My wife and I are planning to drive from Los Angeles to New York in mid-April. We're not going for a Cannonball run, but rather drive about 400-500 miles per day and play tourist for several hours., I've taken my Model S85 on several shorter road trips (LA to Las Vegas, Big Sur-Monterey, Lompoc, etc.), but I've never driven cross-country EV or ICE.
Our route will mostly be the Supercharger route with a major detour through the Grand Canyon. Details below. @SamO made it across both directions driving a 60 in colder weather, so I'm sure I won't have range issues if I stay on the Supercharger route. In fact, I generally plan to NOT do a range charge and just stop more often at the SC's on the way.
For future travelers, I plan to track each leg with: Route, Range at Start, Range at end, actual miles, % Range vs. actual miles traveled, Driving Time, Kw used, Kw/mile, Average Speed, Temperature, elevation change, charging time, charging speed. Anything else worth noting?
We've made a list of things to see and do along the way, but I'm really interested in suggestions from people that have actually done this, and/or have local knowledge. Attractions or even your favorite restaurant. Here's what we've planned so far.
Day 1 Spend time at Grand Canyon.
Day 2 Drive along the south rim of the Grand Canyon and then on to Monument Valley,
Day 3 Arches National Park, Colorado National Monument, Hanging Lake Trail
Day 4 Badlands National Park, Black Hills National Park, Mt. Rushmore, Jewel Cave
Day 5 Lewis and Clarke Museum, Pre-Historic Indian Village,
Day 6 Monona Terrace on the campus of Univ of Wisconsin, Madison and end at Angola, IN.
Day 7 Fallingwater and then push on to Hagerstown, MD and meet friends.
We're doing all superchargers EXCEPT through Arizona. After a range charge in Kingman, AZ, we plan to drive straight to Grand Canyon, I-40 to 64 to 180. That's 173 miles, and even though there's 3700 feet elevation change, I'm thinking we'll be fine***. The other option is to drive to Flagstaff SC, charge up and head back to Grand Canyon.
In the Grand Canyon Trailer Village, we have a reservation to use a Nema 14-50. Since we'll be there overnight, there won't be a problem getting a range charge. Leaving there, we'll drive along the south rim of the Grand Canyon (Hwy 64), then up 89 to 160. Then a slight detour up 163 to Gouldings (179 miles from the Grand Canyon), which has a Nema 14-50. Spend some time there sightseeing in Monument Valley before heading up to the Blanding Supercharger (74 miles away).
We're open to any and all suggestions. Thanks for reading.
***Kingman SC to Kaliban National Forest (intersection of I-40 and 64) is 114 miles. On to Flagstaff on I-40 is another 33 miles. Sam0 did that in a MS60 in very cold weather. From Kaliban up to Grand Canyon is 60 miles. So, we would travel 60 rather than 33, and we have an MS85 and in warmer weather.
Our route will mostly be the Supercharger route with a major detour through the Grand Canyon. Details below. @SamO made it across both directions driving a 60 in colder weather, so I'm sure I won't have range issues if I stay on the Supercharger route. In fact, I generally plan to NOT do a range charge and just stop more often at the SC's on the way.
For future travelers, I plan to track each leg with: Route, Range at Start, Range at end, actual miles, % Range vs. actual miles traveled, Driving Time, Kw used, Kw/mile, Average Speed, Temperature, elevation change, charging time, charging speed. Anything else worth noting?
We've made a list of things to see and do along the way, but I'm really interested in suggestions from people that have actually done this, and/or have local knowledge. Attractions or even your favorite restaurant. Here's what we've planned so far.
Day 1 Spend time at Grand Canyon.
Day 2 Drive along the south rim of the Grand Canyon and then on to Monument Valley,
Day 3 Arches National Park, Colorado National Monument, Hanging Lake Trail
Day 4 Badlands National Park, Black Hills National Park, Mt. Rushmore, Jewel Cave
Day 5 Lewis and Clarke Museum, Pre-Historic Indian Village,
Day 6 Monona Terrace on the campus of Univ of Wisconsin, Madison and end at Angola, IN.
Day 7 Fallingwater and then push on to Hagerstown, MD and meet friends.
We're doing all superchargers EXCEPT through Arizona. After a range charge in Kingman, AZ, we plan to drive straight to Grand Canyon, I-40 to 64 to 180. That's 173 miles, and even though there's 3700 feet elevation change, I'm thinking we'll be fine***. The other option is to drive to Flagstaff SC, charge up and head back to Grand Canyon.
In the Grand Canyon Trailer Village, we have a reservation to use a Nema 14-50. Since we'll be there overnight, there won't be a problem getting a range charge. Leaving there, we'll drive along the south rim of the Grand Canyon (Hwy 64), then up 89 to 160. Then a slight detour up 163 to Gouldings (179 miles from the Grand Canyon), which has a Nema 14-50. Spend some time there sightseeing in Monument Valley before heading up to the Blanding Supercharger (74 miles away).
We're open to any and all suggestions. Thanks for reading.
***Kingman SC to Kaliban National Forest (intersection of I-40 and 64) is 114 miles. On to Flagstaff on I-40 is another 33 miles. Sam0 did that in a MS60 in very cold weather. From Kaliban up to Grand Canyon is 60 miles. So, we would travel 60 rather than 33, and we have an MS85 and in warmer weather.
However this is only one little tidbit of an interesting sight from the park, and just because one has seen these awesome pictures (I love the aerial view above) is no reason NOT to go to the park. I'm trying to be persuasive here. As if that weren't obvious. Anyone else been? Back me up here!
