Garbone
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Gary
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2020
- Threads
- 32
- Messages
- 1,220
- Reaction score
- 1,684
- Location
- Florida
- Vehicles
- 21 Mach E , 22 MachE, 62 C10 Big window long bed
- Occupation
- Loafer
- Thread starter
- #1
So this past week we finished our first real vacation in 4+ years.
The drive round trip-
Daytona Beach- Washington DC -Portland Maine- Mount Washington-Blue Ridge Parkway- Daytona Beach
Most of this trip could be classified under enforced moderation. Thanks to a limited range SR batter and Walmart charge stops we made a point of never driving over 8 hours in one day. Usually with only 3 stops on longer legs and up on northern legs from Pennsylvania to Maine only 2 stops.
We took a route that put us through the Deleware River gap in PA, this enabled the happy fact that we avoided New Jersey and it's environs completely.
I do not like Walmarts.
DC- Parked the car in a garage for the duration of our visit and took the Metro.
Driving Highlights-
Cross country thru Taneytown Maryland. Rustic rolling farmland with winding roads. No traffic and really nice roads.
Maine Coast- Shore road from Ogunquit to York is winding and a challenge. A bit too much traffic and blind curves to really enjoy. I grew up running this road in a buddys VW Rabbit and remembers it as a much more fun drive.
Mount Washington - this got it's own thread. A bit unnerving but a right of passage that should be done for every generation.
Deleware River gap- Did this at dusk going and in the morning coming. Watch for deer
as the sun goes down. No NJ!
Blue Ridge Parkway-. Driving joy highlight here. We took the first 40 miles form Waynesboro and exited using 60 Lexington Turnpike to Lynchburg Virginia.. The Views and driving on the blue ridge are great and we took it very easy on this road. 60 off the Blue ride was pretty fun as well and lacking the "tourist" credentials of the Parkway. The posted speed limit in sections was quite high for the amount of curve carving required. The heft and skinny rubber of our Select became apparent for the only time on the trip. The car did it but the tires protested with that slightly satisfying sound that you know is their lifespan being shortened..
Thanks to Ford for 500kw free, it took us a 18 months but we finally used it to travel North for no fuel cost.
I have not done an official tally but believe fuel costs for the entire return leg was roughly $140. (31 cents kw), this may be lower as the pay per minute chargers always seemed the better deal as long as you quit at 80%.
No significant problems with Electrify America on this trip. Had 3 bad machines and only had to wait for a charger once in Virginia.
Used EV Go once with no problem.
Tried getting hotels with chargers on the trip north. After two failures, one because of broken chargers and the other a set of Tesla hogging them all night we just gave up on hotel charging. Time and money is better spent on a decent cheap hotel (Best Western) and use the saving on DCFC over staying at a Hilton and getting pissed at a Tesla driver.
The drive round trip-
Daytona Beach- Washington DC -Portland Maine- Mount Washington-Blue Ridge Parkway- Daytona Beach
Most of this trip could be classified under enforced moderation. Thanks to a limited range SR batter and Walmart charge stops we made a point of never driving over 8 hours in one day. Usually with only 3 stops on longer legs and up on northern legs from Pennsylvania to Maine only 2 stops.
We took a route that put us through the Deleware River gap in PA, this enabled the happy fact that we avoided New Jersey and it's environs completely.
I do not like Walmarts.
DC- Parked the car in a garage for the duration of our visit and took the Metro.
Driving Highlights-
Cross country thru Taneytown Maryland. Rustic rolling farmland with winding roads. No traffic and really nice roads.
Maine Coast- Shore road from Ogunquit to York is winding and a challenge. A bit too much traffic and blind curves to really enjoy. I grew up running this road in a buddys VW Rabbit and remembers it as a much more fun drive.
Mount Washington - this got it's own thread. A bit unnerving but a right of passage that should be done for every generation.
Deleware River gap- Did this at dusk going and in the morning coming. Watch for deer
as the sun goes down. No NJ!
Blue Ridge Parkway-. Driving joy highlight here. We took the first 40 miles form Waynesboro and exited using 60 Lexington Turnpike to Lynchburg Virginia.. The Views and driving on the blue ridge are great and we took it very easy on this road. 60 off the Blue ride was pretty fun as well and lacking the "tourist" credentials of the Parkway. The posted speed limit in sections was quite high for the amount of curve carving required. The heft and skinny rubber of our Select became apparent for the only time on the trip. The car did it but the tires protested with that slightly satisfying sound that you know is their lifespan being shortened..
Thanks to Ford for 500kw free, it took us a 18 months but we finally used it to travel North for no fuel cost.
I have not done an official tally but believe fuel costs for the entire return leg was roughly $140. (31 cents kw), this may be lower as the pay per minute chargers always seemed the better deal as long as you quit at 80%.
No significant problems with Electrify America on this trip. Had 3 bad machines and only had to wait for a charger once in Virginia.
Used EV Go once with no problem.
Tried getting hotels with chargers on the trip north. After two failures, one because of broken chargers and the other a set of Tesla hogging them all night we just gave up on hotel charging. Time and money is better spent on a decent cheap hotel (Best Western) and use the saving on DCFC over staying at a Hilton and getting pissed at a Tesla driver.
Last edited:
