https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpa5mOg3Fjs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLAuzVb-C_o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hRvuSTxFCU
Steve Earle, in his youth, was an early groupie of Townes.
John Kruth in his biograph on Townes Van Zandt:
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/685838.To_Live_s_to_Fly
tells us.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinny_Dennis
BTW, I've always been offended by some of LA Freeway lyrics. Has anyone ever seen moldy vanilla waffers? I haven't; they don't mold. Especially since Guy Clark is no longer with us, I'll mute my complaint.
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
The upside to hording
I've been asked for proof that I have been a RoundUp user over the past 40 years. Photos of containers and receipts were suggested. I was looking around for old 2.5 gallon containers knowing I had not bought RoundUp in that size for ~30 years. Then, I noticed these table supports:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9fUkK7VNVFaKi9nY6
For no particular reason, I've saved farm expense receipts since 1985. After taxes are done, I've put them in a box, labeled with the year, and put them in storage. I have a long string of these boxes in storage. Many times it has been suggested that I throw them out since the IRS will not want to see anything older than three years. I generally counter that I might want to review them as a history thing. I just went through my oldest box and found three RoundUp receipts. I'm most of the way through the next oldest box and have not found another. Now, I'm debating whether to present only the three or continue to dig. It can take several hours to go through a box.
It is nostalgic, reviewing old purchases. Thousands of bare root fruit trees, blackberry roots, tomato transplant. Almost uncountable diesel fuel receipts Many companies no longer in business. I found some weekly bills from neighbors that were delivering for me or working farmer's markets.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9fUkK7VNVFaKi9nY6
For no particular reason, I've saved farm expense receipts since 1985. After taxes are done, I've put them in a box, labeled with the year, and put them in storage. I have a long string of these boxes in storage. Many times it has been suggested that I throw them out since the IRS will not want to see anything older than three years. I generally counter that I might want to review them as a history thing. I just went through my oldest box and found three RoundUp receipts. I'm most of the way through the next oldest box and have not found another. Now, I'm debating whether to present only the three or continue to dig. It can take several hours to go through a box.
It is nostalgic, reviewing old purchases. Thousands of bare root fruit trees, blackberry roots, tomato transplant. Almost uncountable diesel fuel receipts Many companies no longer in business. I found some weekly bills from neighbors that were delivering for me or working farmer's markets.
Sunday, August 25, 2019
AutoPilot Test
For a year or longer, I've been testing AP on poorly marked county roads that lead to my house.
AP will not engage on roads without center lines. To keep AP engaged on my route, I run a stop sign, going straight where the well marked Farm to Market road turns right.
In the past, AP would go several blocks past the first stop sign, make a slight left following the road but then attempt to go into a gravel drive way. With updates, it learned to get past that hazard. Then, a block later, there is a slight right turn at the second stop sign. For a while, it was unable to negotiate that turn. Then, about 1/4 mile farther, the main paved road turns slightly left and a gravel road makes a 90 deg turn to the right. That also confused it for a period. In all previous tests, I would have to abort with oncoming traffic; it tended to stay in the middle of the road.
A few days ago, I tested and found it would take that route all the way to my house. If you watch the videos, you will see it even allowing oncoming traffic to pass.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/V2mvRZzsZJHMBKEf7
In the first clip, I have to go out from town and turn around in order to approach the first stop sign from the correct direction. As I approached that stop sign, I engaged AP and the car drove with no input from me to my driveway where I disengaged AP in order to turn into the driveway.
The second clip begins with running the stop sign. The formerly troublesome driveway passes on the right at about 50 seconds.
The third clip begins with running the second stop sign and negotiating the right turn.
The 4th clip has some oncoming traffic at about 25 seconds followed by the formerly troublesome gravel road intersection.
The 5th clip has me taking over from AP and turning into my driveway.
Throughout, the speed was 18 mph, the slowest allowed by AP. Next time, perhaps I'll bump it up a little faster.
For those that need additional illumination: The Tesla AutoPilot software has improved tremendously over the past year or two. The software updates magically appear on the car with no pain to the owner. On well marked roads, the car very nearly drives with no operator intervention needed. The exception is that it does not recognize stop signs or signal lights; so the operator must remain alert. It will not yet follow a predetermined route; the operator drives down the road and then enables AP. The exception is that the car will follow a predetermined route on freeways; negotiating interchanges. The car follows the road, slows for leading slower traffic, performs emergency braking and avoidance when some unexpected obstruction appears.
OH! The video was provided by DashCam, a new feature that appeard a few months ago via a software update. No additional hardware was required. No visit to a dealer. As part of the sensor suite that allows the car to drive itself are a number of video cameras. The Tesla software developers decided to allow recording of three of those cameras. My earlier tests were from the time before DashCam was enabled.
A few days later: I tested the route again at slightly higher speeds. I continued to run the stop signs at 18 mph but used 20-25 mph elsewhere. Success.
AP will not engage on roads without center lines. To keep AP engaged on my route, I run a stop sign, going straight where the well marked Farm to Market road turns right.
In the past, AP would go several blocks past the first stop sign, make a slight left following the road but then attempt to go into a gravel drive way. With updates, it learned to get past that hazard. Then, a block later, there is a slight right turn at the second stop sign. For a while, it was unable to negotiate that turn. Then, about 1/4 mile farther, the main paved road turns slightly left and a gravel road makes a 90 deg turn to the right. That also confused it for a period. In all previous tests, I would have to abort with oncoming traffic; it tended to stay in the middle of the road.
A few days ago, I tested and found it would take that route all the way to my house. If you watch the videos, you will see it even allowing oncoming traffic to pass.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/V2mvRZzsZJHMBKEf7
In the first clip, I have to go out from town and turn around in order to approach the first stop sign from the correct direction. As I approached that stop sign, I engaged AP and the car drove with no input from me to my driveway where I disengaged AP in order to turn into the driveway.
The second clip begins with running the stop sign. The formerly troublesome driveway passes on the right at about 50 seconds.
The third clip begins with running the second stop sign and negotiating the right turn.
The 4th clip has some oncoming traffic at about 25 seconds followed by the formerly troublesome gravel road intersection.
The 5th clip has me taking over from AP and turning into my driveway.
Throughout, the speed was 18 mph, the slowest allowed by AP. Next time, perhaps I'll bump it up a little faster.
For those that need additional illumination: The Tesla AutoPilot software has improved tremendously over the past year or two. The software updates magically appear on the car with no pain to the owner. On well marked roads, the car very nearly drives with no operator intervention needed. The exception is that it does not recognize stop signs or signal lights; so the operator must remain alert. It will not yet follow a predetermined route; the operator drives down the road and then enables AP. The exception is that the car will follow a predetermined route on freeways; negotiating interchanges. The car follows the road, slows for leading slower traffic, performs emergency braking and avoidance when some unexpected obstruction appears.
OH! The video was provided by DashCam, a new feature that appeard a few months ago via a software update. No additional hardware was required. No visit to a dealer. As part of the sensor suite that allows the car to drive itself are a number of video cameras. The Tesla software developers decided to allow recording of three of those cameras. My earlier tests were from the time before DashCam was enabled.
A few days later: I tested the route again at slightly higher speeds. I continued to run the stop signs at 18 mph but used 20-25 mph elsewhere. Success.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Jean
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/statesman/obituary.aspx?n=marcia-jean-mason-mckemie&pid=159365684
"The Red Headed Stranger" was perhaps our favorite album. One of our few outings was to see a Red Headed Stranger performance at the Paramount. Some time in the 1990s, I guess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KuFd8vmJpo
"The Red Headed Stranger" was perhaps our favorite album. One of our few outings was to see a Red Headed Stranger performance at the Paramount. Some time in the 1990s, I guess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KuFd8vmJpo
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Long Legs
I just finished my Canada trip in my 2018 Model 3, LR, D, P. Odometer now reads 19880, the "Canada" trip odometer was labeled and reset about 5 miles from home (that is, I forgot to reset as I was leaving); it now reads 7079.
Within 30 miles of my return home, in Austin, I encountered the worst driving of the trip. See video in album below. The photo in the album is of the semi-famed Slaton Bakery south of Lubbock.
A couple of years ago, I was thrilled to make Amarillo from home with a single charging stop while driving my 2017 Model S 100D. On this trip, on the way home, I realized I had a chance to make it home from Tucumcari with a single Sweetwater charging stop, skipping Amarillo. And I did. A very near full charge at Sweetwater started me with 302 miles of range; I arrived home after 288.9 miles with 29 miles of range left.
I left Tucumcari also with a near full charge. I arrived at Sweetwater after 307.9 miles and with 26 miles remaining.
The day before, I had driven 332 miles, with 55 remaining, from Gallup to Tucumcari, skipping both Albequerque and Santa Rosa.
All three of those legs had advantageous conditions: wind generally favorable and dropping elevations.
Another long leg on the trip was Golden British Columbia to Coeur d'Alene Idaho. Slightly over 300 miles but down the Columbia River. I arrived late in Coeur d'Alene having feared to make an overnight stop along the way; overnight vampire load would likely have prevented completion of the leg.
For the uninitiated, all above towns are sites of SuperChargers where Teslas can be charged in, generally, under an hour.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WAFeEoTzwFP1tmWR7
Within 30 miles of my return home, in Austin, I encountered the worst driving of the trip. See video in album below. The photo in the album is of the semi-famed Slaton Bakery south of Lubbock.
A couple of years ago, I was thrilled to make Amarillo from home with a single charging stop while driving my 2017 Model S 100D. On this trip, on the way home, I realized I had a chance to make it home from Tucumcari with a single Sweetwater charging stop, skipping Amarillo. And I did. A very near full charge at Sweetwater started me with 302 miles of range; I arrived home after 288.9 miles with 29 miles of range left.
I left Tucumcari also with a near full charge. I arrived at Sweetwater after 307.9 miles and with 26 miles remaining.
The day before, I had driven 332 miles, with 55 remaining, from Gallup to Tucumcari, skipping both Albequerque and Santa Rosa.
All three of those legs had advantageous conditions: wind generally favorable and dropping elevations.
Another long leg on the trip was Golden British Columbia to Coeur d'Alene Idaho. Slightly over 300 miles but down the Columbia River. I arrived late in Coeur d'Alene having feared to make an overnight stop along the way; overnight vampire load would likely have prevented completion of the leg.
For the uninitiated, all above towns are sites of SuperChargers where Teslas can be charged in, generally, under an hour.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WAFeEoTzwFP1tmWR7
Monday, August 12, 2019
EV Charging Adventures in the North
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ct1Rm6UEnBao82qS9
The first photo is in a small unattended roadside park / rest area in southern British Columbia. I looked on the posted website:
https://www.flo.ca
The pylon has two charge stations. The J1772 nozzles are protected from vandalism/theft. At this time, charging is free. Looks like it might be ~7kw. But, you have to have one of their cards or make a phone call.
I believe their map showed them all over, including Texas.
Ideally situated and easily found. I noticed one a ways up the road but did not turn around to confirm.
While staying in Lima Montana, ~50 miles south of Dillon on IH15. I had the unusual luxury of making car excursions from my overnight hotel. I found this Electrify America station in Dell, about 15 miles toward Dillon from Lima. Four pylons. First has 150kw Combo and 50kw chademo. The other three each have two 350kw Combos. I first noticed the fenced-in electrics similar to a SuperCharger. Then, turned around and took a closer look.
The first photo is in a small unattended roadside park / rest area in southern British Columbia. I looked on the posted website:
https://www.flo.ca
The pylon has two charge stations. The J1772 nozzles are protected from vandalism/theft. At this time, charging is free. Looks like it might be ~7kw. But, you have to have one of their cards or make a phone call.
I believe their map showed them all over, including Texas.
Ideally situated and easily found. I noticed one a ways up the road but did not turn around to confirm.
While staying in Lima Montana, ~50 miles south of Dillon on IH15. I had the unusual luxury of making car excursions from my overnight hotel. I found this Electrify America station in Dell, about 15 miles toward Dillon from Lima. Four pylons. First has 150kw Combo and 50kw chademo. The other three each have two 350kw Combos. I first noticed the fenced-in electrics similar to a SuperCharger. Then, turned around and took a closer look.
Monday, August 5, 2019
The sun is riz
The sun is set
and here I is
in Texas yet
Leaving God's Country at TexLine with the trip odometer, now labelled "Canada", reading about 690 miles. Bringing to mind a new goal: take the same route but start at the SpaceX launch facility at Boca Chica. Estimated distance: about 1200 miles.
At the New Mexico border late in the afternoon. Who knows what time it is at a time zone border? I tried to catch the car shifting an hour but failed; it happened up to an hour after the crossing. About that time, AutoPilot decided not to work for an hour or two. I suspect the time change may have confused it.
I am reminded of a trip my mother related. When she was a youth/girl, she rode the train to El Paso and then accompanied a school teacher aunt from her post near El Paso to her ancestral home in Texarkana. Driving a Model A in probably the 1920s. Maybe early 1930s. I see Model As were made 1927-1931. So, late 20s or early 30s. I don't believe they would have undertaken such a trip in an old car.
Most/all my road trips seem to evolve into "death marches". No exception here. I had intended to spend a few days visiting cousins at their retirement home near Walsenburg. Alas! I was unable to extract a specific invitation. I first intended to spend the night at the Holiday Inn adjacent to the Trinidad SuperCharger. I arrived near sunset. While charging, I walked over and found them full. I called a prospect hotel at Walsenburg, 50-100 miles up the road, and found them full also. ONWARD! Though the night! It seems the summer tourist congestion in the central Colorado mountains was far greater than I anticipated. The western side of the state turned out much better. Because I hate to drive IH 25 north of Puebla, I cut to the northwest just north of Walsenburg. Rainy. Twisting unfamilar roads. AutoPilot could barely cope.
I ended up, arriving at the Grand Junction SuperCharger around dawn. Crossed Monarch Pass. The mountain roads were mostly handled very well by AutoPilot. Instead of falling asleep while the car was driving, I elected to make several nap stops. The drive from Grand Junction to Rock Springs was spectacular. Daylight greatly enhances the scenery. That leg also included a couple of nap stops. Notable features were an enormous phosphate mine and the Flaming Gorge dam. The phosphate mine sends a slurry via about 100 miles of pipe to Rock Springs for further processing.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VEqjsztidMSf32YQ9
I had intended to make an early over night stop in Rock Springs but found no cell reception either on the phone or on the car. So, I moved on down the road to Rawlins where I did find cell reception. And the car map began working again. Overnight. Slept like a log. On to Montana. Or, maybe Thermopolis.
8/6/19
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UZVKuzPshEfxe1PT8
Found my cousin in Stillwater County Montana. I thought his name was "Crawford". But, I found "Crawford Cox" who proved up on his homestead in 1911.
http://austinfarm.us/phpgedview/individual.php?pid=I0770&ged=wmm-06082015.ged
Visited the supposed site of Busteed, then chatted with some people that noticed I was taking photos. They said Busteed was down in the creek bottom of the location I photographed. I suspected that the old building I photographed was a Busteed building moved down the road a bit. My informants told me it was a rail station moved from another near by town. That town had a spur rail line that dead ended at the town. That town is "Rapelje" and survives; it is easily visible from the Busteed townsite. Both towns are about 30 miles north of Columbus, county seat of Stillwater County. The county seat is where county records are found. Columbus and a rail line are on the banks of the Yellowstone River. Beautiful country. Rapelje and Busteed are much higher and drier though still quite attractive. It seems the Busteed/Rapelje area was opened to homesteading very early in the century. At that time, it was in Yellowstone County but was later split off to Stillwater County. Perhaps, like my cousin, most homesteaders raised sheep. Now, there are no sheep in the area; it seems to be exclusively hay and grazing. It is dry; no evidence of irrigation. I believe my female cousin married Crawford in Yellowstone County. Something else to research. Perhaps Crawford could homestead a larger tract of land with a family.
A Mrs Wright published a genealogy book about 1910 on a group of families which included "Moores", my mother's family. My mother's grandmother communicated with Mrs Wright and contributed Moores information. Thanks to my great grandmother and Mrs Wright, I became interested in the family of Minnie Minerva Moores, a niece to my great grandfather. Minnie was widowed with two small children about 1905 in the Texarkana area. She married Crawford Cox who homesteaded near Busteed Montana. The record I found indicates that he "proved up" his 160 acre homestead in 1911. That was after the publication of Mrs. Wright's book. I saw some evidence somewhere that the family moved to California. I've become enchanted with their situation and lives. Even though the homesteading effort seems to have come to naught.
Somewhere, I went along the edge of "Flathead Lake"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flathead_Lake
VERY pretty and large natural lake. Though heavily developed on the shore line. I don't know how or if they keep the sewage out of the lake. Hundreds, maybe thousands of vacation homes right on the water's edge. Anyway, a cottage industry is growing and selling fruit, mostly cherries. I bought two pounds which I greatly enjoyed. Slow heavy traffic on two lane for 30-40 miles.
On to Glacier National Park. Old 30s looking touring coaches were being used to try to keep us tourists off the heavily trafficked road.
Last photo is entering Canada near the park.
Though I swore on my Texas Honor that I had no firearms, great amounts of cash, or cannabis, they did an extensive search. I offered up myself for a body cavity search but they didn't feel that necessary.
After crossing the border, I spent the night at Fort MacLeod. Site of a SuperCharger and birthplace of Joni Mitchell.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joni_Mitchell
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UZVKuzPshEfxe1PT8
8/7/19 Hanna
A doctor that works in the hospital area had a J1772 station installed at his office building and got it listed on PlugShare. I believe PlugShare says it does 60-70 amps at 208vac. I left my J1772 adapter at home so could not test.
Many places in Hanna, including my motel and the medical complex, have outside outlets installed for block heaters. To allow ICEs to start in very cold weather. I have enough charge to get back to the SuperCharger at Red Deer but I'm going to let the hotel charge me at ~3mph overnight anyway.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Fr5EF2XFGR7AGEds9
I just had my first Tim Horton's experience. Next is to see about the excitement of some sort of corn they sell roadside. The name escapes me.
Just west of Hanna is moraine country; quite interesting. A surprising amount of farming on steep slopes that vary greatly in a few hundred yards. Lots of small lakes/ponds that I first suspected were the work of beaver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moraine
Road America in Wisconsin is in country called "The Kettle Moraine".
8/8/19 Hanna in rear view mirror
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1c3JpaDtLtrwemGM6
Just found the Curling arena, hockey arena, heated swimming pool, etc this morning. The indoor ice facilities have paintings of Nickelback album covers all over the outside walls. Not that I had ever heard of Nickelback:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickelback
More Hanna photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/o2HTATnByCWMdhsY7
Newspaper archive that includes the Hanna newspaper:
https://digitallibrary.uleth.ca/digital/collection/sanews/search/searchterm/hanna+herald/field/title/mode/all/conn/and/order/date/ad/asc/cosuppress/1
8/9/19
Semi-expensive Fox Creek Comfort Inn had very good block heater outlets. Gave me 12 amp (5mph) at 117vac through out the night. Over 200 miles of range as I'm ready to leave for Grand Prairie. Or Dawson Creek. Or Ft. St. John.
8/10/19
Destination charged at Fort St. John Microtel. About the northernmost destination charger which is more than a charge beyond the northernmost SuperCharger in Edmonton. Without a J1772 adapter, this looks like the end of the road. Semi-thorough research on RVParky.com indicates almost no 14-50s north of here. A great surprise to me. Yesterday, I charged at RV park with 14-50s in Grande Prairie in order to reach Fort St. John. The only way back I see is to do the same; do a bit of RV park charging in Grande Prairie in order to reach Edmonton. Did I mention I was kicking myself for not bringing a J1772 adapter?
8/12/19
After another night on the road.
I'll be adding more verbiage here soon.
Not wanting to exactly retrace my steps from Fort St John, I elected to use another RV park in another town. That one charged me a full day to charge a couple of hours. $45. The Grande Prairie place charged me $10. Leaving the expensive place, I noticed a Tesla charging at a gas station. Which I could have done had I had my J1772 adapter. And maybe faster.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6KDdKMkv6sNPRbvs5
The 3rd photo is of the $45 RV park with my neighbor, a very interesting guy on his way up the Alaska Highway from Michigan. 90-something. His wife died a couple of years ago and this may have been his first trip without her. They had previously done the Alaska drive several times but returning by boat. This time, he intends to drive both ways. I note that his smallish trailer has a "30 amp" connection of the type supported by RV parks at Fort Nelson and beyond. I'm given some slight hope that I will still be travelling in 10-15 years.
That overnight was in Edson in a nice modest hotel that has Destination charging. I decided to skirt Edmonton and Calgary and try to go as directly as possible to the Golden SuperCharger from Edson. I had not encountered any bad roads in Canada though I expected to if I could go beyond Fort Nelson. 60 miles down the route to Golden: "Pavement Ends" and I found my missing bad road. Slushy gravel. Drizzly, rainy. Very nasty. After about 10 miles I decided it was a long term thing but decided to press on anyway. My range cushion had disappeared (bad road eat energy) and mapped out a diversion to the Red Deer SuperCharger which was 50 miles closer but in the wrong direction. 60 miles of nasty road T'd into a good paved road. Left to Red Deer, right to Golden. The car's navigation was slightly encouraging so I turned right. I had gotten into wonderful spectacular scenery so I just let everyone else pass me. Got to "Ice Fields Parkway" at about the mid point of the park toll road. $8. When I go again, I'll contrive to do the entire length; most of the ice fields, which feed glaciers, are to the north. So, I did not see the big ice fields. The weather had cleared and it was a most enjoyable drive to Golden.
Photo #19 in the above album shows a wildlife overpass. Most Canadian National Park high speed freeway type roads are well fenced to keep wildlife off the pavement. Fences divert wildlife traffic to culverts. Some overpasses are built solely for wildlife traffic. Some are not vegetated. The one pictured will support cover vegetation. I noticed, but did not photograph, several one way gates that allowed large animals that did find themselves on the wrong side of the fence to get back to the safe side. An ingenious one way scheme; wish I had photographed.
After doing an almost full charge in Golden, I headed for Coeur d'Alene, more than 300 miles but downhill through the Columbia valley. Drove slowly. Decided not to stop overnight at a place without charging because the overnight loss could do me in. I went through Sand Point along Lake Pend Oreille. I would have liked to tour the area. See where Benjamin used to live. See the research/testing facilities on the lake. The lake is probably the deepest fresh water on the continent and is attractive for sonar testing.
I got to Coeur d'Alene (I wonder if locals ever learn to spell that) too late to get a hotel. And, the weather was nasty again. ONWARD! Through the night! This time, I spent more time napping than driving. Got a "parking at SuperCharger" warning for sleeping through the end of the charge at Superior Montana. After dawn, I charged at Butte where I had charged on the way up. Butte is worthy of more touristing. Then, down a wide arid mostly treeless valley that was verdant due to small rivers. Dillon is the principal town and worthy of more touristing. "Beaver Head River". Named by Lewis and Clark. One impoundment is "Clark Canyon Reservoir". I ended up around noon at the motel across the street from the Lima SuperCharger; they gave me a room early. After a nap, I toured around a bit. Lima is an old train stop and tourist entrance to Montana. The Lima citizens seem to have quite a bit of civic pride. Lawns are mostly mowed, property mostly well kept. Well maintained hill top cemetery. Some old downtown buildings show some promise of preservation. A very small town compared to Hanna but many similarities. I am astonished that so many people choose to live in urban areas.
I found an Electrify American charge station at Dell, only a few miles north of Lima. I deemed it worthy of a separate post:
https://wmckemie.blogspot.com/2019/08/ev-charging-adventures-in-north.html
I'm off from Lima. But, first:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/RsazcnNRh855mH6w9
I first thought these might be stored, waiting for a home in a museum. Now, I think they are contemporary. As I was leaving Lima, I noticed a low tire and returned to get a leak repaired. I asked the tire guy about sheep herding in the area and he said that there was little currently; still quite a bit in Idaho. That explains the trailers not being used during the summer season. Sheep growers lease public land summer grazing from BLM, then truck in sheep. I'm guessing BLM is reducing sheep grazing.
Again, before we leave Lima, I feel compelled to offer this ancedote:
A guy came walking up to the Mountain View Motel, I had seen him a few minutes before at the cafe which hosts the SuperCharger. Conversation:
Me: Looks like you've been doing some walking?
He: Yeah, from Mexico on my way to Canada.
Me: With only what you are carrying in that backpack?
He: No, I pick up prepositioned supplies along the way.
Me: Mail them to yourself?
He: That and friends. I am missing a shipment here.
Me: Well, I'm willing to drive you around town if that will help. Though I don't imagine you find a little walking daunting.
I had assumed the guy was just walking highways and back roads. At checkout the next morning, I noticed a poster about the Rocky Mountain Contenintal Divide trail. Then, I noticed that Lima was very close to that trail. No doubt, the guy had just walked down from the trail to get resupplied in Lima. I had commented that he had already done most of the distance not realizing that he had Glacier National Park before him; that will likely be the hardest. Wish I could follow him.
I see the trail comes no closer than about 10 miles to Lima:
https://continentaldividetrail.org/cdt-gateway-communities/
8/14/19 To Kanab
This thing is getting long.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HYyGJsogN6176fxM6
Highlights:
First five photos: leaving Lima my tire pressure sensors told me LR was low. Turned around and went to tire shop in Lima. It had a staple in it, probably picked it up driving around Clark Canyon Reservoir the previous day. I was surprised to see some foam in the tire; probably for sound deadening. The tire guy cut a piece out to access puncture. At my suggestion, he glued the piece back in.
Next ten photos (after an overnight in Nephi) and after a morning charge in Richfield, I came upon the world's best bicycle trail. Apparently, a "rails to trails" deal. Paved path mostly paralleling highway as it went up the Seiver River. Good separation, no highway risk. Beautiful river. Head of trail is at "Big Rock Candy Mountain Resort" where you see the rail car hotel rooms. A place worth coming back to.
https://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/bigrockcandy.htm
Next five photos: Butch Cassidy's childhood home.
Then, the destination charging in Kanab, 80 miles north of the Grand Canyon north rim.
Finally, touring around Kanab including an enormous animal sanctuary stretching up Kanab Canyon. The cemetery photographed is about 1/10 of the total cemetery.
https://bestfriends.org
The place must have an interesting background though I haven't dug it out. It has provision for caring for all sorts of animals, a big vet clinic, a residential development. It must be at least a thousand acres spread out for miles along the canyon road.
Kanab makes an excellent center of operations for doing the north Grand Canyon, Bruce Canyon, Zion National Parks, Bryce Canyon and no doubt many other intriguing places.
Fixing broken things. I've had no Tracfone service since I crossed the border into Canada. Since crossing back, I've been monitoring closely but still no service. I've been getting spam voice calls, bluetoothed to the car. Then, it dawned on me: somewhere along the way I had turned off "cell data" and forgotten. Turned it back on and am back to normal; I can mostly read emails on the road and get Google to answer questions. I was on the verge of moving SIM cards and having TracFone transfer the account to another Android.
8/15/19
The North Rim
https://photos.app.goo.gl/GEKHqUxshBhy3oyW8
I hope to add some dashcam video following.
I seem to have added three dashcam videos to the above album; I intended to add four.
No, all four are there; they are just randomly postitioned amongst the stills. I may try to reorder. Or, not.
On the way home; in Gallup tonight. Had a nice long jump from Page to Gallup. Tomorrow, Gallup to Truth or Consequences.
8/16/19 Long Legs
I've done several long legs on this trip. Today, I did Gallup to Tucumcari skipping Albequerque and Santa Rosa. But doing the Sandia Peak Tramway:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xtzphSTf3NFJRWjs9
332 miles traveled on one charge, 55 miles remaining. Under average conditions, I consider about 250 miles to be the safe range.
and here I is
in Texas yet
Leaving God's Country at TexLine with the trip odometer, now labelled "Canada", reading about 690 miles. Bringing to mind a new goal: take the same route but start at the SpaceX launch facility at Boca Chica. Estimated distance: about 1200 miles.
At the New Mexico border late in the afternoon. Who knows what time it is at a time zone border? I tried to catch the car shifting an hour but failed; it happened up to an hour after the crossing. About that time, AutoPilot decided not to work for an hour or two. I suspect the time change may have confused it.
I am reminded of a trip my mother related. When she was a youth/girl, she rode the train to El Paso and then accompanied a school teacher aunt from her post near El Paso to her ancestral home in Texarkana. Driving a Model A in probably the 1920s. Maybe early 1930s. I see Model As were made 1927-1931. So, late 20s or early 30s. I don't believe they would have undertaken such a trip in an old car.
Most/all my road trips seem to evolve into "death marches". No exception here. I had intended to spend a few days visiting cousins at their retirement home near Walsenburg. Alas! I was unable to extract a specific invitation. I first intended to spend the night at the Holiday Inn adjacent to the Trinidad SuperCharger. I arrived near sunset. While charging, I walked over and found them full. I called a prospect hotel at Walsenburg, 50-100 miles up the road, and found them full also. ONWARD! Though the night! It seems the summer tourist congestion in the central Colorado mountains was far greater than I anticipated. The western side of the state turned out much better. Because I hate to drive IH 25 north of Puebla, I cut to the northwest just north of Walsenburg. Rainy. Twisting unfamilar roads. AutoPilot could barely cope.
I ended up, arriving at the Grand Junction SuperCharger around dawn. Crossed Monarch Pass. The mountain roads were mostly handled very well by AutoPilot. Instead of falling asleep while the car was driving, I elected to make several nap stops. The drive from Grand Junction to Rock Springs was spectacular. Daylight greatly enhances the scenery. That leg also included a couple of nap stops. Notable features were an enormous phosphate mine and the Flaming Gorge dam. The phosphate mine sends a slurry via about 100 miles of pipe to Rock Springs for further processing.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VEqjsztidMSf32YQ9
I had intended to make an early over night stop in Rock Springs but found no cell reception either on the phone or on the car. So, I moved on down the road to Rawlins where I did find cell reception. And the car map began working again. Overnight. Slept like a log. On to Montana. Or, maybe Thermopolis.
8/6/19
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UZVKuzPshEfxe1PT8
Found my cousin in Stillwater County Montana. I thought his name was "Crawford". But, I found "Crawford Cox" who proved up on his homestead in 1911.
http://austinfarm.us/phpgedview/individual.php?pid=I0770&ged=wmm-06082015.ged
Visited the supposed site of Busteed, then chatted with some people that noticed I was taking photos. They said Busteed was down in the creek bottom of the location I photographed. I suspected that the old building I photographed was a Busteed building moved down the road a bit. My informants told me it was a rail station moved from another near by town. That town had a spur rail line that dead ended at the town. That town is "Rapelje" and survives; it is easily visible from the Busteed townsite. Both towns are about 30 miles north of Columbus, county seat of Stillwater County. The county seat is where county records are found. Columbus and a rail line are on the banks of the Yellowstone River. Beautiful country. Rapelje and Busteed are much higher and drier though still quite attractive. It seems the Busteed/Rapelje area was opened to homesteading very early in the century. At that time, it was in Yellowstone County but was later split off to Stillwater County. Perhaps, like my cousin, most homesteaders raised sheep. Now, there are no sheep in the area; it seems to be exclusively hay and grazing. It is dry; no evidence of irrigation. I believe my female cousin married Crawford in Yellowstone County. Something else to research. Perhaps Crawford could homestead a larger tract of land with a family.
A Mrs Wright published a genealogy book about 1910 on a group of families which included "Moores", my mother's family. My mother's grandmother communicated with Mrs Wright and contributed Moores information. Thanks to my great grandmother and Mrs Wright, I became interested in the family of Minnie Minerva Moores, a niece to my great grandfather. Minnie was widowed with two small children about 1905 in the Texarkana area. She married Crawford Cox who homesteaded near Busteed Montana. The record I found indicates that he "proved up" his 160 acre homestead in 1911. That was after the publication of Mrs. Wright's book. I saw some evidence somewhere that the family moved to California. I've become enchanted with their situation and lives. Even though the homesteading effort seems to have come to naught.
Somewhere, I went along the edge of "Flathead Lake"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flathead_Lake
VERY pretty and large natural lake. Though heavily developed on the shore line. I don't know how or if they keep the sewage out of the lake. Hundreds, maybe thousands of vacation homes right on the water's edge. Anyway, a cottage industry is growing and selling fruit, mostly cherries. I bought two pounds which I greatly enjoyed. Slow heavy traffic on two lane for 30-40 miles.
On to Glacier National Park. Old 30s looking touring coaches were being used to try to keep us tourists off the heavily trafficked road.
Last photo is entering Canada near the park.
Though I swore on my Texas Honor that I had no firearms, great amounts of cash, or cannabis, they did an extensive search. I offered up myself for a body cavity search but they didn't feel that necessary.
After crossing the border, I spent the night at Fort MacLeod. Site of a SuperCharger and birthplace of Joni Mitchell.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joni_Mitchell
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UZVKuzPshEfxe1PT8
8/7/19 Hanna
A doctor that works in the hospital area had a J1772 station installed at his office building and got it listed on PlugShare. I believe PlugShare says it does 60-70 amps at 208vac. I left my J1772 adapter at home so could not test.
Many places in Hanna, including my motel and the medical complex, have outside outlets installed for block heaters. To allow ICEs to start in very cold weather. I have enough charge to get back to the SuperCharger at Red Deer but I'm going to let the hotel charge me at ~3mph overnight anyway.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Fr5EF2XFGR7AGEds9
I just had my first Tim Horton's experience. Next is to see about the excitement of some sort of corn they sell roadside. The name escapes me.
Just west of Hanna is moraine country; quite interesting. A surprising amount of farming on steep slopes that vary greatly in a few hundred yards. Lots of small lakes/ponds that I first suspected were the work of beaver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moraine
Road America in Wisconsin is in country called "The Kettle Moraine".
8/8/19 Hanna in rear view mirror
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1c3JpaDtLtrwemGM6
Just found the Curling arena, hockey arena, heated swimming pool, etc this morning. The indoor ice facilities have paintings of Nickelback album covers all over the outside walls. Not that I had ever heard of Nickelback:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickelback
More Hanna photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/o2HTATnByCWMdhsY7
Newspaper archive that includes the Hanna newspaper:
https://digitallibrary.uleth.ca/digital/collection/sanews/search/searchterm/hanna+herald/field/title/mode/all/conn/and/order/date/ad/asc/cosuppress/1
8/9/19
Semi-expensive Fox Creek Comfort Inn had very good block heater outlets. Gave me 12 amp (5mph) at 117vac through out the night. Over 200 miles of range as I'm ready to leave for Grand Prairie. Or Dawson Creek. Or Ft. St. John.
8/10/19
Destination charged at Fort St. John Microtel. About the northernmost destination charger which is more than a charge beyond the northernmost SuperCharger in Edmonton. Without a J1772 adapter, this looks like the end of the road. Semi-thorough research on RVParky.com indicates almost no 14-50s north of here. A great surprise to me. Yesterday, I charged at RV park with 14-50s in Grande Prairie in order to reach Fort St. John. The only way back I see is to do the same; do a bit of RV park charging in Grande Prairie in order to reach Edmonton. Did I mention I was kicking myself for not bringing a J1772 adapter?
8/12/19
After another night on the road.
I'll be adding more verbiage here soon.
Not wanting to exactly retrace my steps from Fort St John, I elected to use another RV park in another town. That one charged me a full day to charge a couple of hours. $45. The Grande Prairie place charged me $10. Leaving the expensive place, I noticed a Tesla charging at a gas station. Which I could have done had I had my J1772 adapter. And maybe faster.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6KDdKMkv6sNPRbvs5
The 3rd photo is of the $45 RV park with my neighbor, a very interesting guy on his way up the Alaska Highway from Michigan. 90-something. His wife died a couple of years ago and this may have been his first trip without her. They had previously done the Alaska drive several times but returning by boat. This time, he intends to drive both ways. I note that his smallish trailer has a "30 amp" connection of the type supported by RV parks at Fort Nelson and beyond. I'm given some slight hope that I will still be travelling in 10-15 years.
That overnight was in Edson in a nice modest hotel that has Destination charging. I decided to skirt Edmonton and Calgary and try to go as directly as possible to the Golden SuperCharger from Edson. I had not encountered any bad roads in Canada though I expected to if I could go beyond Fort Nelson. 60 miles down the route to Golden: "Pavement Ends" and I found my missing bad road. Slushy gravel. Drizzly, rainy. Very nasty. After about 10 miles I decided it was a long term thing but decided to press on anyway. My range cushion had disappeared (bad road eat energy) and mapped out a diversion to the Red Deer SuperCharger which was 50 miles closer but in the wrong direction. 60 miles of nasty road T'd into a good paved road. Left to Red Deer, right to Golden. The car's navigation was slightly encouraging so I turned right. I had gotten into wonderful spectacular scenery so I just let everyone else pass me. Got to "Ice Fields Parkway" at about the mid point of the park toll road. $8. When I go again, I'll contrive to do the entire length; most of the ice fields, which feed glaciers, are to the north. So, I did not see the big ice fields. The weather had cleared and it was a most enjoyable drive to Golden.
Photo #19 in the above album shows a wildlife overpass. Most Canadian National Park high speed freeway type roads are well fenced to keep wildlife off the pavement. Fences divert wildlife traffic to culverts. Some overpasses are built solely for wildlife traffic. Some are not vegetated. The one pictured will support cover vegetation. I noticed, but did not photograph, several one way gates that allowed large animals that did find themselves on the wrong side of the fence to get back to the safe side. An ingenious one way scheme; wish I had photographed.
After doing an almost full charge in Golden, I headed for Coeur d'Alene, more than 300 miles but downhill through the Columbia valley. Drove slowly. Decided not to stop overnight at a place without charging because the overnight loss could do me in. I went through Sand Point along Lake Pend Oreille. I would have liked to tour the area. See where Benjamin used to live. See the research/testing facilities on the lake. The lake is probably the deepest fresh water on the continent and is attractive for sonar testing.
I got to Coeur d'Alene (I wonder if locals ever learn to spell that) too late to get a hotel. And, the weather was nasty again. ONWARD! Through the night! This time, I spent more time napping than driving. Got a "parking at SuperCharger" warning for sleeping through the end of the charge at Superior Montana. After dawn, I charged at Butte where I had charged on the way up. Butte is worthy of more touristing. Then, down a wide arid mostly treeless valley that was verdant due to small rivers. Dillon is the principal town and worthy of more touristing. "Beaver Head River". Named by Lewis and Clark. One impoundment is "Clark Canyon Reservoir". I ended up around noon at the motel across the street from the Lima SuperCharger; they gave me a room early. After a nap, I toured around a bit. Lima is an old train stop and tourist entrance to Montana. The Lima citizens seem to have quite a bit of civic pride. Lawns are mostly mowed, property mostly well kept. Well maintained hill top cemetery. Some old downtown buildings show some promise of preservation. A very small town compared to Hanna but many similarities. I am astonished that so many people choose to live in urban areas.
I found an Electrify American charge station at Dell, only a few miles north of Lima. I deemed it worthy of a separate post:
https://wmckemie.blogspot.com/2019/08/ev-charging-adventures-in-north.html
I'm off from Lima. But, first:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/RsazcnNRh855mH6w9
I first thought these might be stored, waiting for a home in a museum. Now, I think they are contemporary. As I was leaving Lima, I noticed a low tire and returned to get a leak repaired. I asked the tire guy about sheep herding in the area and he said that there was little currently; still quite a bit in Idaho. That explains the trailers not being used during the summer season. Sheep growers lease public land summer grazing from BLM, then truck in sheep. I'm guessing BLM is reducing sheep grazing.
Again, before we leave Lima, I feel compelled to offer this ancedote:
A guy came walking up to the Mountain View Motel, I had seen him a few minutes before at the cafe which hosts the SuperCharger. Conversation:
Me: Looks like you've been doing some walking?
He: Yeah, from Mexico on my way to Canada.
Me: With only what you are carrying in that backpack?
He: No, I pick up prepositioned supplies along the way.
Me: Mail them to yourself?
He: That and friends. I am missing a shipment here.
Me: Well, I'm willing to drive you around town if that will help. Though I don't imagine you find a little walking daunting.
I had assumed the guy was just walking highways and back roads. At checkout the next morning, I noticed a poster about the Rocky Mountain Contenintal Divide trail. Then, I noticed that Lima was very close to that trail. No doubt, the guy had just walked down from the trail to get resupplied in Lima. I had commented that he had already done most of the distance not realizing that he had Glacier National Park before him; that will likely be the hardest. Wish I could follow him.
I see the trail comes no closer than about 10 miles to Lima:
https://continentaldividetrail.org/cdt-gateway-communities/
8/14/19 To Kanab
This thing is getting long.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HYyGJsogN6176fxM6
Highlights:
First five photos: leaving Lima my tire pressure sensors told me LR was low. Turned around and went to tire shop in Lima. It had a staple in it, probably picked it up driving around Clark Canyon Reservoir the previous day. I was surprised to see some foam in the tire; probably for sound deadening. The tire guy cut a piece out to access puncture. At my suggestion, he glued the piece back in.
Next ten photos (after an overnight in Nephi) and after a morning charge in Richfield, I came upon the world's best bicycle trail. Apparently, a "rails to trails" deal. Paved path mostly paralleling highway as it went up the Seiver River. Good separation, no highway risk. Beautiful river. Head of trail is at "Big Rock Candy Mountain Resort" where you see the rail car hotel rooms. A place worth coming back to.
https://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/bigrockcandy.htm
Next five photos: Butch Cassidy's childhood home.
Then, the destination charging in Kanab, 80 miles north of the Grand Canyon north rim.
Finally, touring around Kanab including an enormous animal sanctuary stretching up Kanab Canyon. The cemetery photographed is about 1/10 of the total cemetery.
https://bestfriends.org
The place must have an interesting background though I haven't dug it out. It has provision for caring for all sorts of animals, a big vet clinic, a residential development. It must be at least a thousand acres spread out for miles along the canyon road.
Kanab makes an excellent center of operations for doing the north Grand Canyon, Bruce Canyon, Zion National Parks, Bryce Canyon and no doubt many other intriguing places.
Fixing broken things. I've had no Tracfone service since I crossed the border into Canada. Since crossing back, I've been monitoring closely but still no service. I've been getting spam voice calls, bluetoothed to the car. Then, it dawned on me: somewhere along the way I had turned off "cell data" and forgotten. Turned it back on and am back to normal; I can mostly read emails on the road and get Google to answer questions. I was on the verge of moving SIM cards and having TracFone transfer the account to another Android.
8/15/19
The North Rim
https://photos.app.goo.gl/GEKHqUxshBhy3oyW8
I hope to add some dashcam video following.
I seem to have added three dashcam videos to the above album; I intended to add four.
No, all four are there; they are just randomly postitioned amongst the stills. I may try to reorder. Or, not.
On the way home; in Gallup tonight. Had a nice long jump from Page to Gallup. Tomorrow, Gallup to Truth or Consequences.
8/16/19 Long Legs
I've done several long legs on this trip. Today, I did Gallup to Tucumcari skipping Albequerque and Santa Rosa. But doing the Sandia Peak Tramway:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xtzphSTf3NFJRWjs9
332 miles traveled on one charge, 55 miles remaining. Under average conditions, I consider about 250 miles to be the safe range.
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