I was at the end of the waitlist for the TESLIVE tours, so I'd booked a factory tour the regular way for Monday.
I was the only one there!
So, I got my very own factory tour. My guide was Jamie Hawn, a super nice, totally gorgeous lady who Tesla had recruited (and rescued) from a career in Washington, DC.
We started off on a good note - I showed her my picture on my camera (no pics inside alas, but I took some outside) of George B. with his shirt off at the party. Before I could really explain what was going on, she asked if she could borrow it, and ran off to show it to some others. When she came back, she somewhat hesitatingly asked how he got that way. I explained he was switching shirts (and showed her the subsequent pictures), and she seemed relieved. Guess she was worried George and run wild or something.
Very cool tour, we walked all the way, got to see the stamping operations, a bunch of European S's being built (different charge connector, for some reason!).
The highlight of the tour, though was when one of the factory workers came up to us while we were watching the stamping machine. He (and a few others) had snuck into the TESLIVE party, and he recognized the T-shirt I was wearing.
What followed was a discussion based on mutual enthusiasm. He thanked me for buying the car, I thanked him for building it. He said that he'd been building cars for many years, and how much he felt he was doing something important at Tesla.
Jamie also echoed that sentiment - the Tesla folks seemed to think we came off pretty well.
Funny thing, I thought I was going to be late for the tour, I was at a gas station (!!) topping off the rental car, and I had to dig through the owner's manual to find out how to open the damned gas cap.
I'll be very happy driving my Tesla home from the airport tonight.
I was the only one there!
So, I got my very own factory tour. My guide was Jamie Hawn, a super nice, totally gorgeous lady who Tesla had recruited (and rescued) from a career in Washington, DC.
We started off on a good note - I showed her my picture on my camera (no pics inside alas, but I took some outside) of George B. with his shirt off at the party. Before I could really explain what was going on, she asked if she could borrow it, and ran off to show it to some others. When she came back, she somewhat hesitatingly asked how he got that way. I explained he was switching shirts (and showed her the subsequent pictures), and she seemed relieved. Guess she was worried George and run wild or something.
Very cool tour, we walked all the way, got to see the stamping operations, a bunch of European S's being built (different charge connector, for some reason!).
The highlight of the tour, though was when one of the factory workers came up to us while we were watching the stamping machine. He (and a few others) had snuck into the TESLIVE party, and he recognized the T-shirt I was wearing.
What followed was a discussion based on mutual enthusiasm. He thanked me for buying the car, I thanked him for building it. He said that he'd been building cars for many years, and how much he felt he was doing something important at Tesla.
Jamie also echoed that sentiment - the Tesla folks seemed to think we came off pretty well.
Funny thing, I thought I was going to be late for the tour, I was at a gas station (!!) topping off the rental car, and I had to dig through the owner's manual to find out how to open the damned gas cap.
I'll be very happy driving my Tesla home from the airport tonight.
