Where to park U-Haul - overnight stay in Wyoming (I-80) (Cheyenne: rental, hotel)

[jonoo]

Hi all,
My wife and I are moving from Chicago to San Francisco. We are thinking of stopping for a night halfway through. We're worried about people stealing our stuff. Does anyone know of a good, safe, place to stop for the night along I-80? Also any suggestions on which rental truck company to go with and any promotional codes, etc.? Thanks!
Jon

[Janvier882]

We stayed in Rock Springs on the way through at a Motel 6...there were lots of U-Hauls just parked right outside. It didn't seem like a problem. I parked my SUV with U-Haul trailer right there and didn't have any issues.

[Cape Cod Todd]

Uhaul makes it pretty easy to rent and return a trailer.
I would put my own lock on the trailer so no one can open the door and also put a lock on the trailer tongue so no one can make off with the trailer. For even more security you could back the trailer up to a immovable object like a wall or telephone pole etc.. park under lights and near your hotel room.
I think in most cases you would be OK security speaking but this is America and it only takes one loser to wreck your day.
Good luck

[Wyomama2]

You should be fine anywhere you stop. Your only choices along I-80 in Wyoming are Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins, Rock Springs and Evanston. The largest of these being Cheyenne at just over 60,000. It is wise of course to use a padlock or rope lock on your uhaul door.

[Brian_M]

As someone who worked hotel night shift through college, if you're nice (a pizza always works well for being nice), most front desk agents will go the extra mile to get you parked in the best place for them to keep an eye on it for you and then Actually keep an eye on it for you. That shift starts at 11pm though, so you're going to stay up a little late to catch the night auditor.

That said, I've moved.. a LOT (10 states in 15 years), never had any issues with people messing with my stuff when moving. Just keep everything locked up, and any vehicles completely clean on the inside.

[jody_wy]

Originally Posted by Wyomama2

You should be fine anywhere you stop. Your only choices along I-80 in Wyoming are Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins, Rock Springs and Evanston. The largest of these being Cheyenne at just over 60,000. It is wise of course to use a padlock or rope lock on your uhaul door.

And LA , or Little America

[sunsprit]

That's at least a 2,100 mile trip ...

are you saying that you're only going to stop the one night in this move?

That's over 1,000 miles at a stretch, driving a rental truck?

You'll not be able to drive any loaded rental truck at freeway legal speeds for much of this trip, especially if you encounter Westerly headwinds enroute. Even if you could maintain 60 mph, Chicago-to-Cheyenne is over 1,000 miles = 17 hours of driving. Figure on the time it takes for rest stops and fueling, and you're talking a 20 hour long day on the road, which even if you have two drivers to accomplish this is still way past the functional endurance of safe driving for all but a few drivers.

And then you're just going to stop for a night and repeat this driving?

Perhaps you might need to make more than two overnight stops for this trip. I wouldn't do it in less than three night stops ... driving a truck isn't the same as your comfortable 75 mph capable car, for speed or fatigue.

A good stop in Cheyenne for your purposes would be the Little America, right off the interstate with motel, food, and fuel.

[StealthRabbit]

I moved 3 folks cross country last yr (2 through WY)

Penske has been best truck from my experience. Get one with a DT466 engine.

Budget truck (GMC diesel) took about 2x the fuel of a Penske and was very Wimpy Suspension (not fun in WY wind).

I will second Little America (Cheyenne or western WY) as a safe place. Usually you back the truck into an area someone cannot open the door, and sandwich the vehicle if possible by parking a car (overnight) in front and rear. You can get someone who is spending the night to park their cars and sandwich you (as Long as they want to leave BEFORE you do...). I always sleep in the cab of the truck, as I don't rest too long, but take a couple naps during the day. I make my best travel time at night, cooler air, cooler tires, less traffic, less distractions, less police presence, fewer motorhomes and rental truck putt'n along.