It's been a tough couple of years as the Wife looks for a job. We had started looking outside of Seattle, which isn't what we wanted to go. But the bio-tech market has been hit so hard that there hasn't been anything for her. Last year, I posted a thread on Boston. Since then, she had looked in every major bio-tech hubs in the US.
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=36308.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=36308.0)
Finally, she got an offer last Friday and it looks like we'd be moving across the country, from Seattle to Atlanta. Not exactly thrilled about Atlanta since we both grew up in Seattle and have been here ever since. Nevertheless, we will be making the 2,642 mile trip soon.
We will start packing and loading up the truck this coming weekend. The Wife and the Daughter will fly over and I will drive the U-haul truck across country. Any tips on staying awake/entertained while driving? I am planning on doing this in 5 days (8 hrs/day at 60-65 mph). ALso, what should I expect in the Summer. All I know is it will be HOT HOT HOT.
Congrats and best of luck to you and yours! Congrats on your wife finding a job - the market still blows. [thumbsup]
Books on tape/cd/mp3 or whatever format. Good way to keep the mind engaged at least a bit. Also you'll probably be going through areas with little or no good radio.. or at least radio you'll want to listen to... so carry your own audio.
And a 15-30 min nap if you're getting drowsy is awesome. You might not want to waste the time, but just a little break like that can really bring back your energy and focus.
Quote from: Sad Panda on March 07, 2011, 12:18:23 PM
Books on tape/cd/mp3 or whatever format. Good way to keep the mind engaged at least a bit. Also you'll probably be going through areas with little or no good radio.. or at least radio you'll want to listen to... so carry your own audio.
And a 15-30 min nap if you're getting drowsy is awesome. You might not want to waste the time, but just a little break like that can really bring back your energy and focus.
Ask what kind of radio the Uhaul has so you can figure out what format to put your entertainment on. Depending on the age of the Uhaul it can vary but an old cassette adapter will usually do the trick for you so you can listen to mp3s.
if you go thru Wyoming, stop & buy some fireworks for some road-side energy boosters along the way... ;D
you will be 4 hours from the Tail of the Dragon, http://www.cherohala.com/ (http://www.cherohala.com/) and more over some great roads north of Hot-Lanta not to mention Barber Motorsports.
Did the solo drive from Palm Beach, FL to Kirkland a few years back. Definitely have your ipod ready with an adaptor for your the lighter. Its a long ass drive! You expect heat, humidit and lots of bugs down south. Sorry to say but its the complete opposite of the PNW. 8 hrs/day doesn't seem like much driving. You're really taking your time. That's good though. I tend to drive until I hallucinate and almost run off the road before I stop. :p Have fun. see the sites along the way. There are a few. Congrats on job. Atlanta is a lot more affordable than Seattle.
Thanks for all the feedback and congrats. It's been a tough 2 years for us, living on 1 income and with the birth of our daughter. Now we can breath easier.
I definitely see this road trip as a positive experience. How many time in your life would you have the chance to drive across country. I will slow down to smell the roses along the way. I think I will get an adopter to charge my laptop so I can play as much MP3/DVD as I can.
My biggest concern is probably the culture shift. IZ, you were right on the money. Atlanta is probably the exact opposite of Seattle in many ways. Having lived in PNW all my life, this is like moving to a totally different country (it IS a different country, right?)
Atlanta is a hopping city. Lots of stuff to do right in there, and plenty of stuff within a couple hours drive.
It is called Hotlanta for a reason. All the better reason to head to the NC/TN mountains when it gets hot!!!
JM
Mother and I drove from Charlotte to Portland the long way in 4 days. Here are a couple of things I learned:
1. Eat as healthily as possible, road food can really make you feel yucky. We had a little cooler and stored cheese and crackers, grapes, etc when we could.
2. Map it out and check where your fuel stops will be. We ended up in Shamrock, TX trying to find fuel and it got a little sketchy. Shoulda planned better.
3. Get out and walk when you can, stretch, breathe in fresh air. Stop and see things! I really wish we had detoured to the Grand Canyon when we had a chance.
4. If someone knocks on your window at a rest stop and offers you "fetishes", just say no.
Atlanta is not only hot in the summer, its humid as hell; if you're riding in it, it's easy to dehydrate yourself. Head into the foothills and mountains in north Georgia when you can and also head for the coast. Savannah is about 4 hours, Charleston is about 5 if I remember right
Atlanta is different from the PNW but its not awful. Like any big city, it has it's bad side but it can also be pretty neat. I think there are some other members that have lived around there, maybe TAftonomous?
And finally, don't forget to keep ALL the receipts, and write off the move on your taxes next year!
BC.
hi! so yes, atlanta is about as different as can be from seattle..
i've lived pretty much my entire life in nor cal, but my parents moved to alabama about 18 years ago & i spent a couple of years there & visit fairly often. they are about 90 minutes from atlanta down i-20
be careful of the troopers in georgia, they like to sit on the sides of the road, at night, with their lights off. there is no such thing as a speedtrap to the troopers, they get ya however they need to
& yeah the weather will take a LOT of getting used to. you're used to rain, but a cold rain.. get ready for the HOT rain. thunderstorm warnings & tornado warnings are a daily occurrence in georgia & alabama in the summer. it'll be scary & make you nervous at first, but really, you will get used to it. july & august will be rough, just stay near a/c & stay hydrated! as far as weather goes, you are actually moving at a good time of year, you'll probably get a lot of warm, pretty, spring days.
if you're into animals, this place is really cool & only about an hr from atl
http://www.animalsafari.com/safari/ (http://www.animalsafari.com/safari/)
talladega (if you're into nascar) is about an hr & a half away
stone mountain is also amazing & they have an incredible fireworks show on july 4th
http://www.stonemountainpark.com/ (http://www.stonemountainpark.com/)
there is a LOT of history in the south, if you can, take advantage of it. lots of american indian history & confederacy history. It's BEAUTIFUL country, explore it!
also, you're about a 5 hour drive from the florida panhandle. pensacola beach is the most amazing beach in the u.s. imo. white sand & clear blue water. not to mention it's home to the blue angels & they put on several shows/practices every year. totally worth the drive
people are different in the south. opinions are different. prejudices are still vocalized. it's not as bad in atlanta because it's become more of a melting pot, but you'll still find it on the outskirts. & i don't know if you're religious, but church is almost an expectation..
and speaking of church..since this is a motorcycle forum, i've saved the best for last. you are about 2 1/2 hours from barber. straight down i-20. it's 5 stories of motorcycle goodness & they have track days & festivals & all sorts of good stuff. a motorcyclists place of worship :)
http://www.barbermuseum.org/ (http://www.barbermuseum.org/)
i hope this helps :)
atlanta can get hot in the summer, and when they get snow the city will shut down, its funny.
if you are inside the perimeter its a normal metropolitan city very culturally mixed, maybe not as much as other areas but it is mixed.
go 20 minutes outside the perimeter, let's just say you are in a deep south state, afterall its where the dukes of hazzard took place. so remember that. not saying that everyone is one way or another way, but always be aware of your location in the country.
don't speed when driving in GA or the surriounding states, especially south carolina if you go through there, put your cruise control on the speed limit especially in SC they will pull you over in a minute if you are going over the limit there.
other than that you will probalby like that it doens't rain as much as seatle. and overall atlanta is a relatively good modern city. no its not LA, NYC or DC but it has its own personality that you will have to decide for yourself. Good luck.
Lots of good info! ^^
Ooh..I forgot to mention saving reciepts. Thanks Blade! We pretty much had all our moves paid for when taxes came around. With the economy the way it is now, it seems like fewer employers reimbursing for moving costs. Hopefully, you got lucky though!
BTW..yes, the South IS a different world. Even in FL, we experienced the different viewpoints. :-X
We're visiting Charlotte, NC to see if we want to move down south.. .. ..again. We may also check Atlanto as well. ;)
I've been mapping out the day drives from Charlotte. Seems like Atlanta is only a couple hundred miles away. As mentioned..Barber isn't too far either!! [bow_down]
Quote from: sbrguy on March 07, 2011, 04:59:21 PMand overall atlanta is a relatively good modern city. no its not LA, NYC or DC but it has its own personality that you will have to decide for yourself. Good luck.
Definitely check out some of the sketch looking places in downtown. My wife and I stumbled upon a place called the "Sidebar" by just walking around downtown. We were walking around where people claimed we'd get mugged, maimed etc. It was awesome. There are some awesome experiences if you'll just get out and see the town. Don't be afraid of the MARTA.
JM
I have taken 4 road trips across the country over the last 5 years. 2 of them have been 4 day Ca to NJ runs. It starts to get hard on the 4th day IMO. Doing the trip in 5 days 8hrs a day shouldn't be too bad. The only problem is that 8hrs of driving is really a 10-12 hour day when you figure in random stops, gas, food, pee breaks*, naps
*Since you are driving solo, keep your empty bottles in the car.
Hydroxycut (berry flavor that you mix into water) was my savior. It is like speed and will keep you awake and attentive. It does make you have to piss like crazy.
Good luck with the trip!
Congrats to the wife on the new job, you on an extended riding season [thumbsup]
Just one specific recommendation: Harry Potter books on tape. Here's the part where I go "No, really..."
I haven't read any of the books with my eyes and I am not an especially big fan of tween fantasy as a genre. But, on a 10-hour death march drive to El Paso from Houston, we listened to the last couple books and the miles evaporated. Be sure to get the US version narrated by Jim Dale - the guy's amazing.
Other ideas: check out the world's largest ball of twine. All four of them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biggest_ball_of_twine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biggest_ball_of_twine)
If you are cinematically inclined, maybe video the road trip, reflect on your life change, make a video for the friends back home. So, maybe you get footage of you crying at all four world's largest balls I twine, I dunno. Or, maybe you get footage of "fetishes" (ask for five - "five assorted fetishes, please") for the education/amusement of your fellow board members. In any case best of luck on the adjustment and be safe on the drive.
You will get home sick.
How to deal w, it...I'm not sure.
Riding will probably help.
If you can hook up w, someone from the Forum to show you some good rides that would be nice.
May be take route 66 instead of the Interstate through some of the Western States.
Course I don't know if you are taking the Northern , middle or Southern route.
Don't forget Map Quest.
Good luck and let us hear about your journey.
Dolph :)
Yes, what route are you taking? What size truck also..12', 16' 25'? IIRC..in my MANY moves and comparing all the rental companies..I've had the best luck with Penske. Get on that right away too for competitive pricing if you haven't already! Try to get quotes from each one and play them against each other for the best deal. If you have a car to tow..put it up on a flat bed trailer. It's a PITA to drive for the first couple hours but after that..you won't even know it's there.
Going back to FL (GA) from WA..I took:
90-Spokane, Missoula, Billings, Rapid City, Souix Falls
29-Omaha, Kansas City
70-St. Louis
64
57
24-Nashville, Chattanooga
75 to Atlanta.
It's a relatively flat, boring trip but makes good driving when you're in a moving truck. The gorge was the only time consuming part (seems like it took forever to drive out of it) and when I drove out of the way to see Mt. Rushmore. Had to go though! [thumbsup]
As for the aforementioned..I would NOT suggest Route 66..my old street address in Flagstaff btw. [thumbsup] That would be a long azz drive out of the way from the PNW! If you're driving anywhere between CA/AZ up to IL/MI..it can be cool! I've driven it many times.
I don't think he has a month to make this trip DoubleE?! [cheeky]
*Disregard a few of my questions/comments. I just reread the OP. Looks like you already have a U-Haul for this weekend.
Best of luck with the move GH!!
Rent a Penske moving truck, stay away from U-haul. The Penske place is on first, just past the Starbucks HQ.
They are all new and clean.
If possible get a diesel truck. The fuel mileage difference (diesel vs gasoline) will cut your costs.
Ever seen a gasoline powered 18 wheeler??
Might consider a GPS, both for the move and to help you get around your new hometown.
I drove truck for many years...........you say you will be doing this in summer when its gonna be hot. Drive at night. Cooler, less traffic . Avoid eating crappy food and drink as much water as possible. IF YOU GET TIRED ----S T O P ----- get out take a break. walk around your vehicle every couple of hours check the tires. they heat up and can blow out. That is also a good way to take a break from the road. Drive with one window slightly open as there will be fumes in the cab , all trucks no matter what have exhaust leaks and a bit of the old fresh air will keep you alert. Do not take any meds to keep you awake at all. Take your camera as you will see many cool things along the way.Document your trip with a blog....Make it fun, and interesting, hit places along the way you have always wanted to see ,even if its a bit out of your way as this may be your only chance.
Make sure you have all of your paperwork with you at all times. Lock the back of the truck with a master padlock that has the ring protected so it cannot be sawn through. When you park for sleep see if you can park with the back of the truck an inch away from a wall,makes it impossible for someone to get into the back door and steal your stuff.
so recap.
===S T O P I F T I R E D===
Plenty of water
Documents
Night drives
Check tires every couple of hours
Be safe
No Narcotics
Enjoy your trip.
Awesome inputs, guys. I really appreciate it. IZ, I think that's the same route I am going with. Might be boring and flat. but with a truck and trailer, that's what I would prefer.
I will make sure I get myself situated, as you all have suggested - entertainment, hydrations (I prefer juice and moutain dew), open window/fresh air, frequent pit stop to stretch out legs, etc. If I break up the 8 hr day into managable pieces with lunch and potty breaks in between, it's really not that bad... although by day 3-4, cabin fever might set in.
DoubleE, I think you are right... I will be more home sick than I would ever imagine, after being in one place for so long...
The wife and I did a trip to move from the Top of Australia to the very bottom of Australia. Cairns in North Queensland to Tasmania about 4000k's including an overnight ferry ride to get to Tasmania. I broke the drive up into about 9 hours of driving each day, 5 days on the Road in a tiny little Hyundai Getz loaded to the gills with stuff! You would get a few odd looks when cruising through outback Australia in a tiny little Korean buzz box passing huge Sedans and Trucks all doing the Highway grind. :o ;D
The thing that saved my Sanity was my iPod Touch, I loaded that up with lots of music Podcasts that I downloaded (Trance around the world from Above and Beyond, Tiesto's Club life) the best part is they are free, and I have about 20 hours worth of music that cost me nothing, I also loaded on some old favorites like Pink Floyd and a random collection of favorites from my Playlist. I kept a back up MP3 player I got from Sony, that was loaded with some Comedy Podcasts, (120 of them at about 45 minutes each)
so pretty much whatever my listening mood was, I had something to listen to, but listening to the comedy stuff was probably the best thing to burn up the time.
But the iPod touch came in Handy as every time I reached a stopping point for the night I would pop into a local Mcdonalds, buy a hot chocolate and use the free WiFi, send a quick Email to Family and friends giving them an update on how the trip was going, and how much of a shock it was to go from the high heat and humidity of the Tropics to the freezing cold in central Australia (I traveled at the end of Winter) and the even colder climate in Tasmania! I had never seen -2(C) in my life. and now I was going to be living in it!
The wife came down about 2 weeks after I did, I had so much fun doing that drive, I was ready to hop on a Plane, fly back to Cairns and drive down again. I had a blast! She hated every second of it, and she had the better car! a new Toyota Corolla sedan.
I also carried a small box of Bits and pieces, Chargers for Mobile Phone, iPod, Sat Nav, a map in case the Sat Nav pooped itself, chewing gum, a couple of big bottles of water, spare Oil for the car, assorted Tools. and each night when I stopped everything got charged and the Car got a good going over to make sure it was all going well.
But that trip was a blast, I would love to do it again! [thumbsup]
Somethings I missed.
Keep a roll of paper towels, scrubbing pad (bug guts), and a spray bottle of window cleaner in the cab with you.
If you keep the windshield, side windows, headlights (if driving after dark) and side mirrors spotless clean, it will add hours to how long you can drive before fatigue starts kicking in.
A small trash can with matching trash sacks is nice to have on the passenger side floor.
Nothing in your back pockets, a wallet distorts your spine enough that after a day or two your back will start aching before lunch.
Btw...don't worry about a map or navigation. You can drive across country using road signs easily. I forgot to mention that the drive got me big time! My feet were swollen like mad! I had never experienced that on my drives from MI to AZ. Pay attention to that "nothing in your back pocket" advice. That really does help! Keep a pillow, shorts, hat and sweatshirt/jacket handy. An extra blanket as well. I always push it and end up sleeping in the truck. Partially cuz I'm in a hurry and also cuz I don't want anyone stealing my truck with everything I own. We had a truck break down on us here in Phoenix after our last move. Within 5 min, there was aleady someone trying to break in! Be careful out there. If you do happen to stay in truck, bring a sun visor and towels to block the sunrise for catching extra zzz's.
I have been doing some long trips lately. One of the things that helps me is a GPS on the trip. It ends up being something to do to help keep my mind occupied. It will show ETA, average speed, miles to destination and so on. Then you can do calculations on fuel mileage as you go, and I like to listen to NPR, especially Car talk.
Last fall, the wife and I did a trip from southern Oregon to Houston and back. We would take turn sleeping and driving which worked out really well. So if you are going to drive a bare bones U haul or something try and get as much of that kind of stuff to keep your mind occupied as you can.
I also drove big trucks for a time and offer these suggestions.
If the option is available rent a diesel, pick up one of those hand held cb's, range isn't that great but better than nothing and has the potential to add to the entertainment factor.
If it's in the budget a quality wrap around blue tooth headset.
If you drive thru the night beware the witching hour, the hour just before and including twilight.
If a big truck flashes you over say thank you, throw the hazards on for a couple blinks.
Pay attention to the scales, some require rental trucks to enter some do not.
Stay away from an over abundance of sugar, sugar crash sucks, I favored sugar free red-bull and a 50/50 mix of coffee and hot chocolate.
When stopped be mindful of your surroundings.
Gatorade makes the best pee bottle. I would empty these whenever I stopped at a rest area.
A roll of quality toilet paper, one ply sand paper crap in rest areas and most truck stops suxxorz.
You might consider picking up a driver's reward card from say Pilot or T/A, depending on the size of the fuel tanks on the rental truck they typically give you a free shower with the purchase of 50 gallons.
You won't be traveling thru Texas, Florida, Virginia or Slohio so your good to there.
Be safe, keep us apprised of your adventure if you can. [thumbsup]
Where in Atlanta are you moving? The "metro-Atlanta" area covers about 7 counties.. and each side of town is very diferent.
-Anyways, it's hot. People from here don't call it hotlanta anymore, so please stop if you do.
-Traffic sucks. Don't buy a place off of 75 and work off 85 and think that you can use the perimeter. You can't.
-If your into the hippy lovefest, guys wearing girl jeans, and sad music Little 5 is the place for you. If that is too cool just head down to East Atlanta Village and get a little more trendy.
-If your gonna live in Kennesaw, buy a gun, it is the law.
There is more -- but it all depends on what side of town your looking to head towards...
I did a big move a year and half ago. I'm still in culture shock. I've spent some time in Atlanta and it is a cool (hot in temp) town. The new South. Much of our culture comes from the south. Most, if not all, forms of American music originated in the south (Blues, Country, Rock and Roll, Jazz). There is long list of great southern writers too. So you have much to look forward to in your new home.
But as you know the best coffee and beer in the country come from Seattle [thumbsup] [thumbsup] [thumbsup] [drink] [beer] [coffee]. So bring a huge supply of both and before you leave establish a system of resupply for both. You can adapt to the new culture, but you can't be expected to give up life's essentials.
True. ^^ You won't have those little coffee "sheds" plus, 4 Starbucks on every corner like you do up there!!
People are so much happier in the south/sunny states though!!
A funnel with a long hose attached.
Run the hose down to the bottom of the door and to the outside of your vehicle.
No need to stop for pee breaks. [evil]
quick update:
Spent 2 days packing and loading the truck. Used 28 boxes from U-haul and managed to fit everything in and still managed to leave room for bikes. ;D
Getting ready to leave now. More updates later. Will load some pictures when I get settled in Atlanta. Thanks for all your inputs. You guys have been great (as always).
May not be able to get internet access so I might be going dark for awhile. I will for sure have DMF withdraw, probably before I get to Montana...
Good luck, drive safe & enjoy the adventure!!!
have fun. I forgot to ask if you had crates for your bikes? I have the dimensions for the crate I've been using for the past 5 years hauling across the country back and forth. I guess that's not needed now.