I've had wild turkey before and it's not that good. But then, I don't much care for farm-raised turkey either. I prefer chicken.

That was a very interesting article, Led. I wonder what it says about me that I'm a big fan of Hemingway, Thompson, Faulkner, Mencken, and Parker?

Using the ultra-polite, appeal to their sympathies approach shows you are an expert in the art of early check-ins. As a reader of your journals, I see that you have a pretty high success rate too.

Thanks for the funny story, Graham--or should I say--"Crazy."

Looks like a holiday dinner to me!

Their cheerleaders could shout, "GO TURKEYS! GOBBLE 'EM UP!"

Yup, it's still there and, like you, I didn't think it was still in use. But before posting this photo, I Googled it and learned they have jumping events scheduled on Friday nights throughout the winter.

Your tough guy status has been enhanced, well done.
Talking of tough guys, Earnest Hemmingway has so many parallels with Australian Errol Flynn. Heavy drinking scoundrels travelling all over the world. An interesting read
https://drunkard.com/56-fi-hemingway/

Staff at Starbucks must be drilled to ask the customer's name, then repeat it. I had the experience (again) this week here, but as 'Graham' is a bit hard for Taiwanese to pronounce, I just said it was 'Crazy'. I hoped to hear her call it out when my drink was ready, but she just brought it to my table.

Hi,
I’ve tried checking in as early as 11:30, which is really too early, but as it was pouring rain at the time the kindly hotel staff let me wait in the lobby where I dripped all over every thing until lunch, when I dripped all over the restaurant. Because I had booked in for two days, they were kind enough to let me into my room right after lunch. I think hoteliers are just generally nice people.

Holy cow! Is that thing still there? I don’t think anybodys used it for forty years or more.

Hi,
They should have a football team named after them. The Woodbury Turkeys. On second thought, maybe not.
Cheers,
Keith

We recently stayed at the Hampton Inn/Airport in Tucson. Perhaps because it's an airport motel (?), but two different times I saw people checking in while we were eating breakfast. Even I don't ask for that early of a check in! Anywhere around noon is fair game. I usually start out by being super polite, "I know it's crazy early, but I"m on a bicycle and was trying to beat the heat . . . . " In your case, you could substitute cold . . . at the worst, we wait in the lobby, using the wi-fi. Or, as you did, find something to eat and come back.

I'm enjoying the ride with you!

Miss winters? Me, the guy who likes 90+ degrees?

Like my dad would have said, "like a headache!"

:-)

I'm too old to be doing this winter riding... Wait, I've always been too old for it.

Hi Keith,

Here's to a major snowstorm in Burgundy so you can return to your hard-core winter biking days of yore--at least for a day or two.