September Round-Up

Motel 6 > Open Road Blog

Well, summer’s officially over, which means it’s time to switch out your swimsuit for your favorite sweater. Luckily, fall is a great time to hit the road for a long weekend — and there’s no shortage of fun, affordable options. 

Apple Picking

The occasional mushy one aside, you can’t go wrong with apple picking. Grab ‘em fresh from the tree, drink some delicious pressed cider or enjoy a warm cider doughnut. Many farms also have attractions like corn mazes, hayrides and pumpkin patches for the kids (or just the kid inside you) to enjoy. It’s the perfect pick for a family day out.

Fall Foliage

If you’re looking for something a bit more laid back, it’s that time of year to see one of nature’s best shows — fall foliage. With gorgeous options throughout the country, it’s the perfect road trip for families, couples and solo travelers alike. Whether enjoying the colors from the comfort of your car or stopping along the way to collect some free souvenirs on a scenic hike, leaf-peeping is a feast for the eyes that’s free for all to enjoy.

Sure, you’ll notice certain things along the way — a field of cows, a memorable sunset, the exit for the world’s largest ball of twine — but so much goes unnoticed, even if they’re right in front of you. Take trucks, for instance. And we’re not talking pickups here, but real trucks. Those rumbling, towering 40-ton big rigs you can hear coming from a quarter-mile away. Semis, 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers — they’re hard to miss but easy to overlook. It’s high time to give those trucks, and those who drive them, their due. 

Trucker Appreciation Week

The second week of September was Trucker Appreciation Week, and we’re calling on every Open Road Warrior, young and old, to join in recognizing just how important truckers are to keeping our country up and running — especially right now. To help, we brought back the Trucker Horn Salute, a time-honored gesture that shows truckers not only that we see them, but that we appreciate them. You can read more about this, and brush up on salute basics, here. So next time you pass a trucker, remember to put your fist in the air, then pull it down to show ‘em you care. Oh, and check out our September Open Road playlist with some trucker-inspired songs while you’re at it. 

Housekeeper Appreciation Week

The second week of September was also Housekeeper Appreciation Week, held every year to recognize the efforts of hardworking custodial staff everywhere. Housekeepers play a crucial role in providing a positive guest experience at all of our properties. In celebration, our featured Lightkeeper for the month was Angelica, a superstar housekeeper in Oceanside, CA, who has more energy than anyone we’ve ever met. She often runs three miles to work, cleans rooms for our guests and then runs home — only to hit the gym with her teenage daughter. And she’s been doing it for the past 14 years. Thank you, Angelica. We appreciate you every day. Remember to show your housekeepers a little extra love with a smile or, even better, a “thank you.”

That’ll do it for September’s Open Road Roundup. Until next time, be safe out there. As always, we’ll leave the light on. For you.