Welcome to Monterey County;
Now Give Us Some Money

Hey, motorcycle people: Welcome to Monterey County.

Now give us some money.

We are certain you will have a splendid time here on the Monterey Peninsula, viewing our breathtaking vistas and enjoying our temperate weather. And the race itself promises to be great.

And as long as you are here, you may as well give us some money.

We know you must have lots of money, or else you would not have come to Monterey County to begin with. People don't visit Monterey County if they don't have money. If money was an issue, you would have scheduled your race in some third-tier destination spot. Like Bakersfield. Or San Jose.

So we know you have money. We know you are a captive audience. We know you won't want to drive all the way to Santa Nella just to find a hotel room at a reasonable rate. So give us some money.

Sure, you might be able to get a decent hotel room at a good price in Bakersfield. But it's probably 102 degrees in Bakersfield right now. What's more, Bakersfield lacks for scenic vistas. Is that what you want?

Perhaps you motorcycle people don't appreciate that this is Monterey County we're talking about.

We're famous all over the world. Movie stars hang out here. World leaders play golf here.

The movie stars and world leaders give us money all the time while they are here, so there's no reason to expect you shouldn't give us some money.

Looking for a great drive? Try spending a day along Highway 1 through Big Sur. Want to meet Clint Eastwood? Give Carmel a try. Would you like to hang out at a pub or a bookstore? You'll love Monterey.

But the main thing is that you give us some money.

We know what you're thinking. Hey, you're thinking, I just spent $700 for a $69 hotel room in Marina. Why should I give you any money?

Our answer: Because this is Monterey County. And if we know you have no choice but to give us some money, we will demand more.

For instance, if you paid 50 cents for this newspaper, you're ripping us off. Please return it to the rack and buy it back for $20. That's the way it works around here.

That's Monterey County hospitality.

Frankly, we're getting a bit tired of your belly-aching. You blow into town and immediately you start complaining about room rates at your hotel. You've posted your whiny complaints on your Web sites and you've filed formal complaints to the District Attorney's Office.

You've promised to tell your neighbors and friends that Monterey County is a big scam.

And what, pray tell, do you think that will accomplish? Do you really believe people will stop coming to Monterey County simply because you aren't willing to give us some money?

If you want to make a big issue over giving us some money, perhaps we don't really want you here anyway. The world is full of people who are willing to give us money.

Don't get us wrong. We are sincerely glad you are here. Really.

And we will do everything within our power to make your visit as comfortable as possible. We promise you will have a great time this weekend, as long as you give us some money.