Moving Advice Needed - U-haul trailer or moving company?

@mysteryman,

mysteryman wrote:

Get at least 2 gallons of water, its a long drive across the desert.

ditto ditto ditto - at least two gallons of water - I'd take more - stash a couple in the car you're towing

make sure the nuts in your treat bag are unsalted

my thing is always about feeling cleaning and fresh - I'm a better/safer traveller if I feel bright and clean. So I'd be sure to have my baggie with a damp washcloth and some soap in it - a bottle or two of cheap cologne from the dollar store - cleanses/refreshes, useful if you have a cut or get sweaty - handiwipes for all kinds of things including post-t.p. use.

a flat sheet to use as a windshield cover if you're taking a daytime nap somewhere, or as a flag, or as a dressing room/desert toilet surround ...

do you have sneakers? don't forget a couple of pairs of good cotton socks - for walking and sleeping purposes

0 Replies

@Butrflynet,

Long way between gas stations in some places. Signs do warn you. But.. mysteryman knows more about this.

1 Reply

@Rockhead,

Thirteen days and counting if I want to have it the day before I need it.

Okay, rags for under the car while the plug is being deployed....what about for the drive shaft itself once it is removed from the car? Is that full of fluids that need to be contained? Do both the detached drive shaft AND the car need plugs?

1 Reply

@Butrflynet,

Butrflynet wrote:

will just get a calling card from the grocery store

given my experience on a couple of recent trips in the U.S., I'd suggest getting at least two different brands of calling cards. some phone booths/hotel phones seem fussy about which cards they'll work with

1 Reply

@Butrflynet,

shaft will be greasy likely, but if you tip the yoke, it will not contain any fluid.

I will have a plug solution midweek. I know it is available from trans warehouses, but they won't sell to you.

I have friends near you, but Monday before they are around.

(no worries)

1 Reply

@ossobuco,

The Uhaul site has this info about the truck alone without pulling a tow:

Quote:

35 gal capacity
420 miles per tank
12 miles per gallon

So, if there are no distances between gas stations longer than about 375 miles I should be okay without an auxilary gas can. Need to rely on MM for that familiarity.

Cost wise, I'm guestimating:

gas price $2.40 per gallon

1400 mile trip

$85 per tank
4-5 tanks of gas
$340 - $440 in gas for trip

1 Reply

@Butrflynet,

My car has never gotten sparkling mileage, low tank capacity compared to what you will be driving, and I made it, gassing up in the obvious at the time places. But MM will be a help.
(Damn, I'm sorry I didn't check out Quartzite. I have a fair sized collection of "rocks" and some books from my uncle from the 1920's and 30's. Don't want to throw them out, don't know what, if anything, to do with them.)

0 Replies

@ehBeth,

Good tip, thanks. I've had similar experience trying to use calling cards with pay phones locally. Guess it wouldn't hurt to compare the costs of a disposable cell phone to the costs of having several calling cards.

:::drums fingers on desk while browsing:::

Okay, just looked at the TracPhone which you can buy and prepay minutes on for $19. It comes with 120 prepaid minutes and there are no additional fees or contracts. Think I'll get that and free myself of picky requirements on calling cards which will expire long before I use them up. I can make use of it in New Mexico if I miraculously get addicted to being attached to a phone 24/7 during the trip, and if I decide to chuck it, it's no great loss.

1 Reply

@Butrflynet,

I'd still recommend going with a couple of $2 - $5 phone cards vs a cell that likely won't be usable on the trip. I've been in motels where my cell didn't work because of lousy networks. CB with a 4-mile radius is good, with a max of $10 in phone cards in your pocket for when you're someplace with phone booths.

My out of cell service travel has mostly been in cold parts of the U.S. and Canada but it's ugly anywhere thinking you might have service when it's just an illusion.

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

That reminds me of something about motel phones. They usually use a high priced long distance carrier, and tack on an outrageous surcharge to boot. If you're calling from a motel, always use either cell or phone card.

2 Replies

@roger,

True.

0 Replies

@roger,

Ayup! Exactly what I'm attempting to avoid.

1 Reply

@Butrflynet,

Alternative is to make a call by direct dial, and say "call me at xxx xxx xxxx room xxx. No tariff on incoming calls, and if you're on for less than a minute, it may not even register on the pen register in the office.

1 Reply

@roger,

Phone cards are such a good deal now - it's less than 1 cent per minute to the U.S., Oz, England on most cards I can get here*. Just have to make sure you pick a card that has no access fee attached - just ask a recent immigrant about which card they use to call home - you'll find the best options quickly.

* just figgered it out - I pay $3.50 Canajun for a $5 face value card - get 400 or 450 minutes on one of those cards (euroshade is my preference locally) about 0.8 cents/minute

0 Replies

@Butrflynet,

Quote:

Why a spare tire for the car? I won't be able to drive the car if it has the drive shaft removed.

But it will still have 2 wheels on the ground.
You wont be able to tow it if one of those tires goes flat.

Quote:

How iffy is the availability of gas stations between the longest segments of the route? Should I think about bringing a 5 gallon can of gasoline in the van of the truck or is that overkill?

Yes, take a 5 gallon can of gas.
On some of the longer sections, it could be up to 100 miles with no place to get gas.

Quote:

Good idea about the shoes. I was just going to wear sandals. I'll include some loafers in the box.

Those will work, but you really want something that has some ankle support.
If you are forced to walk, you dont want to be stranded somewhere with a sprained ankle.
I realize you will most likely not need them, but my motto is "I would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it".

1 Reply

@mysteryman,

Here's a map of the area around Deming, New Mexico.
Dys had advised me to take the shortcut, highway 26, which helps you avoid Las Cruces and cuts a bunch of miles from the total. I liked the road fine.

Anyway, I had to ask at a gas station to find the entrance to highway 26 - it doesn't come directly off highway 10, but a few blocks north off of 180.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h66/happyscribbles/NMGenAreaMap.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h66/happyscribbles/NMGenAreaMap.jpg

When you get to Hatch, there'll be signs leading you to Highway 25.

1 Reply

@ossobuco,

Just checked the trip planner route I got from AAA and it has the specific details on page 25. Thanks for the reminder.

Quote:

37. Take exit number 82A towards SILVER CITY / US180.
Drive for 0.2
miles.
38. Go STRAIGHT on W CEDAR STREET. Drive for 0.2 miles.
39. Turn RIGHT onto N NM26.
Drive for 0.1 miles.
40. Go STRAIGHT on S GOLD AVENUE. Drive for a short distance.
41. You have reached Deming, New Mexico
42. Start out heading NORTH on S GOLD AVENUE towards E PINE
STREET. Drive for a short distance.
43. Go STRAIGHT on N NM26.
Drive for 1.2 miles.
44. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto an access street. Drive for 0.2 miles.
45. Go STRAIGHT to get on NM26
heading EAST. Drive for 46.1 miles.

1 Reply

@Butrflynet,

Huh. I don't remember it being that complicated - but that was now three years ago.

I did get lost, going the wrong way in Hatch (I should have just followed everyone else on the road) but managed to turn myself around.

1 Reply

@ossobuco,

Well, here's a better map, if it'll show here.
If not, I found it by looking at mapquest for the intersection of highway 26 and US 180 in Deming, NM.
Turns out that Highway 10 is Cedar Street, and 180 is Gold Street.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Deming&state=NM&address=Highway+26+And+US+180

0 Replies

@Rockhead,

Rockhead wrote:

shaft will be greasy likely, but if you tip the yoke, it will not contain any fluid.

I will have a plug solution midweek. I know it is available from trans warehouses, but they won't sell to you.

I have friends near you, but Monday before they are around.

(no worries)

Any info on this yet, Rockhead? If you're unable to come up with the info, that's okay. Can you tell me the technical name the cap is known by so I can do some searching for it on the internet? Is it just called a driveshaft plug or something else?

2 Replies

Moving Advice Needed - U-haul trailer or moving company?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know