That drive along the Columbia is gorgeous. And because I’m listening to music instead of audiobooks, there is very loud, very off-key singing involved.
It occurred to me: not only does the Rivian have wi-fi (which is awesome), but I have Android Studio installed. So, in theory, I could install any EV charger apps into the emulator, and operate them that way. I’m not at that point … but it’s nice to know I have options.
Sweet salty balls, I am ready to be back home. I miss my boo.
Today's itinerary:
Madras, OR (200 mi)
Crescent, OR (+90 mi)
Klamath Falls, OR (+90 mi)
Crescent City, CA (+180 mi)
Fortuna, CA (+100 mi)
At 640 mi and ~13 hrs, that's probably where I'll stop for the night. The next stop after that would be Ukiah, CA, which is +140 mi, and likely pushing it too far.
Had a good day yesterday. Enjoyed breakfast and board games with my sister in law. (Check out Game Train in Denver. Food, drinks, games, and nice folks!)
This morning, I find myself in Green River, UT. The goal for today is to make it to Madras, OR, via Boise, ID. That'll be ~15 hours of driving and charging.
Somehow, it is #RickOnTheRoad Day 12.
Somehow, I am still in the Denver area.
Also: I have reached semantic satiation for "somehow". What a weird word. Anyway.
Today's schedule is supposed to be breakfast and board games with my sister in law before I get on the road back toward home.
My headspace is pretty good. If I'm honest, it feels like I'm holding more tension than I should be. I'm curious to see if that's only about the travel.
(Note for me: remember to pick up more 'rona tests.)
#RickOnTheRoad Day 10. My last full day in the Denver area, with the drive back starting tomorrow afternoon.
Today included a trip to the Denver Zoo. Where, as near as I can tell, I was one of exactly 2 people masked, out of several thousand.
Sure, you’re (mostly) outdoors so masks aren’t necessary, right? But also: thousands of kids, coughing and sneezing and touching everything. Yeah, nope. (How can you bring your coughing child to the zoo? Seriously?)
Without getting into redacted territory, I can say this: I think we got to a local maximum/optimum milestone. It's not a perfect solution. Not everyone is happy or even better off. But everyone can agree it's good progress.
I struggle to see my value in being here, but people keep telling me I've had an impact, so 🤷.
No photo today, sorry. I basically didn't slow down all day. Tomorrow and Thursday should have all the photos.
#RickOnTheRoad Day 6. Long day. All details would need to be redacted, so I'm just going to skip them.
My mental health is fine so far. I'm physically running low on energy, but tonight should be a solid night's sleep. Outlook for the next week is mostly positive.
I did get to introduce my family to the card game "Beyond Baker Street", which was hilarious. (Think "Hanabi" but better.)
I haven't been outside much to take photos, so here's a Pride heart sorbet popsicle.
Found out I have some additional family who will be in town, including my Mom. Which is ... a whole thing. But with [REDACTED], I can't really fault her.
Also, it's rainy and gross through this whole area for the next week at least. I had really wanted to carve out time to see the Zoos and photograph all the things. Ah well.
The current plan is to get back on the road Friday morning. Maybe 60% confidence. We shall see.
Good morning from Elko, NV, US. Electrify America worked this morning, so I am enjoying a protein bar and energy drink breakfast from a parking lot. Hence the the really awful photo, sorry.
But also, random thought: I have always been bad at napping. Like, I almost never find them refreshing. But if 45-minute EV charging stops are my future, for at least the next few years, seems like maybe a good idea to figure out how to do power naps in a vehicle.
On the NV/UT border in the town of Wendover. The next leg of #RickOnTheRoad goes through the Great Salt Lake Desert, which you can see from here.
I'm not going to even try to get a photo, because it wouldn't come close to how ludicrously expansive, impressive, and daunting this desert looks. The mountains on the other side are just pale bumps at the extreme end of this hazy, flat, nothingness.
The audiobook I #AmReading for this leg is "Paris Daillencourt Is About To Crumble" by Alexis Hall.
Day 3 of #RickOnTheRoad complete. Arrived in Elko, NV, US.
Drove 530mi / 850km today. About 730mi / 1170km to go. With charging sessions, that'd be 15-16 hours, so I probably won't make it tomorrow. Which is fine.
Seems like maybe Grand Junction, CO would be a good target - about half way.
I had a very pleasant, very human interaction with a nice woman named JoJo at the charging stop in Winnemucca, NV. (Maybe I'll detail it later.)
Also got through "Ex-Wives of Dracula" by Georgette Kaplan.
Oh, and obligatory disappointment with Electrify America. Couldn't get the app to talk to the charger in Winnemucca. The card reader worked, so it was fine. But EA continues to show we clearly aren't quite ready for our EV future.