Cars

I need a new battery

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One time in Saskatchewan, I had to turn back when I realized I would not make my destination, due to the cold. The winter storm that buried my car the day before was still blowing arcticly, so I had been carefully watching my mileage. EV batteries must keep themselves warm, and regenerative braking is less efficient in cold weather. I still should have been fine, but the rural washboard road turned to mush in a sleet storm. (At the time, I didn’t know that my front struts were broken, thus causing friction on the insides of the front tires on bumpy roads). My range was dropping considerably faster than my miles passed, even as I slowed to a crawl.

So, I turned around and headed back—while still in range—to a charger I’d used recently. And then I took the long way around. I no longer have range anxiety; I have contingencies.

“It may be taken for granted that, rash as the Americans are, when they are prudent there is good reason for it.”

— by Jules Verne in Around the World in 80 Days

This was a wake up call that my battery just doesn’t have the range it did when I started four years ago. Let’s face it, using up to six superchargers a day while crossing the continent repeatedly isn’t common use. Ever since I drove through clouds of locusts on a hot day in eastern Oregon, I’ve noticed the car struggles with heat. (I’ll have to get my radiator checked more thoroughly, too). And I’ve driven through all four major deserts in the contiguous US many times, including getting stuck in traffic south of Vegas mid-day in the summer. Extreme cold requires extra energy and slows charging, but it’s extreme heat that damages batteries in the long run.

For most folks, the decline in battery range wouldn’t matter, as it’s not quite bad enough to be covered under warranty. My Tesla 3LR can still drive further than most EVs (or RVs). But I’m going to the Yucatán, and there’s a gap in the supercharger network in Tabasco. So I need every mile of long range.

While supercharging on Route 66 above and consulting with Tow Mater—“average intelligence”—, I decided to get a new high voltage battery. TSK (TeslaService.LA) gave me a good price on a lightly used battery. Turns out that since most folks treat their batteries much better than I do, the collision repair shop has plenty of used high voltage batteries in stock. They did a great job, including a thorough cleaning and minor fixes, so, next stop, Mexico!

Midwest Region National Heritage Areas

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The Midwest region has 8 NHA’s—more than most regions—ranging from industrial to pastoral, and most are devoted to travel by horse, boat, car or plane. Each heritage area provides a unique way for us to learn our history and explore our diverse culture in vibrant and interactive ways, such as riding in a Santa Fe Trail stagecoach above. Parks travelers tend to focus on the most famous iconic national parks, but I found some of my most treasured experiences below.

If you missed any of the posts above, I encourage you to click on them now, especially the last one. I’m slowly filling in the map and will continue posting Midwest state photo summaries on alternate Saturdays. I only have a few more Midwest national park units to post before I complete all sites in the region, and look for a few more New York sites. Thursdays will alternate between summaries like this one and eclectic extras like last week.

MotorCities National Heritage Area

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Behind “Elizabeth” above is the secret room where Henry Ford designed and built the first Model T in his factory on Piquette Avenue on the then outskirts of Detroit. His buddy Harvey Firestone got the first ride, and then Ford road-tested the vehicle by driving through Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula on a hunting trip. (Along with the influential naturalist John Burroughs and the inventor Thomas Edison, the four were close friends and camping buddies). Then, introduced in 1908, the Ford Model T took over the US car market.

Roughly half the price of a horse-drawn carriage (including horses, shoes and fodder), priced lower than competing cars, and offering useful attachments like truck beds, skis or tractor wheels, folks loved the rugged, practical vehicles. Ford had already built models B, C, F, K, R, N and S in this factory, but a lighter weight steel allowed him to build the vehicle he knew would be popular in rural America (Ford grew up on a 200 acre farm), the Model T, with 6 models ranging from $825 to $1100: the Roadster, Tourabout, 5-Passenger Touring Car(above), Town Car, Coupe (popular with doctors) and Landaulet (taxi). The original Model A that had been built down the road in 1903 was redesigned and reintroduced in 1927 to replace the Model T as another commercial success. Of over 100 car makers in Michigan when Ford started, his is the only original firm remaining.

By making the popular standard car, Ford determined the direction of the industry. His wife insisted the steering wheel be placed on the roadside, so that when he drove she didn’t dirty her dress while stepping to the curb. Instead of alternatives like steam-punk coal-burning vehicles or electric vehicles—several of Ford’s earliest vehicles were electric—, gasoline was readily available across the country for small machines and farm equipment. Before realizing that black paint was cheaper and dried quicker, red and green models were also sold, often with raw white rubber tires, as above. After making various improvements to the assembly process here, Ford designed his next factory with steel-reinforced concrete floors to bring parts down to the world’s first synchronized assembly line. While this fascinating heritage area includes many different car museums, the Piquette Factory tour must be considered the highlight, with two dozen early model cars built here on display over 100 years later.

Here are my visits to all parks in Michigan.