Thursday my brother 4 of 5 (Will) called about his pickup truck and blown head gasket. His primary ride is a Prius but the new car dealers … really pissed him off. He called for tips but I said, ‘I’ll loan you my BMW i3 REx and be there in about 24 hours soon as I pack and hit the road.’ Friday afternoon, I tried to take a pre departure nap but couldn’t. Happily overcast to the West, I got in the 2017 BMW i3-REx and started a planned, 1.500 mile trip west to Safford AZ. For long trips, I get the battery below 75% and drive the rest on the 2 cylinder gas engine and 25 kW generator. Within 1 hour and 15 minutes, I top off the motorcycle sized, 2.3 gal tank and drive 65-68 mph on the next leg, averaging 75-88 miles so the battery holds its charge as reserve. No intentional charging but ‘Carpe Dieum’ one short charge to bring it over 75% so I could drive it closer. So this is the ‘straight drive’ trip meter: A little over $200 of midgrade in 2 gallon top offs at little over one hour segments. Frequent stops and I just arrived 250 away in Las Cruces. Getting a full charge in the Walmart, NO VACANCIES! Apparently prom night, traffic was terrible, loud, teenagers in fancy dress and human (peacock mode,) drove to Deming NM one two bed room $300 (no thank you.) so I drove another 100 miles to Lordstown AZ and found a Flying J with a new fast DC charger . The BMW became my micro-RV: Alarm clock woke me just before dawn started and I drove through high planes desert to my brothers place: Sunday morning, 60s F, rain a couple of days earlier. Awesome quality time in God’s chapel. Signed the car over to Will and his wife. Leaving by train for New Orleans and then figure out the last leg to Huntsville. The adventure continues. Bob Wilson
Headed there now: ‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds | New Orleans | The Guardian Bob Wilson
Been a long time riding in a train: Ride quality - like a bus. Upper ‘cheap seats’ tends to get more as you are at the end of the lever. Space! - your knees are not jammed in the back of the seats. You can get up and walk about. Toilets - serves but one was small and nice; next had an extra sit-on seat and nice, and; first one looked like a men’s room … functional but dam. Club car - don’t have to wait for staff with a rolling cabinet of “treats”. Price - cheaper than flying and bus. Speed - soft highway and more direct on Southern route. Charging - 120 VAC so bring a wall wart Fellow travelers - nice and calm Bob Wilson
Spur of the moment: Pick two from GOOD, FAST, CHEAP: Loan car is FAST and CHEAP but I remain at risk if an accident. Sell car is GOOD and FAST so Will and his wife become sole owners for title, registration, and insurance. My family plays no further liability. Will and wife Doris love the car, warts and all. So I offered the Edmunds “value” and Will offered what I really could use closer to the utility value of the car. The rest are mechanics of money transfer. Bob Wilson
Making God laugh. The train scheduled to arrive New Orleans at 1 PM, May 5th. The next train to Birmingham leaves at 8 AM May 6th. So use the city bus to reach Red Roof Inn and a cheap night, shower, and taxi/Uber in the rush hour to train station. Then God LMAO. A freight train ahead of us stopped when their shift ran out. The replacement crew discovered a freight car with a defective wheel. They re-stacked the freight train to remove the defective car and … An automotive vehicle struck the RR bridge we needed to cross. The bridge inspection showed it unusable. The train is on-and-off in reverse (4:12 PM) to San Antonio where we will take a bus to New Orleans. Should arrive about midnight or later but hopefully early enough for the train to Birmingham. God is ROTFLHAO. The angels are flittering about like quail in spasms of chuckles and the saved chorus is singing HALLELUJAH! Bob Wilson posts with a sly smile.
