Gold star winners

• The Century 21 Motel in Las Cruces, NM
  This is the only $30, non-national-chain motel we saw at that wasn't a completely skanky rathole. In fact, it was quite nice, and I recommend you stay there when you're in Las Cruces.
• The Bergen County, New Jersey Harley guys
  Their recommendation on where to get pizza in New York (John's on Bleecker) was excellent. Thanks guys! I hope you had fun in California.
• The man with the maroon Caddy at Citgo in Memphis
  Why? Because he told us our car was "tight," and that's the coolest thing anyone has ever said to me.
• House of Chan in Panama City
  We didn't try the upstairs Chinese restaurant because they had all-you-can-eat Mongolian barbeque downstairs, and boy was it tasty. They even had shrimp, and it only cost about $8 each. Nice.
• The band at the Big Bad Wolf bar in New Orleans
  The one with the guy dressed as Superman, who do a lot of 80's covers. You guys rocked.
• Howard, the pedicab driver in Key West
  Just a really nice guy, good conversationalist, and beats the heck out of walking.
• Uncle Bob
  Singer/guitarist at Rick's on Duval in Key West. Very entertaining and very Key West.
• Tico's Cafeteria & Cuban Restaurant, Homestead, FL
  A really nice staff, a clean restaurant, and very tasty food at very low prices. Seemed like they'd only opened recently, and didn't have too many customers yet, so everyone south of Miami should go eat there.
• The guy in the digital camera section the West Palm Beach Best Buy
  He knew a lot about digital cameras and was very helpful when we had to buy a new one, even if he did kind of make fun of us for losing the old one.
• The University Inn in Burlington, VT
  A very pleasing hotel. Clean, spacious, nicely appointed and reasonably priced. Plus the front desk woman let me have a free postcard.
• The North Dakota cop who gave us a speeding ticket
  Yes, I know, you're thinking this is on the wrong list. It's not. Most patrolmen who pull you over go out of their way to radiate their disapproval of you and your life-endangering ways, but not this guy. This is a guy who doesn't kid himself that people are taking the interstate across North Dakota for the scenery. No lecture, no "do you know how fact you were going," none of that crap. The most pleasant speeding ticket we've ever gotten.
• The staff of Panda City in Georgetown, CO
  They let us (and another family) come in and get takeout even though they we supposed to have closed 15 minutes earlier. There was nowhere else to get food, so that was very helpful. And we got free steamed rice.
• The ranger at the south entrance of Yellowstone
  He was able to tell us right where to look for moose, and we sure saw a moose! We saw the hell out of that moose!
• The guy at Denny's in Bozeman
  It was about midnight and he was the only person working the front (both seating and serving), and there were plenty of customers, but he was still prompt and extremely pleasant. He should get paid more.
• Oregon firefighters
  (And probably some from other states too.) They kept the 500,000 Biscuit fire off Route 199, which saved us a whole day of driving.
• Nice restaurant waitstaff
  These people all deserve raises for their excellent work and pleasant demeanor:
  The young woman at the Tuba City Cafe in Tuba City, AZ
  The staff of Jack's BBQ in Nashville (near the Motel 6)
  Two young people at the Subway in Clovis, NM
  Leann at Brunet's Cajun in Baton Rouge
  The woman at K-Paul's in New Orleans
  The manager at Shoney's in Roanoke, VA
  The guy at Gino's East in Chicago