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I just pulled this picture off of Anne's phone. Alabama Hills with Whitney and the Sierras in back:

There are no taxes in California for electric cars as far as a road tax. I would be fine with a tax. In fact, I wish taxes were collected on interstate/online purchases as our states really need the money and then people might go back to shopping locally.

Hello Jim, Yes, the Focus is a great looking car. Problem is it only goes 80 miles and takes several hours to recharge. Teslas range including in the new "Gen III" is 250 miles with a 25 minute charge. Tesla is the only car to charge off a 240 dryer outlet. No need to be a charger for your...

Have you seen, "The Revenge fo the Electric Car"?. It is dated as well but very good. National Geographic did a film about not the car but the Tesla factory as it is one of the USA's most advanced factories. I can tell you that National Geographic only touches the tip of the iceberg in this...

The novelty wears off quickly. In my town of Ventura we have 6. In Santa Barbara just to our north there are 37 registered. I have to go to LA, SF and Orange County from time to time. In these places there are literally thousands and you see them constantly. One day on my way to Newport Beach I...

Hello Jim, Yes, the car has airconditioning. Manufacturers of most cars have been calling it "climate control" for many years now as it means thermostatically controlled heating/AC. AC is very cold and heat very warm. Either consume very little power.

Bill, The nights cooled down into the high 80's. It was perfect. Often in warm weather we just sleep outside under the stars. Unlike the deserts of say Arizona, most California areas of heat have a high mountain range nearby from which a cool breeze descends. Owens Valley always has a cool...

Stew that is a beautiful picture!

Stew, The taller peak is Palisade Peak at 14,000+. The glacier is Palisade Glacier the southern most and largest in the Sierra. Pics below are the lakes in the area just up from where we camped. One can hike to them in an hour or so. I didn't take these pics.

A few more pics

Anne and I just got back from a great 4 day trip in the Owen's Valley. The Owens Valley has been my stomping grounds for the last 35 years or so. Gateway to Death Valley and Saline Valley, the Owens Valley offers heat if you want it at the lower elevations or cool breezes up high in the Eastern...

Hey guys, now that Tesla is actually giving people a choice and being very succesful at it, the big auto companies, dealers and oil companies are attempting to "outlaw" Tesla cars in many states. What America needs is innovation to be supported, not supressed. Consider signing this...

+1!!!! Los Angeles is a nightmare, Santa Barbara is a dream!!! SB is full of fantastic restaurants and places to visit, things to do. Use Yelp on your phone, wave at us in Ventura as you pass by.

Yes, thank you. To describe what this car is like on a long trip, all I can say it is as quiet as your bedroom in the early morning, but with extraordinary power, handling, and comfort. Using TOU metering, it costs me $4.80 per 280 miles of driving. Solar panels arriving July 5th will make it...

If it is going to be a day trip to one of the Channel Islands, I actually prefer Anacapa over the others. It is the shortest boatride leaving more time to explore, and the views are the most scenic. Santa Cruz Island is just too overrun with exotic invasive flora for me to enjoy. One day to the...

Jeez, I have endless stories I can think of. I suppose one of the ones with the funniest ending would be this. I was with my wife heading south through the Algerian Sahara. We had been driving weeks covering hundreds and hundreds of miles of jagged rock and deep sand. At times we were lucky to...

Nice thing about 1st generation, you could still get a manual transmission! It only came with the 6 cylinder, but that would be my preferred choice. The V8 power on that little differential with a heavy camper makes me nervous. You'll not be getting any better mileage than a 3/4 ton, worse vs a...

Sorry to see that Range Rover lifting a wheel due to limited suspension travel. It likely has air suspension which has little travel and very poorl reliability as it ages. Kinda' sad because it was Land Rover themselves that showed the world that keeping all four wheels on the ground under...

Gene, thanks for the suggestions. Can't really find Gold Mine on the Google satellite view. I see the air strip just before US-191 junction, but can't see any tracks south of there. Maybe just need to be there to find it. I'll personal message you.

@Riverrunner, I'm glad you liked it. Consumer's Reports rated it "99", best car they ever tested. Video from Consumer Reports:

Stew, that sounds fantastic! Exactly the kind of tip I was hoping for. Now that I think about it, I believe I've seen some awesome photos from Muley Point - looking forward to checking it out! (Is it pronounced like mule or mull?) According to my Benchmark Map, Muley Pt is actually within the...

Anne and I were just passing through Rose Valley Camp this weekend on the way through the gate and up to Nordhoff. I was very happy to see the campsites full with families enjoying the beautiful weather. For once there was no riff-raff.

Riverrunner, nice pics and trip report. Thank you for sharing.

Is that front or rear wheel drive? The Toyota is front wheel drive.

What would really be good for me is an electric 4WD SUV (think Subaru) with a 200 mile range. Toyota's new RAV4 with running gear built by Tesla goes 140 miles which is pretty good, allows fast DC charging but comes in 2wd drive only. With plenty of ground clearance and some dirt road...