In my opinion, the prices were generally less expensive for this trip. An ironic benefit of COVID?

In many towns/wide spots in the road, there's just one place to stay and we are happy it's there. In towns with lodging choices, I factor in price, location to the route, convenient food, and reviews.. Your priorities may vary.

When I make my reservation, I state that we are arriving by bicycle and would appreciate an early check in and a ground floor room. I make sure to write down the person's name that I speak with, if it's an in person call. By stating up front that we have bicycles, it's the operator's opportunity to let me know their bicycle policy.

Sadly, breakfasts are either canceled or limited to packaged foods currently. That adds inconvenience and cost to the trip.

I have a Choice Motels credit card, so generally stay with them as a first choice.

Grand Junction, CO - Clarion Inn $66. king bed. Nice place. Close to the airport. We've stayed here a number of times. They have a good breakfast, when they are allowed to have breakfast. Wi-fi was good during the day, too slow in the evening.

Flagstaff, AZ - Quality Inn East on Lucky Lane - $47. king bed. Got to love the price. Patched holes in the wall (at least they were patched). 1/3 roll of toilet paper and no spare. I'd stay here again, just because of the price and location. But don't have high expectations. I went right to sleep and didn't try the wi-fi. Probably had ice. Didn't check.

Tucson, AZ - Comfort Inn Airport. $56. ($4. more than the nearby Quality Inn) I was hoping it would be better lodging for our extra $$$. Not so much. It is a larger room with a sofa that is rather used looking and we haven't sat on. The wi-fi is fast. Yes, ice machine.

Benson, AZ - Quality Inn - $67. We've stayed here before. It was a good value for the $$$. Good breakfast then, no breakfast at all now. Yes, ice machine.

Bisbee, AZ - airbnb - a two bedroom house in South Bisbee (really it's in Warren). $84. Can't beat the price for a whole house. It seems that it's the lady's own house and she decamps when she has customers. Kat is up front about having five (!) large dogs. There's dog hair everywhere! Freezer stuffed full. No ice.

Elfrida, AZ - Valley Lodge - $45. two beds. It's the only game in town. All three people I talked with here went above and beyond. The actual room is a work in progress. It is a very old building. No ice. Pretty rough room. Be mentally prepared.

Willcox, AZ - Arizona Sunset Inn - $67. king bed. This was a great room! The large bathroom had fresh tile work, large shelves, and unique towel holders. The bedroom had matching tile. Fridge, microwave. Ice machine. Truth is it's probably slightly better than normal, but it seems fantastic compared to the last couple of nights. Yes, ice machine.

Safford, AZ - Quality Inn - $85. king bed. Suite with a sofa. Roomy. A variety of pillows, soft and hard. poor wi-fi. They charged me $35. extra for an early check in (9 AM). I had checked with the Best Western Desert Inn (off route one mile) - their rooms were the same price and I could check in early. But I was a captive audience at the Quality Inn, so paid the money. Yes, ice machine.

Clifton, AZ - Rode Inn - $92. two bed room. Old motel, nicely kept. Very clean. Good beds. Extra small bathroom. I had to sit slightly sideways on the toilet because the sink was too close. Super nice couple running the place. Early check in no problem. Fast wi-fi. Yes, ice machine.

Glenwood, AZ - We stayed here two nights, but couldn't find two nights at one place.

Beth at airbnb - $143. rustic, artsy cabin. outdoor shower. toilet right in the room. She fixed us dinner, gave us snacks, let us drive her vehicle. What else could we ask for? No ice.

Double T Homestead - $93. cabin. Basic room. Microwave/fridge/TV/internet. Nothing special, but it got the job done. No ice.

Reserve, NM - Hidden Springs Lodge is right on the highway. Alas, they were full, so we had to go 7.5 miles off route to the actual town of Reserve where we stayed at Frisco Lodge. Both are owned by the most personable, Jennifer. $88. room. Basic, no frills room. Very similar to last night. Neither one had ice, which is a big negative for us.

Alpine, AZ - Sportsman's Lodge - $83./two queens. Super nice owner, Frank. All redone bathrooms. Great tile work. Fast wi-fi. Variety of pillows. Look forward to staying here again. Have to ask at desk for ice.

Springerville, AZ - Reed's Motor Inn - $93 w/tax. king bed. Large room. Plenty of room for bikes and moving around. Clean, shag carpet. Redone bathroom. Fast wi-fi. Have to ask at desk for ice.

St Johns, AZ - airbnb - two places to choose from. We stayed at Brad's two bedroom apartment. It was a great deal, new, conveniently located. $93. There are two closed motels in town. If airbnb hadn't been there, we would have had to reroute.

Chambers, AZ - Days Inn - the only place to stay at an interstate pull off. Reviews were bad. I thought the room was acceptable. Certainly the price was good. $61.07

Chinle, AZ - Best Western - not as nice as I expected for the chain name, but it was fine. The price was good. $89.

Kayenta, AZ - Hampton Inn - Very nice. $132. Everything works. Slightly upscale decor. We stayed at the Monument Inn for more money last year and the Hampton Inn is far, far nicer for slightly less money. Good wifi. Ice. Fridge. No microwave.

Mexican Hat, AZ - San Juan Inn - $135. two bedrooms. It's interesting how experiences change from year to year. Last year we had a newly remodeled until with a five star bathroom. We came back because we liked it. This year the bathroom gets one star for being clean. The shower was so small I could hardly lift my arms. There were four tile colors, not coordinating. The sink cabinet had water damage and was peeling. The bed felt like sleeping in lumpy pudding. It was queen size, but the sheets were labeled Double with a black marker. This was slightly better than Elfrida, but cost $100. more . . . It was memorable for all of the wrong reasons. Ice. NO WI-FI! No microwave. Fridge.

Bluff, UT - $100. Kokopelli Inn. Very basic, very small room. Newer. Fast wi-fi. Ice. The Desert Rose in town was $230. I thought to myself several times perhaps the extra money would have been worth it. This was clean, new, but so basic it felt depressing. If that makes sense. I'm quit sure it was a prefab unit assembled on site. I shouldn't be prejudice. It just wasn't my best overnight. But it was a better value than the cabin we stayed at last year and the expensive competition. No microwave.

Blanding, UT - $80. Four Corners Inn - large room with a king size bed, a sofa, two tables and chairs. Lots of room for the bicycles. Finally, an inviting room. Fast wi-fi. Ice in the office. They have breakfast (cereal). That's notable in these COVID times. Fridge/microwave.

Dove Creek, CO - Country Inn - $72. large studio apartment. Sofa, king bed, table and chairs. Kitchen. It's one of those clean, but bare bones places that's kind of depressing. Ice in the office. Fridge/microwave (no stove).Ice in the office. medium wi-fi.

Naturita, CO - Rimrock Inn - $90. spacious double queen. New laminate flooring. Fridge/microwave. Ice at the office. wi-fi good most of the time. Neutrogena bathroom products. I was happy to have this nice place for a day off.

Gateway, CO - Gateway Resort - Get ready to cough at the price. We had the Colorado resident discount and I think it was still the most expensive lodging we've ever paid for. $455. It's the only game in town and too far to go to the next town. Airbnb had nothing. I was hyper critical of the room because of the price. I noted that one of the drawer pulls on the dresser was sticking up. There was a smear of who knows what on the wall in the bathroom. A muddy puddle in front of the fridge. Cobwebs on the rails of the stairway. Finish peeling on the bathroom door. At that price point, I expect near perfection. Fridge. No microwave. Wi-fi was a tad slow. Ice was a significant distance away, on the far side of the pool. Bathrobes provided. I wore mine all afternoon, to Jacinto's amusement.

Grand Junction, CO - actually, Clifton. It's the closest point east with good services. Best Western. Excellent value - $98. for a king bed suite with a sitting area. Hot breakfast - our only one so far. Fridge/microwave/ice/fast wi-fi. Strangely dark picture on the TV. Nice landscaping. We will stay here again.

Meeker, CO - Elk Mountain Inn - room 100, $75. spacious, with a kitchen (two refrigerators!). microwave. Ice machine in the gazebo was broken. We could get ice at the office, but she wasn't there often. Fast wi-fi. The last time we stayed here we were over by the convenience store, the room was smaller, and the wi-fi was poor there. It's another case of completely different rooms at the same lodging. Great value for the $$.

Rangely, CO - We have been through here enough times to try all of the lodging in town. Blue Mountain is the best choice for being clean and updated. They also had a hot breakfast (burritos). $89. spacious king room. Ice/fridge/microwave. Good wi-fi. Very nice check in lady. I got in the room at 10:30 AM.

Vernal, UT - Best Western - This is a large town with many choices. We had an upscale place because it was supposed to be our layover day and we wanted to be closer to the movie theatre. Large room. Comfortable arm chair with ottoman. Not skanky, I felt comfortable sitting in it. Ice/fridge/microwave/good wi-fi. hot breakfast, mostly carbs, but also burritos. $93.

Altamont, UT - Altamont Motel - This was a pleasant surprise. We were just happy it's here, and then it turned out to be a charming room. All refinished and decorated nicely. There's only four rooms. It's prepay with Paypal and they give you a door code. We didn't actually see anyone. Fridge/microwave. No ice. Good wi-fi. $63.

Hanna, UT - Hanna Hilton Bar and Cafe. $54. for a small room with a double bed. The room itself was ok, but the bath in the hallway was not clean, the stairs and the hallway were filthy. This is hands down the least desirable lodging of the trip so far. There are cabins and RV parks along this route. We stayed here because there was (tasty) food downstairs. The Over the Hill RV Park had an RV for rent for $60. it is .6 miles away. That would probably be a better choice. Or, check google for other choices.

Woodland, UT - Woodland Farm House B&B. Garden Cottage $119. The neighboring restaurant is closed Wed and Thurs. Luckily our friends fed us. See Ben's guestbook post #101 for helpful details on riding this area. Very nice suite. Unique, new, bathroom. Microwave, fridge, fast wi-fi. DVD's to play on the TV.

Coalville, UT - Best Western $105. w/tax. laminate flooring. Good wi-fi. fridge/microwave/ice. Spacious room. Not as good of a COVID breakfast as other BW's we've been to this trip.

Evanston, WY - Prairie Inn - $64. king bed. spacious room. Poor AC, luckily it isn't too hot and they gave us a fan. Excellent wifi. fridge/microwave/ice. Next door to the excellent Jodie's diner, good food, cheap prices, very busy. This is on the opposite side of town from the chain lodging and eateries. We looked at this carefully and decided there was a variety of food and it was closer to the motel. We would stay here again.

***Through the upcoming area there are many waysides with one place to stay and one motel. You can pick and choose accordingly.***

Garden City, UT - Bear Lake Motor Lodge - $132. billed in advance. Single queen. Small kitchen. Big enough to move around comfortably. No AC, but probably don't need it here. fridge/microwave. No ice. Reasonably good wi-fi. Good location. This is a tourist area - they were the cheapest lodging. It's an older place that has been nicely kept up.

Montpelier, ID - Clover Creek Inn - $108. includes tax. king room. Spacious. Fridge/microwave/ice. good wi-fi. Good toiletries in the bathroom. Bathroom is updated. Carpet needs to go. It has been cleaned too many times. Which is better than not being cleaned enough! Table and chairs and a recliner also. Breakfast sounds like a bigger variety than most. At least there's breakfast.

Afton, WY - Lazy B Motel - $151. suite. Regular room $119. This is a great value - the town is a charming tourist town. I wish we'd had a layover here. I thought it was just another little wide spot in the road - I was wrong! Our suite is basically an apartment. Full living room with nice furniture, two queen beds. New tub/shower. Fridge/microwave/ice. Slow wi-fi, but maybe because we are in the far corner of the motel. Only a couple of blocks to food. Nice owner, easily in her 70's.

Swan Valley, ID - Sleepy J cabins - $120. for a 600 foot one bedroom (not studio) cabin. Very nice. It was great to having living room furniture to lounge on. Good wi-fi. No ice. Microwave/fridge. Friendly owner and manager. Highly recommended.

Tetonia, ID - Teton Peaks Lodge - $184. includes tax. Spacious king room. Fireplace. Table/chairs. No lounge chair. Fast wi-fi. No ice. Fridge/Microwave. Double check your pricing here carefully. After we requested a downstairs room instead of upstairs, I looked to see if the price were the same. The amount we were billed was a $50. difference. I wrote and suggested that it might have been a keystroke error between the listed price of $125. and what we were billed ($175. plus tax). I have twice requested a price adjustment and received no reply. $50. is a significant amount.

Island Park, ID - Pond's Lake Lodge - We ended up paying $187. for a king room. Initially the clerk said our balance was $249. after some discussion and a couple of phone calls, they said I was paying for a queen room but receiving a king. The room itself was extra nice, but slightly small. The carpet looked brand new. I left footprints as I walked across the room. The bathroom was slightly upscale. Bed was good. Wi-fi was lightning fast. Fridge/microwave. No ice. Why doesn't anyone have ice?

Cameron, MT - Blue Moon Saloon - I haven't seen the place, but I can tell you the owner/manager, Darcy, lacks in customer service skills. Jim had reserved 3 cabins here, but canceled 2 and left one for us. I contacted Darcy about food and logistics getting in to the room, explaining we were cyclists who couldn't easily move down the road, etc. Her answers were brusque and rude. Ennis is 10 miles down the road and has all services. Jim was going to lose the payment on this cabin if we didn't stay there and adding the 10 miles would put the day on the far, far edge of the fun factor for me. We are staying, but aren't looking forward to it.

The cabin is nice, two bedroom areas, a full kitchen (with a dish towel - why is that such a rarity?) Good bathroom. At $109. including tax, it is a good value for the area. It's old, but well cared for. There's a giant list of rules, including a $50. charge for rearranging the furniture. I've moved a floor fan to get my bike in. I will be sure to put it back. Hunters aren't allowed to bring game in the cabins - they have a barn for that. Just so you know. I'd probably stay here again . . . it would have been a real struggle for me to ride into Ennis against the headwind. But if you have the legs, Ennis has all sorts of services.

Sheridan, MT - Moriah Motel - $99. w/tax. Double queen room. Roomy. Slightly nicer than average. Fridge/microwave. Ice in the office. Good wi-fi. The grounds are well cared for with flowers, chairs/tables outside to enjoy the evening. The best part about this stay was the friendly female owner. She seemed genuinely interested in our trip and went out of her way to be friendly. Coffee/muffins in the morning. I would definitely stay here again.

Dillon, MT - Sundowner Motel - $65. night. King room. Plenty of room for the bikes. Fridge/microwave. Ice. Good wi-fi. HBO. Two stained chairs and table. No lounge chair. Muliti colored brown carpet from the 80's. Bathroom tile of the same vintage. Leaking bathtub that has taken away the finish. Toilet runs. I suggested we could move our second day. Jacinto said the price was good for what we have. Grounds and outside of the building are rundown . . . it's right next to a tasty taco truck and a block from Safeway. Maybe better for a one night stay than two nights. The bed was firm. Pillows were fine. They gave me an extra pillow at the office. Super 8 and Best Western are a block away. Twice the price.

Jackson, MT - Jackson Hot Springs Lodge. Be careful when you reserve here. No refunds for any reason. Their policy is stated up front. There is also the very popular Bunkhouse across the street. A number of CG journals have mentioned an enjoyable stay there. We paid $126. for a king room. It was spacious. Nice sofa. We were there on a Friday. Perhaps it was the day of the week, but the lodge was really noisy. It wasn't a quiet overnight. Poor wi-fi. Ice at the bar.

Sula, MT - Camp Sula Cabins - $122. for a two room cabin with a bathroom. Fridge and stove. No microwave. Ice for sale at the store. Wi-fi poor in the evening, much better in the morning. Nice little spot in the middle of nowhere. They also have smaller cabins where you use a bathhouse. Possible tent camping also?

Hamilton, MT - Quality Inn. I used points here. There are a number of choices. Good wi-fi. Ice. Fridge/microwave. Continental breakfast. On route, next to grocery store. Laminate flooring.

Missoula, MT - Center City Motel. $119. Nicely remodeled room. Laminate flooring. Great bathroom with a large shower I'd like to take home. Smallish room. Difficult to fit two bikes in. Chair and ottoman. Fridge/Microwave. Ice. Extra nice owner. Having said all of those positives, we would pick a different place next time because it was much more expensive than the neighboring motels and the room was a little small.

Seeley Lake, MT - Seeley Motor Lodge - king bed. $125. Room 12 right next to the office has excellent wi-fi. Big room. Fridge/microwave. Ice in the office, but they get it from their own apartment. Great snacks in the office - fruit, granola bars, cold water bottles, good candy (Snickers, Reeses). All free.

Swan Lake, MT - Laughing Horse B&B - $154. small queen bed room. Bikes out on the walkway. No fridge or microwave. Ice in the restaurant. Poor wi-fi. Excellent food. It's the only place to stay at an appropriate mileage. There is the Swan River Lodge - but the daily miles isn't good.

Whitefish, MT - Downtowner Motel - $169. king room. Fridge only. There are many lodging options here. This is on route for us and a reasonable price. It's right around the corner from the excellent Buffalo Cafe. Good wi-fi. Large room. Firm bed, fluffy pillows. The room is rather astere - without a single wall decoration. We've stayed here before and would stay again.

Eureka, MT - Ksanka Motel. $90. king suite. This is a typical older motel in that they've been fixing up the rooms as they go. The first time we stayed here, we were lucky and got a remodeled room closer to the office with good wi-fi. The second time was a completely different experience - old room, far from the office. I had to sit on a bench outside the office to use the computer. This trip I knew to ask for a close room. The motel is outside of town, but has an attached Subway/market/gas station. It is right on route.