Hello Fellow Tesla Road Trippers!
Our 2016 event is scheduled for May 20th - 22nd and we will have a similar set-up to last year (hopefully sans rain). Our third annual Black Hills Sound of Silence Road Trip is going to be great and we are aiming for 100 cars so tell your friends to sign-up with me by sending me a note to [email protected]!
This year we will have a minor registration fee of $30/car to cover the costs of food, drink, entertainment and to get a better count of those planning to attend. Considering your registration packet gives you $10 in “Custer Cash” and annual pin, this is a pretty good deal. Please make a check out to Custer Chamber of Commerce and send it to me at 115 Cedar Way, Evergreen, CO 80439. I will accumulate them and send them onto the chamber periodically.
The Custer Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and host, Dave Ressler (my brother-in-law) has his team are COMPLETELY on top of the event again. Here it is so far:
Charging Will Be Awesome (again):
• The six Level 2 chargers in the Chamber lot will be live and available. Look on Plug Share for the location.
• Last year Tesla Destination Charging worked with local hotels get Tesla wall chargers and 32A Clipper Stations installed in the community. There are now 8 locations throughout town at: 2 @ Bavarian Inn, 2 @ Super 8 Motel, 2 @ Comfort Inn, 2 @ Holiday Inn, 2 @ Rocket Motel, 2@ Rock Crest Motel, 2 @ Econo Lodge.
• In addition, we will have temporary chargers: 4 @ Dacotah Bank (across the street from the Chamber, 20 @ the Flintstones Campground by the Holiday Inn Express spread about to several transformers to ensure we do not trip any circuits.
• All in all – I count 40+ charging locations – and as mentioned before, it MUST be the highest density of charging per capita in the nation!
• Dave is also planning shuttle service to the charging sites from the hotels for those needing a lift during their charging times – talk about great service! Dave has a tour company on-board for transportation around town to get to your cars after charging. Details on how this will work will be coordinated on Friday at the mixer.
• There are other charging locations near the site including local RV parks. We will ensure plenty of access for charging in town.
• For those coming from the east, there is a Super Charger 45 miles from Custer in Rapid City, SD off of I-90 (north side in the mall parking lot).
• For those traveling from Denver, the last Super Charger is in Lusk, WY (at the Wagon Wheel Motel) so charge fully as it is uphill and often windy in Wyoming.
Local Accommodation and Special Rates:
• You can make reservations at the local hotels at the preferred rate. You might consider advance reservations as soon as you can.
• Dave has arranged discounted hotel room rates. Please take advantage of this as it is the way to say “thank-you” to the local community for sponsoring us. You can stay other places, but local is best for the Chamber (if you get my drift).
• Here are hotel details: Holiday Inn Express $89.99/night (866) 601-5099 (2 chargers and close to Flintstones)
Super 8 $59.99/night (866) 601-5099 (2 chargers and close to Flintstones)
Bavarian Inn $79.00/night (605) 673 2802 for 1 queen (2 chargers)
Bavarian Inn $99.00/night (605) 673 2802 for 1 King or 2 queens (2 chargers)
Rocket Motel $79.00/night (605) 673 4401 (2 chargers)
Rock Crest Lodge $85/night (877) 412-2246 cabins also available – rates vary (2 chargers and close to Flintstones)
• You need to let reservations know they are coming for the Tesla Rally in May in Custer
• During the winter months, the area is not as active, so this is a way to get advance arrangements and sometimes you may need to leave a message.
• Last year there was one camper pulled by a Tesla and we have arranged to stay near town at Flintstones or French Creek for others. Just let Dave know.
May 20th “Mixer” Event:
• Arrive in Custer, SD by about mid-afternoon, parking in the Chamber of Commerce and Dacotah Bank parking lots (across from each other and separated by 6th Street) for an informal show and local “mixer”
• This is a monthly event but with this special show, there may be 500 people visiting, including us!
• We will have local enthusiasts mixing with our owners, so be prepared to be an informal advocate.
• Dave is the consummate host and he has arranged an excellent way to get to know your fellow owners and the Custer area locals.
• On 6th Street between these lots we will have a stage facing North at the end of the street with live band entertainment.
• In the middle of the street we will have a professional barbeque and smoker cooking and serving food (complimentary).
• Between the stage and parked Teslas, we will have picnic tables and a keg on tap (complimentary).
• The welcome event/mixer has many local sponsors and it will run from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Friday night.
• The Custer Area Chamber of Commerce will handle promotion of the event through media channels…last year got some great exposure with local television and news coverage.
May 21st Touring the Area and Monuments:
• The Chamber will highlight two or three driving routes for people to see the surrounding hills and monuments. There will be a map in your welcome bag with routes and charging locations.
• We can have “rally-type” drives (in groups) if you like, but it is not necessary. We can make that call the evening of the 20th
• Wonderful destinations include the Historic Town of Custer (with oldest bar) and great eating venues, Custer State Park, The Wildlife Loop (complete with wild bison, mules, turkey, pronghorn, elk, and the like), Crazy Horse Monument, Mount Rushmore Monument, Wind Cave, Jewell Cave, and other surrounding old west towns like Deadwood and Hill City.
• There may be another great event at Crazy Horse this year, we are still making arrangements. The last 2 years we had a group photo of all our cars in the foreground parking lot in front of the monument. The group photo was scheduled at 5:00 pm on Saturday. Following the photo, there was a tour of the museum and the Chamber dinner at 6:30 pm. They lit up the mountain for the group. That gave everyone the whole day to drive around and come back to Crazy Horse. By the time the photo was done and everyone walks in it was time to eat. We are still working on these details so stay tuned!!!
• Dave is providing complimentary passes to Custer State Park & Wildlife Loop (maybe Crazy Horse). Mount Rushmore parking lot is controlled by an NGO non-profit so you will need to pay for your own parking if visiting. We found a couple of chargers near the elevators that are not advertised but parking is it/miss so do not count on it. No problem as it is a short drive to Custer anyway!
• The Custer Chamber of Commerce is also providing a welcome gift bag with local information. We will have a table set up in the Chamber Office or a tent very near it to register. This way you can get your goodie bag with your ANNUAL pin (yes a different color every year – this year blue to match the new car color with the founders having gold for year #1). We will also need information from you for ongoing coordination over the weekend and to connect with courtesy shuttles.
• You will receive “$10 in Custer Cash” to each car in your gift bag (use it just like cash in Custer) exclusively offered for those staying in Custer. If you chose another town to stay in, you will miss this benefit!
• We are monitoring local construction by SDDOT and others. No details yet.
Other Technology Ways to Connect:
• Milo Eckles, one of the 10 original road trippers last year, has created a way to connect electronically in advance of the event. There is a website that contains all the pertinent emails about the event. Time to start detail planning to alleviate congestion at the superchargers, especially Lusk and Rapid City. I have created a spreadsheet that all of you can update with your own information. The spreadsheet is accessible at http://www.custer.eckles.us The first page of this web site is public. On that page is a link to a private page for participants only. You must enter a User ID of Custer15 and a password of Custer to access the second page. On the second page is a link to a Google Docs spreadsheet that we can use to communicate our individual plans to the other participants. Please enter your charging plan so others can plan around you and alleviate congestion. Remember, there are six stalls at Rapid City and only four at Lusk. If you are not familiar with Google Docs, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 720-560-9859. He has stayed overnight in Lusk last year to collect data on the percentage of power allocated to each A-B supercharger pair.
• Another enthusiast and participant, Bill Talbot has created a way to track each other on the trip. Here are the details: The concept is called a bang tag and if you choose to use it, feel free. The tag created is (!soundofsilence) note the exclamation mark, or bang in the tag. Anyone that knows this tag can follow the progress of the rally. First they must go to Glympse to down load app, add tag !soundofsilence and then it can be e-mailed or texted.
Our special thanks to the Custer Community and its business leaders – they will be recognized at our mixer for their generous support! Also thank you to Patty Ressler (Dave’s wife and Executive Director of Black Hills Parks and Forest Association) for providing the annual pins.
Remember – we are targeting 100 cars and this is the also the United States’ National Park’s 100th Anniversary, 75th Anniversary of the Carving of Mount Rushmore, and 70th Anniversary of Black Hills Parks & Forests Association – so lots to celebrate!
Rod & Dave
Rod Hoffman, PE
CEO
S & H Consulting LLC
115 Cedar Way | Evergreen, Colorado | 80439
Phone: 303.674.0475 | Cell: 303.517.9430 | Fax: 303.679.9998
E-mail: [email protected]
- - - Updated - - -
Mods: They asked me to post this from TM forums. Can you make it sticky?
Thanks kindly
Our 2016 event is scheduled for May 20th - 22nd and we will have a similar set-up to last year (hopefully sans rain). Our third annual Black Hills Sound of Silence Road Trip is going to be great and we are aiming for 100 cars so tell your friends to sign-up with me by sending me a note to [email protected]!
This year we will have a minor registration fee of $30/car to cover the costs of food, drink, entertainment and to get a better count of those planning to attend. Considering your registration packet gives you $10 in “Custer Cash” and annual pin, this is a pretty good deal. Please make a check out to Custer Chamber of Commerce and send it to me at 115 Cedar Way, Evergreen, CO 80439. I will accumulate them and send them onto the chamber periodically.
The Custer Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and host, Dave Ressler (my brother-in-law) has his team are COMPLETELY on top of the event again. Here it is so far:
Charging Will Be Awesome (again):
• The six Level 2 chargers in the Chamber lot will be live and available. Look on Plug Share for the location.
• Last year Tesla Destination Charging worked with local hotels get Tesla wall chargers and 32A Clipper Stations installed in the community. There are now 8 locations throughout town at: 2 @ Bavarian Inn, 2 @ Super 8 Motel, 2 @ Comfort Inn, 2 @ Holiday Inn, 2 @ Rocket Motel, 2@ Rock Crest Motel, 2 @ Econo Lodge.
• In addition, we will have temporary chargers: 4 @ Dacotah Bank (across the street from the Chamber, 20 @ the Flintstones Campground by the Holiday Inn Express spread about to several transformers to ensure we do not trip any circuits.
• All in all – I count 40+ charging locations – and as mentioned before, it MUST be the highest density of charging per capita in the nation!
• Dave is also planning shuttle service to the charging sites from the hotels for those needing a lift during their charging times – talk about great service! Dave has a tour company on-board for transportation around town to get to your cars after charging. Details on how this will work will be coordinated on Friday at the mixer.
• There are other charging locations near the site including local RV parks. We will ensure plenty of access for charging in town.
• For those coming from the east, there is a Super Charger 45 miles from Custer in Rapid City, SD off of I-90 (north side in the mall parking lot).
• For those traveling from Denver, the last Super Charger is in Lusk, WY (at the Wagon Wheel Motel) so charge fully as it is uphill and often windy in Wyoming.
Local Accommodation and Special Rates:
• You can make reservations at the local hotels at the preferred rate. You might consider advance reservations as soon as you can.
• Dave has arranged discounted hotel room rates. Please take advantage of this as it is the way to say “thank-you” to the local community for sponsoring us. You can stay other places, but local is best for the Chamber (if you get my drift).
• Here are hotel details: Holiday Inn Express $89.99/night (866) 601-5099 (2 chargers and close to Flintstones)
Super 8 $59.99/night (866) 601-5099 (2 chargers and close to Flintstones)
Bavarian Inn $79.00/night (605) 673 2802 for 1 queen (2 chargers)
Bavarian Inn $99.00/night (605) 673 2802 for 1 King or 2 queens (2 chargers)
Rocket Motel $79.00/night (605) 673 4401 (2 chargers)
Rock Crest Lodge $85/night (877) 412-2246 cabins also available – rates vary (2 chargers and close to Flintstones)
• You need to let reservations know they are coming for the Tesla Rally in May in Custer
• During the winter months, the area is not as active, so this is a way to get advance arrangements and sometimes you may need to leave a message.
• Last year there was one camper pulled by a Tesla and we have arranged to stay near town at Flintstones or French Creek for others. Just let Dave know.
May 20th “Mixer” Event:
• Arrive in Custer, SD by about mid-afternoon, parking in the Chamber of Commerce and Dacotah Bank parking lots (across from each other and separated by 6th Street) for an informal show and local “mixer”
• This is a monthly event but with this special show, there may be 500 people visiting, including us!
• We will have local enthusiasts mixing with our owners, so be prepared to be an informal advocate.
• Dave is the consummate host and he has arranged an excellent way to get to know your fellow owners and the Custer area locals.
• On 6th Street between these lots we will have a stage facing North at the end of the street with live band entertainment.
• In the middle of the street we will have a professional barbeque and smoker cooking and serving food (complimentary).
• Between the stage and parked Teslas, we will have picnic tables and a keg on tap (complimentary).
• The welcome event/mixer has many local sponsors and it will run from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Friday night.
• The Custer Area Chamber of Commerce will handle promotion of the event through media channels…last year got some great exposure with local television and news coverage.
May 21st Touring the Area and Monuments:
• The Chamber will highlight two or three driving routes for people to see the surrounding hills and monuments. There will be a map in your welcome bag with routes and charging locations.
• We can have “rally-type” drives (in groups) if you like, but it is not necessary. We can make that call the evening of the 20th
• Wonderful destinations include the Historic Town of Custer (with oldest bar) and great eating venues, Custer State Park, The Wildlife Loop (complete with wild bison, mules, turkey, pronghorn, elk, and the like), Crazy Horse Monument, Mount Rushmore Monument, Wind Cave, Jewell Cave, and other surrounding old west towns like Deadwood and Hill City.
• There may be another great event at Crazy Horse this year, we are still making arrangements. The last 2 years we had a group photo of all our cars in the foreground parking lot in front of the monument. The group photo was scheduled at 5:00 pm on Saturday. Following the photo, there was a tour of the museum and the Chamber dinner at 6:30 pm. They lit up the mountain for the group. That gave everyone the whole day to drive around and come back to Crazy Horse. By the time the photo was done and everyone walks in it was time to eat. We are still working on these details so stay tuned!!!
• Dave is providing complimentary passes to Custer State Park & Wildlife Loop (maybe Crazy Horse). Mount Rushmore parking lot is controlled by an NGO non-profit so you will need to pay for your own parking if visiting. We found a couple of chargers near the elevators that are not advertised but parking is it/miss so do not count on it. No problem as it is a short drive to Custer anyway!
• The Custer Chamber of Commerce is also providing a welcome gift bag with local information. We will have a table set up in the Chamber Office or a tent very near it to register. This way you can get your goodie bag with your ANNUAL pin (yes a different color every year – this year blue to match the new car color with the founders having gold for year #1). We will also need information from you for ongoing coordination over the weekend and to connect with courtesy shuttles.
• You will receive “$10 in Custer Cash” to each car in your gift bag (use it just like cash in Custer) exclusively offered for those staying in Custer. If you chose another town to stay in, you will miss this benefit!
• We are monitoring local construction by SDDOT and others. No details yet.
Other Technology Ways to Connect:
• Milo Eckles, one of the 10 original road trippers last year, has created a way to connect electronically in advance of the event. There is a website that contains all the pertinent emails about the event. Time to start detail planning to alleviate congestion at the superchargers, especially Lusk and Rapid City. I have created a spreadsheet that all of you can update with your own information. The spreadsheet is accessible at http://www.custer.eckles.us The first page of this web site is public. On that page is a link to a private page for participants only. You must enter a User ID of Custer15 and a password of Custer to access the second page. On the second page is a link to a Google Docs spreadsheet that we can use to communicate our individual plans to the other participants. Please enter your charging plan so others can plan around you and alleviate congestion. Remember, there are six stalls at Rapid City and only four at Lusk. If you are not familiar with Google Docs, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 720-560-9859. He has stayed overnight in Lusk last year to collect data on the percentage of power allocated to each A-B supercharger pair.
• Another enthusiast and participant, Bill Talbot has created a way to track each other on the trip. Here are the details: The concept is called a bang tag and if you choose to use it, feel free. The tag created is (!soundofsilence) note the exclamation mark, or bang in the tag. Anyone that knows this tag can follow the progress of the rally. First they must go to Glympse to down load app, add tag !soundofsilence and then it can be e-mailed or texted.
Our special thanks to the Custer Community and its business leaders – they will be recognized at our mixer for their generous support! Also thank you to Patty Ressler (Dave’s wife and Executive Director of Black Hills Parks and Forest Association) for providing the annual pins.
Remember – we are targeting 100 cars and this is the also the United States’ National Park’s 100th Anniversary, 75th Anniversary of the Carving of Mount Rushmore, and 70th Anniversary of Black Hills Parks & Forests Association – so lots to celebrate!
Rod & Dave
Rod Hoffman, PE
CEO
S & H Consulting LLC
115 Cedar Way | Evergreen, Colorado | 80439
Phone: 303.674.0475 | Cell: 303.517.9430 | Fax: 303.679.9998
E-mail: [email protected]
- - - Updated - - -
Mods: They asked me to post this from TM forums. Can you make it sticky?
Thanks kindly
Last edited:
