Stephanie was telling me how she was woken up by a customer at 5 am who wanted to stay at the motel. The customer rightly wanted a discount at that early hour. Stephanie offered them a late checkout until 2 pm with a fee. Not exactly what the customer wanted. The customer was from Nevada and decided to stay somewhere else.  Good for the customer.

Now admittedly, Nevadans are spoiled by hotel casinos going the extra mile, giving comps and discounts and great prices (usually)... AND this is the first time I have ever heard of a late checkout fee.  I usually opt to stay until noon or 1 pm and have NEVER been charged a fee for checking out late.

Excuse me, hotel and motel owners, who is paying your employee's salaries and who is paying your profits???  Your customers. And if you don't treat your customers right, you won't have any customers sooner or later.

Yesterday, I talked with Wyndham Rewards... I've spent $1,000+ on motels in the last month or so and they are supposed to credit me with points so that I get free rooms... yeah, right... ok, at least the program does not cost anything but when I asked if my stays were recorded they told me that the stay I had a few nights ago is not in their system yet, it takes 10 days. Ok.  Then I stayed at one motel in Medford, Oregon for ten nights and the guy tells me that doesn't count because I used a coupon... so what I still spent $500 there that should count for something. It is really starting to annoy me that you spend so much money on these places and they don't feel any obligation to give you anything, not even a decent room.

Maybe I am spoiled. The hotel casinos in Nevada do give great deals and they do that because people spend so much money gambling... so why then when I called one hotel casino in Oregon, they wanted $89 a night...do customers have to go to Nevada for fabulous rooms and great service, and forget the rest of the country???

Wise up, people. In this economy and even when times are good, people want the MOST bang for their buck. And your bad attitudes and cheapskate ways are gonna lose you customers. It's just business. Plain and simple reality. And dog owners are going to revolt, too. Who wants to be charged $5, 10, 25 or $50 extra a night to bring along Fido or Fluffy?

and who wants to spend $28-50+ on a dog's own hotel suite if the service is not superb ?

customers have the power of choice... if you could choose between a motel that does not give you the amenities that it tells you it has, is rude, and the place smells, and a motel that is clean, fresh and homey, both for the same price, $50-55 a night with dog?  (crown pacific vs. captain cook inn, both in Lincoln City, Oregon), where would you stay?  no brainer, right... I chose Captain Cook Inn... and I figure if one motel can offer a great room and service for $54 a night, then so can the others.

http://beta.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/worklife/09/12/travel.pets/index.html

http://www.funnydogsite.com/pictures

cici wants a yurt... buy this dog a yurt... her own yurt. my own yurt.  a yurt to call our home...

Some interesting dog travel blogs including where to find the dog friendly beaches in Italy.

http://www.petparents.com/family-dog/traveling-with-your-dog.cfm

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Dogtravels/

http://travelblog.viator.com/travels-with-a-big-dog/

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/dog-gone/

http://www.venere.com/blog/italy-dog-beaches/

http://realtravel.com/aachen-journals-j7219694.html

http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-training/travelwithdogs/article_20773.aspx

http://www.doggienews.com/travel.htm

http://www.dogtravelnetwork.com/index.html

http://www.dogcaredigest.com/dog_travel_&_safety.html

We are now in Grants Pass, Oregon... and may stay here a few days and camp out this weekend... hah, says Cici... I am not sleeping in a tent... and I am not allowed in the campground yurts... oh well...

we are staying at the Sunset Inn... stephanie and her mom filling me in on all of the chocolate venues (three) in town besides the wonderfully delicious Cary's toffee place... Stephanie's mom said Cici looks like her dog in Hawaii... and we also talked about Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.  Am looking forward to new chocolate sampling... yum yum...

now here's more about the Sunset Inn... I stayed at a Super 8 the other night for $80 and got a sorry tiny bagel, no cream cheese... while here at the Sunset Inn, they actually had real bagels, the everything bagel, cheese bagels, a variety of bagels and with cream cheese... and they gave me a $5 gas card, the room smells fresh, none of that motel smell, and the shampoos are eco friendly.  Plus, Stephanie gave me a toothbrush kit and they have other types of kits for shaving, sewing, etc. and told me about where other yurts are in the area and parks where I can take the cici bug... and there is hot chocolate and coffee throuhout the day in the lobby... now why doesn't the Super 8 motel give folks amenities like these for $80 (after a discount!!)

i love this photo because every time I go out of the car, cici goes and sits in the driver's seat as if she is going to drive the car... she usually waits patiently for me to return... on occasion, yesterday, she would not move over and wanted to drive next to me, the car is too full and there was no room, but a girl dog just wants to cuddle with her mom while driving... or lean her head on her mom's shoulder or arm or lap. awwww...

the middle is in the trash but she still has the round ropy blue part, the terry cloth and rubber part for more hours of fun... later she chased after a Golden retriever named Wally at the lake...

today, we had to say good-bye to our yurt boo hoo, miss it already... well, cici will be happy to sleep indoors again with me tonight... but it was a really great experience camping out in a yurt... slept better than in any motel... out in nature... healthier... met lots of people, some with dogs, some who want to take cici home with them... many who gave her treats, she received 10-12 treats yesterday, a record... a huge one from the guy at the gas station, at least five from Hope at HomeFinders (if you want to buy a home in Florence, Hope, Randy, John the Surfer, Kathy and Bert are the people to talk to, they are the best !)  a few more from other campers...

below are photos of inside and outside the yurt, plus photos of cici playing with her Doggytug green toy...  don't forget to email me if you want to win the free giveaway contest this week... loads of fun for dog boys and girls !

the Oregon coast was just named one of the top 10 places to see and Florence, Oregon, where we are, specifically was listed... hee haw... it's a beautiful place...

Cici has been very cuddly this morning... and would not move over when I got in the car, usuallys she sits in the driver's seat while I am outside the car and then moves over, but she would not budge today... she is always full of surprises for me... made it a bit tricky to drive with a 54 pound dog squished up next to me... :-)

We camped out Saturday night at Sutton's Lake near Florence, Oregon. Got the tent put up, got the air bed inflated outside the tent and could not get it inside... duh... so I slept outside the tent and Cici slept in the car... there were a lot of dogs there and squirrels, birds, and fun trees to sniff... I kept her under the blanket and then put her in the car for safe keeping... :-)

Sunday I remembered that there are yurts in campgrounds in Oregon so I decided to check it out and asked at the Visitor's center, and voila, was told that there were some in the area. I went to Honeyman's camping area, was second in line and someone on the phone was asking about a yurt. The gal told them that they don't reserve on the phone and that there was one yurt available... so I scooped it up for $29 last night... it's big enough for a family of 4-5-6 ... and it has electricity and a heater. Cici was not thrilled to sleep out in the car again... I checked on her in the middle of the night and she was fine after that.

I tethered her outside the yurt this morning and she played with two young boys from the yurt next door... squirrel stalking is her favorite activity... she was sniffing and digging and whining at the squirrels to get them to come out and visit with her to no avail...

Now we are out and about in the town... we met up with a couple yesterday also who had a Staffordshire, almost all black, cute as a bug, tried to take photos but the dogs would have none of that... will email them and see if they will send her photo.

We also made lots of friends at the campgrounds... being my social butterfly, she has to lick everyone...

And I had an amazing hot fudge sundae at BJ's... the best ice cream flavors ever, kahlua crunch, coconut, s'mores and others... it was hard to choose, but they were all good (I had samples)... they make their own ice cream, too. I also put some of the candied popcorn on top of the ice cream and that was yummy.. they also have salt water taffy, which I did not try... nor the brownies, cookies, etc.   they were also willing to give me a dog cone but not free like in Mendocino...

This is a pretty pet friendly place though... lots of dogs galore... the campground is filled with people and their humongous RV's, trailers, motor homes and all kinds of vans and motor toys...

there is a lake that we have not been to yet, but we went to the beach several times and my beach dog played ran around chasing after sticks.

http://www.viamagazine.com/weekenders/florence01.asp

had to take care of some car business and then decided to see about another motel that I had a coupon for... the Captain Cook Inn is on the north end of town near the bank... turned out that this motel is the cleanest, freshest and homiest place on the coast that I have found, they are also pet friendly, even have treats for dogs in their little lobby, and the nicest people... the floor is hardwood which is very rare and it is the same price $50 as the crapola place that was dark, dingy, old, built in 1972 and smelled... plus where nothing worked and they lied to me several times...

it is a relief to find a decent place here on the coast... they only have a few rooms and a nice backyard for the dogs, too... plus they do not charge a pet fee here, which is another rarity...

I also visited a doggie daycare place which was tiny, they have an outdoor and indoor area for the dogs to play in... it's the only doggie daycare in town...

http://www.captaincookinn.com/index.htm

tonight is the premiere for the Greatest American dog... you can also watch videos online...

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/greatest_american_dog/

and why does it seem that too many Visitor Center employees are rude?  aren't they supposed to be paid friendly, kind and helpful???

for instance, the Visitor's Center in Bodega Bay has a very cranky old lady there who got annoyed because I asked her a few questions...  she is NOT doing her job, fire her !!!

now the Visitor's Center folks in Medford and in Ashland, OR were wonderful, for the most part and the Visitor's welcome centers in Yucca Valley, CA and Barstow, CA are really great... as are most of the visitor center folks in Laughlin and Jean, NV

a word about budget motels... this is any motel under $100 these days.  Now as far as I am concerned, $50-70 is not so budget, $50 a night is $350 a week or $1,400 a month, when you can rent a place for $600-800 a month, $50 a night is not budget...  now $10-30 is budget... and even so, if some innkeepers can provide a DECENT room for that price, then so can others...  I don't think that it is too much to ask for a motel for $50-70 to provide a decent room that is CLEAN, quiet, without bugs, fleas or other creatures, has amenities that work, like showers and toilets, does not smell, is nontoxic, etc. But apparently, some innkeepers provide crappy motel service and icky rooms and don't mind charging for the bad experience.

The designation AAA approved apparently also does not mean anything anymore either so don't be fooled. The motel we stayed at last night is supposed to be that.  And I even looked at the room and thought it looked decent but I was wrong.

A couple of years ago, i stayed in Jean, Nevada, about 20 minutes south of Las Vegas at the Whiskey Pete's and Nevada Landing (NL is closed now), for $20-22 a night, that' s right, in 2006 i used to book rooms in casinos (pre-Cici)... with Travelworm (the regular rack rate was $27 a night)... they do not take pets. The rooms were not luxury suites but for the most part, they were decent, as were most of the casino rooms I stayed at in both Jean, Primm, Mesquite and Laughlin, Nevada.  Yes, casinos offer great incentives such as cheap rooms and cheap food so that you will gamble your money away while you stay there. And they give comps too if you do.  And who else can compete?  Well, i think that if one motel can provide decent accommodation at an affordable price then so can others... period end of story.

it seems like any motel in or near Sacramento is the pits, the best place I stayed nearby was the Red Roof Inn in Rancho Cordova, but I went to a few other motels and blah, ick, eeewww... need I say more? and why is this????
i stayed at your motel and paid a few hundred dollars or $50 for one night and all I got was this lousy shampoo, body lotion or pastry...  orange juice, coffee, donuts and english muffins do not a continental breakfast make... how about some fresh fruit you cheapskates for $80 a night, give me SOMETHING TO TAKE HOME ....

Top Ten Worst Motels on the Face of the Planet

1. Edgewater Hotel and Casino, Laughlin, NV, registration was a pain, I had to wait until 3 pm (never a problem anywhere else if i arrived early), after 3 pm, the room was still not ready, the people at the front desk were rude, and the room when it was supposed to be ready was not exactly clean, i yelled a lot and got a comp, $50 worth of food that i had to use all that same day, i ate in the restaurant and threw up all night, the maid threw away all of my shampoo, toothbrush, and other supplies because i traveled light, without luggage, and she thought that i checked out, so they comped me for the replacement of these items...   I would definitely never stay there nor at the River Palms, who were rude on Xmas day... my favorite places bar none in Laughlin are Harrah's and the Ramada Express...  they do not allow pets though...

2. Blu Lite or Ripon Motel in Ripon, CA, back when i had my kitty cat Precious, who was the worst furry traveler ever, he cried the entire time i drove, we had the misfortune of stopping in this tiny town. I paid for the room, started to bring Precious inside and was told they do not allow pets and not only that but the guy would not give me my money back. I was exhausted and spent half the night in my car trying to console my cat.  There is no reason to make people miserable. People make mistakes, why would you want to make an unhappy customer even unhappier by forcing them to pay and stay???

3. Motel 6's used to be a good bargain place to stay.  In a few locations, they still are pretty good but $50 a night is not such a bargain. Anyway, the Carson City, NV location is decent so is Ukiah, CA but some are decidedly not...  I did write to the corporate folks because of the locations below and did get comped for a few nights.  There are others in cities that i would not even consider staying at. Why doesn't Motel 6 provide decent accommodations for an affordable price anymore???  They charge an extra $3 a day now for wireless internet, don't have refrigerators in the rooms nor free breakfast and jack the rates on the weekends, holidays and in the summer.

Motel 6, Eureka, CA just plain stinks... the room was dirty, nothing worked in the room and when I complained, I got attitude. At least, they gave me my money back.

Motel 6, 29 Palms, used to be decent, but last time we were there was awful, bed bugs, noisy and not a great experience

Motel 6, Marina and Watsonville, CA, I was disappointed in the Marina because i had stayed there before and it was nice, but when I went back last year, i could not find a clean room, and finally settled for one i was not thrilled with.  Watsonville is just plain NOISY.

Motel 6, Gilroy, used to be good but seems to be going downhill.

4. Budget Inn, off the 101, i never stayed here but i went there once when i was looking for a motel and it was JUST PLAIN DIRTY, i got my money back and left

5. Monterey Surf Motel, Monterey, CA, it was a hassle checking in with the dog and then the bathroom was not working properly and i woke up with bed bug bites, and they were rude about it all ... recently, i stayed at the El Adobe Inn for $70 which was ok and I would stay there again... but affordable motels in Monterey are getting hard to come by...  The Motel 6 is pricey and it was decent, i used one of my comp nights there...

6. Old Towne Inn, Florence, OR, the kid at the front desk does not have a clue about anything, cannot breathe due to stuff some places like this one use on the carpet, ugh, I was itchy all night, it was too hot, then too cold when he opened the window, i could not get a phone call through and he told me he did not know what to do, finally i suggested that he make the call for me which he did, but it was noisy and they have a million rules about pets, made me give them a credit card in case my dog did something terrible, ok, some pet owners make it bad for the rest of us by letting their pets go nuts in motel rooms, tearing up the places,  you cannot bring your pet traveling and leave it alone in a strange place, duh...

7.  Two motels in Laughlin, NV or Bullhead City AZ, for new years eve, i had to pay $100 for this DUMP because there was no other possibility... but the      Lodge On The River had fleas and seemed dusty

8.   El Rancho Delores motel in 29 Palms, CA, have had mixed experiences here, some good, one really bad, there was a rat or squirrel in my room, ick eeewww, need i say more?  stay at the Best Western or the Roughley Manor B&B

9.  Avi casino, Laughlin, NV, it was ok, but saw a bug or two

10. Aquarius, Laughlin NV

there were bedbugs, they took photos of the bites, red itchy welts i woke up with and they asked me a lot of questions and had me sign waivers (in case i decided to sue them afterwards)... i did not want a comp, why would i ever stay there again?

you are warned... beware... and if any of the innkeepers at any of the above motels want their guests to have a good experience and are willing to take care of the problems there, in other words, take responsibility, let me know... and I will let my readers know that you gave me a comp, returned my money and/or renovated the place !

on the road again with your pup...

http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/travdog.html

from the sublime to the ridiculous... paid $30 a night at the vet hospital for boarding cici in a cage, now these pet hotels charge $40-100 a night for pet lodging, cage free suites...  so if these places are good enough for the dog, they might consider having motels that are decent for humans, too !!!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/13/DOGHOTELS.TMP

http://www.thebenjamin.com/19_0_dream_dog.cfm

more pooching on the ritz...carlton that is...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16268331/

Yesterday morning, however, this man drives up at 6-7 am on a Sunday morning with all of these dogs yowling... we were just stumbling along, well, I was, half awake, Cici was rollling on the grass, stalking squirrels and sniffing around... the guy almost ran us over, got out of his car and I asked him if he saw us and he said yes, duh... then he said that he was going to let eight that is 8 dogs out, could we please leave, the nerve !!!  I am paying a fortune to stay in this place and he comes there with his eight dogs...we left though... did not want Cici to get ganged up on by a bunch of crazy dogs... like their owner...

then we ventured into the dog park, too many dogs there, but she did find one friend, a black lab who she chased and played with for a few minutes... then I whisked her away...

doggie heaven...  they love her at the bank and feed her treats... mostly, people here have been wonderful regarding her but on occasion, there are those who are still afraid of dogs and/or pit bulls...

The Washington Post apparently did a wonderful photo gallery of the Michael Vick dogs rehabed and sheltered at various animal sanctuaries including Best Friends in Kanab Utah and Bad Rap in northern California...

here's the link and a few other links... the other day this guy in a laundromat asked me if my dog had a locking jaw, I was stunned... cici was wagging her tail, kissing feet and doing her usual social butterfly routine and he wanted to know about her locking jaw... there is no such thing as a locking jaw... it is a myth (see below, there is a link to myths about pit bulls)... the jaws of pit bulls are the same as any other dog, K9, period end of story...  otherwise intelligent people believe this baloney... media hype and hysteria about super dogs...  yeah, she's a super dog all right... super smart, super friendly, super silly, super loving, and super playful...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/galleries/vickdogs/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/080128-vick-dogfighting_2.html

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/breedinfo.php

http://www.realpitbull.com/myths.html

In addition, the dog food is really good quality food and fresh...LiveSmart Holistic food is made from chicken meat, grass-fed New Zealand lamb, fresh herbs and vegetables. Food you would feed your family, but balanced for a dog’s needs.

if your dog takes supplements, they can also be put in Smart Paks.

The company offers automatic monthly delivery straight to your door which is very convenient.  who likes to go to the store and carry home a heavy bag of dog food? Not I...

http://www.smartpakcanine.com/whysmartpak.aspx

Plus, the company's online store offers a wonderful assortment of dog food and unique pet supplies...

check out these supplies for traveling with your dog...spot my dog collars, Canine Cabana Bed , K-9 Float Coat and KoolCollar for those hot dog days of summer !

http://www.smartpakcanine.com/ProductCompare.aspx?CATID=798

if you have a dog seat belt that you'd like me and cici to review, let us know...

here's a few I found online...

dog car seats...

http://www.lifescript.com/channels/healthy_living/Family/does_your_dog_need_a_dog_car_seat.asp

dog seat belts...

http://www.discountramps.com/dog_seat_belts.htm

http://furlongspetsupply.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=77

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/7_2/features/5609-1.html

I have not been to nor stayed at any of these so I cannot vouch for any of them... if they'd like to invite cici and me to stay, we'd be amenable :-)   it's cool this time of year when it's hot hot hot everywhere else especially in the surrounding areas, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, LaQuinta, Indio, 29 Palms, etc. so it's a good time to visit... no snow.. no heat.. just fun with your pooch in a pet friendly place, that is quiet, peaceful and has great art galleries.

http://www.alderwoodcabins.com/

Bluebird Cottage Inn

Cedar street inn

http://www.fernvalleyinn.com/

http://www.fernvillage.com/

www.thefireside-inn.com

http://www.idyllwildinn.com/

http://www.knottypinecabinsidyllwild.com/

http://www.oakcrestlodge.net/

http://www.peacefulmountaininn.com/

http://www.quietcreekinn.com/

Silver Pines Lodge

http://www.tahquitzinn.com/

http://www.wildercabins.com/

http://www.woodlandparkmanor.com/

http://www.idyllwildlife.com/shopping.html

100+ fun things to do in idyllwild including

http://www.idy-ca.org/fun.htm

Watch your dog have some fun at the Idyllwild Dog Park

Idyllwild Nature Center
25225 Hwy 243,  Idyllwild, CA 92549
951 659-3850

Idyllwild Park
54000 Riverside County Playground Rd,  Idyllwild, CA 92549
951 659-2656

Lawler Alpine Cabins
19751 Hwy 243,  Idyllwild, CA
909 955-4397

Mount San Jacinto State Park
25905 Highway 243,  Idyllwild, CA 92549
951 659-2607

did a search for doggie daycare in Idyllwild and came up empty just a vet boarding facility and maybe there is a pet sitter or two, so perhaps the area is ripe for doggie daycare/camp...?

I have a wonderful affordable idea for a doggie day/night camp and Idyllwild could be a great place ... if there is anyone out there who would consider donating land and/or assisting with this dream for doggies, please let me know...  will be posting a contest soon to get this rolling and woofing and four paws up... cici loves the idea of having a place for her pals to romp and run...

when we got here, we were greeted by the welcoming committee... first, star bear, a very large dog (part Malamute and border collie) put his paws on the car and peeked in to say hi... then irene the hound dog said hello... jenny rose the lab joined in and then we made our way out of the car and harry met cici,  it was puppy love at first butt sniffing...

Harry is a six month old Queensland Heeler...  and cici is still a young gurl, so they bonded instantly, jawing, wrestling, licking and rolling in the dirt and there is quite a lot of that here... cici's new halter is quite dusty now... she immediately jumped into the filthy pool and swam in the water.  really warmed the cockles of my heart. and i was greeted to find out that we would have to leave early this morning... a fine welcome...  I came here to find out about becoming a caretaker, I think not...

still, there are two yurts going up, a fabulous view from this mountain, cool fresh air and we had turkey burgers for dinner, after dinner entertainment was provided by harry and cici... and soon star bear wanted to get in on the action... jenny rose was the only one who did not seem to appreciate the attention that cici garnered from the two males... irene was not all that thrilled, either. 

we visited the yurt after dinner and all was fine until two neighbors dogs came along and looked like they would attack cici, we hightailed it through the garden, as a precaution and made our escape back to our tiny cabin... it was off to bed at about 8 but of course we did not actually fall asleep until about 3 am, and we got up around 6... cici does not seem to do well sleeping when windows and doors are open and she can see wildlife... star bears came and sat on our porch to protect us and cici wanted to play with him... and she was restless... there were two tiny beds, one a couch, and i thought she would sleep on that and i on the bed... she ran around, trashing the blankets, trying to get settled to no avail... then she decided to come visit me in my narrow little bed, plop she goes... we have not slept together in a tiny single bed since last year, she cradled my legs... then she was off again to the couch... then back to me at some point, where she cuddled my head... and took over the bed... i went to the outhouse, actually it's a small bathroom with a compost toilet, and came back and there was cici in her usual place in the middle of the bed... the bed is a little high off the ground and i did not want her to jump off of it, so i tried to move her, finally got her and me where i wanted, cuddled in my arms, she was shaking slightly, and we finally fell asleep...  had some weird dreams...

this morning, we arose at the crack of dawn, and I went outside to go up to the main house to go to the bathroom, and the dogs greeted us good morning... star bear first, of course. then we had a nice breakfast, cici and harry played and chased cats and we were ushered on our way... 

we were going to hang out in Mariposa but I was utterly unimpressed (been there before, too) and decided to take the 140 to merced which I thought was madera... we had stayed in a motel there last year. got to merced and realized I was in a different place and decided to head up the 99 a bit and we got off in Turlock, saw a sign for a motel and they take pets, and here we are... my back will mend, nice to stay in a non dusty queen bed, with wireless internet and all of the amenities of modern life, a  tv, phone, etc.

we may go back to the coast in the morning, we shall see... for now, we will rest... cici needs a bath and she met a new friend at the gas station, where they have a taqueria and pizza place.  the pizza guy took care of her while I ran in to get a burrito... very nice... 

don't forget Gone with the Wind... who played Bonnie Blue?

If you want to promote your pet friendly inn, let me know, perhaps I can help  you... win win win... for more info, visit this page... with helpful tips...  

http://celiasue.hecht.googlepages.com/innkeeperswelcome

Here's our new free giveaway contest for the week...sponsored by Doggytug...Kelly now has an instructional video on how to use the toys... on the product page, upper right hand, click on the photo... 

http://Doggytug.com

Dottie the traveling bikini dog panties (you do remember Dottie) says: Answer this question and win... who played Bonnie Blue Butler in Gone with the Wind?  (hint: i recently had breakfast with her)... 

if no one gets the answer to that question, then the first person who names three of the nine inns I recently wrote about (in May 2008) will win the free weekly giveaway contest...  so you've got two shots at winning a great goodie bag filled with wonderful doggytug toys... send us your answer before Friday, May 16, 2008... 

Doggytug toys are the tug toys that dogs love to play tug of war with...  just ask Lainie... who is Lainie you ask, check her out playing with her tug toy... from her free giveaway package... she is playing with the floatie that is for swimming with, by the way... 

http://olgathetravelingbraotherstuff.blogspot.com/

10 dog friendly things to do at the Pacific Mist Inn...

http://pacificmistinn.blogspot.com/

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens:

http://www.gardenbythesea.org/visitor/

The botanical gardens feature indigenous plants, including the native rhododendrons that blanket the area. Manicured formal gardens, a dense coastal pine forest, fern-covered canyons, diverse plant collections, and flower-filled coastal bluffs overlooking the blue Pacific Ocean. Located on 47 acres that lie between California's scenic Highway One and the Pacific Ocean, includes canyons, wetlands, coastal bluffs, and a closed-cone pine forest. A moderate climate grows a wide range of tender species which cannot survive the more extreme heat or cold that occurs in other locations. 

We saw incredibly beautiful  rhododendrons of many hues, white, blue, purple, pink trumpet, red, peach, white pearl, white swan, blue peter, president roosevelt and took a lovely walk to the beach/bluffs. You can take your dog on a leash and you could probably picnic with your dog, it says the trail is steep to the cliffs but it was not that strenuous... you go through a gate, and cici enjoyed stalking bugs every step of the way. The long walk did not tire her out as much as I'd hoped, even though we walked about an hour... she still had energy left to play with Gracie, the dog at the Atrium B&B. She ran around the yard, and greeted people (lick lick lick)... 

We stayed in the lovely, cozy and comfy quilt room (one of three pet friendly rooms) with a fireplace, very comfy bed...while I had breakfast of mushroom cheese omelet, fresh fruit and fresh baked banana bread, Cici played outside in the yard with Gracie.  

The Atrium B&B is at the north end of Fort Bragg... http://www.atriumbnb.com/

Innkeepers Mary, Gail and Joanna Jenson created the dog park... McDog park on Maple. It took about two years to bring the park into fruition. And came about because of their commitment and dedication and with the assistance of the community, the city and the Parks and Recreation Department. The park has a small dog area and a large dog area, it is entirely fenced and quite a nice size with grass. Soon, they will have a water fountain for the dogs.

Every year there are a few festivals including the Huckleberries and the Hounds, the oldest Ugly Dog contest, and several dog parades and costume parties for the K9's. 

Cici played with about 6-7 dogs at the dog park, and the people and dogs were really friendly (unlike the dogs and owners in Carson City, Nevada)... there was a dog named Zelda, two goldens (huge funny guys), a hound dog, a few others... unfortunately, one dog ruined Cici's day... I had a bad feeling when I saw the dog and sure enough, the minute this dog came inside the park, she and Cici got into it... it was difficult to pull them apart, the owner finally got his dog away from Cici and I left, shaken to the core. Cici's mouth got chewed up a little bit, it was very scary.  She has not let me look at her much. I was able to go to PAWS, and sat in the car for a bit to calm down, take some Rescue Remedy Bach Flowers for shock.  Got Cici a treat and some dog food, which she gobbled up. Then I was thinking what can I put on her mouth, and thought I needed an Aloe Vera plant. We drove by a nursery and I asked them. The woman there at Parker and Jensen I think it was called, gave me a free aloe vera plant. I tore off a leaf and put some on Cici's mouth.  Then I went to the pharmacy and got some hydrogen peroxide to clean the two wounds on her mouth. She was not happy about it but it made me feel better. 

There is a Humane Society here... http://www.MendoHumane.com/?cat=18

Now we are relaxing at the Surf Motel and Gardens ($49 to $250 plus $10 pet fee per night). This is a very nice AAA motel, they even have beautiful gardens and a pet exercise area, similar to the one at the dog park, only smaller. Each room has a fridge and microwave, cable TV, wireless internet, coffee pot and complimentary continental breakfast in the morning (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, fresh fruits and danish). This motel is at the south end of town and it is quiet. The staff is friendly and helpful.  The Harvest market is next door, this seems like a Whole Foods type of market. Cici and I slept well and love being near the beach.  Just the relaxation we needed after the day we had... 

http://www.surfmotelfortbragg.com/Surf-Activities.html

the chocolate shops are the unfriendliest places I have ever been to... so go to the health food store, where they are friendly and have a great selection of organic and healthy chocolate. 

in Fort bragg, we found Noyo Harbor beach, one of two off leash places for dogs . it was kind of a castoff place but cici found a kindrid spirit girl pit playmate about the same age, mostly black with some white named Mrs. Wilbur. the two of them chased one another across the sand and wrestled each other and just had themselves a doggie good time. Cici was very sad when Mrs. Wilbur trekked on down the road, she is not very good at saying goodbye.  We then made our way into town. 

First, I ate at the Asian Buffett, which was very clean but the variety of food choices was pitiful, two chicken dishes. And then when I wanted to eat ice cream for dessert, I was told that it was only for dinner. For $6.95, they should have more selections. Should have asked for my money back.  I was not even comparing them to Vegas style insane buffets, with more choices than you want to eat. Instead, I compared them to my favorite Carson City buffet that offers chicken and cashews, chicken and almonds,  sweet and sour chicken and a few other chicken dishes, plus shrimp, plus other seafood and beef dishes, and a few different desserts, for the same $6.95. Ok, Fort Bragg is not Carson City.

We then proceeded  to Cowlick's ice cream shop where I'd read that dogs get free ice cream cones. Cici got a kid's size vanilla cone and licked herself silly into the zone... The ice cream was homemade, very tasty and two huge scoops for $3.75.

Pine Beach inn

This is a nice pet friendly motel, with free continental breakfast, (cereals, hot and cold, bagels, toast, fruit, juice, hot chocolate, teas, coffee, not bad), with rates from $79 to $179, just before you get to Fort Bragg...  the property has its own private beach...the beach is absolutely its best feature as well as 11 acres of park-like greenery. Cici and I took a walk down to the beach about 4 pm, and at 11 am, no one else was there either time,  and she was able to run around in the sand. On the way, there is a bunch of green, very scenic and the beach itself is quite lovely and enclosed. You have to be a guest of the inn or they will charge you (if they catch you).

There is supposed to be wireless but I did not have any in my room. Two tennis courts, Virapom's Thai Cafe restaurant, open from 10 am to 9 pm, every day but Tuesday... The pad thai was very fresh but did not have much flavor. Some rooms have jacuzzis and others have ocean views, ours did not have either.  The room had a glass back door, a nice feature, and the place is big enough so you can take your dog for walks on the green grass. The property is located one mile north of Jug handle reserve, and one mile south of the Botanical Gardens, where you can take your dog for a nice tippy toe through the flowers.

Could not find Jug Handle, we turned where it said, but we found ourselves in a private house and then on a dead end street... similar to the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, except we drove and drove and drove, there was another nice enclosed beach, and then the Lighthouse area, but no parking there, except for disabled, so you can walk 1/2 mile or drive and not park?  strange... maybe it was a weird day...

10 dog friendly things to do in Mendocino County

l. Tiptoe through the Botanical gardens

2. Beach romp (Noyo Harbor or a private beach)... most beaches are dog friendly and dogs have to be on leash

3. Walk thru a park like Jug handle reserve, if you can find it 

4. Get a free ice cream cone for your mutt at Cowlick's ice cream

5. Stroll the shops in Mendocino, get some doggie perfume

6. Stay at a dog friendly inn such as the Pacific Mist Inn, Pine Beach Inn, Atrium Bed and Breakfast, Surf Motel and Gardens, Little River Inn, Stanford Inn, or Abigail's Bed and Breakfast... 

7. Dine together at the Stanford Inn

8. Play catch or frisbee at the Fort Bragg dog park

9. Go kayaking with your dog, yes, you can

10. Tiny dogs can take the Skunk train with their owners, if they can fit inside your purse; chew chew... chew chew...  all other normal dogs can visit dog friendly wineries and camp out at many of the campgrounds 

bonus:  have not found a place that gives dog massage or dog yoga, but will keep looking...

http://www.pacificmistinn.com

if you are looking for a dog friendly inn for some peace and quiet and relaxation, run do not walk to the Pacific Mist Inn in Little River, California along Highway One (20 minutes from Fort Bragg)... I can feel the stress melting away.  We conked out, slept really well in our cabin. Doesn't look like much as you drive up, rustic ambiance nothing fancy but boy there is a whole lotta Silence. Peace. Quiet. There are nicely spaced apart for privacy individual bungalow cabins,  with do it yourself barbecues, kitchens, a hot tub in the woods (how romantic)... speaking of romance, if I were getting married, this would be a fabulous place to tie the knot and invite your wedding party to stay...

it is five minutes to restaurants, the innkeepers here have thought of everything... just love the personal touches, from a book that tells you all of the local info from beaches to restaurants to art galleries... to the little notes and tips (28 thing to do on a rainy day) with instructions, they make you feel very welcome and at home here... 

http://www.pacificmistinn.com/accommodations.html

and if you are thinking about having a girlfriend's getaway, the cabins are perfect because you can each have your own room and share one cabin. It is a hop, skip and a jump to the beach. Close the doors in between the rooms for privacy, open them for late night snacks, movie watching and girl talk...

cici and i stayed in the zen cabin at the Pacific Mist Inn with our very own zen water fountain tinkling outside, i kid you not... we had two rooms, an entire cabin, with two beds, one for me, and one for her... :-)  a fireplace with wood to cozy up, two bathrooms, two televisions, two phones, a kitchen, and a deck to sit outside... cici is happy and at home, only restriction was for her to have fun and eat her doggie biscuits that they left for us with a sweet note... and two chocolates for me (i did not share them with her)... 

there is a whale and dolphin room, ocean mist room and more...

If and when you bring your dogs, you can have a fabulous breakfast, lunch or dinner with your pooches at the nearby Stanford Inn. We ate breakfast there. The scones are to live for and the food is divinely scrumptious. Cici got overexcited and had to go back in the car, there were so many people and dogs and smells and she was just a little too happy. And one dog arrived and for some reason, she just went berserk. The only time I have ever seen her act like that was when she saw a cat. Bark bark bark. Poor baby. She just loves it here. 

www.standfordinn.com

The inn is a whole dog universe unto itself... everything is organic, vegan and makes Carmel almost look small and quaint by comparison. This place is huge, has greenhouses, organic gardens, pools and it is so very majestic looking and zen at the same time. How do they do that? 

the trip from santa rosa was a little twisty and windy on highway 128 from cloverdale (101 north), but only in a few places... and you are rewarded with driving through a redwood forest and alongside the beach... spectacular.

the weather is moderate all year round cool in the summer, about 75-80 degrees and colder in the winter.

the Pacific Mist Inn even has zap (electric) cars you can drive/rent in the area... and don't forget the hot tub in the woods... ummmmmm... get in the zone...

i noticed along the way that scharffenberger has a tasting room, does that mean a wine and/or chocolate tasting room?  oh well, found out that it's not chocolate, oh well,  mmmmm help me, I'm melting... mmm  mmm good...

Today, Guerneville in Sonoma County 

Tomorrow, Little River, California 

Wed. Fort Bragg, California 

Thursday, Redwood City, CA

Friday-Monday, Fort Bragg, CA

Tuesday, Westport, CA

Some of the pet friendly inns where we will stay: 

Sonoma Orchid Inn

Pacific Mist Inn

Surf Motel and Gardens

Atrium B&B

Pine Beach Inn

Little River Inn

Howard Creek Ranch Inn

and from there, we may visit Lancaster, CA, 29 Palms,  Las Vegas and Kanab, Utah (Best Friends, here we come)...

we will be meeting some wonderful new friends, dogs, and beaches... not to mention all of the chocolate samples and dog friendly wineries, so stay tuned for our adventures as they happen...

meanwhile, back at the dog ranch... thought this was really cute and funny...

 [© New Yorker Magazine, March 1993]

http://olgathetravelingbraotherstuff.blogspot.com/2008/04/happy-tails-to-you.html

a new clue for those of you who want to enter this week's giveaway and win... name my two cats who were brothers... and poetry is one word to search for, there are other forms, poetry is plural... the cats meow... 

Cici and I will be traveling soon... next week to Mendocino, California and then south... staying in dog friendly places...  if you know of fun places, please let us know... we are especially looking to stay in yurts, tree houses, tipis and weird, unique and unusual places that feature dark chocolate, too, and speaking of chocolate, we will be featuring some yummy chocolates again soon and if you are an innkeeper or chocolatier and want to be featured here and in other publications, please call or email me asap. 

if we get to southern Oregon any time soon, I found this... pet friendly b and b's in southern oregon

http://www.lodging-world.com/petfriendlysearch.us.oregon._._.html

and can you believe it, Napa/Sonoma wineries have gone to the dawgs... more on this soon... am doing research and we hope to check these out personally...

also, did you know that there are people making dog wine, dog chocolate and dog beer?  how dry I am... hiccup...  we are NOT NOT NOT recommending that anyone give regular people beer or wine to their dogs, please don't... it's not good for them...

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/beer-for-dogs-next-stop-doggie-aa-230729.php

http://www.beerfordogs.com/

and dog lovers wine clubs?

http://www.hsus.org/shop/dog_lovers_wine_club.html

and wine dogs...

http://www.winedogs.com/t-about.aspx

and dog wine labels?

http://www.critterwines.com/Dog.asp

Cici and I are looking forward to being on the road again... well, I am... not so sure about her... once we hit the beach though, she will be a very happy camper... 

yesterday, while writing about yurts and affordable and alternative housing for my blog for the Seattle newspaper, I came across two cute photos (below)... a dog in a yurt and a couple of llamas in a yurt...since I don't yet know how to post photos there, and since they are animals, thought I'd post them here for you to enjoy... and if you don't know and want to know what a yurt is, visit my other blog below (hint: a yurt is a round or circular or dome housing structure used by nomads in Mongolia, Russia and even in the USA)...  am thinking that they will come in handy on some land for the K9 healing center, some yurts for the animals, a yurt for myself, for staff and guests... yurts are in campgrounds across America, there are yurt bed and breakfast inns, and yurts have endured extreme weather such as snow, rain, and heat... they are extremely affordable... portable... and easy to put up, good for emergency relief shelter, nomads, dog kennels, dog weddings, mobile offices, writer's retreat, artists studio, dog camps, doggie daycare and doggie education centers.  Women writers with dogs retreat and healing center... 

If anyone would like to donate land, yurts, expertise and other resources for the doggie healing and education center, please let me know.  we will need to set up a 5013c non-profit status, grants, and donations... am going to announce a Creative Expression contest this week which will help launch and fund the healing center so get in on the ground floor, for the pups. 

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/affordablehousing/

since i was there, they've built a dog park and hold a town's "cutest dog" contest through the Town Crier newspaper....

http://www.towncrier.com/dogs.html

free publications to download..

http://www.towncrier.com/publications.html

Pet friendly Solvang

One of my favorite places in California is Solvang, the little Danish village/town... I have not gone there yet with cici, but there are some wonderful places for dogs and humans... Solvang is about an hour north of Santa Barbara, another wonderful city, but much more of a city than Solvang... Solvang takes you away to a simpler time and place...  and interesting, while doing research, I found that every year they hold a Greyhound dog fest in Solvang...

Anyone for a pit bull fest in Solvang???  would be fabulous positive press for our beloved pit bulls as well as a way to raise money for all of the pit bulls that need homes..  contact me... 

http://www.solvanggreyhoundfest.org/lodging.html

http://www.peasoupandersens.com/

Be sure to visit Monty Roberts, the Horse Whisperer's ranch...

http://www.montyroberts.com/news_artcl_horse_sense.html

An interview with me where I talk about Solvang and other romantic locations...

http://www.bookpleasures.com/Lore2/idx/0/2152/article/Professional_Travel_Writer_CeliaSue_Hecht_Interviewed.html

http://sketchandtravel.com/INTERVIEWS2.cfm?holdid=353

Chocolate galore:

handmade Danish chocolates that are divine, and now they offer factory tours:

http://www.ingeborgs.com/factory_tour.html

This is a sweet little bakery, the motel I stayed in offered a free breakfast, and it was very nice continental, with tea or coffee and a danish and baked goods... yum...

http://www.olsensdanishbakery.com/

http://www.virtualsolvang.com/

http://www.royalcopenhageninn.com/Solvang-Dining.html

since I wrote this, the owners have changed so I don't know if the service, breakfasts and all are the same as when I was there...

Solvang, California: This Hans Christian Andersen village come to life, about one hour north of Santa Barbara (which is an hour north of Los Angeles), is a favorite of mine. And the Storybook Inn is a most romantic venue. This European style villa offers nine guest rooms, each one decorated and named according to various Hans Christian Andersen stories. A lavish room for newlyweds is the Swan's Nest, which features a Queen Bed with feather comforter, private bathroom with double Jacuzzi tub, and fireplace. And the breakfasts are divine.