PiP road trip -- redux

Last November/December, I wrote about our first road trip in the PiP. It was rough going due to rain all the way from FL to OH along with 20 mph head winds and then rain all the way back home with 20 mpg headwinds again. Also, snow and sub-freezing temperatures while we were in Ohio. Horrible weather. Not a fun drive. So we'l try again, but with a twist.

Next weekend, we'll head north to Ohio and plan to spend about a week visiting family there, but spend our second week of vacation in the Smokies. A friend has offered us a cabin on a mountain near Pigeon Forge, so we'll use that as home base for three nights to explore Great Smoky Mtn, National Park and the southern end of the Blueridge Parkway. Then we may go on farther north on the Blueridge, but we're not making firm plans. Just want to relax for a change.

I'm really interested to see how the PiP does fuel-wise this time with what I hope is better weather, especially along the Parkway.

 

You guys are really getting a soaking!

I think, for expedience's sake, we'll super-slab it from here to Ohio. Then it's going to be almost all back roads coming back south.

 

We were there about 35 years ago on the motorcycle. It was really hot, which detracted from the fun factor.

Our original plan was NE, WY, CO, AZ, & TX, but that was too many days of driving when what we really want is something more leisurely. I've been working like I'm killing snakes for about 4-5 months and I'm pooped. This seems just about perfect if the weather cooperates. And, my mother-in-law is getting up there in years and her memory seems to be fading, so we'd better grab this chance for some more quality time with her.

 

I found a great website for knowing what to expect for winds when planning a trip. I'll find out tomorrow how accurate it is. Looks promising, if it's right.
Windfinder - wind, wave & weather reports, forecasts & statistics worldwide

 

Probably not, but it's nice to know what to expect. If the winds were strong enough it might convince me to change travel days if possible. Go a day sooner or later if my schedule allowed.

Although, now that I think of it, if I can't get around bad headwinds with the calendar, I might pick slower roads if not in a hurry. Since I'm still a workin' Joe, I'm usually in a hurry. LOL!

 

WOW! This was a way more pleasant drive than last November. Only a brief shower rather that pouring rain the whole way. Tail winds most of the time rather than 20 mph headwinds. No 4-hour traffic jams. In fact, there was only one. We met the tail end of it exactly at the exit we planned for lunch. By the time we finished eating, the jam was all cleared out.

Here are the total miles and what the car thinks it did for gas mileage. It was about 60% Interstate and the rest, except for about 50 miles of wonderful, twisty, 30 mph back roads, was 55-65 mph highways. The current tank (we filled up twice) was the star of the show with an indicated 59 mpg.

 

Woo hoo! We get to drive in the wind and rain again. Heading from Ohio to Tennessee in a few minutes. I think the heavy rain is over. So far, 64 mpg so far total for the trip, but that's with about 115 miles of local driving at this end and a similar amount before leaving home with almost no gas usage up here or at home. Today will change that. Interstate all the way.

 

Pictures so far:

Spent about five days relaxing on the in-laws' farm. Not a lot of Prii around Galion, OH. But this one looks like it owns the place.


We did see a few Prii though. Spotted this one with VA plates passing through Mansfield, OH.


We arrived this afternoon at a friend's cabin above Pigeon Forge, TN. The cabin, for unknown reasons, is called "Million Dollar View." I can't wait to see how much the PiP regenerates tomorrow when we drop down off this perch to go to Smoky Mountain NP!


It's pretty on the inside too.

 

Well, we're still on the trip. We left home a week ago yesterday (Sunday) with a full charge. Did not charge again till we got to Ohio. Drove about 125 miles or so up there, as I recall and that was probably almost 50% EV. Most times I could go into town and get back to the farm in EV mode all the way. We left the farm yesterday (Sunday) with a full charge and have not charged since except .....

Coming down today from Clingman's dome, we left the parking lot with no EV range. In fact the battery was at the mid point of the HV range. It was totally full and we were using engine braking long before we got to the visitor's center between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. I didn't note the distance, but here's a picture of my consumption display taken just before we got back down to Newfound Gap. The sup-25 were on the way up to the Dome, with the first three 100 bars gathered in a short downhill section near the top. The other three dark bars were in the parking lot as we browsed for a parking place. After taking this picture, I had at least three bars that had six "E"s each. That one sub-100 cyan bar was when I was going back up that slope I mentioned before and ran out of juice just a couple hundred yards too soon. I think we're going back up there tomorrow, so I'll try to get a picture of the full battery.

BTW, we averaged an indicated 58 mpg over the 70 mile trip today. It was reading 38 mpg when we left Clingman's Dome. If not for the incredibly steep 2-mile hill our cabin is on, we would have made it all the way back on that charge the mountain gave us. A Prime would have handled it beautifully.

We won't be charging again till we get home other than what the mountains give us.

 

Went to Cade's Cove today rather than Clingman's Dome. Drove 103.8 miles today with an indicated 64 mpg. The PiP is amazing in the mountains. Air conditioner ran almost all the way. Again, no plugging in. We did notice a charging station at a park visitor center. They wanted $2 for the first hour. I DON'T THINK SO!!

Tomorrow, I think we'll get up Clingman's Dome first thing. Then on to Cherokee and where ever we feel like. Kinda fun winging it like this.

 

Last day in the Smokies. Heading home in the morning. Today we went to the top of Clingman's Dome. As we were walking up the trail, a cloud moved in and we could only see about 100 yards. Still pretty even that way. Then down to Cherokee for lunch. After lunch, we grove part of the south end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. All in all, a gorgeous day and the PiP continued to impress me. Almost 189 miles with an indicated 63 mpg. On the 27 miles from Clingmans Dome to lunch in Cherokee we only ran the ICE for a few seconds. Most of the time on uphill sections it was showing under 25 mpg and running well into the power section of the HSI.




Here's a shot on the Parkway.

 

I bought it like that. Looks like an old football injury. Maybe a baseball. At least I don't have to worry about it getting its first dent. Front bumper cover is worse. It's a New Hampshire car and I suspect the original owner hit a chunk of ice on the highway. And I suspect he or she parked it in the driveway and had kids.