No, Viriginia, there is no Santa Claus in Virginia!

Once we busted the border of Virginia, life was a gamble. The first gamble was finding a place to stay in Virginia that would allow dogs in the room. Pickin's were slim so we opted for a grungy Econo Lodge nestled down in a wooded area. We thought maybe by chance it would be somewhat nice, especailly considering they are a national chain. But........ So, we checked several hotels in the area and the only one to allow dogs was the grungy Econo Lodge. So, we overpaid our $79 and got a room. They would only rent us a smoking room since the lady at the front desk told me it would cover up the doggie smell. We need to tell you that neither one of us had ever wondered what it would be like to live life as a cigarette butt. Butt, I mean but, that night, we soon found out. The smell was atrocious! I felt like the odor was in my hair, in my eyes, in my skin, in the dog fur, you name it. Gross!!!! And, to make matters worse, the room was absolutely disgusting. There was a large red splash spot between the two beds that looked like the remnants of a murder scene. Needless to say, Konrad and I spent the entire night with our socks on - we never allowed our piggies to touch the floor! Even the dogs ate their dinner and their breakfast on the spare bed. It was just so gross. I need to thank my friend Fawn for the antiseptic wipes she packed for us because the dogs were ever so grateful. As were we! I also need to thank Paris Hilton for the wonderfully scented perfume she markets to us poor folk because that at least masked some of the smoke smell for a short while. ugh!

The next morning, we were up and at 'em - eager to escape the rim of the ashtray. Might we metnion also that there were people actually living in this hotel - whole families. It was the saddest thing. In the morning during checkout, whole families were clamboring in to get their free breakfast - with snotty nosed kids and everything. Very sad indeed. We had heard that Virigina has some of the poorest people in America but never dreamed we would see it firsthand.

Next up.....North Carolina!!!!!! Yee-haw!!!!!