California Bound

With the help of Mom and Dad Bulk we made our way from Kansas to California...with a few problems.

I know you guys haven't been able to sleep at night worrying about our trip to southern California. BUT, rest easy, we are here with all limbs accounted for.


I will spare the details of our apartment, city, etc (those will come in a later post). Here is a quick synopsis of what we like to refer to as National Jaynes Summer Vacation - or – the move from hell.


Day 1 (Friday)

The Purpose: Overland Park KS to Tucumcari NM (SHOULD take 9.5 hrs)
We leisurely leave KC excited for our mini-vacation in the days ahead. Jared and I were in the Camry, and my parents were driving Jared's truck. The trip seems great until the Camry decides to start shaking things up, literally. At any speed above 63 mph, the Camry shakes violently. This can't be good. After a few stops and phone calls, we decide to stop in Pratt, KS and get the car serviced. Two hours later, the Camry is fixed and we are on our way to Tucumcari.

On a simple gas stop in Liberal, KS the dog needs to be "restroomed". Since Liberal lacks grass, Jared finds a small greenish area behind a warehouse building. Soon, I look at him and he is slapping his legs and jumping around. He runs towards the car yelling "fire ants!?!" A rash spreads across his feet, and the poor dog has bite marks all along her stomach.

Thinking this would be the climax of the day, we press on to New Mexico. After passing a sign stating "No Service for 75 miles" in the desert panhandle of Texas, Jared declares "I didn't know it rained". Well it didn't. The "spray" Jared saw spewing from our truck was actually a thick cloud of white smoke. We pulled over…let the truck rest…tried to figure it out…couldn't…told ourselves it was the air conditioner…and kept going. Now, without the A/C, and driving at a speed of 50 mph. Somehow we made it to Tucumcari (four hours past original arrival time)…



Day 2 (Saturday)

The Original Purpose: Tucumcari NM to Flagstaff AZ
The New Purpose: Tucumcari NM to Albuquerque NM (to make sure the truck is ok) to Flagstaff AZ
We drive from Tucumcari to Albuquerque. We have to pull over about every 30 miles to let the truck "rest" and stop smoking. After one of the many stops, we were merging back on the highway, and a semi drove by – flung a rock into the air - landed on the Camry's windshield – and put a nice crack in it. Ugh. Anyways, We were lucky enough to get in at a dealership there, but had to wait 2 hours for the auto tech to call us and let us know what the problem with the truck was. The phone call came, Jared looked like he was going to cry, or punch something…$1200 was the price to get the truck running again. A leak in the intake valve of the engine. Worse news: wasn't going to be ready until Monday. This is the day the moving trailer would be dropped off in California – and had to be unloaded. We decided it was best to rent a car – we couldn't make it to California all in one car. Worse news: all rentals available HAD to be returned to New Mexico (26 hours round trip). Reluctantly, we rented a car and drove to Flagstaff. We made it, much later than intended.



Day 3 (Sunday)

The Purpose: Flagstaff AZ to the Grand Canyon to Fullerton CA
No major fatalities this day. Let's just say one of the parties traveling with us got bit by a major stomach bug. Several stops were necessary to avoid any "accidents". We will leave the person unidentified for embarrassment sake =).



Day 4 (Monday)

The Purpose: Move into the apartment in Fullerton
To try and summarize this day as best as possible – the trailer was late getting dropped off. The apartment did not have sufficient parking for the trailer. We may have had to walk our belongings several blocks! Jared struck a deal with the complex. They allowed the trailer to be dropped off in the fire lane one street over from the apartment. The catch: the trailer MUST be picked up by the end of the day. Easy enough – right? WRONG. The moving company had a shortage of drivers, and after several hours of phone calls, pleading, and moving our stuff out of the trailer faster than I thought possible – the trailer was picked up in time. We dodged our first run-in with the Fullerton Fire Department.



Exhausted and frustrated, the day just began for Jared. At 8 pm on Monday night, Jared packed up the rental car, and started his 26 hour trek to New Mexico and back (to get the truck).



Day 5 (Tuesday)

The Purpose: Operation pick up truck
Arriving in Albuquerque at 10 am on Tuesday (with a one hour sleep break). Jared turns in the rental car. Of course he gets the guy who goes over the car with a magnifying glass. There is one thing I didn't mention. About an hour after getting the rental car we hit a piece of tire tread that was airborne by another vehicle. Well guess what, it cracked the bumper, and cost us about $400. Jared, sleep deprived, just wanted the nightmare to end! He picked up the truck and excitedly left Albuquerque. 20 minutes later, he looks down and sees the check engine light flashing on the truck. He turns around and heads back to the dealership. After some trouble shooting, no problems can be identified. Jared was hesitant to try and make the 13 hour trek back to California, but he made it (going 60 mph). We have decided the truck will never leave Orange County!