Trip report Ohio
So, this leg got bumpy... Well, it was always going to be since I decided to avoid the turnpike, something that went pretty much fine once I switched to TomTom as ABRP is still a dumpster fire. Mountains were fun, watch the range drooop as I go up, and then by the time I hit the bottom, my range is higher than when I started climbing. Problems came in Ohio, where I stopped in Cambrige, and found out that hotels are few and far between in Ohio outside of major cities like Columbus. So, that mean driving another 70 miles in the dark to Reynoldsburg, a suburb of Columbus, through a construction zone that's terrifying in the dark.
So, as I said I was supposed to charge in Cambridge, but only did a partial as the hotel has chargers... From some company that I've never heard of, that wouldn't validate my card, so... Well, charging in the morn here, maybe by the time I"m done, the traffic will be better, because its terrible. Either way, I'm at a showcase Ionna Rechargery complete with lounge. Can't say the lounge is impressive, I don't need to eat, but there's not much to offer here, one small machine with a shelf of snacks and few shelves of drinks. At least I have somewhere to sit and type this.
As to the rest of the trip...
Had fun spending time with family, didn't realize how much I missed them.
Found a great Chevy dealer, Faulkner in Lancaster, if'n you're having trouble with your dealer, consider a repair vacation to Lancaster, they'll take care of you, and there's plenty to do while you're there.
Stayed at the Fairfield Inn in east Lancaster, wouldn't recommend it, for the price, steeply discounted because of how long I was staying, it was fine, but I'd say this is a 2 star hotel, its badly in need of a remodel, especially new furnshings. Only Marriott property I stayed at during the trip, and definitely didn't leave a great impression, HIlton's were the best, IHG were hit or miss, didn't realize that Holiday Inn Express is considered a 2 star hotel.
If you're not in a rush, State Route 30 is a great way to leave Lancaster if'n you're going west, you can take it all the way to New Stanton, completely avoiding the PA Turnpike which is a toll road, and its very scenic. Also it runs through Gettysburg as well as the 9-11 museum, so there's plenty to do even on the way home.
Didn't get to do the sightseeing I want, Strasburg Railroad was closed as was the Train Museum, which somehow I"ve never gotten to the museum despite multiple trips out there, Strasburg Railroad was going to be done because its fun and I do it every time I get out there.
Not much else to say, for those who wonder if'n travel is possible with an EV, this trip will be around 2000 miles by the time I get home, all done in a Bolt EUV, just requires a lot of apps, I've charged at Ionna, Red-E, Tesla, Chargepoint, EVGo and Electrify America stations, plus you need ABRP for route planning, it mostly just sucks on navigation. Oh, and Plugshare can come in handy for finding stations in your immediate area when you don't need navigation. Technically you could use it for navigation, but that would require you to figure out how far you can safely go along your route and pick out chargers, ABRP calculates for charger reliability, elavation changes, climate control usage, all the things that effect your range, which is so much easier, and if'n you don't like what it picks, you can change it.
EDIT
Had to post this later, seems #Fedilab has a bug, it wouldn't post do to a JavaScript error, so posting at the first Indiana stop via browser.
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Mark Wollschlager
in reply to 🌴 Seph 💭 👾 • • •I'm unfamiliar with EV travel, is the ABRP app required for preconditioning before a charge? I have heard of such things.
🌴 Seph 💭 👾
in reply to Mark Wollschlager • •@Mark Wollschlager
Yeah, franchises are nev3r consistant, but a goid start is to always stay at 3 stars or above, minimum standars are usually higher and inspections more frequent.
Nooe, preconditioning is handle by the onboard navigation app, however thst's frequently biased to networks they have agreements with. ABRP is a general purpose navigation app, but designed for electric cars, and theoretically knows every charger, you just set a few things so it knows what's compatible and what you like to use
Mark Wollschlager
in reply to 🌴 Seph 💭 👾 • • •🌴 Seph 💭 👾
in reply to Mark Wollschlager • •True, but it also gives you an idea of what to expect, for example 2 star is where Motel 6, Super 8 and such sit. Holiday Inn is better in amenities, but condition, and service is very inconsistent, which is prolly why they wound up on that tier.
Mark Wollschlager
in reply to 🌴 Seph 💭 👾 • • •This summer I stayed in an older ( it had been closed for a couple of years ) place that reopened last summer as a boutique adjacent hip-ish place.
They had a number of cool amenities, fire pit/outdoor relaxation area, bike rentals, cozy lobby with games and an espresso bar . But the rooms were still the old rooms with a 'flip' and some new furniture. It was fine, and somewhat cheaper than the Residence Inn I usually stayed at. One and a half steps above a 'motor court' as all the rooms were on the inside. Both were 3 star and the Residence Inn was far nicer.
I have stayed in the least expensive places in that town and, well, those were a lot worse.