I grew up with dad driving all night to get somewhere. If he got sleepy he pulled off the road and took a nap. Those were the days before the word Motel was around these parts. There were Tourist Cabins, Tourist Courts, Motor Courts and Car Camps. The word Motel was coined in 1925 in Las Angeles. But it was slow getting to the East coast.
The price per nite at the Tourist Cabins was $2-$5 and out of the question just for a place to sleep. Conservative folks would not waste that money. So even though we traveled a lot until I was 16, I never saw the inside of a motel.
No fast food places or restaurants for food, mama always packed enough for what we called a picnic. Every so often counties would place a Picnic Table along the road. There would be a small sign ‘Free Picnic Table Ahead’. If it was summer and we passed watermelons for sale, dad would buy one to go along with the picnic. I always enjoyed seeing his big fist ‘bust that melon’. The the pieces were broken up, we ate salt on our ‘melon’. Mama always had salt.
The Bride in front of the motel, Dad’s Rambler we were driving.
So it is no wonder that Sherry and I enjoyed our one night Honeymoon. WE got a motel beside Lake Lure. “NOW LEME TELL YOU , ‘AT WAS HEAVEN.”
We were married on Sat evening, honeymooned Sat nite, Loved all day Sunday, and I had to drive back to the base Sunday night and leave my new WIFE.
T(The Groom outside the motel)
So after that, EVERY TRIP WAS A HONEYMOON. That is how we viewed vacations, nights out, weekends, etc., for the first 50 years of our marriage methinks. Maybe we are becoming the old married couple! You think?
Did I fall in love with MOTELS? You bet. So We have honey mooned in many motels since then, until we found our rolling love nest.
I e-mailed our Grandson Josh and his beautiful bride Megan this week asking them, to never become the old married couple, always remain newly weds. He e-mailed back and said they would remain newly weds until Grandpa and Grandma become the Old married couple.
Glenda, who comments here (Ah, she was a little beauty too), talks about when she was 12 that she remembers Sherry & I kissing a hugging a lot. I guess we did.
We seldom stay at a motel anymore, but we consider the cruise ship, a good substitute.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
I am sitting here as I type and look over at my bride as she is playing a game on her computer, I am one lucky dog!!!!
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Yeah Santa must update also…/
Love your Honeymoon stories....yes, I do remember the "Motels". They still have a few in New England. They were much less expensive then the fancy hotels.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful post, Jack!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good looking "Kelvinator" you were driving.
George Romney was proud of you!
Like this entry very much. Mel and I drove to San Marcos, Texas for one night as he had to go back to work on Monday. I wouldn't go in a restaurant because I forgot my makeup so needless to say we drove back home quicker then expected. Not that I'm so vain but inclined to be very pale and feel self conscious without a little help. Hee hee
ReplyDeleteLOve Lake Lure. A nice spot to honeymoon.
ReplyDeleteJack ~ you're so mushy :)
ReplyDeleteSounds as though there may be another cruise in the offing. I remember the tourist cabins and saw a lot of them still here up around Lake Erie when we went traveling this fall. I don't know how much they are used, but they were also surrounded by RV campsites. More and more people are doing what you do. I think many come up for the summer and go down your way in the fall. Snow birds. We got 6-7 inches of snow today. Thankfully my next door sister has a snow blower. No shoveling done today.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are reliving
ReplyDeleteold times. Does that mean you are
getting old. We did travel a lot
when we were little. I forget
that I wasn't born this are.
Looks like Santa has graduated
to a faster vehicle maybe we will
get our presents on time this year.
hee hee
I like hearing some things - your stories - I had never heard of those kind of cabins to rest at.
ReplyDeleteGosh when my dad would drive he would refuse to stop and we'd be driving the mountians and he'd knod wanting to fall asleep - I begged him to stop and I PRAYED!
sandie
My husband is one of them husbands that don't want to stop so if we drive all night one of us better not be sleepy.
ReplyDeleteHow sweet the email you sent to Josh and his bride and the answer received back! We didn't travel much when I was growing up and usually to relatives' houses where we would spend our time if it was an overnight trip. First time I was in a hotel was as a young adult, I remember how wonderful it was to have someone make the bed for me, LOL :)
ReplyDeletebetty
Ah Jack, you and your "No-tell Motel" yarn started my day with a smile (again, you've done it) Love you two, you're NOT Old til you quit hugging & loving on your bride. Don't imagine you'll EVER be old!!!
ReplyDelete