When I first made the decision back in June, I wasn't considering the fact that I would end up totaling my Mini Cooper. Both used and new cars were in high demand as there ended up being a shortage on micro chips that all cars used. I ended up borrowing my parents' Tesla Model 3 for this trip. They had plenty of lease mileage to spare and insisted that I drive their car instead of purchasing a new replacement vehicle.
Prior to the trip, I had to map out my stops to recharge the car at a Tesla Supercharger station. The Tesla that I would be driving had a standard range battery with a full 100% charge estimated to be about 220 miles. I quickly found out that there weren't very many stations along the 40 freeway route. I considered the more southern 10 freeway route, but even that wasn't any better considering that would make it a longer trip.
Friday 9/3
Leg #1: Home to Barstow, CA: 92 miles
The first leg took me into Barstow. I've never really had to stop here ever with any of the prior cars that I've owned as they would have plenty of gas to just blow on through this podunk town. Arriving at this charging station, I quickly learned a few things.
- Even if I drove more conservatively, I wasn't getting any where near the estimated mileage range.
- Better get proficient at backing in your car into a parking space. Most charging stalls will require you to do so. The head first stalls are mostly there for those hauling a trailer.
- Tesla drivers will try to skip a charging stall as having cars charging at the same numbered stall (i.e. 2A and 2B) would yield a slower charge. Apparently some drivers will get upset over this.
- While it charges quickly to about 80%, it slows quite a bit to charge the remaining 20%.
While the car was charging, I decided to go for a walk over at the Outlets. The stores weren't open yet, but I walked a few laps around the parking lot.
Leg #2: Barstow, CA to Needles, CA: 148 miles
This leg was quite the eye opener. I rolled into Needles with about 21 miles left. The actual mileage range for this vehicle was closer to 160 miles instead of 220 if you plan to run it to complete empty. The car uses a lot more energy whenever there's any sort of a climb. I had to shut off both the music and air conditioner to conserve energy. There were only 4 stalls at this location. Thankfully, there was a spot open for me when I arrived. While waiting for the car to charge, I went inside the Shell station to use their restroom. Since it was a pretty warm day and there was also a DQ inside, I decided to get a medium chocolate malt shake with no whip cream.
DQ
Medium chocolate malt shake with no whip cream
Leg #3: Needles, CA to Kingman, AZ: 62 miles
The next leg was just a short drive over to Kingman, Arizona. This charging station was in the same parking lot as Carl's Jr. After plugging in the car, I went inside to get lunch. I ordered a Famous Star with cheese combo. I used to eat a lot of Famous Stars back in my college days when I was trying to bulk up! I used their restroom prior to hopping back in the car for the final stretch into Flagstaff.
Famous Star with cheese combo
Famous Star with cheese
Leg #4: Kingman, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ: 146 miles
The final stretch UP to Flagstaff was extremely stressful! The climbs were never-ending which kept eating into the battery's range. Near the end, I had to shut off the music and the air conditioner again to help conserve energy. I also reduced my speed down to about 60 miles per hour on the climbs. Even the big rigs were passing me! I don't know if I was sweating more from the heat or the stress of not knowing if I had enough charge to reach my destination! Eventually, I arrived in Flagstaff with about 16 miles left. The car kept warning me that it needed a recharge soon.
While waiting for the car to finish charging, I walked over to the Walmart across the street. I didn't purchase anything. I ended up spending most of my time there waiting for them to finish cleaning the men's restroom so I could use it.
After I returned to my car, I drove over to the Run Flagstaff store to pick up my race packet. However, I wasn't able to locate a parking spot, so I decided to come back later. Instead I drove over to the Howard Johnson on Lucky Lane to check-in. When I parked the car, I noticed that there was a sign on the lobby door informing people that check-in would be over at the adjacent Super 8. The guy at the front desk couldn't find my reservation. I double-checked on the mobile app. It would turn out that I had booked a room at another Howard Johnson that was further up the road on Historic Route 66.
It was just a short drive over to the correct location. When I checked-in, the guy at the front desk was one of the most pleasant and nicest person that I've ever met. That was pretty much the only thing nice about this "fleabag" motel! He checked me into room #242, an upstairs room over on the west side of the building. The first thing that greeted me when I opened the door were gnats and flies!
After doing a quick walkthrough of my room, I went back to my car to go get my race packet. Parking was still scarce when I arrived for the second time at Run Flagstaff. However, I did find some 15 minute curbside parking right in front of the post office on N WC Riles St. My friend from Scottsdale had texted me if I could pick up his race packet as well. There was some major accident on the 17 freeway, so he wasn't going to make it in time. So I got mine and his. It would've been a really quick in-and-out pick up, but my good friend was there. She would be doing the race announcing tomorrow. I chatted with her for a little bit until I had to go just in case they were checking to see that people don't overstay the 15 minutes.
Personalized race packet bag
Sticker
The long sleeved Patagonia shirt was a thicker cotton. The price tag that was left on the shirt had a retail value of $45.
Race shirt
Back of race shirt
Before heading back to my room, I drove over to Chick-fil-A to pick up dinner. Using the mobile app, I ordered the usual Cobb salad with grilled nuggets and a Chick-fil-A Deluxe sandwich with Pepper Jack. The sandwich was a free reward item. For some reason, I had to wait extra long for my food to show up. When it was finally ready, I found that they had included a brownie. Maybe that was to smooth things over since I had to wait so long? Hopefully, that brownie wasn't supposed to be for someone else!
Cobb salad with grilled nuggets, Chick-fil-A Deluxe sandwich with Pepper Jack, brownie
I was pretty wiped out from the stressful drive. When I turned on the TV, it was already on the Hallmark Channel. I guess I was too tired to change the channel. Apparently, they were showing all 3 of the All of My Heart movies. It was about 2 distant relatives that inherited a bed and breakfast. They would eventually fall in love with each other and get married. After sitting through the first 2 movies, I felt rather invested and needed to watch the third movie!
During those movies, I laid out my flat runner for tomorrow's race. Tomorrow would be one of those rare occasions where I would run a trail race. I get to wear a new pair of Injinji trail socks that I had recently purchased.
Hallmark Channel movie, All of My Heart
Flat runner
All of My Heart: The Wedding
Before calling it a night, I watched some WWE Friday Night SmackDown! I guess it is good to balance things out between sappy feminine movies and some masculine rock-em, sock-em action! :) It didn't bother me or kept me up, but with the train tracks right across the street, I did notice that a train ran through every 20 minutes or so.
WWE Friday Night SmackDown!
Saturday 9/4
I got ready, gathered my stuff, and rolled into the Thorpe Park Center parking lot at about 6:10 am. The parking lot was pretty empty except for the people that were there with their dogs to visit the Thorpe Bark Park. Shortly, my friend showed up and joined me. We might have been the only 2 runners that parked here even though the instructions that was emailed out said to park here. After we used the park restrooms, we walked south along Thorpe Rd to get to the start line area.
It would turn out that practically everyone parked over near the tennis courts and the Joe C. Montoya Community & Senior Center at the intersection of Birch Ave and Thorpe Rd. Oh well, at least we got to used real toilets instead of the usual portapotties.
Dan
The race started at 7:30 am. The course for this race was pretty straightforward. It was an out-and-back with the turnaround at Madera Ranch Rd. Mile markers 1-3 were right where you expect them to be. However, starting with mile 4, the mile markers started to show up way too early! It's almost as if we missed a short out-and-back portion.
Photo from Ryan L.
Ryan already heading back for the finish
The 3-ish mile final stretch to the finish line was pretty dang fun to run. Some of it was a pretty steep downhill that we had to climb early in the race. It's definitely easier to fly down the hill than climbing up!
Crossing the finish line. Photo from Ryan L.
Finish: 2:09:27
Click here for my Garmin data.
My Garmin watch clocked the course at about 11.2 miles. Even if elevation change was taken into consideration, I'm not sure that that would account for approximately 2 missing miles. However, at the end of the day, it was a nice run out on a beautiful course. Having seen this park, I might have to check out the other parks if I find myself in Flagstaff again.
I was leapfrogging with this couple
Instead of a finisher medal, we were given a finisher tin mug. It's nice when a race gives me something other than a medal. It's particularly nice to get something that's useful. In addition to the mug, I took a CLIF bar, a clementine, and a bottle of Topo Chico. It was my first time drinking a Topo Chico. It's sparkling mineral water from Mexico. With the grapefruit flavor, it reminded me a bit of Squirt. I then hung out a bit with the guy I ran with and his dogs.
Finisher tin mug, snacks, and Topo Chico
Doggies
Dan crossing the finish line
After my friend crossed the finish line and had some time to recover, we started walking back to our cars. He told me that he was among the runners that had taken a wrong turn and he ended up closer to 13.1 miles but he also came up short of the standard length for a half marathon. From the parking lot, we drove over to Sizzler to eat lunch.
My friend works for Sizzler and he always treats when we go. I'm really appreciative of his generosity! While the restaurant doesn't have a good reputation, I think that they have very decent food especially their awesome salad bar! I got the New York strip steak cooked medium rare with broccoli as my side and the unlimited salad bar. The 2 items that I liked the most about their salad bar were the artichoke hearts and chopped pepperoncini peppers. We talked a bit about some of the common races that we would like to run in the future such as Chicago and Boston. I've run Chicago back in 2010, but I would definitely want to run it again. The two of us will most likely need to go the charity route if we're to run Boston!
New York strip steak with broccoli
Not medium rare, but I'm fine with medium
After we were finished with our meals, we went our separate ways. Back at my room, I watched a bunch of US Open tennis matches. I kind of miss playing tennis, but I think it was a good choice to swap it with endurance running as it's not as harsh and rough on the aging body!
Nishikori
Later that evening, I hopped in the car and drove over to Chick-fil-A again to pick up dinner. Per the usual, I placed my order on their mobile app. For this meal, I ordered their spicy southwest salad with grilled nuggets, a frosted lemonade, and a Greek yogurt parfait.
Sunday 9/5
I got up early and checked-out of my room shortly after 5:30 am as I needed to charge up the car for the drive home. Once I plugged the car in at the Tesla Supercharger station, I went inside the Courtyard by Marriott hotel to wait for my car to finish charging. They have some pretty comfortable chairs in the lobby. I used the restroom prior to my departure.
The drive out to Kingman was nowhere near as stressful as coming in the opposite direction as it was primarily downhill. Since I wasn't in need of a full charge, I decided to give the temporary charging stall a try. The charging speed wasn't too bad. During this stop, I got breakfast at Carl's Jr. I got their steak and egg breakfast burrito combo.
Tesla Supercharger Kingman
Coffee
Steak and egg breakfast burrito combo
Steak and egg breakfast burrito
After I finished my breakfast and used the restroom, I then made the drive over to Needles. Thankfully, I was able to get an open stall as I needed a full charge for the next leg into Barstow. During the wait, I bought a bottle of cold brew tea. I guess I was a bit impatient as I unplugged the car just slightly ahead of a full charge and got back on the freeway.
I will have to make a mental note of this leg as I was running pretty low on charge near the end. The stretch between Needles and Barstow had more climbs heading west than east. I had to use the same tactics to try and conserve energy. When I rolled up to the charging station, I only had about 13 miles left. All of the stalls were taken when I arrived, but one car pulled out when the driver saw me there waiting.
Once I plugged the car in, I walked over to the other side of Lenwood Rd to eat lunch at In-n-Out. I ordered the usual Double Double with onions and a Neapolitan shake. I didn't do a full charge as the last leg was only about 86 miles to get home.
In-n-Out across the street
Double Double and Neapolitan shake
From this road trip, I learned a lot about the Tesla and how to maximize the battery range. It definitely required me to be flexible and adaptive with my driving. I certainly cannot drive it like I did with my Mini Cooper!
New York strip steak with broccoli
Not medium rare, but I'm fine with medium
After we were finished with our meals, we went our separate ways. Back at my room, I watched a bunch of US Open tennis matches. I kind of miss playing tennis, but I think it was a good choice to swap it with endurance running as it's not as harsh and rough on the aging body!
Djokovic
Nishikori
Gael Monfils
Spicy southwest salad with grilled nuggets, frosted lemonade, and a Greek yogurt parfait
Sunday 9/5
I got up early and checked-out of my room shortly after 5:30 am as I needed to charge up the car for the drive home. Once I plugged the car in at the Tesla Supercharger station, I went inside the Courtyard by Marriott hotel to wait for my car to finish charging. They have some pretty comfortable chairs in the lobby. I used the restroom prior to my departure.
Tesla Supercharger Flagstaff
The drive out to Kingman was nowhere near as stressful as coming in the opposite direction as it was primarily downhill. Since I wasn't in need of a full charge, I decided to give the temporary charging stall a try. The charging speed wasn't too bad. During this stop, I got breakfast at Carl's Jr. I got their steak and egg breakfast burrito combo.
Tesla Supercharger Kingman
Coffee
Steak and egg breakfast burrito combo
Steak and egg breakfast burrito
After I finished my breakfast and used the restroom, I then made the drive over to Needles. Thankfully, I was able to get an open stall as I needed a full charge for the next leg into Barstow. During the wait, I bought a bottle of cold brew tea. I guess I was a bit impatient as I unplugged the car just slightly ahead of a full charge and got back on the freeway.
Tesla Supercharger Needles
Shell station with very expensive gas!
Cold brew tea
I will have to make a mental note of this leg as I was running pretty low on charge near the end. The stretch between Needles and Barstow had more climbs heading west than east. I had to use the same tactics to try and conserve energy. When I rolled up to the charging station, I only had about 13 miles left. All of the stalls were taken when I arrived, but one car pulled out when the driver saw me there waiting.
Tesla Supercharger Barstow
Once I plugged the car in, I walked over to the other side of Lenwood Rd to eat lunch at In-n-Out. I ordered the usual Double Double with onions and a Neapolitan shake. I didn't do a full charge as the last leg was only about 86 miles to get home.
In-n-Out across the street
Order up
Double Double and Neapolitan shake
From this road trip, I learned a lot about the Tesla and how to maximize the battery range. It definitely required me to be flexible and adaptive with my driving. I certainly cannot drive it like I did with my Mini Cooper!
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