# Trip report: With dogs and wife to visit best friend



## bwilson4web (Mar 4, 2019)

*Introduction*

Beau, my best friend from high school class of 1968, and I have lived parallel if independent lives. We both owned airplanes, enjoy shooting, married for over 40 years, and last worked with Cisco networking equipment. We're comfortably retired and I wanted to visit while we are on this side of the grass.

*05/17 16:30 Huntsville, AL ($0.00 0 mi)*

Packing and leaving late in the day, we drove into the afternoon sun using 'Prius rules.' Where we found a semi trailer truck or RV going about 65 mph, we followed using dynamic cruise control and basic Autopilot. Comparing the miles to go versus the battery miles remaining, we started heading into the 10 mi reserve range. So using the map, we took direct, slower routes in Memphis using historical US 72.

*05/18 19:30 Memphis, TN Supercharger ($10.50 221 mi)*

We ate at P.F. Chang but my wife was not familiar with Jasmine tea and changed her order coffee with cream ... a cream that looked a little off. Regardless, the storm front arrived and within a minute of getting my wife in the car and we were off.

The Interstate route from Memphis TN across the Mississippi river into Arkansas is very limited access and not pleasant. But halfway there, my wife announced she was going to throw-up and had to go ... NOW. Sad to say, the eruption occurred halfway across the Mississippi bridge, on the dog and both ends. Fortunately there is a Pilot on the Arkansas side and I knew they had showers. Long story short, Holly got a shower, fresh change of clothes, and a cold water hose for the dog. Other than the rain, it was uneventful to Little Rock where the rain tapered off.

*05/19 01:12 Little Rock, AR Supercharger ($6.60 137 mi)*

I dropped my wife at a near-by Pilot truck stop and put the car on SuperCharger. The dogs and I walked back to the Pilot where with my wife, we got soda pops and doggie treats. Scattered light rain, the next leg led from wet to dry pavement.

*05/19 04:11 Texarkana, TX Supercharger ($3.19 145 mi)
05/19 04:50 Texarkana, TX Supercharger ($2.09 5 mi)*

Everything was closed but a near-by motel. The staff let my wife use the bathroom and I got a cup of coffee. We finished walking the dogs and charging before heading on.

*05/19 06:50 Sulphur Springs, TX Supercharger ($3.41 100 mi)*

Not planned, I needed a cat nap so we charged at the SuperCharger next to the police station. We walked the dogs and headed on.

*05/19 10:00 La Quinta, Allen, TX ($0.00 68 mi)*

I chose the La Quinta in Allen Texas because they have both Tesla and J1772 chargers. About 15 miles from my friend Beau's home, I knew we could reach them easily with free, L2 charging at the hotel. But I didn't know they had a policy of turning them off because of 'charging parasites' from the adjacent gym. The maintenance man who handles the circuit breakers would not be in until the next day. So I visited the Plano SuperCharger.

*05/19 14:31 Plano, TX Supercharger ($2.17 18 mi)*

The first problem is the 2D map does not show the SuperChargers are on the 5th floor of the parking garage. Eventually I drove to the roof and the problem was solved but it was busy with about 50% occupancy. Regardless, the map showed a lot of interesting restaurants.

*05/19 20:13 Plano, TX Supercharger ($13.70 18 mi)*

Late Sunday evening, the charger stations were relatively unoccupied reducing the risk of "idling charges." So I found a dozen oysters needing eating and other delectables. Sad to say, I also found a top-shelf, clear liquor that was more water than whisky. Opening a sealed bottle fixed the problem and management was informed. I took dinner home for the wife and dogs.

Lesson learned: let the hotel/motel know when you make a reservation that you will be using the charger. Call during regular business hours and make sure the maintenance staff knows the chargers must be powered on. Firmly escalate the problem if not.

*05/21 13:13 Lindale, TX Supercharger ($2.64 106 mi)*

On the way back, I decided to not pass a SuperCharger. My wife and her dogs get a break and I get a walk-around. More, shorter stops works for both humans and canines and means the last miles are less exciting.

*05/21 16:30 Shreveport, AL ($2.50 104 mi)*

Located in a mall parking lot, there were some scattered showers as we drove through the front. While in the mall, a gully washer cleaned the streets and parking lot.

*05/21 17:46 Monroe, LA Supercharger ($0.66 100 mi)
05/21 18:12 Monroe, LA Supercharger ($4.40 5 mi)*

Temperatures went from ~65F to ~80F driving through the front. We ate supper at an AppleBees about 100 meters from the chargers. So I dropped my wife off and put the car back on the SuperCharger.

*05/21 21:00 Vicksburg, MS ($0.00 74 mi)*

An EV charging desert, Ameristar has a casino, hotel, and adjacent RV park. Sad to say, I could not find a NEMA 14-50 outlet in the RV park but they had the 30A, round sockets ... and I did not have a plug. Regardless, I could use the 12A, 120VAC outlets. The hotel is not pet friendly but the RV park is so I configured the Standard Range Plus Model 3 (SR+M3) into a climate controlled, kennel. But the 120VAC power was not enough to handle all of the load.

*05/22 00:38 Pearl, MS Supercharger ($4.80 75 mi)*

Concerned that the car might lose too much power over night to reach the next SuperCharger, the dogs and I drove to Jackson MS and added 150 mile charge. We ran into a police checkpoint checking licenses, insurance, (and breath.) After admiring my wife's doggies, the trooper waved me through without asking for proof of insurance or sleeping disorder treatment.

With $300, I visited the casino and came out $79 ahead before tipping the table team.

*05/22 01:30 Vicksburg, MS ($0.00 74 mi)*

Missing her dogs, my wife woke me up at 7:30 AM and insisted we had to get the doggies. It was the earliest departure we'd had in 42 years beating the close race to check-out time. Hummmm.

*05/22 09:36 Pearl, MS Supercharger ($3.60 75 mi)*

Breakfast fast food from the Pilot truck stop and beverages, we were soon the the road home.

*05/22 11:32 Meridian, MS Supercharger ($3.19 88 mi)
05/22 11:51 Meridian, MS Supercharger ($0.88 3 mi)*

After an initial charge, took my wife to the mall for a biology break and put the car back on the charger. We visited an ice cream kiosk and back on the road again. Then we hit the I-20 bridge, repair backup.

Totally blind-sided by the backup, we eventually reached an exit and took US 11 to by-pass the crawl. Back at interstate speeds, life was good until we came across the truck accident backup. We stopped at a Pilot for another biology break and I looked forward to reaching Birmingham ... a big disappointment.

Located in a area around the busy convention center, there is a single road (not well mapped) that reaches the 'for fee' parking lot. The first charger gave an error message claiming my car had 'maintenance required'. I switched charger and no problem. Note, Tesla has yet to respond to my service query.

Of the four bars and restaurants, one was 'less bad' and the all were noisy, full, and nothing interesting ... other than a young woman with excessively high heels, fishnet stockings, and form fitting clothing.

*05/22 18:16 Birmingham, AL Supercharger ($4.64 146 mi)*

As soon as we had enough charge, we drove home. Other than my unplanned biology break, we reached home taking a short-cut South of the river.

*05/22 21:30 Huntsville, AL ($0.00 106 mi)*

The Tesla "Climate Controlled Kennel" worked great. If driving solo, I would camp out in the Tesla at RV parks. Cheaper than a hotel with overnight charging, these are a great resource for Tesla owners. It also converts ESVE equipped hotels into "pet friendly" and many have a shuttle to take you to and from. Just make sure to call during business hours and let them know you expect to find a working EVSE even if it means passing a note to the maintenance staff.

Bob Wilson


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## Frully (Aug 30, 2018)

Excellent log! Looks like a fun journey. 

A lot of people balk at 'you have to stop so often to use superchargers' and think that it's a negative. Once you've made a trip where you are forced to stop and relax frequently you suddenly find that the journey is MUCH less taxing and you arrive so much more rested.

Because I had to math...
your trip seems to be 1668 miles, for $68.97USD....using the most expensive possible way to charge (supercharging)
Texas gas is ~$2.50
so you bought 27.6 equivalent gallons of gasoline.
and did 1668 miles
equating 60.4mpg
...all while driving a super high performance magic space car.

Lots of other metrics to look at or compare but ^^that makes me warm and fuzzy.


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## bwilson4web (Mar 4, 2019)

My best estimate is 64 MPG equivalent for $2.50/gal gas. 

Bob Wilson


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## GDN (Oct 30, 2017)

Living here I knew and had heard plenty about the Plano SC before getting our car. I knew it was on the top level of the parking garage, but it sounds like Tesla needs to update some documentation. I've only been there to the charger once, I don't recall if there is any signage or not, but it can be frustrating when you see you are right at it on the map, but yet it is no where to be found and then to find it is several levels up on top of the parking garage.


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## PEIEVGUY (Dec 19, 2018)

Nice trip report. Would read again. 

Extra point for keeping track of miles and cost of SCing. I must remember to do the same when I take a road trip.


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## bwilson4web (Mar 4, 2019)

I used the billing found in ‘My Tesla Account’ but used Google Map for the miles. Next time I’ll use PlugShare trip planner for more accuracy.

Bob Wilson


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## sib (Dec 23, 2018)

GDN said:


> Living here I knew and had heard plenty about the Plano SC before getting our car. I knew it was on the top level of the parking garage, but it sounds like Tesla needs to update some documentation. I've only been there to the charger once, I don't recall if there is any signage or not, but it can be frustrating when you see you are right at it on the map, but yet it is no where to be found and then to find it is several levels up on top of the parking garage.


I had the same experience last weekend at the Supercharger in Santa Monica. It's up on the 5th floor of a parking garage in a very busy part of town; had to drive around the block before I figured out what was going on


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