I'm in a small town by the name of Hermiston, Oregon. 
I mean, not so small that it doesn't have some amenities thankfully, cause I'm stuck here for 2 days.

I came in here looking for a hotel that has truck parking. The Best Western did, but was far outside of town.  Close to nothing. I was looking for walking distance to restaurants, bowling alleys, movie theaters, whatever might be around.  I called another place and they said they had truck parking.  I pulled up there, it had a canopy over the entrance and was EIGHT FEET HIGH. Truck parking? For giant Tonka Toys? So now I"m driving down a side street, find a place to park and park I did.  \

I had passed a Motel 6 advertising truck parking.  I haven't stayed at a Motel 6 since that fiasco with my son present on a sport fishing trip in San Diego.  Google: "The worst motel 6 in America", click on the one for San Diego, not for Bakersfield.  I did the one in San Diego.  A giant whorehouse.  I'm surprised I was as lenient as I was on that review, now?  I'd just lay it on them.  Staff fully cognizant of what's going on, lying about it and not giving a shit.  August 26, 2011! Doesn't seem that long ago.  They ruined my trip, period. 

I said to myself I would never stay at a Motel 6 again - even tho I had spent much of my adult life staying at them since they were usually much cheaper than everyone else, a nice enough place to stay in.  My tastes have risen since then.  I don't want to stay in shithole motels just because they are in a price range I like. But, the Motel 6 was the only place I could see - beside even much worse hotel properties - in town, so I pulled in, got out, got a room for 2 days.

I braced myself, walking into this place.  Well, first off, I specifically asked him - the desk dude - about the wifi. No, if you want good wifi you will have to pay extra.  How much extra?  $3 per day.  Well whatever,  at the end of the transaction he asked for $5 cash, said it wasn't going on a ticket - obviously pocketing it and not claiming it in expenses which is a whatever to me, I don't care.  I parked the truck out back, got my stuff out and then braced myself to walk into this place.  Plain white walls - they could have at least put up an off-white, but whatever, clean at least.  Hallway carpet in great shape, good sign.  I get to my room, put the card up to the reader - and then - stand there. 

How the Hercules did I end up in a Motel 6? I was wondering to myself.  I opened the door and was shocked.  Hardwood flooring,  fresh paint, 44 inch flatscreen tv, microwave, refrigerator, bathroom? In excellent condition! No mold or mildew, no chipped fixtures, really really surprising.  for a Motel 6.  but then again, it's been many years since I've been in one and like America's Best Value Inn, it appears they are all upgrading their properties to throw up some competition.  I'll tell you what led me to believe this might be a shithole: the swimming pool? Filled in with sand.  The exterior? In various stages of disrepair. The landscaping? Unkempt.  I can tell ya I don't care what the outside of the property looks like - IF - the inside of my room is in good condition.

Now then, I mogied on over to the restaurant next door, had hot and spicy beef - Asian restaurant, then went for a walk.  60%? Maybe - of the town open, the rest of it closed.  Weird, Labor Day doesn't really mean shutting down business anymore. 

Oh, before I go on, yes I called the plant again today. I wanted to confirm we aren't doing this today, or tomorrow - Would really love to! Get it over with and start heading home.  Uhh, no, we have it slated for 6 am Wednesday morning.  Lovely, I thought, I'll have to find something to do here.  Well, I did my walk and and saw a bowling alley and a couple of hair cutting places.  I've needed a hair cut for at least a week, I just haven't had the chance.  But the real thing that caught my eye was the movie theater.  I have been wanting to go see Alpha ever since I first read about it and subsequently, since some of my friends have really given it high praises.  The showing was at 1:00 pm and was .. 1:00 I'm looking at the clock and it's down the street.  I don't like missing the beginnings of movies or even taking the chance that I might, so, I cancelled that out of my mind and thought - tomorrow.  1:00 pm showing.  Pacific time, lol, 2 hours behind my regular time. 

So that's my agenda tomorrow, haircut and the movies. If I really feel like it, stop at the bowling alley on the walk home.  I'ts only a mile to the theater, the walk is nice, it's not too hot here.  I'll get a 34 hour reset in here. I contacted my manager about that - no reply.  Second reset on the road in a row with no free hotel like everyone is getting.  Whatever.  I'm turning the receipts in for this one, I don't care what anyone thinks, they shouldn't have sent me out 6 days in advance of a delivery that take 3 and a half days to get to.  Actually, it didn't even take that long.  Just over 3 24 hour days to get here from the time I arrived at the plant to fill up the trailer.  \

Speaking of the trailer, well there is a hissing sound coming from inside the back cabinet.  I am going back out there in a while to see if I can delineate where it is coming from. Air pressure? Or vapor?  We don't want vapors being released unintended.  And, the pressure.  It was up at 79 this morning,  and then again at 80 when I got here. Well, the automatic release valves go off at 100, I took measures to alleviate  that problem. 

Well I"m going out there, actually, to check it out again, the pressure keeps rising. These old trailers are not what should have been sent up here, but I know my manager wouldn't have done that without understanding that there must be an issue with space in the plant, as several places have. In other words, you can't get a trailer that is 10 feet longer in there, my guess. I'll find out in 39 hours from now.  Yup, I have that much more time before I have to be at the plant......