IT’S ALMOST TIME!
Are we ready to go? Yes, yes, and yes . . . after a wild week of having to change everything about getting ourselves to Oregon.
By the end of last week we had heard absolutely nothing from the car transport company we thought we had made arrangements with, so we sat down and did some figuring and ended up cancelling anything that might have existed, which was going to end up costing us at least $600 but probably more over what we had originally been quoted. This meant we were going to have to drive ourselves to Portland, and we had two very crazy days of cancelling all the old plans, deciding on a route west, and making new reservations. But, we finally got everything arranged and settled and we should have a somewhat easy trip to Oregon. We’re still going to stay at the Drury Inn here on Friday and Saturday nights so we can finish cleaning the apartment on Saturday, then early Sunday morning we’ll take off. The whole trip will be six days long because we didn’t want to push ourselves. Brett’s new cooler will come in handy – we’ll carry food along for lunches and some dinners, and all the hotels we’re staying at along the way have a free hot breakfast. We were refunded just about everything from our first plan, and may be actually coming out a little ahead instead. The dogs will be very happy that they’re not going on a plane, and they are good car travelers too. Brett and I both love road trips but this one will be somewhat familiar as we’ve driven most of it a couple of times in the past. The only part I’m dreading are the two days we drive across Nebraska and southern Wyoming but it’s got to be done.
We’re almost done packing – we both filled our suitcases yesterday with clothes we won’t need for the drive, and almost all of the household goods that we’re responsible for packing are in their boxes and ready to go. The refrigerator is almost empty as is the freezer, with just enough food to get us through Thursday morning. We’ll pick up one last meal at Culver’s for dinner that evening and also get something simple to eat on Friday morning before the movers arrive. I have to say I’m very pleased with how organized we’ve been this time with the packing and such, and so far it’s all been easy and relaxed (for a change). We don’t have a date yet for our household goods delivery, but have been told it will be no later than the 22nd but more like the 11th or 12th. Fingers are crossed!
We accomplished all our goals in August, but set none for September other than to get ourselves moved and settled into the new apartment. We’re looking forward to seeing old friends again and getting reacquainted with Portland: walks in the neighborhood, visits to the library, coffee together at our local coffee shop, eating at our favorite restaurants, dim sum for Sunday breakfast once in a while. WenYu will be in Oregon in September for her best friend’s wedding (she’s the officiant) and will be staying with us for a couple of days before going home. We’ve already reserved a yurt out at the coast for three nights in October and plan on visiting all of our favorite beach towns then, rain or shine.
It’s almost hard to believe, but my next post will be written in Portland – see you on the other side!
Good luck and hope the drive all goes well! Looking forward to hearing fro you once you’re settled in Portland…take it easy and look after yourselves
The drive should be fine – we’re only doing around 400 or less miles per day which will mean we won’t have to get up early and scramble to leave and we’ll arrive at our destination before evening so can relax for the next day’s drive.
Driving is a smart move. The car transport business does not seem to be the same anymore. When we moved from Arizona to Mass in 2024 we had the car shipped. Big mistake. It took three weeks for it to get to us. All that time we had to rent a car since we were out in Amherst at that time and a car was needed. It also took that long to get our goods. We ended up living in a hotel until our stuff arrived. It cost us dearly.
Do you know how many other people’s goods will be in the truck with yours? It turns out our goods were in the very back and there were 4 households all together on the truck. Needless to say I am NEVER moving again. All the best to you and looking forward to hearing from you in Portland.
We have heard from so many about the problems they had booking transport so I’m glad we had time to switch over to driving west. I just wish these car transport companies would leave us alone now. We’ve been hearing from their sales representatives multiple times a day ever since we cancelled!
I know we are not going to be the only load on the truck but we may be the first or second load as the prediction has always been for delivery early in the spread rather than later. We’re In our Airbnb rental until the 15th, so at most would have to move to a hotel for a week before arrival.
Very exciting! My nephew used a car transport company when he moved back here from California and didn’t have any issues and the car made it here in a few days. That was in 2022 and he had to do that because he had to be back here quickly to start a new job, but I can understand why you’d rather drive, especially since you can take your time and aren’t in a rush. I’ve never driven that far, but it does sound like it would a fun adventure. Why are you dreading the two day drive across Nebraska and southern Wyoming? I’ve never been to either state so I have no idea.
It’s nice you’ll be seeing WenYu in Portland. Very good timing. Best wishes for your journey and I’m looking forward to your next post from Portland!
Yours is the first good story about a car transport since we cancelled – everything else we’ve heard has been a horror story, mostly about dates getting changed or them being late. It was beginning to look like Brett might be left behind here to get the car loaded so we decided to cancel.
The drive across Nebraska is l-o-n-g and flat with a lots of farms along the way – just not a whole lot to look at. Wyoming is also flat and treeless – it’s like driving across the barren desert. Great for ranching, but not for driving. We’ve done this route a few times before and always say “never again!” but it really is the quickest route to get up into Oregon. It’s just an *incredibly* BORING drive both for drive and passenger.
Good luck with the move and safe travels!
We are almost ready for the movers to arrive – tomorrow (Thursday) is going to be a bit crazy as we finish up all the odds and ends on our part. We are mentally ready though to get out on the road and head west!
Wishing you the best of luck over the next couple of weeks. I know that boring drive across Nebraska well having grown up on a farm just north of Nebraska City. Some of my family still lives there including my 90 year old parents. Safe travels to you both!
We’ve crossed Nebraska in late summer and late spring getting our son to and from college in Indiana from Oregon and late spring sure was a lot prettier than late summer. Our longest day’s drive this time will be from Lincoln to Laramie, WY (followed by the drive the next day across WY to Ogden, UT).
A full circle moment for you rehoming to Portland! Very excited to follow along as I have been since you lived on Kauai! The PNW really is the best place. Bon voyage!!
The PNW really is special, and Portland is a great city. Not perfect, quirky in its own way, and has everything we want. We excited to go back!
I smiled when I read your thoughts on driving through Nebraska. We did a long RV trip when our kids were little with my parents and two siblings in tow. By the time hit Nebraska on the way back, we had been together in that RV for almost two weeks, and then we hit the corn fields. They were ENDLESS. LOL.
Best of luck on the trip. Looking forward to your new adventures.
Did you award medals at the end? Yikes.
We actually have four long, boring days at the end: Nebraska followed by Wyoming followed by northern Utah and southern Idaho, and finally eastern Oregon. We won’t see much green until we hit the eastern side of Mt. Hood – this time of year it’s all pretty much going to be a uniform beige with nothing to look at. Hopefully the corn in Nebraska will still be green.
Haha. This was during the days of the Iran hostage crisis, so that trip is forever known as the The Winnebago Hostage Crisis. Funny/not funny.
“You’ll look back on this and laugh.”
No, I won’t. And haven’t.
Although I could maybe have found something funny at the beginning of a trip like yours to potentially laugh about.
We used Allied Van Lines which were the best. Also Allied arranged the car transport thru Ship Your Car Now and it took 10 days. We were very satisfied with Allied an excellent moving company. We moved from Charlotte to Bainbridge Island WA. Wishing you and Brett safe travels.
The movers are due to arrive soon and we think we’ve got everything ready to go. We’re sort of glad right now we’re driving because we don’t need to find room for so many little things that can travel in a bag in the back of the car (I have no idea where we would have put them either). Allied has really been on top of things so we’re expecting the move to go smoothly.
Safe travels to you and Brett. On to the next adventure!
Thanks Carol! We’re getting packed out today and will be ready to go Sunday morning! I am finally beginning to feel a little bit of excitement about the whole thing, a good sign.
I’ve done the drive on 70 and 80 back and forth to the East Coast many times and it does get a little boring! There are so many funny podcasts and good audio books that you could listen to to hopefully take your mind off the monotony of the long drive. Also, there should be lots of Culver’s along the way as it’s a Midwest company! 😊
I’ve been a reader of yours since the time you were packing up for Kauai and getting ready to leave Oregon! Can’t wait to continue hearing about your adventures. Have a safe trip!
I’m happy to hear from you!
We drove those two interstates to get our son to and from college in Indiana because we had family in Denver and Ft Collins we always stopped to see both ways. I25 up from Ft Collins was nice but the minute we got on 80 we’d start moaning, and we used to drive from Ft Collins to Twin Falls in a day. Hopefully with a shorter trip it might not be so bad this time (hahaha). I know we both will be happy when we start seeing the fir trees again in Oregon.
We never saw a Culver’s out west but hopefully we’ll spot one this time – they’re our favorite for fast food these days.