Wow, what a fun 4th of July celebration it was in Denver! Thank you Sean, the grill master, and his wife Melissa and children Alec and Ellie for their hospitality. The food was great and the fireworks were exciting to watch. I could look out over the Denver horizon and see at least 4 shows at the same time… a real pyrotechnic delight!

After getting an amazing night sleep (I woke up at 8:45am!) it was time to rearrange the car contents and pack up to go. After quick photo taking and reviewing my route, I repacked the cooler with ice and was off at 11am. The car had 150 miles of range, odometer 16,514 and it was 82 degrees outside.

The drive to Cheyenne was relatively flat with gentle rolling up and down slopes. The grandest peaks of the mountains slowly became less prominent as I neared Wyoming. The drive went quickly as I enjoyed listening to Warren on The Restaurant Show followed by “The Oldies” on Cruisin’ 950 AM on the radio. I entered Wyoming at 12:17pm with the giant “Forever West” sign welcoming me.

At 12:37 I was supercharging. odometer 16,610. temp at 91 degrees. I only used about 100 miles of range to get here. A blue Tesla (which is so dark it really looks black to me… same issue I have with the green Tesla) was also here. Soon, Josh from Denver and his golden retriever puppy named Levi returned to the car after their stop in the mall here. He was heading home which is conveniently close to the Lone Tree Supercharger in Denver. Mel, a mall visitor, stopped to ask about the Tesla owner experience. We were happy to let him know and he said that he would be looking into getting one when he returned home. As the charging was nearly done, a dark gray Tesla arrived with Jon and Melissa who were heading home to Boulder, CO. They were surprised to hear about my journey in the 60kw car. I still have only encountered 85kw cars on this trip!

Charging finished more than 30 minutes ago (It is 1:50pm), so it is time to head to Lusk, WY. Until then, happy trails! Frugal Tesla

After catching up with my Uncle and getting the names of my cousins, their spouses, and their children; my Aunt arrived home from work.  I cleared out the front passenger seat of the car and let my Uncle drive the car with her by his side.  I waited outside their home and then realized that I still had the key fob with me!  I called Tesla Help to find out what that meant… I was worried that the car might stop somewhere with them in it.  The helpful technician told me that the car will work fine unless they stopped and parked the car.  After that, the car will not restart unless the key fob is there.  After several minutes of worry, the car pulled up to the house. Whew!  They loved the experience and said that everyone should take a Tesla on a test drive.  My Aunt was happy that they happened to drive past her boss while he was walking his dog.  Her boss is a huge car fan, so he was blown away by what he saw!

My Uncle and Aunt treated me to a delicious Chinese food dinner and I was able to sleep in a most comfortable bed in their guest room.  After a nice shower, I was able to take on the primary task of the day… getting caught up on the blog posts. The best thing of all is that my Aunt has allowed me to use her laptop since it is easier for me to type on a keyboard instead of relying on the Tesla touchscreen and the one finger technique for input.  Thank you so much!! I am SO grateful to both of you for your generosity and hospitality.

Now it is time to enjoy our leftovers for lunch and l look forward to meeting more family during a 4th of July celebration tonight.  So, to all of you and your families, HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!   I’ll be back on the road tomorrow.  Until then,  Be safe and have fun.  Frugal Tesla

NOTE:  This post describes the second half of July 3rd but is being posted on July 4th.  Hopefully this is the last time I will fall behind in the daily blog!  Again I apologize for this gap in my regular posting plan.  FT

Although I had intended to blog in Silverthorne, that did not happen for 3 reasons:  1st, I had to work on tracking down a contact for my Uncle who lives in the Denver area; 2nd, with so much range left in the car, it doesn’t take as long to charge the car; and 3rd, I met and enjoyed speaking with the occupants of 2 different scarlet red Teslas that had also come to charge in Silverthorne.

The first family that I spoke with were from Colorado and were heading West to Grand Junction.  They have ancestry from India, but their names are of Arabic origin:  The dad is Khalid (name means “immortal”), the mom is Shuah (which means “ray of light”), the older son is Naeem (which means “tranquil and content”) and the youngest is Zan (which means “handsome”).  Khalid told me to check out evtripplanner.com since that will help me better manage the terrain in an all electric vehicle.  Thanks for that tip!  Shuah recommended an author, Sam Kean and she was enjoying his book “The Violinist’s Thumb” which includes the topic of genetics!  What a fine family and I hope to see them again when I return from NJ.

The 2nd family with a scarlet car was Karl and Ellen who were traveling with their Aussie shepherd, Bear.  They are the first Tesla owners that I met on this trip who were actually traveling East. They were returning to their home in Frederick, MD after attending a wedding in Montana.  They said that the Tesla is a perfect car for traveling with a dog because the time to stop and charge is about the same time that you need to walk the dog and provide him with more water.  Since there are places where the superchargers are not found yet, like around Montana, they also had experience with recharging the car at RV parks.  They headed off to enjoy a cup of coffee together with Bear happily along on leash.

I remembered that I saved an old phone message from my Uncle back after Hurricane Sandy.  He had called to check on my mom, his sister who lives at the Jersey Shore.  YES!! He left his cell number in that message.  After a happy conversation to confirm my pending arrival to his home north of Denver, I was on my way with a full charge of 205.  I arrived at his home around 1:30pm.  There, I put things in the refrigerator, set up to refreeze my ziplock bags, and settled in for a pleasant visit with an Uncle that I hadn’t seen in many years.  I will stay here through the holiday for a nice break in the trip.

At 6am I woke up to the sounds of folks arriving to go fishing on the Colorado River. Next time, remember to bring fishing rod and license to this beautiful place!  I was glad to have my sleeping bag because the temperature outside was 58 degrees. At 6:50am, with my odometer at 16,318 I pressed on to the Supercharger at Glenwood Springs.  It was located in the parking lot of Marriott Residence Inn.  There I met Greg and June from Palo Alto, California charging their gray Tesla on their way back home from Denver. They spoke about the nice hot springs here in Glenwood Springs and then headed inside to enjoy their complementary breakfast in the Residence Inn.

I quickly checked the blog and realized that my post from Grand Junction did not get published so I posted it. Then I went inside to see if I could get more ice for the coolers.  The Marriott Residence Inn staff was very helpful and refilled my multiple ziplock bags.  Thanks Jason!  After texting family to try to find my Uncle’s cell phone number, I left for Silverthorne (exit 205) at 8:45am. There was no time to blog in Glenwood Springs, so I thought I would catch up at the next Supercharger.

The drive between Glenwood Springs and Silverthorne is remarkably beautiful.  Everything is lush and green as you wind through forests.  I began to see lots of bicycle paths and thought about how to bring a bicycle someday.  Then it was clear that I was near Vail!  I saw the ski areas with what looked like golfing sand traps all over the place.  But, of course, that was remaining unmelted snow!  There was also remaining snow on the tallest mountain peaks in the distance (reminiscent of a Coors commercial).  I decided that some day I will return to visit this area for camping, hiking, and cycling. One other funny thing, when seeing so many signs that said “Chain Law” I kept flashing back to high school algebra and the “Chain Rule”.  Obviously the chain law has to do with preparing tires for driving in snow, and not for solving quadratic equations!

I arrived at the Silverthorne premium outlet center at 10:15am with 76 miles of range left and the odometer at 16,439 and the outside temperature at 71 degrees.  I plugged in at the Supercharger found adjacent to the Under Armour outlet. (Hey Josh, need something there? I can get it on the return trip).  I had used 106 miles of range to get to the Vail summit (over 10,000 ft!) and I had charged to 185 range back in Glenwood Springs.  I drove at the speed limit the entire way, even during the climb upward.  So, the Tesla really did a great job and I had more fun going at speed.  I had no time to blog here in Silverthorne, but I had a great time meeting more Tesla owners… more in the next post.

NOTE:  This is the description that I was too tired to type up on the evening of July 2nd.  Posting it on July 4th.  Sorry for the delay.

The drive from Green River, UT to Grand Junction was not green at all!  One might think that I was driving over the lunar landscape!  I was tempted to visit Moab since there is a Supercharger down  there, but that will have to wait for the return trip.  I want to get to Colorado and find a place to sleep before it gets too late at night.

Driving through Utah was fun since speed limits are higher.  When the limits went from 60, 65, 70, and 75 coupled with the closer superchargers I did not need to drive slower to extend the range. Also, during my drive through Utah, I listened to lots of radio.  One show spoke about the history of the U.S. which was nice to hear as a review before Independence Day.  Another spoke about the increase of amorality in today’s world.  One disturbing news report spoke of a Utah woman who went out at night to check her mailbox and did not return.  Her vehicle was discovered the next morning overturned in a ditch and her lifeless body was found away from the car.  This is a grim reminder that it is ALWAYS important to wear a seatbelt, even when driving very short distances or during those quick errands.

At 6:36pm I entered Colorado.  Woo-hoo!!  After making my way to Grand Junction (the Supercharger is in the Mesa Mall parking lot) I wrote that last post and only partially charged the car since the next charger is less than 100 miles away.  Just in case there is a climb or unexpected situation, I charged up to 185 miles range.  At 8pm I left Grand Junction to find a place to sleep.  I drove only 69 miles to Rifle, CO where there is a Rest Stop off Hwy 13 (lucky number), at Lion Park Circle next to the Colorado River.  I arrived at 9pm and by 10pm I was sound asleep. It was still hot outside, but the car interior was at a comfortable 65 degrees.

NOTE: This post was written on  WEDNESDAY, JULY 2nd. I thought is was posted successfully that night, but discovered the next morning that it did not get published.

I just finished charging in Grand Junction, Colorado.  It is 7:47pm. odometer at 16,249. Temp outside is 96 degrees! I plan to find a place to get some rest, then make my way to visit my Uncle near Denver tomorrow (Thursday July 3rd). I will give details on my way there, but I want to get on the road to my rest stop. Next charge will be in Glenwood Springs, CO.  Best wishes for a good night to all, Frugal Tesla

After leaving Beaver, UT at 11:30am, I arrived an hour later in Richfield, UT with temp of 83. This was only 64 miles away, and mostly downhill. I now realize that these close together chargers are really for the trip West which will be all uphill. Here I met Mark from Michigan who was charging his gray Tesla. So far, every Tesla owner I have met on this trip has the 85kw version. No other 60kw Teslas yet! I made some important calls (Hi Mom!) so I did not get the chance to blog in Richfield.

Just before leaving, 2 members of the Sevier County Sheriff’s Department stopped to check out the cars. I gave the quick 3 minute tour and then headed out by 1:45pm to Green River, UT. Two hours later, I am here charging with odometer at 16,151 and temp at 98 degrees. 85 range was left in the car. Here some folks in an RV also received the 3 minute Tesla tour. Now for some scenery info:

From Beaver, the drive went past Fish Lake National Forest. This is not like a redwood forest or ponderosa pines with tall trees. It is many smaller trees all over the low mountains. But, after Richfield, there were many red rock formations and canyons that geologists would really dig (okay, bad pun). As I neared Green River, these became rock formations on steroids!  Seeing this really channeled my inner John Wayne. And I prayed a few prayers of gratitude for what I was seeing. Then I switched from sports and talk radio to the next random station. The radio locked on to the saxaphone solo of “Bad to the Bone”, a great driving tune indeed.

From Green River, I will drive on to exit The Beehive State and go to Grand Junction, Colorado.

Before leaving Vegas I called Linda at the Four Seasons RV Park in Littlefield, AZ to arrange for a place to stay overnight and charge the car. This was critical because the 60kw battery of my car would not go far enough to get me to the next supercharger in Beaver, UT. Linda said I could charge there for $15, so my plan was set. She also said that there is NOT an option to charge there in winter since they are fully booked then. Good for me that it is summer! Since Tesla will be opening another Supercharger closer to Vegas soon, this RV charger will not be needed in the future for 60kw cars.

As I was getting ready to depart, Dimitri arrived to take a photo for the Facebook “Tesla Model S Owners” site. So, there may be a photo of the chocolate car there. Dimitri is from Utah but resides in Las Vegas. He may let the Facebook fans know about this frugaltesla.com blog. Welcome to Dimitri and his followers!

I left Vegas at 8:30pm with 205 range in the battery and odometer at 15,739. Leaving later was beneficial since construction was minimal and no accident in sight. Thanks again Al for the heads up. Since this drive was in the dark, there was not much scenery that I can describe. I arrived at the RV park at 10:30pm (same as Pacific Time, since AZ is Mountain Time but they do NOT have daylight saving time there). I had 15,832 odometer and used over 100 miles of range to go the 93 miles. The elevation changes contributed to this extra draw of power. I met Linda who kindly arranged for me to have access to a restroom so I could wash up (no shower facility). I plugged into the 50 amp outlet and set up my bed to get some rest. It was about 11pm. There was dry lightning, lots of wind, and a small bit of rain while stopped there.

I awoke at 6am and met Linda’s husband Harold. He is a former potato farmer from Idaho who drove past this rundown RV park and decided to buy it. They did a fantastic job upgrading it! I was able to get ice from their ice machine, wiped down the car, and departed by 6:30am with 205 range, and outside temp at 85 degrees. Thanks for the hospitality Linda and Harold.

The 131 miles to Beaver, Utah went smoothly. Passing through St. George Gorge adds a bit of drama to the landscape. There were a few construction areas, but I took my time with the truckers. It is nice to see the Utah butte and mesa rock formations along the way. I arrived at the Chevron station with the supercharger across from the “Eager Beaver Carwash” at 9:43 Mountain Time (1 hour later than Pacific Time). Mileage 15,963 and 57 miles of range left. So, I used 148 miles of range to travel 131 miles, more evidence of the elevation changes drawing more power. Along the drive, time passed quickly as I listened to Dr. T present the “Tradio” show. People were calling in with stuff to sell, sort of like a craig’s list via the radio.

Next stop Richfield, UT. Sorry so long. This was really 2 posts in one! Frugal Tesla

My only visit to Las Vegas was a connection at the airport. I realize that does not count. And I have heard it was built in the desert. But that never really sunk in until I drove here.

I left Barstow at 3:30pm after blogging and texting in the parked car. The car had 206 miles of range and I needed to go 161 miles according to Mapquest. With my odometer at 15,739 I traveled exactly 162 miles from Barstow with 60 miles of range remaining. How did I get the extra range?  I drove mostly behind trucks to slipstream and to force me to drive slower. Also, there is a wild downhill stretch before Vegas that regenerative braking helped provide more energy to the battery.

The 118 degrees as I drove past the Mojave desert shocked me, but I was at a cool 70 in the car. The chargers in Las Vegas are in a parking garage without restroom onsite.  After plugging in the car, I headed out into the 112 degree heat. I met Ashena, who is Persian, Japanese, and something else (so sorry I forget, but maybe she can send a comment to remind me). Her name actually means “friendly”. And she certainly was since she helped me find Container Park and even walked me there. This is a place with shipping containers converted to shops and restaurants. It is on 8th and Fremont… only 3 blocks from the supercharger. There was an outdoor live music performance and restroom facilities. The coolest thing was the gigantic preying mantis that kids could climb in. I took a photo of it with my flip phone.

When I returned to the car I met Al, another Tesla owner who was driving from Quebec to California. He was very helpful with suggestions for my upcoming journey since he had already come from the places where I will be going. And he warned about an accident and road work that has northbound traffic at a standstill. Lucky me. So perhaps I will take my time before leaving here. Next blog tomorrow from Beaver,Utah.  Be well.  Frugal Tesla

Thanks to R & W for their hospitality and directions to Barstow. Yes, my Tesla has a huge map, but I do not have the tech package that provides the directions. So, I read the map and refer to mapquest. No, I do not have a gps and remember that my phone is a flip phone. I must admit that I entered the 101 freeway going north. The Tesla map alerted me immediately of that so I turned around at the very next exit.

Now for the numbers. odometer at West Hills 15,435. Range available 203 mile thanks to the drier outlet in the garage! Departure at 11:15 am after a relaxing visit with my friends. Good to see their garden. I even fit 2 pieces into the jigsaw puzzle before my exit.

The drive to Barstow was mostly through desert. A few slow spots were encountered due to construction. Thankfully there is sports radio to listen to! I arrived in Barstow at 1:45pm at 15,577 (142 miles for the leg). 70 miles of range remained.   The Barstow supercharger is at The Country Inn & Suites. So, I used the restroom, had a cookie with ice water, and watched a bit of the world cup. Still no score.  On to Vegas!