Perhaps the nicest motel/hotel we ever stayed at was the Loew’s Coronado
Resort. Now before you think I have gone yuppie, it was one of my accounts, and
I got the employee discount. Same as staying at the Marriott Resort in Sonoma
when my son worked for them. Again using his friends/family account we stayed
at the Leland Stanford in San Francisco, and other places. We felt it was about
time he started paying us back, and his room discount was a start. Sadly the
student loans still loom over us, they may never be paid off, but that is
another story...But when traveling we like to stay in old motels, clean and
quiet, and priced much better. Places where the owners greet you, motorcycles
are welcome. Where they don’t question why you ride, but want to know where
your next ride is taking you. And so over the years we have stayed in some
interesting places, like the Lowe Hotel in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, not to
be confused with Loew’s Coronado. Those who know of Mothman lore and his legend
may know of the hotel, and some come looking for ghosts. And by some accounts
find them, I thought few of the guests looked a bit out of this world. But
when Theresa had woman talk to her about a picture of a ghost she had just
taken, we certified her as crazy. She had taken a picture of herself in a
mirror! How do they find me? Another night we stayed in the Cedar Grove
Mansion in Vicksburg, Mississippi, a wonderful place until the AC went out I our
room, and we went searching for another room in the middle of the night. We
ended up sleeping in the most expensive room, in General Grant’s bed, and when
telling the clerk the next day was told, “I’m glad someone had the smarts to do
the right thing.” Gotta love the south, then there was the week we spent one
night in Hoboken, New Jersey, where the bikes needed to be guarded. And the
sign said if you don’t like the room, don’t pay, and we didn’t. One night in
Monterrey we even took our bikes into our room! With permission of course, ever
ride a sport bike down a carpeted hall? I have. But the gas smell from the
bikes stunk so bad we had trouble sleeping. So every night, every motel or
hotel brings along an air of mystery, luxury, or premium, and the welcome a
tired rider needs at the end of the day. Some raise the bar, some so low you
trip over, some you cannot give too low a score on Tripadvisor. Like the night
we slept with our guns on when the door wouldn’t fully shut and lock. “Room
service-boom!”
And so we avoid Motel 6, horrible, and find pleasant places like the Melody
Ranch Motel in Paso Robles, Quality Inn in Tulare, and many other places where
despite the traffic, they remember us. And surprisingly we are welcomed back.
Motorcycles and all. But the one motel that we avoid, the one no matter how
many stars we don’t book a room at is the Million Star Motel. Sounds promising,
maybe a taste of old Route 66, but when arriving for the night I like a hot
shower, watch some TV, and get ready for the next day. The Million Dollar may
have the view, just not the amenities. The Million Dollar Motel is camping, and
we don’t camp. Give me Camp Marriott, or Camp Comfort Suites. My kind of
camping has four walls, AC, TV, and a comfy bed to sleep on. But yet I have
many friends who swear by camping, the last time I ended up swearing because of
camping. Funny the others don’t mind using our showers. But for each weary
traveler, a night awaits, some preplanned, some at the last minute, and some
just along the road with a sleeping bag. Laying watching the million stars, and
wishing upon them. To me, unlike the song, when I wish upon a star, it does
matter where I are.
Solomon who was once the wisest person on earth, note he wasn’t the
smartest, went searching for pleasure, which he seemed to think was good. But
found lacking, maybe too many Million Dollar Motels, maybe too many concubines,
“do you have 1100 rooms for the night?” or maybe because he thought pleasure
found in riches was the answer. He found laughter and stories often strayed
from truth, as bench racing was invented, along with the 150 mph Sportster,and
as the night turned to morning, the stories grew in exaggeration. He finds that
pleasure is not fulfilling, please let me decide, or at least give me a chance
to, just one night at a 4 star resort. But for him it left him empty, something
was missing. It couldn’t be he didn’t have anyone to share it with, or the
money to stay wherever he wanted. It went deeper than that, and along the way
found fame. Which may get you a good table at a restaurant, but also brings
attention to you. It seemed the thing he really wanted was escaping him. And
could only be found in a relationship with God. Today we have the chance to
restore our relationship with God when we come to Jesus. A reservation has
already been made in your name. The room is paid for, in fact a mansion awaits
you someday, but you must check in after checking out. You must put down the
old things so you can pick up your cross and follow him. And many nights you
may spend in Million Dollar Motels, and others in 4 star rooms, but with him
all needs are met. And the places you go are better than you ever imagined, or
thought possible. Yet some continue to go the same route, take the same trip
every year. Expecting a different time, and come away disappointed when it is
just rerun of last year, which was a rerun of the year before. But as one who
rides, we get excited about new roads and where they lead, just like in Christ
we get excited when he takes us places in the spirit that we didn’t know about,
or knew about but were afraid to go. He has a trip planned for you, he calls it
life, and he wants you to live it fulfilled, no matter how many stars. Sadly
Solomon eventually got burned out on all the things of luxury. The rooms were
nice, great food and service, but soon none of it mattered. He needed more, and
that more could only be found in God. He could have been the first yuppie, yet
he found the hollowness in things, and the comfort in someone. Jesus is still
that someone today.
Solomon ended up hating life, he became bored by it. No excitement,
nothing new under the sun as he put it. But we know that there is something new
in the son, when his name is Jesus. We find we are a new creation, and the old
man has passed away. But we need to live like one, to enjoy all the blessings.
After my open heart surgery we travel much different. But we still travel, and
still with Jesus along. The grass may have been greener on the other side of
some fences, but there is a reason for that, and so we find places we may have
passed by before. Too much in a hurry, or places passed by on the way to some
where else. Don’t live like that, passing Jesus while on the way looking for
someone else. We all cannot stay at Million Star Motels, but we can all enjoy
them when we see them from the creator. When we look to the creator, we enjoy
his creation that much more. But you need to get out, out from the four walls
of home, of church, and of the funk you may be in. You will never know until
you follow Jesus. Some of the best nights and rides caught us by surprise, but
not God. He had them planned, and has many more waiting. God has given me the
perfect travel partner in Theresa, the ability and passion to ride and enjoy
the open road. Maybe now you can see why when I say “Jesus, Theresa, and
motorcycles-it just don’t get any better!” means to me. Your room awaits you,
and whether four stars or a million stars, he promises you rest. When you rest
in him. Not bad advice from a man born in a barn. They say the stars at night
are big and bright...deep in the heart of Texas, but no stars compare to the
heart of Jesus.
“Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur...” Good night. Sleep tight.
Don’t let the bed bugs bite. Where I lay me down to sleep does matter after
all.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com