All the hotel rooms for miles around are taken for the Iowa State Fair in Ames. This was the only room I could find. Nice, eh?
It’s so beat up the giant sign outside only has two neon letters: _ _ T _ L
Drove 720 miles today. Ouch. A few hours sleep in a $42 room is just what I need.
Oh. And the skinny motel clerk offered me a sandwich and to see his bird collection (he’s into taxidermy – it’s not as expensive as you’d think). He gave me the room right next to the office!
tabadabadoo 
I’m not liking the retro air freshener in the least!
Wow – good eye!
You REALLY should have come to the Iowa State Fair (which is in Des Moines BTW)! It’s the BEST state fair in the country! (the movie “State Fair”, which in the movie is set in TX, was actually based on the Iowa State Fair. AND I would have offered you a room!
Sorry. The news keeps mixing up state fair and Ames. I would definitely go, if my car wasn’t sputtering it’s way home, and 1100 miles were ahead of me today. It really sounds great. And thank you for your offer! I didn’t know where I was gonna stop until I got too tired to drive:)
NO! NO!! Don’t take a shower and stay out of the basement!!!