EV "Sunday Drive": Better Than 18¢ a Gallon

When I wa kid, my father once took our family on a ridiculous ride:  My parents, sister, and I piled into his dream machine (a Corvette that he "gifted" to my mom for their anniversary--a cautionary tale for a different day) and headed out, destination not known.

Mom's Dad's Corvette

I know what my dad wanted.  He wanted to experience the open road in the classic American sense, just like his father did with the family mid-20th Century.  He took us on a Sunday Drive.

There were some obvious hiccups.  One, us kids were clearly not buckled up.  Two, gas was not 18¢/gallon like it was when Grandpa Coram took his family on those leisurely drives forever ago.  Needless to say, I don't have the fondest memories of the Sunday Drive.  

Fast forward...I'm a father now.  I am always looking for experience opportunities for our family.  What better than to head out on a Sunday Drive!  The mistakes of my father shall not be perpetuated this generation.  Sabrina and Charlie will be buckled safely in a backseat and I will not have to pay for gas!

We're going to head north to Bellingham.  Tanya and I love the town, and I would like to try and force that appreciation onto our kids.  When I was a 20-something, driving Chuckanut Drive up to Bellingham was the closest I felt to experiencing driving nirvana:  a curvy road with the beautiful backdrop of Samish Bay and the San Juan Islands.

In planning an EV Sunday Drive, the prudent geek in me wants to take into consideration some variables that are going to have an effect on the range of our Nissan LEAF.  One being distance, another elevation gain/loss.

Equal Parts Uphill/Downhill = Good!

In reality, there will be plenty of charging opportunities.  This is not a range test, so if we need to charge, we'll plug in. Easy!

We'll update the blog along the drive...check back!

The drive from Arlington to Mt. Vernon via Hwy. 9 is awesome! Lot's of fun to be had on this twisty road. Tanya and Charlie didn't join Sabrina and me on today's Sunday Drive, so spirited driving became a priority for fun. Here we are charging briefly in Burlington.