Help me plan my kids first big road trip

[nnick01]

Hello everyone. We are welcoming a our new X100D to our family by the end of the month. We are planning on a 1 week road trip from Bay Area, CA to Joshua Tree, Zion, and then back. It will be me, my life partner, and our two daughters (ages 10, 12). Everyone is really looking forward to it. We will be making this trip the first part of April.

• Day 1. We will make the long drive to Indio, CA. We have an AirBNB booked for two nights. We will arrive, sleep the night.
• Day 2. First thing in the morning we will hit the Indio Supercharger and then head into Joshua Tree for the day. Then back to our AirBNB for the night.
• Day 3. First thing in the morning we will hit the Indio Supercharger. From there ???

This is where we need help. I know we want to see Zion. We also want to hit things along the way. Originally I considered we would head from Joshua Tree to GCNP South rim and stay the night there, see the south rim, and then head to Zion. Stay in Zion for a few days and then make the big trek back to South Bay Area, CA. Another idea was to head directly to Zion from Joshua Tree. Spend a few days there. Then head back to South Bay Area, but hit interesting places along the way. Hopefully break up the drive over a few days and see some great sights on our way back.

Any help and/or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks again

 

[RichardD]

My .02 about first commutes:
Factor the time it takes to charge, and try and plan picnics, or meals around these times.
Coming from an ICE where you stop for gas start fueling and then go in get snacks and bio, and are done it is a bit more so just factor that into your trip.
Give yourself some cushion in remaining battery my first trip weather affected me and we got to 1 mile before 0 and the car started shutting things down like the heater, not fun.
Have a great time and enjoy the sites hopefully you have AP and can watch the scenery too.
I used : EV Trip Planner
Then when i got in the car, it wanted to go a completely different route, throwing my commute off.

Hope those things help and above all else have a great time, dont forget to pack your travel charger just in case. Does your bed and breakfast have a level 2 charger? My travel charger on 110 only replaced 3 miles per hour of charge, so keep that in mind..

 

[nnick01]

My .02 about first commutes:
Factor the time it takes to charge, and try and plan picnics, or meals around these times.
Coming from an ICE where you stop for gas start fueling and then go in get snacks and bio, and are done it is a bit more so just factor that into your trip.
Give yourself some cushion in remaining battery my first trip weather affected me and we got to 1 mile before 0 and the car started shutting things down like the heater, not fun.
Have a great time and enjoy the sites hopefully you have AP and can watch the scenery too.
I used : EV Trip Planner
Then when i got in the car, it wanted to go a completely different route, throwing my commute off.

Hope those things help and above all else have a great time, dont forget to pack your travel charger just in case. Does your bed and breakfast have a level 2 charger? My travel charger on 110 only replaced 3 miles per hour of charge, so keep that in mind..

Thank you for the advice and kind words. We are really looking forward to it.

I have been using Plugshare and EV Trip Planner for some time. I am also using EVTO-Tesla app.

Will have UMC and connectors on hand, though if EV Trip Planner (plus buffer) is right, I won't need them. So far I have booked our accommodations with either a Supercharger nearby or with a Tesla charger at the accommodations.

 

[nnick01]

So here goes the plan so far (Model X100D):

• Day 1. South Bay to Indio CA. Leave South Bay Area, Charge at Harris Ranch CA SC(supercharger), Bakersfield CA SC, Burbank CA SC, Indio CA SC. Stay the night in our accommodations.
• Day 2. Spend the day at Joshua Tree. Charge at Indio CA SC.
• Day 3. Indio CA to Las Vegas NV. Leave Indio CA, Charge at Twentynine Palms CA SC, Primm NV SC. Stay the night in Las Vegas.
• Day 4. Hoover Dam visit. Las Vegas NV to Hoover Dam (round trip).
• Day 4. Las Vegas NV to Zion National Park. Leave Las Vegas NV, Charge at St. George UT SC. Stay at our accommodations in Springdale UT (stay here for two nights). Charge at our hotel.
• Day 5. Bryce Canyon round trip. We will drive to Bryce Canyon and back without any additional charge. We will start with 100% battery. We will return to our accommodations in Springdale and charge at the hotel for the night.
• Day 6. 1/2 day at Zion. Then to the St. George UT SC to charge up on our way back to Bay Area California.
• Day 7
• Day 8. Need to arrive by early afternoon in the Bay Area, CA (south).

Not sure about what todo with the Springdale UT to Bryce Canyon National Park round trip. EV Trip Planner says that the drive out to Bryce will take 38.3kWh or 115 RM (+3877 net elevation change). The return drive back to Springdale, EV Trip Planner says it will take 20.8 kWh or 62 RM (-3884 net elevation change). I have EV Trip Planner configured for speed multiplier of 1.1, Ext Temp 50F, 600lb Payload. It seems my X100D should more than make it. Though, I will want to drive around Bryce Canyon to check it out. Thoughts?

Also, after Zion on Day 6, we want to start heading back. Though, we don't want to wear out the kids and think we should spread it out over a few days. Any thoughts on a good return route and places to stop? We thought about visiting Death Valley on the way back, but the accommodations look pretty slim and not very accommodating. Thoughts?

Thank you everyone for the kind thoughts and advice.

 

[Sparky]

That's an awesome trip. Once you get in the vicinity of the Southwest, especially Utah, it's hard to stop touristing.
I love Zion. I also love the route from Sedona up through Monument Valley to Moab. In-cred-ible scenery.
The last time we stayed in near Zion it was a the Desert Pearl in Springdale. Fantastic place, right on the Virgin River. I also like the drive up from 9 to 89 (to Bryce). We found plenty of places to stop and snack and enjoy the air. It can be cold and it's conceivable you'll get some snow along 89 so keep an eye on the weather and be flexible about how far and fast you need to go. Carry chains.
As always with an EV, just slowing down greatly helps your range.
Have a great trip!