Harris Ranch (CA Hwy 5) charge spot unveiling

[TEG]

(copy/paste of e-mail from Plug-In-America)

The Harris Ranch has recently installed a Tesla charge site off Highway 5, and will hold a grand opening on March 5th. This event is made possible by a generous Tesla charge station donation by long-time Plug In America supporter Earl Cox, who chose Harris Ranch as an ideal central point.
You're welcome to join us at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and mingle with other EV drivers. Here are more details:
Date: Friday, March 5
Time: 10am-11am simple ribbon cutting ceremony at the EV charge site with coffee and freshly baked pastries provided by Harris Ranch.
After: 11:00 Harris Ranch Inn Restaurants offer a discount on meals at their Restaurant so folks can informally gather after the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Sponsors: Harris Ranch, Plug In America, and Electric Automobile Association.


Location:
Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant
24505 West Dorris Avenue
Coalinga, CA. 93210
1.800.942.2333
http://harrisranch.com/stay.php

It is recommended that those driving EVs plan to arrive by the evening of Thursday March 4 and stay overnight so they'll have a full charge to get back home. Please RSVP by contacting Earl Cox directly if you plan on driving an EV to the event. He can be reached by phone (818)281-9638 or email earlcox@ieee.com and will be coordinating all of the charging sites.

EV Charging:
There is only 1 Tesla HPC at the Ranch. This will be reserved on Friday to enable folks giving Roadster rides to dignitaries to get home. Please don't plan on being able to use it. Harris Ranch is going to try to set up some temporary power but, otherwise, we'll have to shuttle overnight guests to the Somerville/Almond Tree RV Park (below).
Lodging:
Harris Ranch Inn has developed (2) special Inn packages which will give the electric vehicle enthusiast a couple of value packed options to choose from. To make reservations you can either call 1-800-942-beef or book on-line at http://www.harrisranch.com, click on Harris Ranch Inn/Restaurant. These special Inn/Restaurant packages are named after Tesla and Plug-in America and are now available. We would suggest that anyone with Electric Auto Association, Plug In America or Tesla wishing to spend the night anytime, including the March 5 weekend, to take advantage of one of these packages.

Dining:
Harris Ranch is offering anyone attending the March 5 opening or coming out over the March 5 weekend a special 10% discount off of any meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) at the Harris Ranch Restaurant. They can get this discount by merely telling their server that they are associated with Tesla, Plug In America, or Electric Automobile Association. The Ranch is an omnivore's destination restaurant. Vegetarians can select between their (5) vegetarian entrée Salads such as the popular Waldorf Spinach Salad or their Portabella Flatbread Pizza or Portabella Burger.
Directions/Maps:
Harris Ranch Inn: I-5 and West Dorris Ave (CA 198)
- From San Ramon Tesla Charger: 155 miles
- From Parson's Lot in Pasadena: 199 miles (Roadsters probably should drive about 55 mph or plan for intermediate charging)
- From 4th and G Plaza public parking garage Davis: 198 miles (Roadsters should probably should drive about 55 mph or plan for intermediate charging)
Intermediate Charging Opportunities South:

-Somerville Almond Tree RV Park‎- 41191 South Glen Avenue, Coalinga, CA‎ (near Harris Ranch, this will be backup charging location for the event. Harris Ranch is offering a shuttle to the Inn if you stop here. $10 for full charge, talk to Manager - Smitty)
-Traveler's RV Park 33151 Cyrill Pl, Kettleman City, CA‎ - (559) 386-0583‎ (a little rustic)

-Lost Hills RV Park, Lost Hills, CA - Lost Hills RV Park‎- 14831 Warren Street, Lost Hills, CA‎ - (661) 797-2719‎
-Buena Vista Aquatic Area (BEST LOCATION), South Enos Lane, Bakersfield, CA 93301 (661) 763-1526‎ (County bureaucracy: hard to get short-term rate to top-off, may have to pay full RV rate) On March 5, Earl will try to work out a deal where he'll rent a site on the 5th at full $21 cost and folks can stop by "to visit Earl Cox"
See EV Charger News - Home for more options.

[johnr]

I just got that email as well, but you beat me to posting it

This is very good news, as the new charger will prove to be very helpful to Tesla drivers traveling between San Francisco and LA, or exploring the central valley. It's the closest Tesla charger yet to my home near Visalia.

As I post, there's an advert in the sidebar for the Nissan Leaf ... maybe the Harris Ranch will also be one of the first locations in the central valley to have a universal EV charger.

[vfx]

Tesla driver helps Roadster fans with donated charge point between LA and SF — Autoblog Green

To make the trip possible for Roadster owners, long-time Plug In America supporter Earl Cox has donated a $2,000 Tesla Home Charger that allows for four-hour recharges to Harris Ranch, a restaurant and inn located about half way between LA and San Francisco (or LA and Sacramento, if that's your destination). Conveniently, the Ranch is located just 100 yards off of Highway 5. A grand opening of the charge point will take place March 5th.

Earl at Rabo bank

[TEG]

More from PIA email:

New Tesla Fast Charging Station Bridges North and South

Seven Tesla Roadster drivers converged on Central California earlier this month to celebrate the installation of a Tesla fast-charging station at the Harris Ranch Inn and restaurant in Coalinga. Plug In America supporter Earl Cox, owner of one of those Roadsters, generously donated the station to speed Tesla trips between Northern and Southern California.

The Coalinga Chamber of Commerce performed a ribbon-cutting to mark the auspicious occasion and Roadster rides were offered. Event attendees included Dave and Heather Raboy, who staged the 2004 Ford Ranger EV sit-in that launched DontCrush.com, Plug In America's predecessor; Dave Raboy's mother, Sheila, who came all the way from Utah; Don Cox, Earl's father and a Tesla owner; J.B. Straubel, Tesla's CTO; Khobi Brooklyn, a Tesla spokesperson; Plug In America board member Ron Freund; and Tom Dowling, the EAA's EV charging infrastructure manager.

Harris Ranch personnel on hand included owner John Harris, general manger Kirk Doyle, CFO William Bordeau and facility engineer Jack Brown.

Coalinga is a strategic location for a charging site because it sits about halfway between San Francisco and L.A. and the same distance between Sacramento and L.A. It is also reachable from any of those big cities on one charge of a Tesla Roadster. Use of the new charge station will be free providing users patronize the Harris Ranch Inn or restaurant.

"This was a historic occasion and special thanks go to Tom Dowling for helping Jack Brown install the charging station," says Earl Cox. "The next step will be to get other businesses located halfway between Coalinga and San Francisco, L.A., and Sacramento to host charging sites so that future EVs with less range will also be able to complete the journey."

[ChargeIt!]

For the uninitiated not all Roadsters are Radiant Red.
Present also were one each Roadster in Arctic White, Twilight Blue and Thunder Gray.

[bonnie1194]

Harris Ranch is still a Tesla plug (yay). It's actually over at the Shell station. Unfortunately it has a big fat lock on it now, which wouldn't be a problem if people had the damn key. After approx 30 minutes of trying different keys, Security showed up and unlocked it.

Mood: Grumpy.

[vfx]

Harris Ranch is still a Tesla plug (yay). It's actually over at the Shell station. Unfortunately it has a big fat lock on it now, which wouldn't be a problem if people had the damn key. After approx 30 minutes of trying different keys, Security showed up and unlocked it.

Mood: Grumpy.

I told you. You have to ask for the bathroom key! We went through 30 minutes for you.

[TEG]

You must have missed VFX's post...

By the way, it's locked. You have to ask for the bathroom key.

[bonnie1194]

Totally missed that post. I suppose it's the men's bathroom key.

grumpier.

[bonnie1194]

And I'm not really grumpy. I just was adding a little dramatic license. Overall this trip has been easy - by tomorrow I'll have put about 1200 miles on my car. Never once have I worried about getting to the next charger. I've met a lot of nice people on this trip, all curious about electric, expressing surprise that an electric car could be so far from home without issue.

Next trip, Seattle.