Hot August Nights

Tesla Road Trip

Tesla Model X Road Trip
Anaheim Hills, California to Reno, Nevada
for "Hot August Nights" classic car show.
August 9 - 12, 2017

Owner: Steven Grande, Steve @ TeslaTouring.com
Driver/Photographer/Reporter:
Carl Morrison, Carl @ TeslaTouring.com

Click on each photo on this page for a larger image.

http://teslatouring.com/carl/HotAugustNights2017/

Resources:

Tesla Map of Supercharger Stations: https://www.tesla.com/findus#/ (Red pins are active supercharging stations, grey are proposed) For this road trip, we took I-15 to Hwy. 395 to Reno and back to Anaheim Hills, California.

    (left to right above)
    1. Anaheim to Rancho Cucamonga
    2. Rancho Cucamonga to Inyokern
    3. Inyokern to Lone Pine to Mammoth Lakes

MamothLakesToTopazLodge(Gardnerville).jpg

4. Mammoth Lakes to Topaz Lake (Gardnerville)
5. Topaz Lake (Gardnerville) to Reno (Atlantis Hotel)

Tesla iPhone or Android app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tesla-motors/id582007913?mt=8

Description

The Tesla app puts owners in direct communication with their vehicles and Powerwalls anytime, anywhere. With this app, you can:

- Check charging progress in real time and start or stop charging
- Heat or cool your car before driving – even if it's in a garage
- Lock or unlock from afar
- Locate your vehicle with directions or track its movement
- Flash lights or honk the horn to find your vehicle when parked
- Vent or close the panoramic roof
- Summon your vehicle out of your garage or a tight parking space (for vehicles with Autopilot)

I presume this app would also be helpful in finding the location of your Tesla or spouse or even its location if stolen.

When we picked up Steve Grande's Tesla Model X, I was concerned about which charging stations should we plan to stop and charge. He replied that you just put your final destination into "Navigate" and it plans where you should stop, what % of your charge will be left at that time and how long you should charge. Additionally, the navigation systems gives you voice and map directions how to get to the charging station at each location.

We left Anaheim Hills about 5:30 a.m. with our first stop at the Rancho Cucamonga, California, Supercharging Station. This location has 12 charging stations with 2 non-Tesla chargers at the end. There was a white model S and a black model S charging at this early hour.

"Moon of Supercharger"

Assistant Drivers, Paul Clifford and Fred Schlumpf, fueling a Tesla for the first time.

Two charging stations of this type are adjacent to the 12 Tesla charging stations.

This shopping center is adjacent to the charging stations, but was not open at 6 a.m. The Bass Pro Shop next door was not open this early either.

We've found that Supercharging stations are like Tesla car shows, often owners enjoy talking about their Tesla experience.

Soon we were on our way to Inyokern, California, following I-15 then north on Hwy. 395 (map 2 above).

Sign on the side of the delivery van from the Inyokern Supercharging station which is behind the market.

Front of Market at the corner of Hwy. 178 and Brown Road, off Hwy. 395.

Owner, Sal, was happy with Tesla's installation of the charging stations behind his market. It involves a 15-year lease and is 100% self-contained with a separate electric meter which goes directly to Tesla. He says, "Sometimes I have 3 charging at a time!" The name "Inyokern" is derived from the two county names, Inyo and Kern, the border of which is a few miles north. He has agreed to make his restrooms available to Tesla chargers, and his market is well stocked so many customers buy snacks and drinks while charging.

We learned that the mileage you charge to is based on driving the speed limit to the next Supercharger on your route. Since few people on Hwy. 395 through the desert drive the speed limit, some calculation needs to be done to charge past the "You are charged enough for your next destination."

Our next charging station destination was Lone Pine, California. Directly behind and on the south side of the Film History Museum on the south edge of town are four charging stations.

We soon concluded that the easiest way to look for Tesla Superchargers is to look for the taller, wooden structure which surrounds the electrical equipment next to the chargers, which you will see in other photographs. Since that structure is taller than the chargers, it is often the first thing you see when arriving at the station.

As with all property managers on which Tesla Superchargers have been placed, they seem to be glad to answer questions about the way the initial contact was made with Tesla.

The Lone Pine Film History Museum's proprietor (above) was quite excited to tell me about the Tesla charging stations mentioning that about 240 Teslas charge there per month. Tesla plans to add 20 more stations. He is from the corporate world and says Tesla is the best company he has ever worked with. He is proud of the Tesla section he has added to the Museum's website: http://www.lonepinefilmhistorymuseum.org/Traveling-in-Lone-Pine/tesla-supercharging-station It even has a camera on the website facing the charging stations (Which did not work at this writing. Also the web address on the brochure cover lacks the word "MUSEUM".) Because Tesla owners often asked if he sold drinks, he has added a cooler of drinks for sale next to the exit (because drinks can't be brought into the museum). Restrooms in the museum are easily accessible inside.

The Museum proprietor proudly proclaimed that this Supercharger had the best view, possibly even better than Colorado.

A few steps from the Tesla chargers is this view to the west.

Photo above of Museum hours since they are not posted on the Tesla app below.

North of the museum, on the same side of the street, is a McDonalds with welcomed food, drinks, restrooms, and especially, on this 100 degree day in Lone Pine, air conditioning while we waited for the car to be charged.

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Information above can be found for each charging station using the Tesla app.

Lone Pine was the only location that provided a dog pickup recepticle. None of the Superchargers provided a trash can nor any other amenities other than electricity.

We spotted this picnic table near the chargers. We did not know whose property on which it was placed, but we named it the "Tesla Lounge".

We charged to 139 miles and left Lone Pine for Mammoth Lakes charging station. We were on the north side of town when the message, "Must drive 55 or less to reach destination" came on the screen. We decided to return to the charging station and charge more, and to remember to charge more than the computer says, since we didn't want to drive 55 on a 70 mile per hour highway for over 100 miles.

Mammoth Lakes Superchargers. The only ones we saw with pull-through chargers - two per lane. Keep in mind that Tesla owners must back into most charging stations, perhaps to keep the charging cable short.

The Tesla App gives the info. above, however, after seeing a big sign "Restrooms for Customers Only" in the Good Life Cafe, we presumed that prior arrangements had not been made for Tesla owners to use the restrooms.

Therefore, I would suggest the closer Nik-n-Willie's Pizza & Subs. It is west, uphill, from the chargers, on the northwest corner of the intersection, 100 Old Mammoth Road. His hours are 11:30 am to 9 pm. Even though we asked him about 11 a.m. if we could use his restroom, he said, "Sure, thanks for asking. I'm not open until 11:30, but go ahead." Of course, we bought some cookies from him.

From Mammoth Lakes, we planned a stop at the Gardnerville, Nevada, Supercharger. The address is 1979 Hwy. 395 Gardnerville. We drove into Gardnerville looking for 1979, but it never appeared, so we proceeded to Reno to the Atlantis Hotel's charger. Wouldn't you think that address would be in the town? No, it is 20 miles south of Gardnerville near the border of California and Nevada! (See Map 5 above.) Later, we found the maps on the Tesla screen and realized where it was and stopped there on the way back south.

Atlantis Hotel and Casino Supercharger

Tesla app information (above). First evening after we arrived with only 12 miles left, we plugged in and ate at the Manhattan Deli in the Atlantis. We later used their charger as we went to the Classic Car Auction in the Convention Center across the street and again when we went to the Atlantis Show and Shine.

The Atlantis Supercharger had 6 stations and 2 or more were always in use.

One time when we charged at the Atlantis, we met Amanda and her son in a White Model X. Her husband works at the Tesla Gigafactory near Reno.

The falcon doors made it very easy to put her kids into the two car seats.

Returning home, driving down Hwy. 395 from Reno to Orange County, California, this is the view of Topaz Lake and the "Gardnerville" Supercharger.

As you can again see, the wooden fencing around the electrical installation is more visible than the chargers.

This location's view rivals Lone Pine for beauty with mountains on one side and Topaz Lake on the other.

A very nice Topaz General Store has restrooms, but the WIFI listed in the Tesla app does not work.

The Topaz General Store has convenient rockers in view of the charging stations.

The Topaz Lodge next door has a nice, shaded play area with picnic tables and BBQ grills.

Beyond the Lodge is a Casino. The Chevron gas prices I added just for laughs.

Just a few yards south of Topaz Lodge's charging station is the Nevada/California border.

The "Welcome to California" sign on Hwy. 395 is hardly comparable to state signs on Interstates.

All highways into California have California Inspection Stations.

Continuing south in California, we noticed that the Walker River had much more water than in past years.

We crossed summits as high as 8,000+ ft. and unless you were looking outside, the Tesla never slowed.

We noticed forest fire smoke as we passed Mono Lake.

As you approach a Tesla Supercharger, the navigation system will give you voice and screen directions.

On this return trip we stopped at Mammoth Lakes Supercharger, the forest fire smoke had dissipated.

Scenery on the pull off between Hwy. 395 and Mammoth Lakes.

Westward view 10 minutes south of Mammoth Lakes cutoff on Hwy. 395.

View westward from Hwy. 395 north of Lone Pine, California (iPhone shot.)

Our final charging stop was back at Rancho Cucamonga. Since it was on a Saturday, during business hours for the nearby mall, there were many Tesla's charging. We found a spot and I walked into the mall to see what was available food wise.

Food Available at the mall next to Rancho Cucamonga Supercharger. There is also food and restrooms at the Bass Pro Shop.

I leave you with this "Tesla Passenger's View from Hwy. 395 in California".

A neat feature of iPhone photos is the exact location that is recorded with each photo. This photo's location is: US-395 S Independence CA United States:

LINKS

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