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Moving back East from SF, CA to Albany, NY
MisterGrok
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Registered User regular
I've been considering going trans-continental for the last couple months with some recent changes occurring in my life. I still have a pretty well-paying job here but it's not something I want to stick with and my living situation sucks (I've moved back in with my folks who are in the middle of a divorce 
). The biggest questions I have right now are about traveling arrangements. Moving my stuff from this end of the country to the next and taking time in between to visit friends and family along the way (mostly in the south - TX, LA, FL, GA).
I have a 10x10 storage space right now that's about half-full and mostly for my bed, weight-set, and desk; none of which I plan on keeping. I have a small 2-door car, a 2000 acura integra with just under 100k miles on it, that I don't think will make it across the country without a new transmission. I also wouldn't be able to fit everything I own into it. This is the first time I've moved more than 20 miles from home on my own. I'd ask my family for advice but I don't want to get anyone's hopes up in case my situation changes and I change my mind or I end up being unable to follow through.
Is driving across the country within the next 3-4 months ill-advised? I'd like to do so someday but I'm not attached to doing it just yet - moving is just a convenient excuse to do so. Is shipping my stuff the best idea or is driving a u-haul cross-country doable?
). The biggest questions I have right now are about traveling arrangements. Moving my stuff from this end of the country to the next and taking time in between to visit friends and family along the way (mostly in the south - TX, LA, FL, GA).I have a 10x10 storage space right now that's about half-full and mostly for my bed, weight-set, and desk; none of which I plan on keeping. I have a small 2-door car, a 2000 acura integra with just under 100k miles on it, that I don't think will make it across the country without a new transmission. I also wouldn't be able to fit everything I own into it. This is the first time I've moved more than 20 miles from home on my own. I'd ask my family for advice but I don't want to get anyone's hopes up in case my situation changes and I change my mind or I end up being unable to follow through.
Is driving across the country within the next 3-4 months ill-advised? I'd like to do so someday but I'm not attached to doing it just yet - moving is just a convenient excuse to do so. Is shipping my stuff the best idea or is driving a u-haul cross-country doable?
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I tried to look up how much PODS would charge you to move your stuff across the country, but apparently they need more than just zip codes to price the move. I am sure there are various PODS like companies so that could be a decent way to move things, but I have no experience with them.
Additionally, my cousin just moved from Northeast PA to Northern CA and found that the costs of even getting a trailer for his car would be abhorrent. So much so that it became cheaper just to drive there and then buy a new bed, and other new large items, than dealing with U-Haul.
Call me crazy, but I think I would look into taking trains to my relatives if I had to cross the country and my car couldn't handle it. While it may end up being more expensive and allow you to carry less on your travels the stress with the trip would be greatly lessened as you wouldn't have to worry about driving for days by yourself across the country. Assuming you could get someone like the PODS people, or equivalent, to haul your stuff to your destination you might be able to make things easy on yourself.
Either way, best of luck. I've always wanted to tour the US and I hope your stuff works out well.
Edit: and more to the point, a leisurely drive across the country just isn't all that rewarding when it's freezing out.
Hey I worked in San Ramon, right by crow canyon and srvb
Thanks for the advice about crossing the country, it's what I figured I would hear. I'll probably save the drive for when I'm a little older, wiser, and more debt-free. I may just fly for now and make road trips south as time allows to visit everyone.
So I guess shipping is the next big question. Again, I don't have a lot of stuff but much of it is delicate electronics. My TV, computers, music equipment, etc. Anyone have experience shipping bulk fragile electronics across the US? I'll definitely be looking into PODS and similar services but if anyone has experiences positive or negative, I'd appreciate feedback.
On a side note, having lived in Albany before, I loved it. Of course this was in my early 20's and I lived next to Lark St, so that might have something to do with it!
seriously, its not a good place to live.
I was born in Saratoga and I spent the first half of my life in the northeast. I have a good idea of what I'm getting into.
VOC: I have family in the area.
Killgrimage: I will definitely remember your advice. Still, I don't think the road trip will happen during these months, I think I will probably be selling my car and buying one when I get to NY (salted roads vs. untreated car is a bad combination). I will have a few trips to make back to Cali in the future so I will try to plan them for the spring and summer seasons and definitely enjoy myself. I will absolutely hit you up when I get into town.
Albany isn't that bad...I mean, it isn't Troy...
"Albany" isn't great, but many of the little towns in "Capitoland" are just short of awesome. Saratoga is a fantastic little town, though it can be tough to live there in an affordable fashion without cramming 8 students into a shithole.
I was always attracted to Ballston Spa, and the downtown is still one of my favorite little pieces of the area.
I spent a summer in Glen's Falls, even, and though it was out in east bumfuck, I did enjoy myself. Cost of living was right. Where are you looking to move? Albany proper? Because I'd advise against that.
Originaly moved from NJ.
My advice is to get rid of as much stuff as possible. we drove a 17 ft truck to CA, and while managable it sucks ass, and is extremly stressful. My now wife and i did it in 3.5 days with approximate 12-14 hr days of driving.
this time around around we sold as much of our stuff as possible and usedh upack to ship it. then we packed up the animals into our CRV and drove that. despite the animals it was a much nicer trip this time around.
its really not that bad especially if you have someone to drive with
if going the truck route do not in anyway shape or room use a uhaul. go with penske. cheaper and far more reliable trucks.
i want to say all in all the upack move cost us around 1k with driving etc.
pm me if you need some more tips. my wife is actually goin gto be driving again in December to get our other car out here i think though we might ship it.
one thing to keep in mind is that in 3-4 months tahoe will be in full on winter mode as will most of middle america. expect lots of snow driving
I moved from CA to Chicago last year in the summer. But well, I didn't have that much stuff with me to bring except for clothes and a vehicle, I bought most of what I needed when I arrived here. While selling your car is certainly a viable option, my car was in good condition and I wanted to keep it. So I paid a guy to ship my car across the country for ~$700. It was kind of shady at first in that I had my car picked up near a freeway, it was loaded and then dropped off at a contact's home in IL. I remember googling for "ship car across usa" and I also asked my Toyota dealership what they recommended.
If/when I decide to move back to California, it's going to be a huge pain in the ass. I have accumulated larger electronics, a cat, appliances, furniture, etc. I was thinking of selling a bunch of stuff, using a shipping company to get most of my other junk there, shipping my car again, and then flying with my cat. I was hoping to use a service like PODS or, well, i hadn't previously heard of it, but uPack sounds nice too.
Excellent, sir, thank you very much. uPack actually gave me an estimate (~$1500) as opposed to PODS who wanted all of my contact info first (uPack only requested my e-mail address).
Arminas: I would love to keep my car. It's quite spry and fits my driving style perfectly, but the cost of replacing the transmission might cause me to delay my move a bit. Of course, if I wanted to drive, that may actually work out.
Thanks, guys. Any further advice, anecdotes, or even job recommendations for the area would be highly welcomed (I do helpdesk/desktop support/noc work).
I've already been checking albany craigslist
capitolareahelpwanted.com
and timesunion.com
I live in Ballston Spa
One thing that is cool is that The Egg (the locally weird as fuck tiny venue resting smack dab on top of the capital area) attracts some cool artists. Andrew Bird, They Might Be Giants, and Sufjan Stevens, in the past year alone to name a few, it's always cheap 25-40 bucks.
But seriously, you're coming from SF? Why are you coming back? Just miss home and 4 feet of snow or what? I always wondered why my brother came back...
I heard that lots of chicks in new york like to get drunk so I want to fuck them.
Your cute puppy eyes are showing. Hide them.