You see, when someone makes a reservation, we take their comfy room out of our inventory and hold it just for them. Once we are completely booked we have to say “sorry” to other travelers that are looking for a room. As a date approaches most people have already secured an alternative (albeit,  not as “cool” as The Motor Lodge) hotel reservation.  So, when  a person calls to cancel their reservation at the last minute it is possible, and has happened often, that we are left with an empty room.  Sure, there may be those that “fly-by the seat-of -their-pants” and prefer to just show-up as “walk-ins” that may fill the room,  however,  we can’t be assured of that.  We have had empty rooms on busy holiday weekends after having previously turned away many potential guests due to a the last minute “no-show”.

We have tried to be lenient,  trusting that people would be honest and not try to pull one over on us, but “ouch!” it sure hurts to get burned.  We once had a cancellation from a guy that had “just lost his job”.  We wished him well and didn’t enforce our cancellation policy only to find out later that he had actually decided to extend a Hawaiian vacation at the last minute. There have been other examples; the woman that called at noon to let me know she was sick on the day of her arrival only to find out about some last minute concert tickets that she acquired (be careful what you tell your friends who keep their reservations!); and the woman that, when I called to check on her “very sick daughter”, apparently having forgotten her reason for canceling,  had forgotten  about her daughters “sickness” the previous day. It is not unusual for some people to make multiple reservations  while trying to decide what will best suit their needs.  Some people think that if  they are going be charged anyway, that they can come on a different day and not have to pay.  Sorry, that is not how it works. You see, then we are holding a room for two nights for you at the price of one.

At The Motor Lodge, we ask that you let us know at least 72 hours in advance of your earliest check-in if you aren’t able to keep your reservation in order to not be charged.  If we can fill the room, even if you are in the 72 hour window, we will not charge you (although most places will…ain’t we sweet?!). Because last minute cancellations have such an impact on  a small place like ours and we have been burned multiple times we will be enforcing our cancellation policy.  Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!

If you are planning on staying with us at The Motor Lodge, feel no need to transport all your wheels, as we have a great selection of vintage and newer bikes for your cruising convenience. There are even a couple of tandems so you can share your happiness (or test your relationship)with your sweetheart or a friend. Not only will you look cool but you will get everywhere in a quarter of the time and get some exercise! Let’s just face it, bikes are the coolest.

Sunflowers tend to impact people more than other flowers. Perhaps it is their height that makes us feel humble and happy or their joyful, summery appearance. Or it could be their love of the sun, that we definitely can relate to.  People have used sunflowers as symbols for several causes. From the Vegan Society to the Aesthetic Movement. These flowers embody a lot.

So, if you love sunflowers like we do, we’ll let you in on a Prescott area secret. If you go down to skull valley in the next couple of weeks, past the general store and tasty breakfast place, you will see the most outrageous fields of thick and vibrant flowers. You can’t walk through them they are so dense (and we have tried). They are an absolute treat, a sunflower forest. Not much else can make you feel THAT good.

If you still feel the impending sun and heat, then make yourself some homemade popsicle ice cubes! Cut up all that delicious summer fruit that desperately needs to be eaten, put some in an ice cube tray, and pour some fruit juice over it. Freeze as long as it takes, and then enjoy them in a cold glass of sparkling water, tap water, or more juice! Yumm, gotta go, there are so many crafts to be done.

A couple of years ago, there was a total mixed bag of events going on at The Elks Theater. From local youth plays, to showing Casa Blanca (and other classic films), to being avery occasional music venue. This was around the time when the copper Elk (named “Bill”… who knew?) was returned to his original place atop the theater. Bill had been removed in 1971 and was staying at the Elks Club until 2006 when it was decided that Bill should be the symbol of The Elks that he once was.

Most recently, the community came together with a vision to restore The Elks Opera House to its original glamour , and the beautiful space is being unveiled yet again. Look on The Elks website for tickets to all the upcoming events (including the Prescott Film Festival, a Steel Drum Band, and lots of independent theater). Don’t forget your bow tie  and opera glasses!

Even if you don’t find anything, it is stil fun to see what people are getting rid of and the people who can’t live without their treaures. Before you know it the morning will have passed, and some delicious breakfast places are waiting to feed you. We are sure you will find something fun to do in the afternoon. Perhaps you can play with the hulahoops and yoyos you got at the yard sales.

If you are able to navigate to the tip of the Scorpius tail, you should be able to follow those stars slightly to the upper left to find the triangle at the front of Sagittarius. If you are looking at Sagittarius as a teapot (which we really like to do), then the triangle you have found is the spout of the teapot and the squarish body follows to the left of it. If you want, you can also follow a longer line of stars on the left side to see the body of the centaur.

The most unusual thing about these two constellations, is when you stare directly between the spout of Sagittarius and the tail of Scorpius, you are staring at the black hole in the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way. That is probably the most extreme thing you will ever be able to find between a Scorpion and a Tea Kettle. So whether you want to bring some blankets and take a short, after dark trip out of town, or if you just want to walk outside in your slippers, go impress your friends with your new, fascinating night sky knowledge.