip! Then I asked him the price. $90! Get out of here!

      After informing me that he was the last locally owned motel not owned by "India" Indians, I thanked him and left. The next one I tried I was greeted by two what appeared to be two India looking men? How much? Same price as the first guy and the only had one room! My first thought was can't they come up with a better one than that.

       After checking out other lodging, we decided to just hit the road, view Pikes's Peak and head home. Maybe it was just the attitude of that first guy, but, it wasn't like we were out in the dessert a hundred miles from nowhere!