Get your kicks on Route 66?

[rkarl89203]

Thanks for the info about the GPS visualizer program.
Sadly I have spent quite a while and I can't for the life of me figure out exactly how to make it work.
We HAVE done altitude analyses using Google earth and maps,so it may not be a critical planning failure.
The critical areas affected by this are of course the areas around Albuquerque both ways, flagstaff/williams , Grants to GallupNM also and on the return trip, the Cajon Pass and Topock to Oatman arizona which is a long
Long uphill.
That being said, the Mojave Desert closures of the Fenner CA to Chambless CA part of route 66 present a major problem. There is one dangerous workaround that would involve a shoulder-hugging slow speed ride on a freeway to a road to rejoin the route at Amboy, California. That is 57 Miles.
The other workaround involves going north from Needles, around the North end of the Mojave Preserve. If we do that, there are numerous charging opportunities. Of course this probably would involve an extra day in the High Desert, which we would want to avoid.
These are the greatest challenges.
106 days left!

 

[JoeS]

Thanks for the info about the GPS visualizer program. Sadly I have spent quite a while and I can't for the life of me figure out exactly how to make it work....

How to use GPS Visualizer to display the elevation graph of your route:

You go to Google Maps, click on Directions (the right-turn arrow symbol), and put in your start and endpoints, set it for automobile and your track should pop up on the map. Then you go to the Menu within Google Maps and choose "Share or Embed Map". That will give you a highlighted URL. Copy that URL. Open GPS Visualizer, select Profiles (elevation, etc.), change the units to be US instead of Metric if you want, find the box which says "OR provide the URL of your data on the Web", then paste the URL that you had just copied from Google Maps and hit Return and your color-coded elevation graph will appear.

Here's the GPS Visualizer link: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/profile_input

 

[rkarl89203]

Wow, thank you!
I was really starting to wonder about my computer skills.
I will follow those instructions!

The return trip will be very similar except for the fact that I will head directly home from Amarillo.
Once again, thanks!

 

[JoeS]

If I were doing your Route 66 trip I would sure be tempted to spring for one of these CHAdeMO chargers (currently on sale):
https://www.evseadapters.com/collec...evses/products/portable-chademo-quick-charger

 

[Phximiev]

If I were doing your Route 66 trip I would sure be tempted to spring for one of these CHAdeMO chargers (currently on sale):
https://www.evseadapters.com/collec...evses/products/portable-chademo-quick-charger

Me, too. Also, it can be rented. Hmmm, I just checked the site, what happened to the rental option?

 

[Don]

If I were doing your Route 66 trip I would sure be tempted to spring for one of these CHAdeMO chargers (currently on sale)

Oh, I agree - Even just plugging into any standard L2 station, your charge time would be cut at least in half (for a 30 amp station) and it would be even faster than that if the station was 40 amps

In daily use around your hometown for stations which charge you on time, it would eventually pay for itself - You would be getting 2X+ as much juice for the same fee

Don

 

[rkarl89203]

Well only 78 days until the first day of the trip.
Lots has changed since we started planning this trip almost 2 years ago.
Charging infrastructure has improved notably. Level 2 chargers in Petrified Forest!
Met awesome people on our Western planning trip last February. Upgraded to EVSE upgrade charging to get Level 2 capabilities at Campgrounds and RV parks. Got an upgraded Android phone to better run Plugshare.
Did extensive Regen testing in the hilly area between here and Galena Illinois. Got confirmed charging in almost all areas of the trip. Used the GPS emulator discussed earlier in this thread to get a topographic idea of some of the important altitude gradients near Continental Divide, NM, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Sitgreaves pass near Oatman and the return. Did extensive research on financial costs and possible stops at the Mojave.
Those were the good. On the down side is the fact that there will be closures on a key part of the route where one of our Mojave Desert chargers is. Bolo Station is at Chambless California, and was our only chance at L2 charging between Needles and Newberry Springs CA. It may or may not be available not to mention that that section of the road may be closed. How we go west out of Needles may be interesting indeed.
As the first imiev all he way down Route 66 we are looking forward to this as our retirement trip. Many of these areas will be first time visits to my wife, who grew up in rural Illinois. This will be my third and final retirement, and I have been doing Route 66, in full and in parts, since 1962.
I just wanted to thank those who have helped with good advice during this planning phase. We will keep you all posted on how it goes!

 

[rkarl89203]

37 days!
All our charging stations are now reconfirmed through Santa Rosa NM.
Looks like a weirdly early spring.
Testing has now proven we can use my wife's seat heater and the heated electric blanket at the same time on 12v from the aux output in the car.

 

[rkarl89203]

Well, we now have confirmed charging all the way to Santa Monica.
On the road in 19 days!
Woohoo!