EKS, I would leave NY on Saturday if I could, but that time of year weather has to be the main consideration.

I love the Clifton Inn in Charlottsville, which has a beautiful but unfortunately outdoor pool.

off topic: eagerly awaiting latest Puglia trip report.

EKS, if you like history Google Abingdon, VA. Several inns and historic properties. Plus Barter Theatre.

All the places you mention on I-81 are college towns that have the possibility of football games. How about the Homestead or Greenbriar for a night of luxury?

St Simons is a really nice place; try to stay in the village. Good golfing weather, not swimming in December. Jekyll is _much_ quieter, though historic.

I would not leave anything I cared a lot about in a car trunk. We take in the good clothes, the computers, phones, and cameras.

Thanks, all!

I did consider The Homestead (indoor pool looks gorgeous!!) but it is an hour and a half from the highway according to Google maps, and I just did not want to add an extra three hours ofo driving time to the trip, considering that we would stay only one night.


Jubilada, we had an absolutely smashing trip. I will try to put together a report but in the meantime, I am more than happy to answer any and all questions. That area really does it for me. i forget your time frame..is it next spring??

Charlottesville is lovely, check the UVA football schedule to see if they are playing a home game or away that weekend.

we hope for next fall, eks.

I bring in electronics and jewelery if I'm traveling with it but otherwise if I am staying at a reputable property I park under a streetlight, set the alarm and leave most of my stuff in the trunk of the car. Likewise, I have never had a problem cancelling hotels due to severe snow.

A word about I-81. When the subject last came up I was shouted down by many but I still feel you should be aware that there is a great deal of semi traffic on I-81. The road has been improved in several places over the past year and there are stretches with a 70 MPH speed limit which is basically good.

If you are going to stop off in Abingdon then "The Martha" (as in the Martha Washington Hotel) might interest you a bit even if not overnighting.

Be aware of local law enforcement officers generating revenue through speeding tickets on sections of 81 especially in southwestern VA.

Dukey, many thanks. I did read several threads about I-81 here and do recall reading about the trucks, and the speed traps. The trucks were one reason that I thought perhaps leaving on Saturday would be a good bet, but maybe they are on the road every day (??) Do you think that the day of the week makes a big difference??

There are trucks everyday. One of my best friends is a truck driver; when she travels for leisure she either drives the back roads or drives at night to avoid them.

Having recently traveled in the western Virginia area and used I - 81 to get to and from Boston I'd recommend the Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton, VA. We spent 2 nights there, between coming and going, it's about 2 miles off the highway and got a good clean room each time. There's a good restaurant about 200 yards from the hotel on Mill St. And in our case the price was right, less than $70 each time.

Agree with Dukey re: I-81. It can be a nightmare because of the truckers.

We recently stayed and The Martha and were underwhelmed. It's far too expensive for what you get. The rooms are old and tired. At 63 & 48 my husband and I were the only people there who could not remember WWII

Charlottesville is not off I-81 and would be out of your way.

The Stonewall Jackson in Staunton looked good to me during my hours-long browse of TripAdvisor yesterday. Staunton seemed like an interesting town, too.....good to read a positive comment on the hotel here. I will forget the idea of Charlottesville for this trip; no sense in traveling out of the way if I will have little time for sightseeing.

There seem to be several routes to Winston Salem from I-81..anyone have an idea of which would be best? (I will also ask the friends that live there, but would love opinions from you all as well!!)

Please keep the ideas coming!

Yes, the truck traffic on I-81 can be heavy at times, but if you're patient, you eventually get past the clusters that cause the slowdowns, and you really don't lose that much time.
I find the 81 corridor college students who park themselves in the left lane more annoying the then the semis.
And, living off exit 283 in VA the last thirteen years, I've spent a lot of time on it.

I hate I95 more than I hate I 81. Ekes, if you consider the barrier islands around Charleston you can take a back way from Winston, go to the NC Zoo, stop by the potteries at Seagrove and snag some excellent barbecue. Email me if you want the details. Address on my profile.

Sue, thanks so much. Our friends in Winston have promised to take us to eat barbecue in Lexington, but I will also be looking for tips on where to eat between Winston and the coast....so will contact you in the weeks before our departure..

ekscrunchy,

For openers, let me say I have enjoyed your many postings on the Spain board.

As I understand it, you've 3-4 days to get to Del Rey. I'd use them all.

Don't know I managed to transmit my partial posting immediately above. I apologize.

The stretch of coast from Charleston to Jacksonville is very interesting and picturesque. IMO, the highlights of the area are Charleston, Savannah, and Beaufort SC. I'd put the Sea Island area #4. I'd overnite [maybe 2 in Charleston], and work my way via Beaufort and Savannah to Sea Island.

One final suggestion: Rely on Suewoo for Charleston knowledge.

Aw. That's so nice. Thanks weber6560.

Lexington barbecue is a big favorite of mine. I hope you like it.

Trucks increasingly park during the day and drive after 7 PM on these trunk routes. You will see dozens (many dozens) of them at all the rest areas outside Boston waiting for rush hour to be over.

The truck traffic on 81 isn't bad, but it is a very hilly route, and the trucks can't make some of the grades (e.g., New River area) at speed. This is fine if they stay in the right lane, not so hot if they try to pass each other. Then you need to stay in the right lane on the downhill leg or it feels as if they will drive up your tailpipe.

I 81 is still a better way to get to Winston Salem than I95!

I also don't think you'll find much football up that way in mid-December.
I'd sort of recommend that you head toward the coast from Winston and drive down Route 17 to Charleston for your next stop.
YOu are about 2.5 hours to Wilmington (have lunch on the river in the historic district) and about another 3-4 hours to Charleston. The road is 4 lane. Interesting stops along the way could be Brookgreen Gardens and Georgetown.

Years ago we stayed at The Cloister on Sea Island on our road trip to Florida. Very nice, special place. Still gets great reviews.

Thanks, Elainee! I've visited The Cloister, years ago (although I stayed at the King and Prince on that work-related trip); but it was SO long ago that I barely remember. I did make a number of trips to the area back then, and always had such fond (albeit fading) memories of my time spent there.

In any case, I think that The Cloister might be too pricey for us on this trip, given that is essentially a drawn-out road trip. Unless I can find some kind of deal..... I would love other recommendations, though.


Any differences between staying on Jekyll Island and on St. Simons or, rather, what would be the difference with staying on one over the other, in December? We are not interested in night-life, if that matters, although we are interested in good food for dinner...

Stay on Jekyll at the Jekyll Island Club. Completely worth any price but it will be off season.

No football games to worry about, regular season will be over.

You will however have to worry about any December graduations. North Carolina and Virginia have some massive universities.

We plan to leave on this road trip from NYC to Florida via Winston Salem in a few weeks, so I am busy looking over the various hotel options. Can someone offer some ideas on the pros and cons of staying for one night on St. Simons vs. Jekyll Island? Please keep in mind that we will arrive after having driven about 6 hours, so will not be setting off on any excursions once on the island. Would just like to take a walk, browse around, etc. No real sightseeing.

It appears that St.Simons has better places to eat than Jekyll....(we are interested in local fare, nothing fancy, but must be of high quality, even if very simple). I like the look of a BBQ place there...Southern Soul BBQ, but would also like to try local seafood. What about a good breakfast place, in case we decide to stay there?


http://www.southernsoulbbq.com/SouthernSoulMenu_togo.pdf


I priced out rooms at the King and Prince and at Jekyll Island Club. The former has oceanfront for about $150.oo, without breakfast. The Jekyll Island Club has a B&B package for about $230, including buffet breakfast, which might be very welcome before we get int he car again for the haul down to south Florida.

Just wanted to report back to relay some details of our driving trip from NYC to Florida.

A big thank you to Cashel for recommending the StoneWall Jackson Hotel in Staunton. Located a quick few minutes' drive from Rte#81, Staunton is a gem of a small city with a truly handsome panoply of architectural styles. The StoneWall Jackson proved to be an excellent choice for an overnight stay. Rooms are comfy, clean, quiet, and have wireless. We paid $135, plus tax, for a double. An indoor parking garage is connected to the hotel and carries a separate charge. (will confirm that when we check out!)

Just around the corner Beverley Street is lined with all sorts of interesting small shops including many vintage and antique dealers, cafes and restaurants.


http://www.stonewalljacksonhotel.com/






We had a superb dinner at Zynodoa. Just a block from the hotel, this is a restaurant that I would place in the " worth a detour" category. We made a meal of their starters and side dishes, but the entire menu, with an emphasis on products of local farms, was tempting. Interesting list of wines and beers, with many from Virginia.

We began with two starters:

Mushroom risotto, with shitake and oyster mushrooms
Bold Rock Cider-battered flounder with grilled leeks and a mild aioli

We chose two starters as mains; both were outstanding examples of the marvels of carmelization:

Piney River Pork Belly, served on a carpaccio of red beets

Buffalo Creek Braised short rib, served over potatoes Anna


For sides: Wade's Mill Creamy Grits...essential
AM Fog Sauteed Mushrooms....excellent if lacking in salt


Staff is enthusiastic and eager to discuss the dishes and their local sources. The dining room is sleek and handsome, with walls adorned with contemporary works by local artists (I was tempted by a paint-on-resin piece by Brenda Anderson) and is for sale.

http://zynodoa.com/




After dinner, we wandered over to the Banana Split for gelato.
http://thesplitbanana.com/

Staunton proved to be an ideal place to break our journey and I hope to return in the spring.

I am delighted to hear that you were not flattened by any semis on 81 or that you got stopped by the local police for speeding!!!! Also glad you stopped in Staunton; delightful town for sure.

Dukey, while living in Woodstock I frequently used 81 and I never had a problem with the police by not going over 77 mph when the limit was 65, and not over 80 when they increased it to 70.

Right..the only thing flattened was a yellow skunk that we passed en route!

Staunton IS delightful. And the drive was so much easier than I had expected, and the scenery just beautiful once we reached Virginia.

Now in Winston-Salem recovering from an incredibly delicious late lunch at Smiley's BBQ in Lexington. I HIGHLY recommend this place, where they still cook over wood pits.

Three people shared one platter of sliced meat, one platter of coarse chopped meat (asked for outside brown) and half a bbq chicken. Assorted sides included fantastic nuggets of fried okra, corn sticks, hush puppies, bbq slaw (essential), rolls, and cole slaw.

With diet cokes and ice tea, unlimited refills, the bill was a most reasonable $34 before tip.

Highly recommended!!


http://www.smileyslexingtonbbq.com/menu.aspx

Now checking in from the King and Prince Hotel on beautiful St. Simons Island, where we have a lovely room in the "oceanfront" building.

Just a few minutes drive from #95, St Simons has much to recommend it as both a stopover on a longer trip and an a destination in itself. So much more enticing than a chain hotel along the interstate. Good prices on a winter B&B package.


http://www.kingandprince.com/


Late lunch today was the local rendition of barbecue as rendered by Southern Soul BBQ, right here on St. Simons. Superb ribs, excellent pulled pork--a platter of each, plus fried okra and bbq slaw side dishes, plus drinks..$25. Probably one of the better food values on the island. Next time I need to try their smoked chicken!



http://www.southernsoulbbq.com/

http://www.southernsoulbbq.com/SouthernSoulMenu_togo.pdf

The time has come to think of the drive back north, which will take place in mid-April.

I am interested in options for the first night's stop after leaving south Florida.

The Lodge at Little St Simons seems lovely. Any comments on this place for a 1-2 night stopover in mid-April? Can we safely leave our packed car in their parking lot? Good value for the high price?


http://www.littlestsimonsisland.com/directions.html


Other interesting and unique destinations that are more or less on the route? (Cumberland Island's Greyfield Inn requires dressy clothing for meals and that, along with the very high price, may exclude it from contention)

Anyone have an idea for an interesting stop for the first night of a drive north, beginning in the Delray area? On the Georgia (or southern SC) coast, but not IN Savannah (??) A great spot for dinner nearby would be a plus.

We enjoyed St. Simons on the trip south (see details above).

Beaufort SC? You could drive over to beautiful unspoiled Hunting Island and possibly have lunch at Gullah Grub. Call to make sure he's open.

Just a suggestion.

For the return trip did you consider Amtrak's Auto Train?

For about $400, the 2 of you and your car will get transportation from Sanford, FL to Lorton, VA. A white cloth dinner service, free wine and breakfast is included in the fare. For ~$100 more you can get a roomette, somewhat small but you will have beds with sheets and pillows to sleep on, and opposing chairs with a table to enjoy during the day in total privacy.

The train leaves at 4 pm and arrives ~9:30 am. We did a R/T last year and while the trip does take time to load up the and unload the cars it was still pretty much on time. You are required to check in at least 2 hours before departure and it took them about an hour to call our car number at both destinations. You must have a car to take this train.

The food was not exceptional but IMHO a bit above average with full menu, steaks, fish, pasta dishes and some other items. Service was wonderful, at the restaurant car, at the lounge which also showed movies and our roomette attendant was just outstanding.

Both ways we arrived relaxed and only 1 and 2 hours to drive to our destinations, north of DC on the out and our home in Sarasota on the in. Best part? you can leave all your luggage in the car and just have an overnight bag to take with you on the train. Nobody has access to your car once it's loaded.

Needles to say we're doing it again this year. It saves wear and tear on the car and with the gasoline prices, overnight hotel, food, etc., it probably comes out to equal the cost.

Thanks for posting. We may be taking a similar road trip in the future. St. Simons looks lovely. Also, I did not realize the auto train was so reasonable, so maybe we will take it one way.

I forgot to mention that the car loaders take videos/pics of your car before loading it up, so if there is any damage, for whatever reason, you can make a claim through Amtrak's insurance.

We did not have any issues but it's good to know that it's part of the service.

AAFF: A belated thanks for the suggestion, and for taking the time to relate your experiences on the AutoTrain. If we decide to make this trip again, we might consider the train, but as this is new to us, we look forward to the actual journey, which gives us a chance to see places we would never consider. But I will keep the train in mind for next winter!

We will be driving back to NYC next month. I have now ruled out Little St. Simons and Greyfield for a variety of reasons. Both of these seem to beg for stays of more than 1-2 days, and there is the issue of leaving the car in the ferry parking lots, packed with things after a winter in Florida.

Beaufort is, indeed, a singularly beautiful city; I spent some time there in the 80s on work-related visits; took lots of photos of gorgeous homes!! Would look forward to a return visit sometime in the near future.


Next idea: Cloister at Sea Island. Very expensive. Worth a splurge after the big changeover? Anyone been here recently? Breakfast seems to add about $100 to the rate for two people....(???)

You might look at the Litchfield Plantation--the real plantation house. Beautiful aisle of live oaks up to the house.

How about Charleston? Not sure if that is further north than you want to drive on the 1st day, but it's a great little city, very walkable and lots of good eating options.

Thanks..Charleston is a bit out of the way for us this trip. I have all but decided on Jekyll Island, with a room at Cherokee Cottage..from there we will head inland again, with next stop Winston Salem, to visit friends and sample more barbecue.

Comments on Jekyll Island Club rooms? Will spend two nights, I think, and will eat once on St. Simons..any comments about restaurants on Jekyll, but not at the hotel?

Anyone?



Thinking of B&J's in Darien for seafood...small detour en route to Jekyll but seems to be popular locally......anyplace equally good but less of a detour on the route from Florida to Jekyll?

No food mavens along the Georgia coast? Do us clueless Yankees have to blaze our own trail, with no help from locals???

Recs on the menu apart from the obvious local (I hope) shrimp??

http://bandjssteaksandseafood.com/Menu.html

I did a trip report on Jeckyll. I will top it for you.

PS try the Spring House or 1703 in Winston- Salem and skip the bbq

Returned a few hours ago from the above-mentioned B&Js in Darien and I highly recommend!

Outstanding local shrimp, Florida oysters..beautifully fried and served in immense portions; half oysters, half shrimp, with great cole slaw and long-cooked green beans: $18.95.

Great spot....just a few minutes off I-95, exit 49, on Rte 17. About 30 minutes from Jekyll Island.

Not at all fancy..just a cinder-block-type place, but friendly staff and oh, that seafood!
Open daily; wine and beer.

CMCfong..thanks for topping your report!!

I look forward to the rest of your reviews!

Just returned to NYC after 4 nights on the road--we retraced our steps, taking I-95 from SE Florida.

First stop: Jekyll Island, where we had booked two nights at Jekyll Island Club. We ended up spending only one night there, however. Second night: The Cloister on Sea Island.

Food:

Day of arrival, we ate a large lunch at B&Js in Darien. Described above, this is highly recommended, and is an easy detour off I-95. For those who think shrimp is a frozen product in a bag from Costco, or a recently unfrozen headless and bland item from a local fishmonger, wild local Georgia shrimp is a revelation. Portions are huge, prices are fair, and service is friendly. Highly recommended. Puts to rest the notion that there is no good food within easy reach of I-95.


Second night: Repeat dinner at Southern Soul BBQ on St. Simons. DEscribed above, this is a good bet for travelers lodging on St Simons or Sea Island. Ten minutes or so from The Cloister. Very good bbq, interesting mix of patrons from upscale golfers to local working folks. By 6pm they were out of smoked chicken, by 6:30, ribs were erased from the menu as well. Indoor and ourdoor seating; expect quite a queue if you arive after 6:30pm. Pulled pork platter, $9; half slab of ribs, $12. Each come with two sides; bbq beans are recommended.

http://www.southernsoulbbq.com/



After two nights in the Sea Islands, we headed north on I-95.

Late breakfast: Smokin' Pig in Richmond Hill, Georgia, just a few steps easy of I-95 exit 87.
Open 11am to 9pm; Sundays 11am to 3pm. Closed Mondays.

As the handwritten thank you note from Gregg Allman attests, this is a recommended stop. Not so much for the pulled pork, which was a tad dry, but for the excellent smoked sliced chicken sandwich. $4.25 alone; $5.75 with two sides. Get off at exit 87, the restaurant is beside a gas station on the north side of the road leading east from the highway.

Again, puts to rest the idea that one is consigned to fast food chains when driving I-95.

http://www.smokinpigbbqjoint.com/

Just curious why you decided to move to the Cloister. Was there a problem at the Jeckyll Island Club or just wanted the different vantage point?

Did you stop in Winston-Salem this trip?

"wild local Georgia shrimp is a revelation"

It is indeed.

It's the only shrimp some of us ever eat. Head to Apalachicola if you want the same experience with oysters.

Starrs: I could not agree more! We never eat shrimp here in the NYC area because it is almost always sold, head off and frozen or defrosted, from Asia. I only wish the denigrators here in the NE could sample that pristine product available in the SE.

CMC: I had several e-mails to the Jekyll Island Club before booking, making sure that their pool would be heated, and we are rather ravenous swimmers. We arrived and jumped into a freezing cold pool, only to be told that there was a problem with the heating system. ("Sorry, out heat does not work..we are missing a part")

Very disappointing, as this was a lovely spot. They were most amenable to assisting us with a move to another spot, The Cloister, which did have large, heated pools and, of course, a much higher price!

I admit that this is a "problem" that would be viewed as nutty by most people, but although we were disappointed that Jekyll Island Club did not let us know in advance of the problem, since we wrote again and again that the large heated pool was our motivation for staying there for two nights and making sure that the pool would be heated on our arrival, they did make good on the charge, and assisted us in the move to Sea Island.

WE did drive from Sea Island to Winston, and once again had a blow-out dinner at Smiley's BBQ..more to come...

Delaying construction en route from Charlotte to Lexington, and we also hit tornados that took down a huge old tree on the front lawn of our friends house, where we stayed that night..

http://www.allmenus.com/nc/lexington/151001-smileys-lexington-bbq/menu/

The Cloister is very nice and recently renovated as I understand it. It's where old money southerners always went on their honeymoons. My BF went there for hers. I'm sure you enjoyed that part of the trip, even if it was an unexpected change.

Wild shrimp is amazing. I have a place in the mountains and a young family moved up to the mountains and bought a little breakfast restaurant. He had been in the fish business in Brunswick and decided he was going to open up the restaurant on Thursday night for coastal seafood. Folks said he was crazy. Now they are open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night selling only seafood brought up for the coast. They will make a burger for the non-seafood folks. It's a treat to have fresh wild shrimp in a mountain restaurant.

Glad you enjoyed your road trip and our shrimp!

We did have some pretty wild weather. Glad you were safe and had fun.

I appreciate the explanation on Jeckyll Island Club. I did not like our room at all (main hotel) but thought if I stayed in Crane cottage I would be very happy there. I completely understand the frustration with the pool and glad to hear it was satisfactorily resolved.

Smiley's is an excellent choice! I may run over there this weekend.

Sue: IF you get to Smiley's, you already probably know what to order but if not, I highly recommend the coarse chopped pork with "outside brown," (small coarse chopped BBQ tray $6.50 ([plenty for two people with healthy appetites) I recommended the fried okra and bqq slaw as the two include sides, although hugh puppies and corn sticks ae also popular.

Smoked BBQ chicken (1/2 chicken with two sides: $6.95) was excellent, too, and comes with an additional two sides. Fried squash is great as well; they have deft hand with the deep fryer.

. We sampled a bit of bbq on this trip and nothing came close to Smiley's quality.

Closed Mondays; open Tuesday through Sunday 6am to 9pm. 336-248-4528. 917 Winston Road/ Route 8, Lexington.

Thanks. I love outside brown.

One of the upsides of moving from Charleston to my home town is the barbeque. That mustard stuff just didn't cut it! : D

Sue: I still cannot get over the general advice that there is a lack of good eating near i-95 from NY along I-95 to Florida. And I am not speaking of places that require jackets worn by males.


While I m sure that the eateries at Jeklyll Island club and The Cloister are more than delicious. we were seeking more of a local down-home feel.


We could not have been more pleased with B&Js in Darien (check menu to see their AYCE buffet options.)





Next time.....3/4 days in the Darien, Ga area, not to mention the Le Creuset treasures awaiting at the outlet store in Yemassee, SC.....great values!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know some good places off 95 in NC and SC, but not as familiar with Ga. I'm sure there are plenty of great places.

One of my friends is a social worker with a foster care agency. Some of her foster parents work in that factory in Yemmassee. Twice a year hey have a big ole sale at the factory. It's never advertised. She's giving me a heads up when the next one happens. It's supposed to be un-be-lie-vable.

Sue, would you be willing to share that heads up with some one who was instrumental in getting you and Queenie together...hint, hint????

Yes indeed, I will. She just said to tell you ark. She is the funniest thing! She's right here wagging her tail.

I'd love to hear about it as well, along with the good eating spots not far off I-95 in SC and NC.

We may be making this trip next December but will likely stick more to the I-95 route in early winter, saving the spring foliage on the inland route via Staunton for April.

For December: Edenton, New Bern??? Bluffton??

ek, buy yourself a cooler and stop by here in Brunswick -
http://www.citymarketseafood.com/

Another restaurant to try. I liked them when they were on Jekyll Island. They have now moved to Brunswick - just off 95
http://www.zachrys-restaurant.com/

Good girl, Queenie!!!

Starrs: I have to apologize to you publically for any guff (gaff??) I gave you on the Times Square eating scene here in NYC. You have been very helpful here, and perhaps we can meet up when I come down that way next winter.

Here is a place that seems to get good reports on local food sites:

http://www.clayssapelostation.com/

The whole area around Darien/Townsend seems loaded with good food options. I had been in Sapelo 30 years ago for a story; I remember we had to take a helicopter or small private plane to get there (is my memory faulty??)....look forward to exploring further next winter..


Is there any "local' culture left on Sapelo or is it all developed now, with residents relocating to the mainlalnd?

Thanks, ek. Maybe so.

eks, if you want to take a nice side trip go to Hunting Island, near Beaufort, SC. You can eat at the Shrimp Shack or Gullah Grub. Call Gullah Grub to see if they are open. They're never rushed.

Did you see this?
http://www.ncbbqsociety.com/bbqmap/trail_map.html

Wilbur's in Goldsboro is so worth the stop. Blackbeard's in Conetoe, NC, is also excellent. Fuller's in Lumberton is good too.

In SC, Duke's in Walterboro is great, as is McCabe's in Manning. Call McCabe's since they close when they run out.

Don't be put off by the buffet thing. In the South, old time Sunday dinners consisted of a meat or two, and a bunch of vegetable sides. You took a little bit of each on your plate.

In our opinion, Charlottesville is too far off the road although lovely, unless you want to visit Monticello or UVA, etc. The English Inn is a good place to stay with an indoor pool. They have generously sized rooms and new suites, too. If not, Staunton may be a good stop. There is the American Shakespeare Center with great, authentic performances which are lots of fun http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com. A wonderful restaurant is Zynodoa. If you decide to go, there is a lovely apartment on arbnb https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/27120.

more likely you will get tired at the end of the day and pick a motel from the signs along the highway,