All EV Rally, BC 2 BC (Canada 2 Mexico) June 2013

[adiggs]

Hi Tony,

I just mapped out the list of stops for Stage 4, along with a needed charging stop, and came up with Stage 4 as a 367 mile stage. That doesn't count the mileage after the stage to get to a hotel to sleep for the night and get charged for the next day. Even with a 9am start, I think that's doable in a single day, but there's very little margin for error (I've been figuring a sustained driving speed of 30 mph). That also means no time, except for charging time, to visit the stores, meet people, or whatnot. Part of that mileage accumulates off of freeways as in-town driving, and with zig-zagging, to visit all of those Tesla stores, and I figure that will slow us down.

Is that about what you were expecting for the final stage?

I like the idea of visiting all of the stores, and was planning to do so anyway, though I was going to stop at some as I head south, and the others as I go back north. Two alternatives to consider - leave out 1 or 2 of the stores. For example, the LA and Santa Monica stores are 6 miles apart. Another alternative if there isn't a Stage 4 launch event - lets get on the road earlier in the day (say 7am). That gets us into LA proper that much earlier, and provides some extra time for slow traffic, getting lost (I'm expecting I'll do a bit of this), and whatever else comes along.

Of course, I could plan on the last stage taking 2 days as well.

Thanks,
Asoka

 

[TonyWilliams]

Is that about what you were expecting for the final stage?

The last stage ends whenever you get there!!!

 

[TonyWilliams]

Another EV manufacturer along the route:

BYD (Beyond Your Dreams)
http://www.bydenergy.com
1800 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA90015

 

[TonyWilliams]

For the night before the event, June 28, 2013, I've decided to stay at the following. It's almost walking distance from the start, relatively cheap, and clean.

Anchor Inn Motel
250 Cedar St
Blaine, WA 98230‎
(360) 332-5539
The Anchor Inn Motel Blaine Washington

 

[Soflason]

Another EV manufacturer along the route:

BYD (Beyond Your Dreams)
http://www.bydenergy.com
1800 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA90015

Some interesting models on their site:
Electric Vehicle

 

[TonyWilliams]

I would like to rent a Model S for 10 days, from about June 26-ish until July 8, 2013.

Let me know if that's something you'd be interested in. I would add about 2000 miles to the car in that time.

 

[adiggs]

Tony - does this mean that we have no Model S's planning to join the party? Could it actually be the case that there isn't a single Model S owner out there, who wants to show the rest of us how easy such an epic trip is in their excellent car? :tongue:

 

[brianman]

Tony - does this mean that we have no Model S's planning to join the party? Could it actually be the case that there isn't a single Model S owner out there, who wants to show the rest of us how easy such an epic trip is in their excellent car? :tongue:

One word: employed.

 

[adiggs]

One word: employed.

And apparently lacking in summer vacation time

Ah well.

 

[brianman]

And apparently lacking in summer vacation time
Ah well.

TesLive is consuming some of it.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Guys, we have Tesla Model S and Roadster cars entered. I originally planned to drive a Nissan LEAF for the event, but am now considering driving a Model S for my personal entry in the rally.

I will say that if you're on the fence about participating, May 24 is the cutoff to get a participant jacket. You can still enter afterwards right up to 9am on June 29, 2013, however you won't get some of the bling.

Also, I would like to extend a invitation for each of you within Tesla range of Blaine, Washington to attend the launch party. This rally will start in conjunction with the "Golden Plug Ceremony" between the state of Washington and province of British Columbia. This is planned to be a "governor level event".

9am - Reception and breakfast
10am - Driver's meeting
11am - Keynote speakers
12pm - First vehicles launch in interval for BC2BC-2013
1pm - End of formal functions, park reserved through the entire day however

We hope to have at least 50 EVs at the event, with parking for up to 250 cars from the public. Approximately 100 people, dignitaries, manufacturer representatives and government officials have been invited by the Washington state DOT. We expect the governor and premier to plug in a gold colored CHAdeMO plug, much like the golden spike ceremony for the transcontinental railroad. We wont have comfirmation on the premier until after the May 14 election in BC. We are working on a local radio station to participate.

July 1 is Canada day, so it is a long holiday weekend for folks north of the border. That could mean two hour waits through customs, but Canadians coming to the event can bypass that by parking in the area on the Canadian side and walking to the USA side for the ceremony and launch party. Do not leave the park boundary on the USA side without clearing customs first.

I expect participation from the local Tesla store with a display Model S and whatever bling they can spare (hats, t-shirts, license plate frames, etc). Tesla Accessories also will provide some bling, and we're working on a door prizes. I also expect some involvement from non-Tesla related outfits like Brammo electric motorcycles.

There is a kitchen that can handle 100 people inside that we also rented, and 400 outside. A ten dollar state park pass is required. We intend to have catered food. We should also have 120/240 volt service on site, but please arrive with as much power as you can.

Our website will not be up for about 3 weeks. We will be flying three flags; Canada, USA and Mexico. Of course, we need a green flag to launch the cars!

 

[adiggs]

Go Tony Go!

 

[TonyWilliams]

Just signed up our second eBike participant. You know, the bikes almost always win the Baja 1000...

 

[Soflason]

Tesla Accessories also will provide some bling, and we're working on a door prizes.

Wish we could make it from South Florida, but, we'll be sending some goodies along as mentioned, this sounds amazing...

 

[adiggs]

Wish we could make it from South Florida, but, we'll be sending some goodies along as mentioned, this sounds amazing...

Soflason - you just need to get the East Coast variance of BC2BC going; call it Keys2BC (or in alternating years, BC2Keys) I wonder how far south in the Keys the EV charging infrastructure extends and how well it could support such an event....

 

[Soflason]

Soflason - you just need to get the East Coast variance of BC2BC going; call it Keys2BC (or in alternating years, BC2Keys) I wonder how far south in the Keys the EV charging infrastructure extends and how well it could support such an event....

That would be very cool indeed, I'm going to track BC2BC to learn more for sure...

 

[TonyWilliams]

Soflason - you just need to get the East Coast variance of BC2BC going; call it Keys2BC (or in alternating years, BC2Keys) I wonder how far south in the Keys the EV charging infrastructure extends and how well it could support such an event....

We're planning a coast to coast for 2014 or 2015, depending on Supercharger, CHAdeMO, Frankenplug, Chameleon, etc build out. We will probably push hard on current suppliers of that equipment (Tesla, ABB, Fuji, etc) to donate the use of the equipment for a week at predetermined locations through the "fly-over states". Then we need volunteer sources of 480 volt three phase for temporary use at those locations.

That's really the only limitation. Yes, I expect when a Model S beats the old Cannonball records, people will take notice. BUT>> in this crazy litigious country, there has to be "rules".

 

[TonyWilliams]

11. The Overall Winner is a combined score of quickest time on the course with the lowest poker hand derived from cards earned at checkpoints. The lowest score wins.

11a. If three competing vehicles posted times of 31 hours, 32 hours and 33 hours, the vehicle with the lowest time gets one point, the second lowest time gets 3 points, and each subsequent time gets one additional point.

11b. The poker hands for each vehicle entry will follow recognized five card hands (although all earned cards can be used to make a 5 card hand) where a Royal Flush is highest, then Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and Highest Card. No wild cards will be used. The vehicle with the highest poker hand gets one point, the second lowest poker hand gets 3 points, and each subsequent poker hand gets one additional point.

11c. Ties in Overall Points will be broken by the lowest Overall Time.

11d. Examples of Overall Winner order with five entered cars:

Place - Vehicle - Overall Time / Points - Poker Hand / Points - Overall Points
1st --- Car 1 --- 31:00 hours / 1 pt --- Two Pair / 5 pts ------ 6 points
2nd -- Car 4 --- 34:00 hours / 5 pts - Royal Flush / 1pt ------ 6 points
3rd ---Car 2 --- 32:00 hours / 3 pts --- Straight / 4 pts ------ 7 points
4th --- Car 3 --- 33:00 hours / 4 pts - Four of a Kind / 3 pts -- 7 points
DNF -- Car 5 ------- N/A --------------- N/A ------------- 0 points

12. All vehicles that finish the course in the allotted time (for 2013 BC2BC, the event time ends on July 8 at 11:59pm) will get a Finisher's Award. You must complete the entire course in the allotted time to get the award. Failure to finish also means failure to place for any Overall Winner awards (first, second, third, etc, place) or be factored in an Overall Winner tallies and will be assigned DNF for "Did Not Finish". Vehicles that are found to break any of the rules will also get a DNF.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Portland Tesla folks want to meet us, so I'm adding a "day stop" at:

June 30, 2013 - Portland day stop, 12 noon to 4pm

 

[Six]

Thanks for organizing this. I am looking into driving my Model S as part of this but still need to sort out details on vacation time, if I can borrow/rent/buy a Roadster power adaptor for the Model S, look at plans to blog the trip, etc. Seems like this could be a lot of fun. I am attending TesLive so would drive from Blaine to San Ysidro to Freemont then finally back to Seattle.