The time is almost here for us to return to our home in West Virginia. We are planning to leave at the end of next month. We had thought that our second trip there would be much easier than the first but we were wrong. The first time we rented a truck and towed my wife’s car. That meant the trip up there had the cats stacked in the front seat between Rose and I. There was barely enough room for them and they not only impeded visibilty, they also encroached on my space which was a bit uncomfortable.
On the way back it was almost as bad. The cats’ crates barely fit into the back seat of my wife’s car and we had to put the top down to get them in and out. That created a dangerous situation if there was an emergency or an accident. Plus, Floki cried for hours back there, worse than he did in the truck.
Rose’s plan for this year was for me to trade in my car for a mini van or SUV. Then we would have plenty of room and also be able to tow a small trailer for all the stuff Rose has accumulated for the other house. I hated that idea because I love my car. The main problem with my car is it is electric and I get less than 100 miles on a charge. I figured I would wait until July to sell it.
When I started looking for a vehicle I discovered that a used vehicle that would be trustworthy enough to get us to West Virginia and back was a minimum of $20,000. Many were only slightly cheaper than a new vehicle. I thought about a new vehicle but I just didn’t want to spend that much for a new, or used, vehicle that we really only needed about four days a year.
I also considered renting a van that would be capable of towing a car but nobody will rent a van like that for anything but local travel. The only vehicles capable of towing a car or anything else are moving trucks and no moving truck has a back seat so we would have the same problem as we did before trying to fit the cats in the front seat.
We then considered putting a hitch on Rose’s car and pulling a small trailer. That would still leave us the problem of having to squeeze the cats in the backseat but at least she would be able to bring the stuff that she wanted to bring. Unfortunately, BMW says we can’t put a hitch on her car. We also can’t put a car top carrier on it because it’s a convertible. Even though it’s a hardtop convertible, that doesn’t matter.
Next we decided that we would just rent a large vehicle like a minivan or SUV. Rose would drive her car and I would follow with the cats in the rental car. Unfortunately, that was not an option either because of the problem that the rental car companies are having right now. Apparently, during the Covid lockdown, the rental car companies sold off a large portion of their inventory in order to pay the bills. Now that there is demand again for rental cars there isn’t enough cars. To make matters worse there are worldwide supply issues which are hampering the car maker’s ability to produce new cars. Because of that, rental car companies will not let you drop off a rental car in another state. It also explains why used car prices are so high.
So now we are putting most of the stuff that needs to go north into boxes for shipping. The larger items will have to wait until next year. I am looking forward to being at our other home but I am not looking forward to this trip.
Bad Cat Chris 
Sounds like a mountain of problems but shipping does make the most sense. Maybe once you have the W. Virginia house “kitted out” as it needs to be, there won’t be so many things to have to take up there next time you go.
Hugs, Pam
That is true. There are a couple of things that are too big to ship. Maybe we will be able to get them there next year. I don’t know. But I don’t think we will have as much other stuff to bring next year.
shipping is a good way… let’s hope nothing ends lost or damaged… I had this problem with a convertible as I bought a carpet… no way to get it inside the car… and the wild laughing guys around me waited a long while till one said open the roof silly girl ;O)
Convertibles are good at hauling stuff with the top down. Just hope it doesn’t rain.
Years ago, we needed to move from Michigan to New York (state, not city). We each drove our vehicles there, then rented a truck, drove it back empty then filled and returned. It was less expensive to rent ‘local’ for a week than a one-way rental.
That makes sense. I think it is too far of a drive for us to do something like that.
I am not looking forward to another cry baby festival with Floki again!
Me either.
Oh, goodness…I am familiar.
Vehicles have all gone up in price this past year and so have rentals.
Hopefully next year will be better.
Goodness Covid has impacted the auto industry who would have thought? We wish you the best of things in this trip and it will work out… even with some yowls from the back
Thanks. It seems covid has influenced the entire supply line for the world on just about everything.
As well as the computer industry. There is a major chip shortage affecting vehicle, manufacturing, computer manufacturing, machine manufacturing… Chips come out of Taiwan…and, apparently, nowhere else. 🤔🤨
Part of that problem is a shortage in shipping containers. I think there is a huge number of empty containers stacked up at the port of Los Angeles with no good way to send them back.
That’s one of the reasons I have one house and don’t have to move. Hope all works out for you and the cats!
We brought the house there because houses here in Florida are too expensive. If we had the money I would prefer to have one house here.
Do you rent in FL?
We own a mobile home but rent the lot, which gets significantly more expensive every year. It is a nice community but when we retire we plan on traveling and don’t want to spend money on a high rent when we are not there.
That sure is complicated, I hope you figure out a purrfect plan eventually!
Thanks. We have a plan but it is far from perfect.
Another interesting adventure-trip coming up. Good luck!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Thanks.
Wow. I wonder what happened to all of those extra cars. You wouldn’t have thought there were that many buyers during a pandemic.
Nobody was driving a year ago but everyone is driving today.
Wow, that sounds like a PITA! I hope things improve next year, because they are way complicated for you right now.
Thanks. I hope so too.