Blue State or Red State - There is an Electric Car in Your Future - If You Live Long Enough

Two battery cars

Paul and Evelyn are on their maiden voyage

We were a 2 Tesla family for 3 days. Paul and Evelyn were here. They drove down from St James Bay NC on their way to visit family in Naples FL. This is their first trip in their 2023 Tesla Model 3 SR. They only have 3000 miles on it - and they are enjoying the quiet and luxurious ride. The blue car spent 2 nights in our garage next door to its red cousin. They left all charged up to 272 miles. 

Our red car is a 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR that will be 2 years old in July. We have 11,000 miles on it - along with long trips to Sarasota - Tampa - Orlando - Daytona - Jacksonville - and Pennsylvania. Our next long trip is to Miami in March. 

There are a few mechanical differences in the cars - but the bodies are identical. The blue one has one motor powering the rear wheels. It has a 58 kWh LFP battery. It can be charged to 100% every night. The red one has two motors - one on each axle - the computer decides which ones to use. They combine to give you 450 horsepower - so it can go from 0-60 in 4 seconds. It has a 78 kWh battery that goes 358 miles on a charge. 

At 12 cents per kWh - what we pay at home - it costs $9.36 to fill my battery to go 358 miles. Paul has a solar system on his home - so basically he can drive for free - when filling at home - but to fill is 58 kWh battery costs about $6.96 to go 272 miles. 

The blue one has white seats and the red one has black seats. We washed the cars - and I could not find any obvious differences in the bodies. 

Both cars have an MPGe of over 100 miles as compared to a gasoline car - example - our Honda van gets 28 MPG on a trip. Note - some figures are rounded off - no need for decimal points. 

Paul is the grandfather of our grandkids - Max and Helen - Liz's Dad. They are avid travelers. Evelyn was an opera singer by profession - and the step-grandmother of the kids.

 

I Just Watched the Rocket Launch at Cape Canveral

See the video here - 

https://youtu.be/WrN9AfidUmM

We are in Daytona Beach at a hotel. We spent 3 nights near Dineyworld - now 3 nights in Daytona Beach. Tomorrow night we will spend in Nocatee FL with our friend Joan. Then we go back home. 

Lulu is currently teaching her Monday night 8-10 pm. While she was teaching - she reminded me that there is a rocket launch at 8:32 pm. I went up on our hotel roof and pointed my phone down the coast toward Cape Canveral. 

I was surprised at how clearly I could see the launch. 

We are driving our Tesla electric car. We were able to fit our 2 folding bikes into the trunk. 

The weather was much nice rain the Disney area. We had 80s and sun. Here it has been mostly windy - 60s with some rain. As soon as we leave here tomorrow - the temps are supposed to go back to 80s. We did have a clear sunny Monday here. 

Winter Drive to Orlando - Davenport - Daytona Beach - St Augustine in the Red Car

Garden Theatre in Winter Garden FL

VTOL - Vertical Take Off and Landing
Florida Air Museum

Lulu's cousin Cathy owns a town house in Davenport FL. It is about 10 miles west of Disneyworld. There is a dramatic difference in the weather - among other things - between Tallahassee and Disney. We came down the west coast of Tallahassee driving our electric car. About 150 miles from home is Crystal River. We stop there often because the Wawa Market has 8 superchargers. We can be topped up in 15 minutes. Our car has a range of 350 miles - but I do not like to run it low - so the 150 mile stop is perfect. We could make it to Disney without charging - but I get uneasy. Also - Wawa Markets are based in Philadelphia - and they carry many of the foods from back home in Pennsylvania. I love the soft pretzels and the chicken soups. 

Thursday - while the cousins spent the day at the pool - I went touring to Bartow Airbase and the Florida Air Museum near Lakeland. I had both places to myself - I even had a free expert guide in the museum. It was $12 admission - I spent 3 hours there. I charged the car at the Gibsonia Wawa.

Gibsonia is famous because the freaks of the circus settled here. Ringling Brothers Circus used to spend the winter in this area of Florida. They would travel north in giant circus trains - following the good weather north and back. There were many cases of towns being burned out for racial reasons in this area - and the circus people were also discriminated against - thus they formed their own communities. 

I had to be back home by 5 pm - because we had dinner reservations and theatre tickets. We drove to Winter Garden to see "Rock of Ages." What a lovely downtown and theatre area. It is a perfect place for an evening stroll - to shop - eat - and see a show. 

11 pm is late for me - but we managed - we feel like night clubbers!

Today the cousins are thrift store shopping - and I am typing this story. 

Bartow Air Base - Free

Bartow

Bartow - it is also 
an executive airport now.

Bartow - they finish cop cars here.
These trucks are for Palm Beach School Cops.

My car at Florida Air Museum

Florida Air Museum

This is the BD-5 world's smallest jet.
It is a kit plane. 

Tiny little chain saw engines

This guy went from Detroit to 
Jamaica and back - nonstop

Bravest American Woman

Piper Cub was made in Pennsylvania - 
then moved to Florida. 

Painting this F14 Top Gun Tomcat.
It is really big. 

Russian Mig 21. 
Very small and low jet. 

A Calendar of 12 Places We Visited in 2022

 

Wales - July

Switzerland - December

Sweden - May

Poland - June

Germany - May

France - December

Estonia - May

England  - December

Denmark - May

Australia - September

Hegins - April

Tamaqua - August

We love to travel. With Lulu's work - it takes her all over the world. Thankfully I can tag along if I pay my own way. 

In Wales we visited the town of Aberfan - where a coal mine avalanche killed 144 kids and teachers in a school in 1966. 

In Switzerland we climbed to the top of a 13,000 foot mountain - on cog railroads.

In Sweden we visited the city of Stockholm with the Abba Museum.

In Poland we had porgies in Gdansk. 

In Germany we explored Rostock.

In France we shopped in downtown Paris for Lulu's present. 

In Estonia we walked the walled city Tallinn. I can see Russia from my porch. 

In England we saw the Christmas decorations of London and the Queen's 70th. 

In Denmark we had a very late supper and it was still light out. 

In Australia we saw so many kangaroos.

In Hegins - Sally restored a Farmall Tractor.

In Tamaqua - we celebrated our 50th anniversary with a renewal wedding.

Our Friends Back Home - The Turrano's

This is the Turrano's. They live in our old hometown of Tamaqua PA. Ben and Melanie were students of mine - a long time ago. Their sons in the middle - Benny and Ethan - they remind me of our good old days - when we had sons at home. 

Dr Melanie is a professor of English at LCCC - a community college that occupies the site of my old high school. Also my sons attended junior high school there - before the building was torn down. 

Ben is an admissions counselor at LCCC. 

Benny is a second year teacher at Panther Valley - where I taught his parents in the middle school. I taught 7th grade science - he now teaches 8th grade social studies.  His younger brother Ethan is finishing his degree at Bloomsbury University. 

Benny owns a home in Lansford PA - where I spent my 33 years as a teacher.

I just love this picture of this wonderful family. 

Christmas in Paris With the Kids

Clark Kent with his new wonder glasses.
Also his hot chocolate stain
from Louis Vitton.

Opening presents in Paris

The kids think it is a tourist trap - 
but I love it. 

We just completed a lovely trip to Oxford - London - Switzerland - and Paris. We were invited along to a winter wonderland vacation in the Swiss Alps. Then we stayed over at their Paris apartment from December 22 to December 26. Lulu brought extra suitcases for presents - decorations - and baking supplies.

They have an extra bedroom and bath that has become quite comfortable for us. It feels like home. We have a wonderful balcony window that overlooks the street scene near the Eiffel Tower. 

One problem - I did not have a present for Lulu - so on December 24th - I went on my own and explored downtown for the perfect present. The Champs Elysses is one of the most famous shopping streets in the world. Surely I could find something for her there. 

Another bonus - Lulu gave me my Christmas present early - a pair of Ray Ban glasses with a camera built into them. The glasses take high quality pictures - while not holding up a camera. People act differently when they know they are on camera. Candid shots are cool. I would use the glasses while shopping - getting a flavor for what it is like to shop in Paris. 

We had a wonderful Christmas day with the kids. 

On December 26th - we had an all day trip home. We left Paris at 7 AM and were home by 7 PM - same day. On the way home - Lulu got a little of the stomach bug - which I got the next day at home. This is my first illness in 3 years. We tested negative for Covid. 

Our plane was routed up over the Arctic - we entered the USA over Cleveland Ohio. There were lots of flight cancellations in the USA and we saw luggage starting to pile up in Atlanta. But our flights were on time. 

We got home about 7 PM - we turned on the lights on our Christmas tree - and went to bed. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. 

Gift wrapping the sweater.

Louis Vitton - let me see - backpack. 

Apple Store quite busy

Standing in line - Louis Vuitton

This electric Citroen can be bought for 
$6000. 30 mph - 40 mile range.
Kids 14 and older - no license.

Land Rover 

Emily in Paris on 
McDonald's window. 

My Mom's name was Lillian Quick.

Champs Elysses - dry and 50s

Louis Vitton store - that was my line

Lego Christmas tree

I stopped for a free Apple class

Apple Store

Galleries Lafayette

I love Galleries Lafayette

Sweater shop

I love this 4 wheel Cooder

This is by our front door

Cute street restaurant

Walking along the Seine.

Christmas decorations.

Our flight from Paris crossing the 
English Channel to London

Yes we crossed over Greenland

I loved the computer on
the plane

We came in West of Cleveland.