people shuffling their feet. people sleeping in their shoes.

Departure day is a week away. And while my sleeping accommodations for various nights throughout the trip are figured out, night one is still a variable as are many others. I've discovered several interesting options. Upon arriving in Cleveland, I shall see which one fate has in store for me. I hope to use all of these before my travels end:

- Walmart Parking Lots: Many (but not all) Walmart locations offer their endless ocean of paved acreage to campers, travelers, and all kinds of vagabonds. If these types of people shop there, I can't imagine who is sleeping there. In addition to being free, these campgrounds are monitored by 24 hr Walmart security. Call the Walmart you're planning on visiting and ask if they allow camping. It's that simple. Plus they have bathrooms when you get up in the morning. It's not the Ritz Carlton, but remember, you just slept in a car.

- Hotels: Hotels cost money to stay in. You know what doesn't? Their parking lots. One friend advised me, "don't park too close to the back of the lot, or too close to the front. Right in the middle with everyone else. You'll blend right in." That idea combined with another friend's practice: "Go to places where they offer free breakfast with an overnight stay. Just walk into the dining room in the morning like you own the place, ask for more mix for the waffle iron, and you're all set," takes care of sleep and sustenance. Two birds, one cheap, shameless stone.
Consider the following: Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, and the Hilton Garden Inn.

- Residential areas. Just park on a side street where homeowners park on the side of the road. Who's going to notice one more car? If you're worried about looking suspicious, buy a FOR SALE sign and hang it in the window. This to me seems a little sketchier, but that doesn't mean it won't work. Note: Make sure you're not accidentally parked near an elementary or nursery school. Cops probably frown on that type of activity.