Supercharger - Childress,TX

[BerTX]

@BerTX I have read several of your posts and how you do an excellent job maintaining the speeds necessary to make long distances. I truly have a lot of respect for that. Personally, I would rather drive a bit faster and not have to monitor as much even if it means taking a bit longer to get to my destination.

We're getting a little off topic, but as long as we are talking about having to squeeze to get past the lack of a Fort Stockton Supercharger, I guess it sorta applies.

Like a lot of things online, it is easy to get the wrong impression. Just like reviews on Amazon items tend to be negative, it is often that only people who have issues are the ones that bother to review.

Likewise, I don't often post about the easy runs, or just driving as fast as I want, because that is pretty normal. There are TIMES that it makes sense to be hypermileish, because either you can't get to a destination any other way, or it actually saves a lot of time -- which is the case here.

Driving between Trinidad, CO and Amarillo TX in my MS75D at my "normal" speed would require charging in Las Vegas NM and Tucumcari,NM before getting to Amarillo.This trip would take a total of 5 hours and 23 minutes and run a total of 357 miles.

By driving slowly and cutting directly from Trinidad to Amarillo, while it is true that I only average 55 mph instead of 78 mph, it only takes 4 hours and 12 minutes, and I only go 226 miles. Chances are, I can speed up along the way, too.

If that is the total trip, then maybe, yeah, I drive the long way just for fun. In the middle of a 2400 mile trip with the wife and cat in the car? I'm minimizing drive time!

 

[ShaneT]

We're getting a little off topic, but as long as we are talking about having to squeeze to get past the lack of a Fort Stockton Supercharger, I guess it sorta applies.

Like a lot of things online, it is easy to get the wrong impression. Just like reviews on Amazon items tend to be negative, it is often that only people who have issues are the ones that bother to review.

Likewise, I don't often post about the easy runs, or just driving as fast as I want, because that is pretty normal. There are TIMES that it makes sense to be hypermileish, because either you can't get to a destination any other way, or it actually saves a lot of time -- which is the case here.

Driving between Trinidad, CO and Amarillo TX in my MS75D at my "normal" speed would require charging in Las Vegas NM and Tucumcari,NM before getting to Amarillo.This trip would take a total of 5 hours and 23 minutes and run a total of 357 miles.

By driving slowly and cutting directly from Trinidad to Amarillo, while it is true that I only average 55 mph instead of 78 mph, it only takes 4 hours and 12 minutes, and I only go 226 miles. Chances are, I can speed up along the way, too.

If that is the total trip, then maybe, yeah, I drive the long way just for fun. In the middle of a 2400 mile trip with the wife and cat in the car? I'm minimizing drive time!

I follow you 100%.

 

[BerTX]

I follow you 100%.

Except I meant "lack of a Wichita Falls Supercharger" instead of Fort Stockton.

 

[NOLA_Mike]

I did Trinidad to Amarillo in my MS75D, but definitely not much of it at the speed limit. No problem going below the speed limit on that road, with two lanes each direction and little traffic. Going slow is faster sometimes, when you can cut a corner like that. I wouldn't try it the other direction.

I suspect I don't need to tell you @BerTX but I've pulled in to the Dalhart RV Park twice - first time just to check it out and see if I could count on it "in a pickle" - it provided strong power (248V @ 40A NEMA 14-50) and I was the only one there.

The second time (sorry, I don't remember which trip/date) it was completely full of RVs with no outlets available. Luckily, I didn't really need it I just thought I might plug in for 20 or 30 mins while I got out and stretched a little bit.

Mike

 

[BerTX]

I suspect I don't need to tell you @BerTX but I've pulled in to the Dalhart RV Park twice - first time just to check it out and see if I could count on it "in a pickle" - it provided strong power (248V @ 40A NEMA 14-50) and I was the only one there.

The second time (sorry, I don't remember which trip/date) it was completely full of RVs with no outlets available. Luckily, I didn't really need it I just thought I might plug in for 20 or 30 mins while I got out and stretched a little bit.

Mike

Hmm, maybe that is a new piece of gear to carry on a road trip. A pair of coveralls with "Joe" over one pocket and "Maintenance" over the other. Knock on an RV door and tell them you need to shut off their power for testing for an hour...

 

[Hojo]

We just completed a trip to Sedona AZ and many helpful comments from experienced travelers on this forum helped inform our planning. Our return included a passage from Childress to Denton in our Model S 75D with 20" wheels fitted with Michelin PSS. As we would be going downhill and expecting a tail wind, we did not anticipate a problem if we watched the speed.
We left Childress with 243rm and the nav estimating our arrival soc at 6%. We started with a speed of 65mph, but increased to 70mph in Quanah when the estimated arrival soc increased to 8%. Dark Sky (thanks BerTX) confirmed a modest tail wind.
In Wichita Fall we increased speed to 73mph and keep that speed for the balance of the drive to Denton. We arrived with 18rm's remaining.
I suspect going in the other direction could be a challenge for our car as others here have noted --up hill, against the wind.
Cheers....

 

[DriverOne]

Help me get to Childress from the Austin area, please. I'm in a X100.

evtripplanner says I can simply go Austin -> Cisco -> Childress.

But abetterrouteplanner.com says no way! And routes me via Waco -> Arlington -> Cisco -> Childress. This is an hours longer route that I'd prefer to avoid!

Which site is correct here?

 

[geoffreak]

Help me get to Childress from the Austin area, please. I'm in a X100.

evtripplanner says I can simply go Austin -> Cisco -> Childress.

But abetterrouteplanner.com says no way! And routes me via Waco -> Arlington -> Cisco -> Childress. This is an hours longer route that I'd prefer to avoid!

Which site is correct here?

abetterrouteplanner.com shows Austin -> Cisco -> Childress for me. What settings are you using?

 

[PLUS EV]

Routing through Cisco should be fine. Obviously try to charge to closer to full in Austin if you can. You gain ~1k ft in elevation on that first leg so it's actually a little tougher than the 2nd leg even though it's a tad shorter. Only other thing to look out for is a strong head wind. If you are facing 20mph or more, you can still probably make this trip, but you might have to charge to 100% and/or drive slower. Lowering the suspension increases range also.

 

[DriverOne]

Great, thanks. I must have messed up a setting in there.

 

[PLUS EV]

One other thing... Be sure not to make a wrong turn. If you do and don't notice until you're in the next town 20 miles down the road, you could be in trouble. For trips like this, I even unmute the annoying Nav voice just to be sure I don't space out and miss a turn.

 

[TexasEV]

When I made this trip in my S60 last summer I went Cisco- Sweetwater- Childress.

 

[Shortsoptional]

Sorry to bump an old thread. New Model 3 owner here (MidRange, 19inch sport). Going to try the Denton to Childress trip on my way to Albuquerque. Saw that Witchita Falls SC is coming 2019, but seems like that might be a joke based on how long you guys have been waiting. Either way, informative thread and hope to post my results when I go around Spring Break. Going sans family this go round, but feel like I’d have to go Ardmore if I was taking my wife, 2 kids and all that accompanies that....

 

[STDRDC13]

I was packed heavy in the MS 75 (charged to 100% in Denton) and made it to Childress (in 40°F) with 10% battery remaining, or somewhere around that...just start out conservative and build speed up as you get closer to Childress. Coming back east bound is downhill and a breeze, not to mention prevailing West to East winds. Oh yeah, I also increased tire air pressure from 45psi to 52psi just to decrease rolling resistance.

Get PlugShare app if you dont already have it on your phone as there are a few L2 Tesla chargers along the route.

 

[Shortsoptional]

I was packed heavy in the MS 75 (charged to 100% in Denton) and made it to Childress (in 40°F) with 10% battery remaining, or somewhere around that...just start out conservative and build speed up as you get closer to Childress. Coming back east bound is downhill and a breeze, not to mention prevailing West to East winds. Oh yeah, I also increased tire air pressure from 45psi to 52psi just to decrease rolling resistance.

Get PlugShare app if you dont already have it on your phone as there are a few L2 Tesla chargers along the route.

Got the PlugShare app ready to go. I usually keep my tires around 40...think I should go much higher than that? I’m guessing tire size/pressure might be different for MS

 

[STDRDC13]

I'm not suggesting keeping the tires at the higher psi for anytime other than when you are cutting it close in the absence of Superchargers. Maybe run them up to 50 during the trip and return to normal once you return.

 

[Shortsoptional]

I'm not suggesting keeping the tires at the higher psi for anytime other than when you are cutting it close in the absence of Superchargers. Maybe run them up to 50 during the trip and return to normal once you return.

Gotcha. Thanks for the info!

 

[reddy]

Got the PlugShare app ready to go. I usually keep my tires around 40...think I should go much higher than that? I’m guessing tire size/pressure might be different for MS

For my 2013 Model S, the recommended pressure is 45 psi to start with. Running to 50 shouldn't hurt.

 

[purplewalt]

I carry an electric tire pump//inflator, excellent strategy to slightly increase tire pressure for those longer distance portion of trips.
That extra 5% or so distance might be the difference between fulfilling your goal, and coming up short.
Headwinds (and sidewinds too) are greatest (unknown) variable, can cause even best laid plans to fall short of execution.

 

[ShaneT]

So happy that there is a new supercharger coming online soon so I can try this trip again!