We got up from our motel in Santa Rosa to begin our journey westward.  We have found we have an affinity for Best Westerns among major chain motels.  I do not like chains or corporations at all.  I prefer locally owned and operated mom and pop operations.  However, sometimes life doesn't give you that choice.  When we do more research and travel in areas better we might find that we can locate good rooms that are non corporate.  Until that time, when we choose something that is a chain, we go with Best Westerns because they are actually a franchise that in many cases are a locally owned and operated motel -- oftentimes a restored or well maintained older motel.  I think the one in Santa Rosa is one such motel.  If things were working out better on this trip, including the fact that I didn't screw up the itinerary so bad, we might have stayed in Tucumcari.  It was good to give Santa Rosa a look see.