This was to be our biggest ‘range’ gap of the trip. At least that is what the planners we are using say. This stretch is marked in red. Red usually is not good. Before committing to Prineville, all we knew was that Baker City had a ‘hidden’ Super Charger and that Bend OR has a Super Charger and that there was nothing between the two to charge. It is a long way, perhaps about 200 miles, but lots of up and down elevation changes. When we get to Prineville we ‘think’ we will be able to plug into 110v of our friends house where we are going to stay. Even that is iffy because she is in an Airbnb and its not really her juice to give. Everything is unknown on this leg.
Union City Campground
As I said in my previous blog, we made it to the Union City campground (also known as the best campground in the US IMHO), where we met Bill and Tommey and were actually able to plug into a 110v outlet. We are able to leave the campground with a 94% charge. Using the trip planner in the Tesla, it says we will make it with 44%. Which is about 20% higher than we had planned. Things are looking better and why you should sometimes expect the unexpected.
Prairie City
Along the way, we decide to stop in a small town called Prairie City OR. A wide spot, but this dinner looked cool.
We go in not knowing we are going to get dinner and a show. The girl who was serving was just awesome. She knew everyone that came in and they knew her as well. In fact, everyone in there knew everyone else. The whole place was talking about and with each other. Us too! Our waitress was saving to go to Australia for a month trip driving from Sydney to Cairns. We gave some tips. We learned what the grandchildren were doing, who is going to college, when and where the next wedding was and who was invited. We found out who worked for who and where. All in one breakfast. Small towns are nice and you instantly get that community feels. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is private in Prairie City. Oh, by the way, the food was the best of the trip so far and very reasonable. Two thumbs up.
The trip into Prineville actually turned into a nothing burger. We actually were getting about 414 mile range remaining indicated at one point even after having gone about 65 miles. You can see what Ups and Downs do to consumption really well here.
So, this is a good time make the point that only an Electric Car makes its own fuel. Going down hills you actually re-charge the battery. All that kinetic energy is converted into juice that you just get back. On a regular car, that kinetic energy is converted to heat via the brakes and is just lost. As an example, I can gun the car to pass someone and get up to 100 mph in seconds, but I don’t want to keep going at 100 so by just letting of the pedal the car sucks all that energy back when slowing down to a normal speed. In any other car, I just use the brakes or coast for a while. The former wears on my brakes and the later can get you a ticket.
Prineville
We make it to Prineville and find our friend Shannon at the local rock show being held in the fairgrounds. It is hot. There are lots of rocks. People selling and people looking at rocks. The High school rodeo championships are in town too. We want to stop at the Prepper Up shop just at the edge of town. They sell all the guns and ammo one might need if the Zombie Apocalypse ever happens, or the guvement ever comes for their guns. Too scared to take a picture of the Tesla out front. Tesla’s are the only 100% American Made car, but that logic escapes the Trumpsters as it is ‘green’ and therefore ‘commie’ and surely a part of the Chinese climate change scheme to bankrupt America. I know, it sounds weird when said out loud, but that is what they believe. The place seems busy.
We drive up out of the Prineville valley to Shannon’s ‘house’.
Our home away from home for a while! Not the whole place, just the first floor. Nice Airbnb.