PiP "Executive Parking" @ Virginia's Wolf Trap Nat'l Park for the Performing Arts

Folks in the Metro Wash DC Area, you likely have experienced or heard about the incredible traffic delays in exiting the Wolf Trap outdoor performing arts amphitheater after a show. Here's a trick I just discovered: the National Park Service has emplaced two ChargePoint free L2 charging posts for four exclusively plug-in parking spots, less than one hundred feet from the entrance turnstiles to the amphitheater. Each ChargePoint post has one 240V L2 cord and one 120V receptacle.

We parked there this past Friday evening to meet friends for a grass picnic and a show. I arrived around 7 PM, fully expecting all four spots to be taken. I was the 1st occupant. After the friends' picnic basket and the Pinot Grigio bottle were mysteriously emptied we realized my car was so close that I walked out with the remains to stash them in the car before we took our amphitheater seats. By that point, 15 minutes before the show began, there were two Volts next to the PiP, and one parking slot remained empty. Of course, one Volt had to plug in via its OEM 120V EVSE.

I came out during the intermission because the PiP was charged up by then and plugged the ChargePoint L2 EVSE into the 120V Volt, just wrapping his OEM EVSE end around his driver's mirror. That parking location is so close to the turnstiles it is a pleasurable 2-minute leg stretch for intermission. I then started his free charge with my ChargePoint card. Later, I got a "fully charged" ChargePoint e-mail as I was driving home - meaning, that Volt got completely topped off as well before the other owner got to it.

Best deal: I was home in Arlington County 20 minutes after walking out of the show, as our friends were still (!) in the parking lot waiting to exit the property. Those of us who ever attended a Wolf Trap event will instantly understand this hidden advantage - hence the "Executive Parking" title.

There are no signs to find these four slots, but every Park Ranger directing traffic into the park pointed me quickly and accurately to the location as I entered.

Oh, and BTW - the fourth plug-in slot remained empty throughout the show.

 

I'm into paying things forward. Karma does exist.