Inyokern to Death Valley and back to Bay Area in my R1T

[PowerBugs]

Not so long ago we came back from a road trip to Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Death Valley National Park. Spent one day at Paso Robles then 2 nights at Inyokern.
Why Inyokern? It’s because of the RAN.
The Mesquite flat sand dunes is 109 miles away so I charged up to 98% (315 miles) to give enough cushion on our way back. We got there at 67% (218 mi) at All Purpose mode with my 21 a/s road tires, no roof racks on a clear but windy day. (Used up 31%/97 miles).
On the way back to RAN Inyokern: (109 mi distance)
Starting at 67% (238 mi) Conserve mode
Cold weather at around 37°F
Used 189 mi (51%)
Arrived at 16% (49 mi)
On our return trip to the Bay Area, there was a winter storm advisory and would not have make it if they didn’t open the highway that connects to Bakersfield.
About 413 mi ( through hw 58)
37°F average temp most of the way
Mostly raining the entire trip
70-75mph average speed at I-5
All Purpose Mode Up until Gilroy then Conserve mode.
Total 2 charging stops at
1.Kettleman 179 miles distance (used 247 mi)
2.San Jose 157 mi distance (used 204 mi)
Cabin temp set to 73°F

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[sacramentoelectric]

Thank you for sharing. Looks like with a RTT and 20's, you wouldn't have made it back to Inyokern.

 

[carmigo]

Not so long ago we came back from a road trip to Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Death Valley National Park. Spent one day at Paso Robles then 2 nights at Inyokern.
Why Inyokern? It’s because of the RAN.
The Mesquite flat sand dunes is 109 miles away so I charged up to 98% (315 miles) to give enough cushion on our way back. We got there at 67% (218 mi) at All Purpose mode with my 21 a/s road tires, no roof racks on a clear but windy day. (Used up 31%/97 miles).
On the way back to RAN Inyokern: (109 mi distance)
Starting at 67% (238 mi) Conserve mode
Cold weather at around 37°F
Used 189 mi (51%)
Arrived at 16% (49 mi)
On our return trip to the Bay Area, there was a winter storm advisory and would not have make it if they didn’t open the highway that connects to Bakersfield.
About 413 mi ( through hw 58)
37°F average temp most of the way
Mostly raining the entire trip
70-75mph average speed at I-5
All Purpose Mode Up until Gilroy then Conserve mode.
Total 2 charging stops at
1.Kettleman 179 miles distance (used 247 mi)
2.San Jose 157 mi distance (used 204 mi)
Cabin temp set to 73°F

Wow! Thanks for sharing! Those pictures are stunning too.

 

[Singletracker]

Yeah. I like to visit Death Valley, usually in early March, before it gets too hot. Unfortunately, once/if I get my R1T, DV trips like this will be out of the question. Living east of the Sierras, in northern NV, there is just no charging infrastructure available. Hwy 395, south of Reno down to southern CA is okay. There are even a few RAN chargers along the way. Anything east of 395 and/or north of Reno is a charging desert. This is a huge concern for me. Traveling west of the Sierras all is good. East of the Sierras, well good luck..

 

[PowerBugs]

Thank you for sharing. Looks like with a RTT and 20's, you wouldn't have made it back to Inyokern.

I agree. We definitely need a RAN in Death Valley to enjoy our Rivian’s.

 

[PowerBugs]

Yeah. I like to visit Death Valley, usually in early March, before it gets too hot. Unfortunately, once/if I get my R1T, DV trips like this will be out of the question. Living east of the Sierras, in northern NV, there is just no charging infrastructure available. Hwy 395, south of Reno down to southern CA is okay. There are even a few RAN chargers along the way. Anything east of 395 and/or north of Reno is a charging desert. This is a huge concern for me. Traveling west of the Sierras all is good. East of the Sierras, well good luck..

Hopefully there will be more DC charging stations by the time you get your R1T s00n.

 

[Singletracker]

Hopefully there will be more DC charging stations by the time you get your R1T s00n.

Hope springs eternal, or however that goes. A RAN in Death Valley would be awesome! Heck, anything in DV would be nice. From the west, it’s 100+ miles in and 100+ mile out. Coming from the north, on 395, it’s even longer. There’s a RAN in Bishop, CA, but that‘s a 250 miles roundtrip to DV. That doesn’t leave much battery for exploration. Like I said, anything east of the Sierras is pretty much not EV territory.

 

[R1Sky Business]

Not so long ago we came back from a road trip to Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Death Valley National Park. Spent one day at Paso Robles then 2 nights at Inyokern.
Why Inyokern? It’s because of the RAN.
The Mesquite flat sand dunes is 109 miles away so I charged up to 98% (315 miles) to give enough cushion on our way back. We got there at 67% (218 mi) at All Purpose mode with my 21 a/s road tires, no roof racks on a clear but windy day. (Used up 31%/97 miles).
On the way back to RAN Inyokern: (109 mi distance)
Starting at 67% (238 mi) Conserve mode
Cold weather at around 37°F
Used 189 mi (51%)
Arrived at 16% (49 mi)
On our return trip to the Bay Area, there was a winter storm advisory and would not have make it if they didn’t open the highway that connects to Bakersfield.
About 413 mi ( through hw 58)
37°F average temp most of the way
Mostly raining the entire trip
70-75mph average speed at I-5
All Purpose Mode Up until Gilroy then Conserve mode.
Total 2 charging stops at
1.Kettleman 179 miles distance (used 247 mi)
2.San Jose 157 mi distance (used 204 mi)
Cabin temp set to 73°F

That video is gold!!!!! Pure gold.

 

[mroe]

I'm hoping the Olancha RAN opens soon so I can at least explore the northwest side of the park

 

[PowerBugs]

I'm hoping the Olancha RAN opens soon so I can at least explore the northwest side of the park

Did you say s00n?

 

[Chewy734]

Love that 1st pic!

 

[hayduke]

Death valley np is a real challenge. i wanted to go to check out the race track (playa) but it just seems too far to make it from any fast charger… inyokern being the closest but not close enough.

i actually had wanted to camp in the park but there are only a handful of rv sites with hookups at 1 nps campground and 2 commercial sites - 1 run from a diesel generator with unreliable power. plug share is filled with horror stories of even paying for a hotel room and then being told charging is not available.

there’s an rv park near amorgosa valley that seems to have ample rv hookups but it’s still close to 100 miles out and it looks like it would not be scenic camping. probably just stay in the hotel.

kind of bummed as if i had had a gas car i’d be headed there next week but just scrapped the idea because it’s such a headache.

instead i’ll be driving straight through to las vegas. last time i arrived with 7 miles of charge left. wish me luck.

second that, charging east of the sierra nevada sucks. what i would give to have tesla open up their beatty nv charger.

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