Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Day 4 - National Park #1- Shenandoah


We had trouble getting our act together to get out of the DC metro area and into the mountains but after a good breakfast of eggs, fruit and toast courtesy of our host Bill and some warm goodbyes we did finally leave.  Of course we needed to make our first course deviation from the planned first stop in Strasburg VA which was supposed to because we did not have enough juice left in the car to make it there so we made a little detour to take on some energy.and then juiced up in Strasburg and also stopped at Food Lion for picnic lunch stuff.  

There are a few advantages to being my age and one is getting a permanent pass to all the National Parks for a mere ten bucks.  We spent the day meandering through the park and took a couple of beautiful short hikes.

After a stop in Waynesboro for a very good dinner at the Green Leaf Grill we went to find a bed to recharge our bodies and an overnight charge for Hobson.  Speaking of Hobson it is time to share some of what we have learned about Tesla life on the trip.  First it turns out that our EZ Pass did not work.  I had had a failure in the past the one time I used it but I chalked that up to the outside temp being below 0.  The first inkling that something was amiss was at the Supercharger in Delaware when another guy charging his car saw my transponder and asked me if it worked as his had not coming up from DC.  As all the sensors were pass under with no lights I actually did not know but got one of those bad feelings which was confirmed by the lack of any charges on my account.  So now NY, NJ DE and MD will send me hate mail.  A quick internet search by Michelle revealed that the windshield has some metallic component that blocks the transmissions.  Thanks for letting us know Tesla.  I have now, too late, relocated it behind a plastic cover in the car’s nose.  Second, we have not yet had to wait at a Supercharger although everywhere but Strashurg there has been at least one other car there,  Third,. Predicting energy use in the mountains is problematic.


Statistics Corner
States involved:
We never left Virginia today so no new states were added.
Final mileage for the day   

Charging 
Woodbridge VA  40 minutes   
Strasburg VA 1 hour
Lexington VA  40 minutes
Roanoke VA - Overnight
Regular Features
Song of the Day: Shenandoah by Paul Robeson as not in Slacker.  It tried out every version they offered and they were nowhere near as good so even though I didn’t hear his version it still wins.
Coolest Car of the day: although I had pretty much given up on this category today but we parked for dinner on the street in front of an unlabeled building.  However it had in the window a couple of 90’s Porsches with an 80’s vintage one next to it.  On the other side of the door in the window were two nice 914s and a 924. Behind those I spotted a 70;s 911.  Looking deeper  behind the 911 there was a gorgeous red 358 convertible and a baby blue 70’s bug/  They were all in show condition!  The356 wins but on most days any of these would have won.
Coolest Thing of the Day - Larry
I am a sucker for waterfalls and the one in Shenandoah that we hiked to was a great one but watching the turkey vultures play in the updrafts at the top of Stony face Mountain was great.
Coolest Thing of the Day - Michelle
Michelle loved driving through the park, the waterfall and especially conversing but not really communicating with a Chinese women on the hike back from the falls.

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