2023 Electrics at the Dragon
Another year, another annual meeting of the electric motorcycles at US-129 in Robbinsville, North Carolina. How’d it go with ChargePoint DC stations being offline to Energica bikes this year? Rather seamless, honestly. Dig in for the details...
I plan my year around the week that is Electrics at the Dragon. Generally I spend the entire week out there with my eMoto buddies, who ride/tow in from around the US, for a week of fellowship and curvy roads. This is an exercise in putting myself out there -- from tolerating personality differences (like being ragged that your company’s hardware is broken) to coping with my fear of claustrophobia and heights in the tunnel-filled mountains of NC/TN. This year, however, I decided that I wanted to spend more of my time pool side in Georgia than the potential fight for charger access with 20+ EVs running around rural western NC. As such I decided I’d only spend one day - Tuesday - with the Dragon crew and the rest of the time would be spent completing my NC State Parks challenge and lounging with my other (reads: gay) friends in Augusta by the pool.
Sunday: pre-trip ride to Graham, NC
After volunteering a friend to take over house/dog sitting duties I’d committed to, I departed Raleigh in Sunday May 14th for Graham, NC. It’s only ~60mi from my home, but I have a friend who lives there and this would cut 2+ hours out of my Monday riding/charging plans if I left from his house. So I packed everything up into a tank and tail bag (CPAP, thermally-controlled injectable medication, clothes, charging gear for bike and phones, rain gear, etc) and headed over to his house. The hour-ish long ride was entirely uneventful, and this would be one of only two times I’d use my travel charging cable for the bike. After locating a plank of wood to use as a kickstand support, I plugged into the 120v outlet off his deck and left the bike. We walked over to a local Mexican restaurant for dinner, and we chatted (since both of us have been traveling a lot this year for work) until well after midnight. The next morning I awoke just after 7am to the smell of pork sausage being cooked in a cast iron skillet (this is a uniquely southern smell that takes me straight back to childhood and grandma’s house). I woke up and got a shower while my buddy worked on breakfast. After repacking the CPAP and medications, gearing up, and eating a delightfully southern breakfast... I hopped on my bike shortly after 8am and headed west in a light drizzle of rain.
Monday: all systems go
My first stop was at a Duke Park and Plug location (with BTCPower charging hardware) some 50mi away in Kernersville, going from 56-90% in 20 minutes total charging time for a cost of $2.74.
From here I’d hop over to a Nissan dealer in Wilkesboro. Here is where I feared things were going to go south. I arrived and the charger wasn’t in use, but the screen was solid white and not responding to touch. The throw switch for the main power is right next to the station, so I turned it off and counted to 45 and then powered it back on. It took a moment for the ABB station to power up, but once it did the card reader came active and I was able to insert my credit card and start the station. It took an hour and three minutes to go from 13% to 85% but the cost was crazy: $25! Next stop: Mt. Jefferson state park!
One park down, 6 more to go until this bike’s been to all 41 North Carolina State Parks. Next charge stop: Circle K in Boone, NC. My arrival at the Circle K was met with panic: there’s a work truck, one of the stations is already opened up, and the other one is powered down. I pull up to it and turn off my helmet’s bluetooth so I could talk to a worker. He asked if I needed to charge, and I said yes else my trip ends here with a tow truck. They powered up the unopened station and allowed me to charge.
This charge was just over an hour, and I didn’t record the starting and ending SOC (I likely was above 90% SOC when I left). After getting the charge session started, I unhooked the bags and walked over to an Italian restaurant where I had an interest observation with a table of Boomers and a delightful ravioli lunch. The table next to me was lively, but what really got to me was they got on the topic of electric vehicles by way of a “not to get political, but” comment targeting the current US Administration. I politely interjected that as someone working in the EV industry, their lack of understanding of capabilities, existing and planned infrastructure, and the sheer cost savings alone means they are only being fed the news approved by Oil Industry-backed media outlets, and that the transition will happen with or without their approval or involvement in the name of cost savings -- environmental benefits be damned. I also reminded them that, by the time I’m their age (they had a solid 25 years on me) that most people will summon an on-demand vehicle to take them somewhere, ownership will be a thing of the past. The guy’s only comment was “thank God I’ll be dead then.” Can’t say I don’t envy him there a little bit... After getting a sealed lid container for the left over ravioli and shoehorning it into the tail bag, which was becoming so tall now that throwing my leg over it was becoming a challenge, I set off for my next stop: Elk Knob State Park! The cost of this charge was $2.51.
After Elk Knob, I rode on over to Grandfather Mountain state park before my last DC charge before arriving at my AirBNB in Asheville.
I rolled into the Chevy dealer in Marion, NC and saw that a rather new looking Bolt was plugged into the DC station. I then spied a 24kW station next to the show room, so I attempted to use it. A man came outside to talk about the bike, informing me he owned a Zero a few years ago and was waiting on his Hummer EV truck to ship. He said he’d had issues with this 24kW station and offered me the L2 in their bay. That station was a Blink, and it didn’t want to work with my bike either! At this time I told him I’d just wait for the Bolt to finish since it was at 94% and wouldn’t take very long. I rolled over to the station and waited until I saw the charger report 100% SOC and stopped the charge to unplug the Bolt and plug in my bike.
While charging, the “owners” of the Bolt showed up. Turns out they’d rented it from Hertz, because it was the cheapest rental, and they were charging it up to return it. The father of the guy who rented the car is a fire fighter and we had a rather in depth but brief conversation about lithium fires and how sodium batteries were likely the tech to take EVs truly mainstream. It was great to talk to someone who had a legit concern but was aware it was a temporary one in the grand scheme. After topping off to 80+% (for FREE) I hit the Blue Ridge Parkway for nearly 30 miles of fog and cold temps to reach the last state park of the day, and the highest elevation in the state of NC, Mt. Mitchell!
I never feared running out of power, even though I know I hit the red (less than 20% SOC) before I got to Asheville. I had to pass through 4 or 5 tunnels on the road, but I rarely was above 35mph at any time due to the poor visibility -- seeing more than 5ft was impossible. I was literally traveling through a cloud for what seemed like an eternity. The weather was so bad that I was losing GPS signal for upwards of 10 minutes at a time. Luckily the exit came, I got off the parkway, weaved through some truly insanely designed neighborhood streets, then wound up on the outskirts of UNC-Asheville in a cute little neighborhood. I happened to pull into the driveway right as my Airbnb host - who drives a Leaf - got home. He showed me where the EV charger was (right next to the door to my room) and asked if I’d plug his car in when I was done. I agreed and we chatted a bit more about his solar setup and how his Leaf’s held up over the years. After our chat I plugged the bike in and proceeded to strip down and launder my clothes (everything was wet now), eat my leftovers, and take a power nap with my eSTIM TENS unit attached to my lower back. A few hours later my alarm went off, I swapped the charge cable to his car and pulled out my dry laundry and went back to sleep.
Tuesday: let’s slay the Dragon!
Tuesday morning I woke up and didn’t want to move. I was pretty sore, I’ve not done a ride like this in quite a while and frankly I’m badly out of shape. I popped some acetaminophen and ate a granola bar before packing up the bike and heading further west. I only had one charging stop - a Duke Park and Plug in Cherokee, NC - before I’d get to the Tail of the Dragon house. I ate at a local “Cakery and Deli” which had a really good Bacon-egg-cheese biscuit, and after getting to ~90% state of charge in 32m for a cost of $3.57.
On my way to the rental house in Robbinsville, I was following a pair of Harleys and an RV. The RV pulled over so we could pass, and 1.6 miles before the driveway to the rental, the lead Harley went down. The rider thought he had a broken rib - he’d indicated he’d had one before - and refused help to move. His son, who was my age or older, called EMS. After I was sure they had help on the way, I left them and headed to the house a little shaken. You forget the inherent dangers of two wheels until you get reminded of it. The guy wasn’t going too fast for conditions, he hit a patch of tar that was sticky and that caused him to break traction. His bike, which was weeks old, wasn’t totaled but it wasn’t in great shape either.
I didn’t even get unpacked before my friend Rory asked me if I wanted to go eat at Tapoco lodge just down the road from the Killboy Tail of the Dragon tshirt shack. I agreed, store my medication in the big fridge and put the ice pack in the freezer, then hopped back on my bike and rode over to the lodge. Lunch was great, as it always is there, and then we went to the tshirt shack for the organized 4pm group photo (which many folks failed to attend).
Rory and I went down and back up the Dragon before the photo event took place. When it was time to move my bike, it wouldn’t go into Run mode. It kept saying the kill switch was triggered, and what that means is the seat switch wasn’t working right. After adjusting the arm on the switch, the error went away and never came back. It was also during this gathering that I found out that Tellico Plains, TN no longer allows EVs to plug into the “Food Truck outlets” in town. This caused a stink and ruined some early morning ride plans, as stopping for a leisurely (and on average $25 per head) breakfast at Tellico has been tradition since 2021. A letter to the town is being written, the whole crew (usually 8-10 folks per rider group) agreed to boycott the town until their policy changes or dedicated chargers get installed.
After the photo, I went back to the house with several other folks while another group went to Tapoco for drinks and food. I got to catch up with everyone, and found out the rental house has a house cat this year -- no idea her name, and no photos sadly -- she’s the sweetest little thing and she will plop down in your lap and go to sleep so fast it’ll make your head spin. I was glued to the sofa listening to the rain (oh, yeah, it POURED moments after we got to the house) for a solid hour before someone came looking for me (I’d only come out to check the charge progress of my bike).
I slept on the sofa that night, and was awake before 6am despite not going to sleep till after 12:30 (I stayed up talking with a new guy who I’d never met before). Tomorrow, it’s back to visiting parks and making my way south towards Georgia...
Wednesday: plans changed
The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Rory asked me if he could follow me to Franklin, NC (my first charge stop) in the morning and I said sure. This ballooned into a convoy of 6 going to Franklin on a morning joy ride. Somehow I got into the middle of the pack and lost Rory and Rick (leading) in some curves and decided to follow my GPS which said to make a right turn... this led is on a good 17 mile, about 40 minute, detour around a lake on wet gravel roads with some serious grades going downhill. I felt so bad for everyone who was following me, tho Scott (from Florida) said that was one of the coolest rides he’d been on. Once we got to pavement, I sorted out my directions and the rest of the gang headed to a brewery in Sylvia. I finally, nearly an hour later than intended, got to the Franklin Post office where I mailed my extra clothes to myself -- this made it so I could get on and off the bike easier since the tail bag wasn’t as loaded down/tall. After my Post Office visit, I stole the charger from Rick at the Duke Park and Plug in town. The guy I’d met the night before, Lee, was also there along with Rory.
They all decided to go to the brewery and left me shortly after I got there. I charged to 95% (cost $4.16) and headed over to Gorges state park.
The ride to Gorges was wet, cold, hot, and beautiful. After snapping my photo I had to ride up the access road to the gas station to get signal and be able to plot my route to the charging station in Saluda, NC. When I got to Saluda, there were two Mach-E’s charging. I plugged into the open space and popped my seat open to reveal my charging port then went into the Subway to order lunch. Right as I paid one of the pony cars was leaving, so I ran outside and moved my bike over to the vacant charger. I had to start the session twice, I don’t know why, but it didn’t work on the first go. As I was getting things going another Mach-E pulled up with a big muscle guy getting out. He seemed confused looking at the CCS and CHAdeMO plugs, and I told him the black one worked with his car. He thanked me and I went inside. As I ate I watched him plug the car in and walk away on the phone, then he came back over pulled a child out of the carseat in the back of the car. Then he realized he wasn’t charging, and I assume he called the 800 number on the machine for help. Ultimately, he unplugged and tossed the connector into the grass and drove off with his child sitting unbelted in the passenger seat and his charge port door open. No idea what happened there, but it was the first of two times I’d run into frustrated Ford owners that day. Well, 28 minutes and $3.26 later I was ready to go, but instead of going to Chimney Rock and South Mountains state parks, I realized I was very close to the SC border and the pool was calling me. So I decided to shelve the last two state parks for Memorial Day weekend and proceeded, unplanned, towards Augusta. My first charging stop would be in Piedmont, South Carolina at an EVgo located at a Spinx gas station.
When I arrived at the Spinx, I couldn’t find the charger. As I was pulling around I saw the meters and transformer, and a large white Ford Transit parked along the curb... oh, it’s an eTransit. Oh, the angry looking woman is pressing buttons on her phone and holding her hand over her other ear. I paused my music and pulled up next to her and asked “Is it broken?” and she said, angrifly, “yes and I’m on the phone with them now.” I sighed, opened Plugshare and picked another EVgo in Simpsonsville that was down the street from a new Duke Park and Plug location -- one of these spots had to be able to charge me up. I hopped on 385 and paid a $2 toll and arrived at an unoccupied EVgo in Simpsonville. I tapped my ChargePoint card to it and it authorized and began charging me to 70%. I laid out behind the charger resting my back, when this guy came up and asked if the bike was mine. Turns out this guy is an EV owner, has a Leaf and a Tesla now, and he had never seen an EV bike. We talked pretty much the entire 46 minutes I was there (cost $5.14). Once I hit 70% I had enough to get to Nienty Six, South Carolina for yet another Duke Park and Plug charge. I thanked the man for the conversation, and headed south.
The town of Ninety Six is a postage stamp. I was hungry but didn’t really want to try the China #1 restaurant across the street based on the reviews. I opted for a beef stick and some water from the nearby BP while the bike charged up. It took me 38 minutes to get to something like 75% I think (for $2.63), and I was only 60mi from the hotel in Augusta. I ran a little slow to save energy, and when I got to the highway that would take me into Augusta, I was at just under 20%. I arrived at the hotel and could barely walk, the last several days really took a lot out of me. My husband was already at the hotel and had run our travel charge cable under the door and dropped it off the balcony to the parking spot in front of the room where our Audi was parked. We moved the Audi and plugged the bike in, it was fully charged and balanced by 9am the next morning.
After another of our friends who was going to be hanging out with us this weekend saw how badly I was walking, he offered to give me a massage. It’s rare for someone to massage my back and get it to pop, but he did it in three spots. I felt so much better after that, and I slept like a log -- waking up before 7am, as per usual, with bright eyes and a smile. The next several days were spent lounging, laughing, drinking, and relaxing. We got one good day of sunshine on Saturday and I got my first sunburn of the year.
Sunday: all good things must come to an end
I was on the road before 8am on Sunday. I left all my bags with my husband and the crew we spent the weekend with so I had no issues mounting or dismounting from the bike. I decided on my return route the night before, my first charge stop would be Electrify America in Columbia. This location was half de-rated, but 50kW is still more than my bike can take. I got the last charger when I pulled in, and this was going to be the theme for the rest of the day. I spent 1 hour and 5 minutes in Columbia, with a yellow battery at the end of the charge session, for a cost of $5.77. I then rode to Rock Hill, SC and charged at a Circle K for 29 minutes and a cost of $2.31. While there, an etron pulled in to use the 180kW station and a Bolt EUV pulled in right as I was leaving.
From here, I hopped over to the Electrify America in Charlotte. On arrival only 4 of the 10 stalls were open. By the time I left there was a small queue of cars waiting to charge. This charge was an hour and 16 minutes long, costing $4.53. My last stop before home was Greensboro, NC. On my way to Greensboro, my nav phone bit the dust (third one I’ve killed on the bike), so I had to look at the directions and pay attention to the exit numbers. I rolled up with only 4% state of charge! This charge took over an hour and a half to complete, due to how warm my battery had gotten on this wonderfully sunny and 78F weather. The cost was $5.65 adding 15kWh (I charged to 88%). From here I hit the highway and didn’t need navigation to get me home. I pulled into my driveway about 10 minutes after my husband (who left 4 hours after me and only had one charging stop) with 5% state of charge and over 1200 miles on my odometer.
All said and done, this trip cost me $62.13 in public charging costs (the home charge to go from 5-100% was another $2.10 for 17.357kWh of energy). I was reminded how slow the bike is to charge when it’s warm out, but just how great it is when it’s running around in the cooler mountain air. I’ll probably only do a few more trips like this before I retire this bike -- the drivetrain is destined to go into a Volvo conversion project in the near future. I’m holding out for a new Experia once the liquid cooled battery becomes a reality (eliminating these hour+ long charging sessions). Will I have a new bike for Tail of the Dragon 2024? Will I come back on my 2021 EsseEsse9+? Stay tuned!