| Messages 1 - 43 of total 43 in this topic |
WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 4, 2013 - 08:09am PT
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Hey everyone,
Got the job offer I had been waiting on and will be making the move from Reno to Las Vegas at the end of this month. I am looking into different options on how to do this move, including those POD things. Between the girlfriend and I, we have two SUV's and I don't care to tow one vehicle and drive another, plus I may go down to Vegas to scout out houses (although, my Dad lives there and will be assisting in a major way in scouting places to live along with one of my best friends.)
So the question is, does anyone have any experience with these things? If so, what was approx cost relative to distance?
On a secondary note, does anyone have any recommendations on a moving truck rental company that might be cheaper than some of the others? First time executing a big move and am trying to make the headache throb a bit less.
Thanks!!!
Weston
EDIT: to clarify, I am trying to avoid doing what I have been planning on and flying down to scout houses, leaving my SUV down there, flying back and then driving the moving truck down with my girlfriend driving her vehicle as well. She has to work through the end of the month. I start work March 5
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Ron Anderson
Trad climber
Soon to be Nipple suckling Liberal
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You can get a truck and car hualer- load the truck up, put the SUV on the back and away ya go one trip.
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eKat
Trad climber
Less than a second shy of 49 minutes
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UHAUL is pretty darned good. . . start your search for reservations as far in advance as possible. . . and change your pick-up location to see if there are cheaper alternatives. I saved $4K once by picking stuff up in Gardnerville over Mammoth/Bishop and it was fine, since I had to go to Reno anyway to pick up a friend at the airport. Get creative in your searching.
And. . . HAVE FUN WITH IT. . . from the very first step. . . MAKE IT A GOOD TIME. . . be organized and LAUGH A LOT!
:-)
AND. . . if you see a good price, reserve it. . . you can cancel later if you have to - at no additional cost.
AND. . . when you pick your stuff up, graciously ask the clerk to add a couple FREE DAYS and any FREE MILES they can. . . they'll do it, only if you ask.
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John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
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I've had the opposite experience with uHaul...
uHaul typically means "U breakdown". Pay a little more and go with Penske unless they can guarantee a low mileage truck.
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eKat
Trad climber
Less than a second shy of 49 minutes
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WOW. . . I haven't had any problem with UHAULs breaking down. . . and that's 4 trips from Mammoth to Montana (26 foot trucks - 12 foot trailers and transporters) and numerous trips back and forth between Montana and Shasta. . . probably 10 rentals in all.
Whoa. . . guess I was lucky, eh?
:-)
 Missing photo ID#288095 |
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 08:31am PT
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I've never really had to tow much of anything before, not too sure how comfortable I'd be lugging my ride behind on that thing...granted, the Reno-Vegas drive is pretty much straight-ahead driving, I just don't want to F it up, ya know? Hmmm
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Ron Anderson
Trad climber
Soon to be Nipple suckling Liberal
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Ya just take it easy and slow,, and NEVER wag the steering wheel harshly. When coming to a stop do so smoothly w/o a whip lash effect.. Simple really...
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eKat
Trad climber
Less than a second shy of 49 minutes
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Don't let the towing thing weird you out. . . just think ahead and don't get yourself into a situation that requires backing up. And spend a little time in a big parking lot - with lines - learning how big you are. . . good depth perception helps.
Like I said. . HAVE FUN!
:-)
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 08:47am PT
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Hmm, sounds a bit less daunting than I would have anticipated. Backing up while towing anything is what spooks me the most about it - sh#t gets weird (if you're not accustomed to it)
Definitely am going to try to have fun with the whole situation...the girlfriend has lived in Reno all of her life, wheras I've moved around a bit. Excited to go back but have tremendously mixed feelings leaving Reno...but this isn't really by choice, I got a job offer I couldn't refuse and simply didn't have anything lined up here after trying pretty damn hard to do so.
Good thing she has good organizational skills, something I sorely lack, and has used a bunch of bins and whatnot to keep our place organized - this should be of huge assistance in the move.
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Honestly, as far as an easy drive goes, you couldn't ask for much better then Vegas to Reno. Once you're out of Hawthorne it's more or less a constant straight line with a couple light hills thrown in. You'd probably be fine towing.
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 08:50am PT
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Agreed, Travis. Especially since I go the way a bit less traveled, particularly now that the 580 linkup has sped up the drive and I live in South Reno, so I just head through Carson -> Dayton -> Yerington now rather than the Reno->Fernley->Yerington way. Fewer people to slow down with a moving rig that way.
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Ken M
Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
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A couple of years back, I had to drive a 26' U-Haul from Davis to LA.
I found it basically like driving a car. No problems, at all.
The Grapevine caught my attention, but not really a problem.
I'd do your plan of driving down, flying back, then towing 2nd with the truck, without hesitation.
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
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Just make sure the uhaul has enough clearance so the roof won't scratch up the tunnels.
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eKat
Trad climber
Less than a second shy of 49 minutes
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A N D . . . buy a lot of these:
It's this stretchy stuff for closing up boxes and wrapping stuff up. The stuff RULES! (it just sticks to itself - without tape)
You can do a lot of creative things with UHAUL pads/blankets and that green stuff. . . you can pretty much wrap stuff up and not use boxes for weird shaped stuff. . . you can tie the load down, inside, with the stuff too.
Be smart when you choose gas stations, too. . . the bigger the better. . . remember you're gonna be WIDE and LONG.
The radios in the new trucks are pretty nice. . . but I always took a BubbaBox with audio books.
YAY.
Man. . . I've got some stuff to pick up in Shasta. . . this thread has be actually looking forward to it!
:-)
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 09:06am PT
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All very good points. The PODs were my attempt to avoid this and just drive her car and my car down there, but they might be a bit too spendy for us and take too long to get our stuff down there. Considering that I have a job lined up but my girlfriend doesn't, she will have time to help unpack a bit more than I and by virtue of that I want to have everything with us. Looks like I'm probably gonna have to drive the doggone thing, and tow.
Now to figure out which size rig to get. We don't have a lot of belongings (just standard furniture really), live in a 1,300 sq ft house now...20 footer vs 26 footer? I saw the 26 footer has a 55 gallon tank...getting 8-10 mpg...if those estimates are honest, then I would only need to top off in Reno on the way out and in Tonopah...but certainly wouldn't push it if things were looking thin toward Beatty. Hmm.
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WBraun
climber
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Just floor the accelerator and make sure you drift all the turns.
Never use the brakes.
Go all out.
You're climber aren't chya?
That's what climbers do ......
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 09:12am PT
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Werner, should I load all the heavy sh#t at the top, too, while doing that?
:)
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eKat
Trad climber
Less than a second shy of 49 minutes
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No, man. . . strap all the heavy stuff ON TOP!
:-)
(I know, I'm not WonderBrawn, but I do play him on TV)
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Ken M
Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
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When you check prices, you may find that the larger rig costs no more. Having more space is better than finding that you are short, and need another trip! They drive the same, and get about the same mileage.
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 09:17am PT
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Ken, good point...kinda what I was thinking last night when I was pricing. Saw a difference of $30 between the 20 and 26'er - at that point, would be glad to have and not need than need but not have.
This whole move is somewhat daunting, very exciting, and holy hell will it feel good to move into the realm of no longer wondering if you are going to 'make it' to the next paycheck.
Throughout the whole ordeal I've thought about how much I will miss Tahoe, Donner, etc...but the reality is that I never had the money to go up there nearly as much as I wished I could have. I'll be back, I suspect. Once Sam finishes nursing school I will be hunting for govt gigs again...unless this job turns out as good as advertised, in which case, I'll ride it! Very excited for the adventure that lays ahead of us.
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Ron Anderson
Trad climber
Soon to be Nipple suckling Liberal
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Slightly traumatic,, but nothing to sweat over.. Good move -- worrying about making it SUCKS!
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Cosmiccragsman
Trad climber
AKA Dwain, from Apple Valley, Ca. and Vegas!
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Word of WARNING;
If you move to Vegas,
DON'T climb with that cosmiccragsman guy.
He's slightly INSANE and if you climb with him,
"YER GONNA DIE!!!"
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 09:38am PT
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Cosmic
It's a good thing I'm moving to Vegas
And might plan on climbing with that cosmic dude
Because at some point, f*#k it.....
I'M GONNA DIE!!!!!!!!!!!
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Cosmiccragsman
Trad climber
AKA Dwain, from Apple Valley, Ca. and Vegas!
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Fuk Cosmic.
Climb with Dwain.
He's much more Levelheaded!
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 09:51am PT
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Indeed, cosmic when too much coughee sipped and Dwain when cruising about?
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Jebus H Bomz
climber
Reno, Nuh VAAAA duh
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I've never really had to tow much of anything before, not too sure how comfortable I'd be lugging my ride behind on that thing...granted, the Reno-Vegas drive is pretty much straight-ahead driving, I just don't want to F it up, ya know? Hmmm
Ah, dude, if I can do it, you can. Rental with a trailer all the way! It should be cake going to Vegas, you don't even have to stay overnight on the way.
I did Phoenix to Reno with an overnighter in Ridgecrest, CA. Got stuck in the damn hotel parking lot because I couldn't back up. No problem. Called the rental, they put us in touch with an old timer who made duck soup of backing the rig up. Hell, he said, this is easy, I do double-wide trailer back ups where I can't even see where I'm going. I'd only managed to figure out I didn't know sh#t about backing a trailer up. The key is: Figure out a route where you don't need to back that rig up ;). Worse came to worse, you could probably de-trailer your car and get some help hand moving the trailer? Or call an old timer who knows what the f he's doing.
We pissed a lot of folks off trolling up 395 in those canyons afterward. Oh well ;).
Too bad your new job won't pay for movers though. That's the absolute best way to do it.
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John M
climber
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Why not price it? I helped a friend move using PODs. It was more expensive, but the initial charge covers one month. So you can get it for a number of days on the front end, then have it moved, then have it for a couple of weeks to unload. They delivered it to the first house on the day that they said they would and they delivered it to where my friends was moving to on the day they said they would. Thats the main thing you need to know. They don't offer a time during the day, so thats a pain, but you don't have to drive it and you have a month.
some of that gets offset if you are moving from an apartment to an apartment because its harder to find a spot to leave it. So you may as well use a moving truck. But if its home to a home and you have a place to leave it, then that makes sense to me. Plus if you need to move early and you don't yet have a place to live, but you do have a place to stay, like your parents or friends, then they will store it for you.
that said.. I have driven a 26 foot uhaul from California to Texas and it was easy. Even when I hit that road sign and knocked it down.. LOL..
Edit: just make certain that you understand the size difference.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Keep it under 90 and don't go through Area 51 after dark.
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 11:31am PT
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Too bad your new job won't pay for movers though. That's the absolute best way to do it.
That's the funny thing, I used my Dad's address in Vegas when I applied for gigs down there - interesting that nobody will look at you unless yer local these days. When asked I said I was "splitting my time" - which was somewhat true...it was around the holidays.
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Ron Anderson
Trad climber
Soon to be Nipple suckling Liberal
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"locals" in Vegas,,,, now thats funny...;-)
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 11:46am PT
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Oxymoron for sure, right? My step-mom is from vegas, born and raised, and is uhhh...quite proud of it LOL.
Just called PODs, holy hell are they expensive! Reno to Vegas $1,955
EFF that
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John M
climber
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1900 hundred. Dang.. that is expensive. How much is the truck? And don't forget fuel.
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2013 - 11:48am PT
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Truck is ~ 377 + gas (~200) + gas for the other vehicle making the trip ($100)
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argus
Trad climber
Vegas
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I think $200 for gas is a little low. I towed a car behind a Uhaul and got about 5 miles per gallon.
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John M
climber
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Don't forget Ekats advice.
AND. . . when you pick your stuff up, graciously ask the clerk to add a couple FREE DAYS and any FREE MILES they can. . . they'll do it, only if you ask.
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Beautiful_Corn
Big Wall climber
Brooklyn Park, MD
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I spent five summers selling merchandise for a traveling music group and got to be an expert at touring the country driving a box truck with a trailer. A couple of suggestions:
If you have to stop, only stop at truck stops. There's almost no way of being forced to back up in those places. If you don't need fuel, pull into the truck parking. You can just drive straight in and out of those spots. If the truck is a diesel, check to see if it will fit a fuel nozzle for a semi truck. If not, you will need to fuel up at the auto diesel pump.
It can take a while to adjust to the extra size of the truck. If you are in the right lane and there is no shoulder or, worse yet, there is no shoulder on either side don't panic. Just keep your sight line on the highway line to your left. If you try to drive in the "center of the lane" you will drift to the right and possibly hit something.
If you get in a jam and have to back up get your girlfriend to be your spotter. Have her stand where you can see each other in your driver side mirror to stop you if you are about to jackknife or hit something.
Backing up doesn't have to be scary. Keep your hand at the 6:00 position on the wheel. That way you just move your hand in the direction you want the trailer to turn. Hover your foot over the brake while you back up so you won't accidentally panic and hit the gas. Practice in an empty parking lot first and you'll see it's not too bad. Go slowly. If some jag-off runs over and starts shouting directions at you while you are backing up give him the finger because he's a dick.
Congratulations on the new job!
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Don't run any range cattle over...You'll end up having to pay the rancher for his loss...And if you do happen to get caught in area 51 at night , stop and rent a room at the Alien Inn...RJ
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labrat
Trad climber
Auburn, CA
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Moving truck and tow the suv on a trailer........ Done!
Done it and it works great.
Erik
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Aerili
climber
SLC, Utah
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Paying for someone to haul your freight vs a truck is about the same price. One just has less headaches and is simpler (that would be the freight option). I've done both.
There are other options out there than just Pods. But I'll let you look into that if you want to. It's pretty easy to find recommendations online.
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Cosmiccragsman
Trad climber
AKA Dwain, from Apple Valley, Ca. and Vegas!
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Yeah, WML.
Do it yerself!
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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WML...Don't worry about area 51...Cosmic drove thru there and look how he turned out...RJ
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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I've a couple of Area 51 stories but I can't tell one cause the wife might read it and the other is classified...Jess sayin'. I guess that makes both of 'em classified.
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| Messages 1 - 43 of total 43 in this topic |
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