Moving cross country, any advice?

Did a move from the middle of the country to the east coast twice, and I almost think that pushing through is better. However, I had a wife and cats in the car, so it was better for me to sleep with her driving and then switch halfway. Made it in 18 hours and were just devastated when we got there, but it was over. We hired the movers and just packed the essentials in the car.
Best... decision... ever...
Moving back we did the U-Haul thing, which turned into the worst mistake we have ever done. What was meant to be a couple of days of moving turned into a near-week ordeal with the U-Haul breaking down in almost every state we went into. We had to leave my father-in-law in Arkansas and trek to Southwest Oklahoma with three cats, two people and a pug in a Ford Focus. I will always hire the movers from this day forward.
Next time I move, I plan on taking my time and actually enjoying the ride, but with the animals I have they dictate what happens and when.

 

I would disagree with the advice to take your time and see the country. You are moving stuff and have a lot of things in your car and you will probably want to get settled. This isn't a vacation, unfortunately. You can always go on a road trip later, but I would get where you are going and get set up.

1. Get some snacks to eat along the way. This will keep you from getting hungry and will keep you awake.

2. Except for important books you really need, have your books mailed to you. The book rate is pretty inexpensive and you can free up some space.

3. Similarly, see if you can get clothes shipped to you. I did this and this worked out.

4. the dumbest thing I did was to move my television in 1992. It was a big TV and took up a lot of space in the trunk - I had a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, so it was a big trunk, but I could have had a new TV for a couple of hundred bucks, which was what I had paid for my TV five years earlier and the new TV would have had more features.

5. Get a good tuneup and oil change for your car. The fact that the heater doesn't work makes me wonder what kind of condition the car is in.

6. Be careful with U-Haul trucks. There have been a lot of articles about how bad and - in come cases - dangerous these things are. I rented one recently to move a piece of furniture in town - the truck was a piece of junk.

7. See if you can get a recorded book on tape. In some cases, these things have a trial offer and you can get a good deal on a 30-day rental. The idea of having someone talk to you might keep you awake and won't bore you.

 

or in another texas town you can see this



or this, for that matter

 

This is interesting. Where ca I find this auto transporting thing?

 

Ahhh the memories of being a Dumas....

 

Fuck, y'all, I-10 isn't that bad. I used to go back and forth between Austin and Alpine on a regular basis and it wasn't a problem. There are better drives, surely, but I actually like the West Texas part of I-10 better than the West Texas part of I-20.

If you take I-10, you must stop at

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/balmorhea/

 

Got pulled over about 10 miles east of there one time. No other fucking cars on the road, sunny as hell, and somehow I'm "driving recklessly" for going 85 mph on the interstate. Bull. Fucking. Shit. :

 

Speeding on Texas highways is always a bad idea.

 

Well, you were speeding. And 10 over is pretty much the borderline.

 

i'm glad you weren't the cop when i got my last ticket 10 years ago ... 85 in a 55.

 

I recall the speed limit being 70 on that stretch, but I could be wrong. B-dub, sorry my home state wasn't very friendly to you, but here in Texas we're used to the idea that the posted speed limit is just that, and if you go over, you'll get a ticket.

I never sped going from Alpine to Austin...not because I'm a good citizen, but because I usually warmed up for the trip by smoking a fattie on the stretch between Alpine and Fort Stockton. Usually kept me feeling groovy until I had to stop for gas at Junction. However, it also put me in a mind to avoid any interaction with the local constabulary.

 

Oh, I've lived in Texas. So I know, all too well.

That's why I prefer California. If you're not going triple digits, CHP don't give a shit. ;D