I had a great time this year. Saw many old friends that I had missed over the past couple of years due to illness. I also ran away with the big prize, the detector, an ACE 250. I already had one so I guess I'll probably wind up selling the new one? I'd like to clear up the Motel 6 fiasco for those of you who don't know. I had made my reservations back in July and I got a call the night before I was to arrive from the motel six saying I didn't have a room because they were overbooked. They had given away my room to some railroad workers who planned to stay longer. Profit wise that would seem to be a sure thing providing some of us from CTH cancelled. I proved I did because I had a confirmation #. The motel manager phoned me back and said they had two rooms left and they would save one for me. When I got there the next evening the Manager said I could have the downstairs room because I was handicapped and couldn't climb stairs. So, I checked in, unloaded most of my things and drove on into Caldwell and everything was cool. Then later that evening I got a call from the manager saying that other guests were there and wanted my room because he had a sore leg and couldn't go upstairs and they were smokers and the upstairs room was no smoking. I tried to argue that I had as much a claim as anyone, and got there first, but was told to come and move my things out of the room. Not wanting to offend, I went to the motel and got my things and was going back home when Stan was good enough to offer me a bed at his home. What really PO'd me was that because of the screw up by the manager I was to be comped a night but instead I got kicked out and got nothing but inconvenience. I had already paid for the room and they had to recredit my card so I wouldn't be charged. I am going to write a hot letter to the home office of Motel 6 and you can bet I won't stay there again and I will not recommend it to any of my friends who travel. I appreciated Stan letting me stay at his home, but I have special breathing needs and a respirator machine and cpap machine that I need to use when I have trouble breathing. With the cold wind and dust I needed to use my breathing equipment and it was very difficult to do at Stan's because of the limited space and inconvenience to him and Vicki. But other than that I did really enjoy the fellowship and visit with my friends. I didn't find anything noteworthy except a couple of square nails, but I didn't hunt at all Saturday because it was so windy and cold. What happened to fall? It went from the 90s to the low 40s in two days! But anyway thanks to one and all for showing me a really good time. Jim (Monty)
