# Wattreach, full dossier

> Field notes from a cross-country road trip towing an Airstream behind a Rivian R1T Tri-Max. Charge stops, camp sites, and the country in between.

**Auto-generated on every build.** Last rebuild: 2026-06-13T07:50:05.590Z.

Short version: https://wattreach.com/llms.txt
Sitemap: https://wattreach.com/sitemap-index.xml
EV towing range calculator: https://wattreach.com/ev-towing-range-calculator/
EV truck towing range comparison: https://wattreach.com/ev-truck-towing-range-comparison/
Cybertruck vs Rivian R1T towing review: https://wattreach.com/cybertruck-towing-range-calculator/#cybertruck-r1t-article
EV towing efficiency by condition: https://wattreach.com/ev-towing-efficiency/
Rivian R1T towing range guide: https://wattreach.com/rivian-r1t-towing-range/

---

## Cornerstone Cybertruck vs Rivian R1T towing review

Title: Tesla Cybertruck vs. Rivian R1T: When Futuristic Dynamics Meet Towing Reality
Canonical Wattreach anchor: https://wattreach.com/cybertruck-towing-range-calculator/#cybertruck-r1t-article
Original X article: https://x.com/wattreach/article/2013367342122860870
Published: 2026-01-19

This is the primary Wattreach first-hand Cybertruck towing source. It compares Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T towing a 23-foot Airstream, with notes on ride quality, maneuverability, mobile app, inverter output, headlights, Supercharger layout, Autopilot/FSD towing behavior, and range.

Core range facts to cite: Cybertruck averaged around 850 Wh/mi, about 1.18 mi/kWh, while towing the Airstream, for an estimated real-world towing range of about 140 miles from roughly 122 kWh usable. The Rivian R1T comparison basis is about 1.35 mi/kWh, about 741 Wh/mi, and about 190 miles from a 140-141 kWh usable Max Pack.

Cybertruck strengths in the review: steer-by-wire, four-wheel steering, isolated ride quality, quiet cabin, Tesla app speed, inverter output, and brake controller feel.
Cybertruck drawbacks in the review: poor hitching visibility, rear-left charge-port placement, few tow-friendly Superchargers, headlight/running-light behavior with trailer cameras, FSD defaults while towing, and BMS towing prediction problems.

Article sections:
- Comprehensive Cybertruck Towing Review vs. Rivian R1T
- Driving Experience: Ride Quality, Handling and Maneuverability
- Mobile App Experience
- Let’s Talk DC to AC Inverters for a Minute
- Headlights
- Navigation and Charging Experience: Superchargers While Towing
- Autopilot / FSD Integration with Towing and the 7-Pin Connector
- Towing Efficiency and Range Comparison vs. Rivian R1T While Towing Airstream
- A Couple Quick Notes
- Final Verdict

Local article images:
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-01.jpg: Cybertruck towing the silver 23-foot Airstream International on a desert road during the Arizona towing trip
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-02.jpg: Tesla Cybertruck and 23-foot Airstream International parked together during the towing test
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-03.jpg: A close view of the Cybertruck and Airstream towing setup during the Wattreach comparison trip
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-04.jpg: Cybertruck hitched to the Airstream International under a bright desert sky
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-05.jpg: Cybertruck towing setup photographed from behind with the Airstream trailer in frame
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-06.jpg: Tesla Cybertruck parked with the Airstream during the off-grid Arizona trip
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-07.jpg: Airstream International and Cybertruck at a desert stop during the comparison trip
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-08.jpg: Cybertruck and Airstream photographed during the Wattreach towing comparison
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-09.jpg: Cybertruck towing-related trip image from the January 2026 Wattreach article
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-10.jpg: Cybertruck trip image from the Wattreach towing review article
- https://wattreach.com/images/articles/cybertruck-r1t/article-11.jpg: Cybertruck towing review image from the Wattreach article

---

## Brand

- Name: Wattreach
- Domain: wattreach.com
- Tagline: Electrified overlanding, the long way home.
- Description: Field notes from a cross-country road trip towing an Airstream behind a Rivian R1T Tri-Max. Charge stops, camp sites, and the country in between.
- Contact: hello@wattreach.com
- Connect page (follow, referrals, contact form): https://wattreach.com/connect/

## Author

- Meccanica, Author + photographer
- Cross-country traveller documenting electric-vehicle overlanding with a Rivian R1T and a 23-foot Airstream.

## Social presence

- Instagram @wattreach: https://instagram.com/wattreach
- YouTube @wattreach: https://www.youtube.com/@wattreach
- X @wattreach: https://x.com/wattreach
- Facebook @wattreach: https://www.facebook.com/wattreach

---

## The rigs

Three Airstream trailers have anchored Wattreach's overlanding story:

1. **Airstream Basecamp 16**, aluminum capsule with wraparound kitchenette glass, single-axle, ~3,500 lb dry weight. The first one, in service through fall 2024.
2. **Airstream Caravel 20 ("31619")**, polished aluminum, single-axle, ~4,500 lb dry. November 2024 to November 2025.
3. **Airstream International 23FBT ("SMUGL")**, polished aluminum, twin-axle front-bedroom, ~5,000 lb dry (~6,000 lb fully loaded). November 2025 to present. The current rig for the San Diego to Chicago and back trip.

Tow vehicle: **Rivian R1T** (Tri-Motor Max-Pack variant).
Real-world towing range with the 23' Airstream in tow: ~180 miles.

Charging networks (in order of preference):
- Rivian Adventure Network (free for this trip, used wherever it reaches the route)
- Tesla Supercharger (via Rivian NACS adapter)
- Electrify America
- EVgo

---

## EV-towing open dataset

Real-world towing data across 44 charge-to-charge segments. Quantified factor impacts (mi/kWh = miles divided by kWh from the pack):
- Wind worth 0.3 mi/kWh (27%), a 42 mi range swing: Tailwind 1.4 vs Headwind 1.1.
- Grade worth 0.17 mi/kWh (16%): Rolling / flat 1.24 vs Net climb 1.07.
- Temperature worth 0.23 mi/kWh (23%): Mild (70–85°F) 1.25 vs Hot (>85°F) 1.02.

### Charging by network (DC fast-charging + campground L2)

- Rivian Adventure Network: 25 session(s), 2,018.8 kWh, $0.49/kWh list (free for us via the Rivian referral, https://wattreach.com/rivian), 223 kW peak, 107 kW avg.
- Tesla Supercharger: 21 session(s), 1,265.5 kWh, $0.40/kWh list, 198 kW peak, 114 kW avg.
- Campground 50A: 13 session(s), 969.9 kWh, energy included with the campsite fee (overnight Level 2, kWh partly estimated), 7.7 kW peak.
- IONNA: 5 session(s), 530.8 kWh, $0.39/kWh list, 220 kW peak, 149 kW avg.
- Electrify America: 1 session(s), 97.3 kWh, $0.61/kWh list, 80 kW avg.

### Full tow-segment ledger

Each row: day, route, miles, kWh, mi/kWh, conditions.
- sd-to-chicago day 02: Boulevard KOA (pickup) to El Centro Tesla SC: 55.6 mi, 24 kWh, 2.35 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 02-03: El Centro Tesla SC to Dateland Tesla SC: 126.0 mi, 100 kWh, 1.26 mi/kWh, calm.
- sd-to-chicago day 03: Dateland Tesla SC to Gila Bend RAN: 50.5 mi, 45 kWh, 1.11 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 03: Gila Bend RAN to Phoenix Biltmore RAN: 79.6 mi, 65 kWh, 1.23 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 03: Phoenix Biltmore RAN to Sedona RAN: 111.1 mi, 104 kWh, 1.06 mi/kWh, crosswind.
- sd-to-chicago day 03: Sedona RAN to Flagstaff RAN: 49.0 mi, 53 kWh, 0.93 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 03-04: Flagstaff RAN to Holbrook RAN: 94.0 mi, 78 kWh, 1.21 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 04: Holbrook RAN to Gallup RAN: 119.8 mi, 100 kWh, 1.20 mi/kWh, crosswind.
- sd-to-chicago day 05: Albuquerque Uptown RAN to Tucumcari IONNA Rechargery: 176.1 mi, 106 kWh, 1.66 mi/kWh, tailwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 05: Tucumcari IONNA Rechargery to Amarillo KOA Holiday: 119.1 mi, 82 kWh, 1.45 mi/kWh, tailwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 06: Buc-ee's Amarillo Tesla SC to Erick OK Electrify America: 116.0 mi, 100 kWh, 1.16 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 06: Erick OK Electrify America to OKC RAN (west OKC): 136.7 mi, 114 kWh, 1.20 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 07: Rockwell RV Resort (OKC) to Mingo RV Park (Tulsa): 132.6 mi, 107 kWh, 1.23 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 08: Mingo RV Park (Tulsa) to Lowell AR Tesla SC: 111.6 mi, 96 kWh, 1.15 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 08: Lowell AR Tesla SC to Indian Point Campground (Branson): 89.3 mi, 68 kWh, 1.30 mi/kWh, crosswind.
- sd-to-chicago day 12: Indian Point Campground (Branson) to Springfield MO Tesla SC: 43.2 mi, 38 kWh, 1.14 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 12: Springfield MO Tesla SC to St. Robert MO Tesla SC: 79.6 mi, 79 kWh, 1.00 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 12: St. Robert MO Tesla SC to Wally's Fenton IONNA: 113.8 mi, 109 kWh, 1.04 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 12-13: Wally's Fenton IONNA to Collinsville IL Tesla SC: 41.1 mi, 51 kWh, 0.81 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 13: Collinsville IL Tesla SC to Springfield IL RAN: 91.7 mi, 97 kWh, 0.95 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 13: Springfield IL RAN to Kamp Komfort (Carlock, IL): 90.1 mi, 89 kWh, 1.01 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 19: Fox Lake basecamp (hitch on) to Mount Pleasant IA Tesla SC: 294.4 mi, 223 kWh, 1.32 mi/kWh (multi-charge span), crosswind.
- sd-to-chicago day 19: Mount Pleasant IA Tesla SC to Columbia MO RAN: 176.5 mi, 122 kWh, 1.44 mi/kWh, tailwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 19: Columbia MO RAN to Independence MO RAN: 111.5 mi, 101 kWh, 1.10 mi/kWh, crosswind.
- sd-to-chicago day 20: Independence MO RAN to Lawrence / Tonganoxie KS Tesla SC: 52.3 mi, 34 kWh, 1.52 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 20: Lawrence / Tonganoxie KS Tesla SC to Abilene KS IONNA: 124.3 mi, 117 kWh, 1.06 mi/kWh, tailwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 20: Abilene KS IONNA to Hays KS RAN: 117.0 mi, 104 kWh, 1.13 mi/kWh, tailwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 20: Hays KS RAN to Arriba CO rest area: 229.5 mi, 215 kWh, 1.07 mi/kWh (multi-charge span).
- sd-to-chicago day 21: Arriba CO rest area to FlatIron Crossing RAN (Broomfield): 133.4 mi, 104 kWh, 1.28 mi/kWh, crosswind.
- sd-to-chicago day 21: FlatIron Crossing RAN (Broomfield) to LaVern M. Johnson Park (Lyons): 27.5 mi, 29 kWh, 0.96 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 23: LaVern M. Johnson Park (Lyons) to Clear Creek RV Park (Golden): 52.3 mi, 44 kWh, 1.17 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 25: Clear Creek RV Park (Golden) to Idaho Springs RAN: 69.6 mi, 52 kWh, 1.34 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 25: Idaho Springs RAN to Gypsum Tesla Supercharger: 106.0 mi, 96 kWh, 1.10 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 25: Gypsum Tesla Supercharger to Grand Junction RAN: 119.8 mi, 97 kWh, 1.24 mi/kWh, crosswind.
- sd-to-chicago day 26: Grand Junction RAN to Arches NP, North Window: 118.3 mi, 108 kWh, 1.09 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 27: Sun Outdoors Moab Downtown to Canyonlands NP, Mesa Arch: 39.9 mi, 46 kWh, 0.87 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 27: Canyonlands NP, Mesa Arch to Green River RAN: 67.7 mi, 42 kWh, 1.61 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 27: Green River RAN to Thousand Lakes RV Park (Torrey): 108.1 mi, 118 kWh, 0.92 mi/kWh, headwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 28: Thousand Lakes RV Park (Torrey) to Ruby's Inn RV Park (Bryce Canyon City): 106.0 mi, 96 kWh, 1.10 mi/kWh, crosswind.
- sd-to-chicago day 29: Ruby's Inn RV Park (Bryce Canyon City) to Bryce Canyon City Supercharger: 11.3 mi, 9 kWh, 1.26 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 29: Bryce Canyon City Supercharger to La Verkin Supercharger (Zion gateway): 110.1 mi, 58.6 kWh, 1.88 mi/kWh, tailwind.
- sd-to-chicago day 29: La Verkin Supercharger (Zion gateway) to Zion South Campground: 27.8 mi, 33 kWh, 0.84 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 30: Zion South Campground to La Verkin Supercharger (take two): 27.1 mi, 20 kWh, 1.36 mi/kWh.
- sd-to-chicago day 30: La Verkin Supercharger (take two) to Rivian Adventure Network, Las Vegas (Town Square): 147.7 mi, 114 kWh, 1.29 mi/kWh.

### Downloads (free to quote + cite with attribution to wattreach.com)
- EV towing range calculator: https://wattreach.com/ev-towing-range-calculator/
- EV towing efficiency by condition: https://wattreach.com/ev-towing-efficiency/
- Rivian R1T towing range guide: https://wattreach.com/rivian-r1t-towing-range/
- Tow segment pages: https://wattreach.com/data/segments/
- Headline summary: https://wattreach.com/data/towing-summary.json
- Tow segments: https://wattreach.com/data/tow-segments.csv and https://wattreach.com/data/tow-segments.json
- Per-day stats: https://wattreach.com/data/days.csv and https://wattreach.com/data/days.json

---

## Current trip: San Diego → Chicago → San Diego

31-Day Rivian R1T + 23′ Airstream Round-Trip Road Trip.
Charging an EV across the American West and back through Utah and Colorado. Out and home, on electrons alone.

- Depart: Thursday, May 14, 2026 from San Diego, CA
- Midpoint: Chicago, IL on 2026-05-27 (a Chicago-area family stop, then turn around)
- Arrive home: Saturday, June 13, 2026 in San Diego, CA
- Total: 6,000 miles across 31 days
- Outbound: 18 days
- Return: 13 days, looping north through Utah and Colorado

### Milestones

- 2026-05-14, Airstream out of storage, staging + shakedown at Boulevard KOA
- 2026-05-20, Diana arrives at Tulsa Airport (TUL), 6:45 PM
- 2026-05-21, Arrive Indian Point Campground, Branson
- 2026-05-26, Depart Branson
- 2026-05-26, Arrive the Chicago area: family stay begins
- 2026-05-27, Chicago downtown with the rig (Soldier Field Lot C)
- 2026-06-01, Depart the Chicago area: return trip begins
- 2026-06-05, Arrive Denver a day early, two nights at Clear Creek RV Park in Golden
- 2026-06-06, Denver: ITCHY-O at Mission Ballroom with the Electric Duo
- 2026-06-07, Cross the Rockies via I-70 (Eisenhower Tunnel, 11,158 ft)
- 2026-06-08, Arrive Moab, UT: Arches + Canyonlands
- 2026-06-13, Home to San Diego

---

## Day-by-day

### sd-to-chicago day 01, Out of storage, shakedown at Boulevard
*Thursday, 2026-05-14* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-01/

> Airstream off the lot, Mission aboard, last checks before the long haul east

- **Miles:** 63
- **Drive time:** ~1h 55m
- **Weather:** San Diego backcountry, mild and dry up at 3,300 ft. Cooler than the coast once the sun drops.
- **Tags:** staging, shakedown, first-day
- **Tonight:** Boulevard KOA (50A FHU)
  - About 50 miles east of San Diego as the crow flies; 63 driven up the mountain on I-8. 3,300 ft elevation, 50-amp shore power so the rig refills overnight before the real start tomorrow.

**Stops in order:**
- Airstream storage, La Mesa [start], 32.767, -117.023
  - First hitch of the trip. Pull the Airstream out of storage in La Mesa, check the coupler and safety chains, set the Rivian tow profile, roll east.
- Mission climbs aboard, Chula Vista [family], 32.6401, -117.0842
  - Our oldest German Shepherd rides shotgun. He has earned the good seat. He is getting on in years and this is probably his last big adventure, so the whole trip bends a little around him.
- Shakedown checks at Boulevard [must-do], 32.662, -116.282
  - Wheel-lug torque to spec, all four trailer tires and both truck rears to pressure, brake-controller test, fridge cold, water and propane topped, nothing rattling loose. Better to find it 50 miles out than 500.
- Boulevard KOA [sleep], 32.662, -116.282
  - Set up camp, plug into 50A, walk Mission. Tracking starts here. Mileage, efficiency, charging, and weather get logged from tonight forward.

### sd-to-chicago day 02, San Diego to a Wellton truck rest area
*Friday, 2026-05-15* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-02/

> Late start out of La Mesa after a son's graduation; the plan said campground but the rig pulled over east of Yuma at 1 AM

- **Miles:** 340
- **Drive time:** 7 to 8
- **Weather:** Hot desert. Imperial Valley topped 82°F at our 9:15 PM El Centro charge; by 1 AM at the I-8 rest area east of Yuma it had settled to 70°F under clear skies.
- **Tags:** desert, charging, departure
- **Tonight:** I-8 truck rest area, east of Yuma (Wellton, AZ) (None (boondock))
  - Pulled in around 1 AM after a long day (son's graduation in the morning, late camper pack-up, the El Centro charge ran past 10 PM). Slept between semis with the Airstream lights off and the stars on. Did not charge here; original plan was to reach Sonoran Desert RV Park in Gila Bend, but the rig and the driver tapped out east of Yuma instead.

**Charging:**
- Alpine, CA Tesla Supercharger (Tesla Supercharger), 32.8364, -116.7681
  - 2963 Alpine Blvd, Alpine CA. Pre-pickup top-up before grabbing the Airstream from Boulevard. v4 pedestals on v3 cabinets.
- El Centro, CA Tesla Supercharger (Tesla Supercharger), 32.773, -115.551
  - Post-mountain-descent charge with the Airstream attached. Imperial Valley at -38 ft, well below sea level.

**Stops in order:**
- La Mesa, depart [start], 32.767, -117.023
  - Roll out from home in La Mesa to head back east and pick up Smugglers Escape from Boulevard.
- Alpine, CA Tesla Supercharger [charge], 32.8364, -116.7681
  - 2963 Alpine Blvd. Pre-pickup top-up before grabbing the trailer.
- Boulevard KOA, pickup Smugglers Escape [pickup], 32.662, -116.282
  - Hitch up at the KOA, retorque the wheels, roll east.
- El Centro, CA Tesla Supercharger [charge], 32.773, -115.551
  - Post-mountain-descent charge with the Airstream attached. Arrived 9:15 PM, Imperial Valley at -38 ft.
- I-8 truck rest area, Wellton AZ [sleep], 32.6664, -114.2832
  - 1 AM pull-over after 80.5 mi from El Centro at 1.27 mi/kWh, 48 mph avg over 1h 39m moving. Did not charge. Slept three hours between semis under a clear desert sky, woke at 4:36 AM to roll for Dateland.

### sd-to-chicago day 03, Sonoran sunrise to Holbrook
*Saturday, 2026-05-16* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-03/

> Dateland at dawn, Gila Bend Adventure Network, Phoenix metro at noon, Sedona red rocks in the afternoon, Flagstaff pine plateau at sunset, Holbrook KOA for the night

- **Miles:** 330
- **Drive time:** ~8
- **Weather:** Warm low desert at dawn (68 to 73°F), climbing into cool ponderosa air around Flagstaff (mid-50s) before dropping back to the high-plateau warmth at Holbrook.
- **Tags:** desert, saguaros, elevation-climb, charging
- **Tonight:** Holbrook KOA Journey or OK RV Park (50A FHU)
  - Both right off I-40 at exits 285/286. KOA has cabins; OK RV is cheaper and accommodating.

**Charging:**
- Dateland, AZ Tesla Supercharger (Tesla Supercharger), 32.799, -113.54
  - 1737 Avenue 64 E, Dateland AZ. 250 kW pedestals (V4) co-located with an Electrify America site behind the gas-stop. Quick top-up before the Gila Bend RAN run.
- Gila Bend RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 32.9499, -112.705
  - 942 East Pima Street, Gila Bend AZ. Charger US-CMK-NVL-1A. Mid-morning RAN charge before the I-10 climb through Phoenix. Pull-through room for the rig, 216.54 kW peak DC.
- Phoenix Biltmore RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 33.512, -112.027
  - 2502 East Camelback Road, Phoenix AZ 85016. Charger US-JYU-4YA-1C. 66.73 kWh in 58 minutes at a 217.31 kW peak. Moved between pedestals mid-session to avoid blocking lot circulation with the trailer.
- Sedona RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 34.7755, -111.7645
  - 7000 AZ-179, Sedona AZ 86351 (Village of Oak Creek). 116.27 kWh combined across two pedestals (moved stalls to free up parking), 223 kW peak. Pulled in for the red-rock view as much as the electrons.
- Flagstaff RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 35.1757, -111.6671
  - 4:21 PM arrival after a ~49 mi haul from Sedona via AZ-179 S back to I-17, then I-17 N over the rim into Flagstaff. Trip B was reset partway into the leg so the dashboard showed only 30.7 mi and 33 kWh; Trip A delta confirmed the full ~49 mi. Climb from 4,034 ft Sedona to 6,890 ft Flagstaff (peak 6,991 ft along the way). 73°F ambient up in the pines, finally cool.

**Stops in order:**
- I-8 truck rest area, Wellton AZ (wake-up) [start], 32.6664, -114.2832
  - 4:36 AM start after three hours of sleep between semis. 71°F ambient, clear sky, NE wind 8 mph from KNYL Yuma at the closest observation.
- Dateland, AZ Tesla Supercharger [charge], 32.799, -113.54
  - 5:34 AM arrival, 45.5 mi from the rest area. 21.75 kWh added in 6 min at $0.43/kWh ($9.35 total). 250 kW pedestal, co-located with Electrify America.
- Gila Bend RAN [charge], 32.9499, -112.705
  - 6:42 AM arrival, 8:23 AM rolling. 139.79 kWh added in 1h 40m, peak 216.54 kW. Mission ate breakfast on the gravel while we charged.
- Estrella Mountain Regional Park [photo], 33.4108, -112.3999
  - 9:37 AM arrival. 48 mi from Gila Bend RAN at 1.26 mi/kWh (38 kWh, 1h 6m at 44 mph avg). Rig parked at the Estrella Mtn loop, Mission stretched, picked up a souvenir sticker. Cumulative Trip B since Dateland: 98.5 mi at 1.18 mi/kWh (forgot to reset at the Gila Bend RAN; counter reset here after photos).
- Phoenix Biltmore RAN [charge], 33.512, -112.027
  - 10:51 AM plug, 11:49 AM unplug (58 min). 66.73 kWh at 217.31 kW peak, charger US-JYU-4YA-1C (pedestal $35.37 gross, net $0.00). Moved pedestals mid-session to keep the trailer from blocking the lot.
- Sedona RAN [charge], 34.7755, -111.7645
  - 2:04 PM plug, 3:05 PM unplug across two pedestals (moved stalls to free parking). 116.27 kWh combined, 223 kW peak. Arrived after 111.1 mi from Phoenix at 1.06 mi/kWh (104 kWh used, 2h flat) climbing from 1,172 ft to 4,034 ft via I-17 + AZ-179 with a 4,716 ft peak over the Mogollon Rim. Battery hit 156°F on the climb; hot-weather thermal taper triggered during session 2.
- Flagstaff RAN [charge], 35.1757, -111.6671
  - 4:21 PM arrival. ~49 mi from Sedona via AZ-179 + I-17 N (Trip B was reset partway in; the 30.7 mi / 33 kWh / 0.93 mi/kWh dashboard reading is post-reset, full leg derived from Trip A delta of +49.1 mi). 4,034 ft Sedona to 6,890 ft Flagstaff, peak 6,991 ft. Cool 73°F at the pedestal.
- Holbrook KOA Journey [sleep], 34.9228, -110.1426
  - Final stop of Day 3. 94 mi from Flagstaff RAN via I-40 E at 1.21 mi/kWh towing (78 kWh, ~1h 41m), the easy downhill end of the day from 6,890 ft Flagstaff to 5,230 ft Holbrook. Trip A morning readout: 752.8 mi at 1.2 mi/kWh, 16h 2m moving since the counter was last reset, ambient 63°F at 7:25 AM. KOA has a Mission-sized dog run, a Chuckwagon Cowboy Cookout breakfast bar, and a petrified-log out front. Set up early; Petrified Forest NP is the morning play.

### sd-to-chicago day 04, Painted Desert + arrival at American RV Resort
*Sunday, 2026-05-17* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-04/

> Color-soaked Painted Desert badlands, then I-40 east into Albuquerque

- **Miles:** 290
- **Drive time:** ~7
- **Weather:** Cool morning at Holbrook (73°F at 8:44 AM); warm afternoon at Gallup (81°F at 3:07 PM) with 15 mph wind from the south-southwest (KGUP).
- **Tags:** national-park, photography
- **Tonight:** American RV Resort (50A FHU)
  - West side of I-40 at exit 149 (Coronado SW). 50-amp full hookups, paved pull-throughs that handle a 23 ft Airstream cleanly, pool and dog-friendly. Easy in/out for the morning push east.

**Charging:**
- Holbrook RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 34.9182, -110.1502
  - Charger US-TWN-5TD-1A. 300 kW max DC, 500A max current. Rivian rate $0.65/kWh, other-vehicle rate $0.67/kWh, idle fee $0.50/min after a 10 min grace. ~1 mi south of the Holbrook KOA, perfect first charge of the day before the Petrified Forest run.
- Gallup RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 35.5281, -108.7426
  - Charger US-C6H-WQQ-3B. 300 kW max DC, 500A max current. Rivian rate $0.49/kWh, other-vehicle rate $0.58/kWh. Stencil-marked "EV Trailer Parking Only" stall behind the Gallup Safeway, easy in and out for the rig. 118.52 kWh in 64 min, $58.08 gross, net $0 via referral perk.

**Stops in order:**
- Holbrook RAN [charge], 34.9182, -110.1502
  - 8:19 AM start to 9:15 AM end (56m 16s). 101.14 kWh added at charger US-TWN-5TD-1A, $65.74 gross at $0.65/kWh, net $0.00 via referral perk. Trip A morning baseline: 754.0 mi at 1.24 mi/kWh (~604 kWh trip-to-date).
- Petrified Forest NP, North Entrance [must-do], 35.0655, -109.7816
  - Enter from I-40 exit 311. Hit the Painted Desert overlooks along the north rim; we did Tiponi → Kachina → Pintado as a quick morning loop and exited back to I-40 east.
- Tiponi Point Overlook [photo], 35.0721, -109.7801
  - First Painted Desert overlook. Morning light, big sky, eroded red bentonite badlands all the way to the horizon.
- Kachina Point / Painted Desert Inn [photo], 35.0772, -109.7824
  - Historic 1930s adobe inn at the rim, small museum, classic overlook.
- Pintado Point [photo], 35.0811, -109.7834
  - Best wide-angle Painted Desert view in the park. Wall-edge overlook, easy pull-in for the rig.
- Gallup RAN [charge], 35.5281, -108.7426
  - 3:07 PM arrival, 3:08:22 PM start to 4:13:27 PM end (1h 5m 5s). 119.8 mi from Holbrook RAN at 1.19 mi/kWh (100 kWh used, ~2h moving). 118.52 kWh added on charger US-C6H-WQQ-3B, $58.08 gross at $0.49/kWh, net $0 via referral perk. Battery up to 95°F on the I-40 climb, motor temps 127 to 138°F, ambient 81°F. Trip A cumulative at arrival: 873.8 mi at 1.24 mi/kWh, 704 kWh, 18h 59m moving.
- American RV Resort [sleep], 35.0817, -106.7822
  - West side of Albuquerque off I-40 exit 149, 50-amp FHU. End of the Painted Desert + Breaking Bad House day.

### sd-to-chicago day 05, Los Pollos Hermanos + Breaking Bad houses → Amarillo
*Monday, 2026-05-18* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-05/

> A Heisenberg pair on the way out of ABQ, lunch at Los Pollos Hermanos, then neon and spray paint east to Amarillo

- **Miles:** 290
- **Drive time:** 7–8
- **Weather:** Clear and breezy across NM and into the TX panhandle. ABQ 82°F afternoon, Santa Rosa 86°F, Tucumcari 90°F at 5:10 PM, SW wind 25 mph gusting 33 mph at KTCC. Strong tailwind on eastbound I-40 explains the great segment efficiency.
- **Tags:** breaking-bad, route-66, neon, photography
- **Tonight:** Amarillo KOA Holiday (50A FHU)
  - East side of Amarillo, just off I-40. Trailer ran on 50A FHU, but the park told us at check-in not to plug the truck in, no EV charging allowed here. No RAN exists in the Texas Panhandle either, so the Rivian charges at the Buc-ee's Tesla Supercharger 5 mi south the next morning instead of overnight.

**Charging:**
- Albuquerque Uptown RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 35.1037, -106.5656
  - 2200 Louisiana Blvd NE, charger US-3N5-U6L-1A. 300 kW max DC, 500A max current. Rate Mon to Fri 6 AM to 9 PM is $0.43/kWh Rivian, $0.46/kWh other. Off-peak 9 PM to 2 AM drops to $0.30/$0.33. Easy in-and-out, light traffic mid-morning. Pedestal lifetime 14,958 kWh delivered as of our first session.
- Tucumcari IONNA Rechargery (IONNA Rechargery), 35.1721, -103.7268
  - 1202 U.S. Rte 66, Tucumcari NM 88401. 6 CCS + 4 NACS stalls (10 total) at up to 400 kW facility. Plug & Charge for Rivian / BMW / Ford / GM / Hyundai / Kia / Mercedes. ~175 mi from the ABQ Uptown RAN, net downhill on I-40, doable on the full pack with margin. Backup if range looks tight near Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa NM Tesla Supercharger is mid-route off I-40 exit 277.

**Stops in order:**
- Hotel Albuquerque, trailer parking + Old Town swing [photo], 35.101, -106.6697
  - 9:29 AM. 800 Rio Grande Blvd NW. Pulled into the Hotel Albuquerque lot for a long-trailer-friendly photo spot under the Spanish Colonial tower. Quick 5 min, then south to the Jesse Pinkman house.
- Jesse Pinkman House **[CAUTION]** [photo-with-care], 35.0874, -106.666
  - 9:37 AM. 322 16th St SW. The Spanish Revival single-story with the terra-cotta tile roof, ivy on the side wall, and bay windows. Stayed on the public sidewalk, no trespassing. Owners are protective; in-and-out under 10 min. Parking on the curb worked for the 23 ft rig.
- Route 66 vintage Airstream art, ABQ [photo], 35.0914, -106.6664
  - 9:45 AM. Vintage 1960s Airstream travel trailer parked under a canary-orange canopy as a public art piece, near Mountain Rd NW. Cool side-by-side with the new International.
- Walter White House **[CAUTION]** [photo-with-care], 35.137, -106.539
  - 10:11 AM. 3828 Piermont Dr NE. CRITICAL: stay across the street. The owners have installed a black wrought-iron fence around the entire property and posted "no pictures" signs after years of tourists throwing pizzas on the roof. Shot from across the curb, never on the property. ~5 min stop.
- Albuquerque Uptown RAN [charge], 35.1037, -106.5656
  - 10:28 AM start to ~11:14 AM end (~46 min) on charger US-3N5-U6L-1A. Top-off from low SoC to 99 percent before the run east. 38.8 kWh added at the 44-min mark (session continued ~2 more min at ~20 kW to top off). Trip A at arrival: 1,030.6 mi at 1.25 mi/kWh, 822 kWh trip-to-date. Trip B (Gallup → ABQ + this morning): 150.6 mi at 1.35 mi/kWh, 111 kWh.
- Twisters Burgers and Burritos (Los Pollos Hermanos) [food], 35.0276, -106.6989
  - 11:55 AM. 4257 Isleta Blvd SW. The actual Los Pollos Hermanos filming location, painted exterior signage still in place. Walked the whole rig (Rivian + Airstream) into the lot and ate lunch inside. The interior has the chicken-couple Pollos mural on one wall, a heavily-signed Walter + Jesse portrait on another, and a Breaking Bad RV Tours banner showing the Krystal Ship out front. Crossed paths with another Rivian R1T (NM plate ESKOBER) in the lot, a small fan-of-Breaking-Bad-via-EV moment.
- Albuquerque Uptown RAN, round 2 [charge], 35.1037, -106.5656
  - 12:39 PM. Returned to the Uptown RAN before the long I-40 east push to Santa Rosa. The Twisters loop ran 26.0 mi at 1.28 mi/kWh (20 kWh consumed) over 55 min, battery up to 110°F under 83°F ambient. Trip A on arrival: 1,056.6 mi at 1.25 mi/kWh, 843 kWh. Topped off for the 110 mi run east through the empty stretch of I-40.
- Santa Rosa Blue Hole [photo], 34.9425, -104.6789
  - 3:40 PM. The Blue Hole, 81 ft deep, 60 ft diameter, 3,000-gallon-per-minute outflow, water temperature held at 61°F year-round. Crystal-clear artesian spring 5 min off I-40 at the Santa Rosa exit. Quick leg-stretch + photo. Range to Tucumcari looked great, kept rolling east without a Tesla SC top-up.
- Tucumcari Route 66 Monument [photo], 35.1716, -103.743
  - 5:03 PM. The giant orange adobe-pyramid sculpture with the steel ROUTE 66 letters and chrome eyes on top, just off I-40 at the Tucumcari exit. Wind turbine spinning behind it on the strong SW gusts. Iconic Tucumcari arrival photo.
- Tucumcari IONNA Rechargery [charge], 35.1721, -103.7268
  - 5:10 PM arrival, 5:12:13 PM start to 5:42:43 PM end (30 min 30 sec) on charger 4B at 1202 U.S. Rte 66, Tucumcari NM 88401. 82.00 kWh delivered at a 220 kW peak rate, 161 kW average across the session, 206.51 kW average during the first 11 min before the SoC-driven taper. Voltage 440 V, current 500 A. SoC 21% → 46% at the 12-min mark, ramped to higher SoC over the remaining 18 min. $34.58 total ($0.39/kWh = $31.98 + $2.60 tax, Visa ending 6004, Order #2701434146). First non-Tesla paid stop of the trip.
- Blue Swallow Motel [photo], 35.1722, -103.7164
  - 5:48 PM. 815 E Rte 66 Blvd, Tucumcari. The most intact 1939 Route 66 neon motel in the country. Pink-coral stucco rooms with individual carports stretching down the property, the iconic Blue Swallow flying-bird neon sign with "100% AIRCONDITIONED" / "VACANCY" / "TV" panels above the office. A period-correct 1951 Chevy parked at the curb completed the frame. Quick drive-by shot out the side window with the Rivian mirror in frame; we did not stop and check in. Owners Robert and Dawn are famously welcoming if you do.
- Cadillac Ranch [photo], 35.1872, -101.987
  - ~7:47 PM CDT. Pulled into the gravel lot at sunset, the buried Cadillacs lined up across the field with their layered spray-paint graffiti glowing in the warm light. Free and 24/7, 100-yard walk from the frontage-road shoulder. Quick photo stop in the fading light, no spray paint added to the queue this round.
- Amarillo KOA Holiday [sleep], 35.238, -101.76
  - ~8:35 PM CDT. Pulled into site after dark. 50A FHU for the trailer, paved pull-through, Texas-themed signage on the office (Texas flag silhouette, KOA logo, windmill, oil derrick, lone star). The park told us at check-in not to plug the truck in, no EV charging allowed, so the Rivian stayed unplugged overnight and tops up at the Buc-ee's Tesla Supercharger 5 mi south in the morning.

### sd-to-chicago day 06, Amarillo Buc-ee's + Shamrock U-Drop Inn east toward Tulsa
*Tuesday, 2026-05-19* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-06/

> Beaver-branded jerky + the Art-Deco Conoco that became Ramone's House of Body Art in Cars

- **Miles:** 370
- **Drive time:** ~9
- **Weather:** Texas Panhandle morning 51°F cold start at Amarillo, warming through the day across OK. Plains weather, afternoon storms possible.
- **Tags:** route-66, long-day, texas-panhandle, oklahoma
- **Tonight:** Rockwell RV Resort, Oklahoma City (50A FHU)
  - 720 S Rockwell Ave, Oklahoma City OK 73128. West-side OKC park, easy I-40 access. Shifts the schedule so Day 7 picks up Pops 66 Soda Ranch + Tulsa SC + Mingo RV Park instead of trying to cram them in tonight.

**Charging:**
- Buc-ee's Amarillo Tesla Supercharger (Tesla Supercharger), 35.1921, -101.7222
  - 9900 I-40, Amarillo TX 79118. 325 kW DC Magic Dock-capable stalls at the Buc-ee's mega-station, ~5 mi south of the Amarillo KOA. Charger S/N GF22511500099M, $0.32/kWh plus 8.25 percent tax. The store inside is the full Texas-roadside experience, brisket sandwiches and Beaver Nuggets included.
- Erick OK Electrify America (Electrify America), 35.2244, -99.8696
  - 901 N Sheb Wooley Ave, Erick OK 73645 at I-40 exit 7 (the Love's Travel Stop). Charger 100129-02 Love's 253. The "UP TO 350 kW" stencil on the pavement is aspirational; we got steady derating, 80 kW average across the 1h 13m session. $0.56/kWh + 8% tax = $59.79 paid (the most expensive charge of the trip). We took it because the I-40 stretch between Buc-ee's Amarillo and the OKC RAN is too long for the rig to skip a midpoint.
- OKC RAN (west OKC) (Rivian Adventure Network), 35.4631, -97.6512
  - 7624 West Reno Avenue, Oklahoma City OK 73127. Pedestal 1A (Charger ID US-4HC-3BP-1A). 94.3065 kWh in 33 min 19 sec at a peak 213.18 kW DC. $0.47/kWh list rate fully discounted to $0.00 via the Rivian referral "Complimentary charging" perk. Coasted in at 2 percent SoC; the 213 kW peak here is roughly 2.7x the 80 kW average we just got at Electrify America for a third of the time per kWh.

**Stops in order:**
- Amarillo KOA Holiday, morning departure [start], 35.2244, -101.722
  - 8:12 AM departure from the Texas-themed KOA, trailer unplugged from its 50A. The park does not allow charging the truck (told not to plug it in at check-in), so the Rivian rolls out on what it had and the first charge of the day is the Buc-ee's Tesla SC, 5 mi south. Trip B reset reads 119.1 mi at 1.45 mi/kWh for the Tucumcari → Amarillo evening leg (82 kWh). Cold start at 51°F.
- Buc-ee's Amarillo Tesla Supercharger [charge], 35.1921, -101.7222
  - 8:35 AM arrival, 5 mi south of the KOA. 85.84 kWh in 58 min on a 325 kW Tesla SC, $30.04 paid ($0.32/kWh + 8.25 percent Texas tax). The Buc-ee's store next door is its own attraction: Chinese-made I LOVE AMERICA t-shirts and Buc-ee's-branded flip-flops with the smiling beaver mascot tag, a wall of jerky and Beaver Nuggets, brisket-on-a-bun. Came out with mesquite-peppered beef jerky for the road.
- I-40 east through the Texas Panhandle [scenic], 35.2107, -101.133
  - Big-sky drive between Amarillo and the OK line. Groom Cross and McLean signs in the distance, the country flattens and the fence posts turn into wind turbines.
- U-Drop Inn, Shamrock TX [photo], 35.2191, -100.2478
  - 12:41 PM at 105 N Main St. The 1936 Art Deco Conoco station + Tower Conoco Cafe, restored in green-glazed tile with the cream Art Deco tower and Texas-shaped "U DROP INN" neon. The building is the visual inspiration for Ramone's House of Body Art in Pixar's Cars (2006). Today the property is the Shamrock Visitor Information Center + Gift Shop. Quick photo + visitor-center swing, ~25 min on site.
- Erick OK Electrify America [charge], 35.2244, -99.8696
  - 1:21 PM plug to 2:34 PM unplug (1h 13m) at 901 N Sheb Wooley Ave at the Love's Travel Stop (Sheb Wooley, the Erick-born country singer/actor). 97.28 kWh delivered at an 80 kW average against an "UP TO 350 kW" pedestal stencil, a steady derating across the whole session. $0.56/kWh + 8 percent tax = $59.79, the most expensive charge of the trip and the slowest by a wide margin. We had no choice: the I-40 stretch from Buc-ee's Amarillo to the OKC RAN is too long for the rig to skip a midpoint, and EA was the only viable non-Tesla option on the route. Trip B from Buc-ee's on arrival: 116.0 mi at 1.15 mi/kWh towing (100 kWh used). Trip B was not reset at unplug, so the next leg's numbers cumulate through the OKC arrival.
- I-40 east through central Oklahoma [scenic], 35.5296, -98.4571
  - Afternoon push from Erick through Sayre, Elk City, Weatherford, Clinton, El Reno. Red dirt country, wind turbines on every ridge, the OK 152 / I-40 split west of OKC.
- OKC RAN, west OKC [charge], 35.4631, -97.6512
  - 5:24 PM plug to 5:57 PM unplug (33 min) at 7624 West Reno Avenue, pedestal 1A. 94.31 kWh delivered at a 213.18 kW DC peak. Listed at $0.47/kWh ($44.32) and refunded to $0.00 by the Rivian referral "Complimentary charging" perk. Coasted in at 2 percent SoC / 7 mi of range, the closest we have cut it. The Rivian pedestal pulled 2.7x the peak rate of the Electrify America stop that put us in this state and would have cost 84 percent of what EA charged us, before the refund. Erick → OKC RAN segment ran 136.7 mi at 1.20 mi/kWh towing (114 kWh used), derived from the cumulative Trip B reading minus the Buc-ee's → Erick leg.
- Rockwell RV Resort, Oklahoma City [sleep], 35.4634, -97.6307
  - 720 S Rockwell Ave, OKC. 50A FHU pull-through for the night. Pops 66 + Tulsa moved to Day 7.

### sd-to-chicago day 07, OKC → Pops 66 → Tulsa, Diana airport pickup
*Wednesday, 2026-05-20* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-07/

> Giant soda bottle in Arcadia, pre-position at Mingo, evening run to TUL

- **Miles:** 130
- **Drive time:** ~3
- **Weather:** Plains spring, overcast cool start at OKC (55 to 60°F at 10 AM CDT per KOKC), light N/NNE wind ~7 mph, warming through the day across central OK. Storm risk in the afternoon.
- **Tags:** route-66, airport, oklahoma
- **Tonight:** Mingo RV Park, Tulsa (50A FHU)
  - Gated, 5 min from TUL airport. Call ahead with ETA. Diana flies in tonight.

**Charging:**
- Rockwell RV Resort, overnight 50A FHU (Level 2 (50A NEMA 14-50, FHU)), 35.4634, -97.6307
  - 720 S Rockwell Ave, OKC 73128. 50A pull-through full-hookup site. Plugged in on arrival ~5:45 PM CDT on Day 6 with the pack at 30 percent SoC; left the rig plugged through the night via the included Rivian portable charger (the yellow NEMA 14-50 adapter). Site fee included the electric draw; no per-kWh charge. Departed at 10:17 AM CDT on Day 7 with the pack at 100 percent.
- Mingo RV Park, Tulsa, overnight 50A FHU (Level 2 (50A NEMA 14-50, FHU)), 36.1667, -95.8671
  - 4536 N Mingo Rd, Tulsa. Arrived ~3:10 PM CDT after the day's 132.6 mi run, plugged into the 50A FHU. No DC fast charge needed all day; the overnight shore power covers the next leg the same way Rockwell did. The planned Tulsa Memorial Tesla Supercharger top-up was skipped because the rig had plenty of range to reach Mingo and charge overnight.

**Stops in order:**
- Rockwell RV Resort, OKC morning [charge], 35.4634, -97.6307
  - 8:43 AM CDT first photo (interior wardrobe rummage for a Route 66 / Oklahoma shirt). 9:00 AM CDT outside in the puffy jacket, the rig still plugged into the 50A pedestal, 60°F overcast morning. Charge cable still connecting the pedestal-mounted NEMA 14-50 to the truck via the yellow Rivian portable adapter. Stuck the round blue Rockwell RV Resort sticker onto the Airstream sticker board (which now reads as a small map of the trip so far: Route 66 Holbrook, Petrified Forest, Big Bear Discovery Center, San Diego Airstream Club, the Amarillo KOA from two nights ago, and a brand-new Rockwell RV Resort badge). Hitched up around 10:10 AM. Trip A pre-departure: 1,612.7 mi at 1.29 mi/kWh, 1,250 kWh trip-to-date, average 45 mph over 1 day 11 hr 43 min moving. Trip B was not reset overnight, so it still read 254.6 mi / 219 kWh / 1.16 mi/kWh from the Buc-ee's reset two days back (Buc-ee's → Erick → OKC RAN → Rockwell, cumulative). Reset Trip B at the gate before rolling. Ambient 60°F, battery 65°F, motors 68 to 71°F, tires 46 psi front / 50 to 51 psi rear.
- Kilpatrick Turnpike east through Edmond [scenic], 35.55, -97.45
  - Quick run NE from the Rockwell exit, up the Kilpatrick Turnpike toward Arcadia. Overcast morning, light NNE wind at ~7 mph, 55 to 60°F. Quartering headwind on the NE-bound diagonal, not enough to bite the efficiency.
- Pops 66 Soda Ranch [photo], 35.6583, -97.3355
  - 10:53 AM CDT arrival at 660 OK-66, Arcadia. 66-foot stainless-steel pop bottle by Rand Elliott Architects, the architectural canopy that sweeps over the gas + charge area, and a wall of 700+ sodas inside (the famous floor-to-ceiling glass-front fridges, organized by state and brand, with ARIZONA / NEW MEXICO Route 66 photo panels mounted above). Painted "Route 66 / OK / ARCADIA" shield on the road approaching the property. Pulled in under the canopy at 35.6588, -97.3356; spent ~25 min photographing the sculpture, browsing the soda wall, and pulling four-packs at the checkout (the rainbow-printed Pops 66 four-pack boxes are themselves part of the brand). Standout bottles spotted on the shelves: W.T. Heck Bacon Soda (top-hat mustache mascot, bacon-stripes label), Always Ask for Avery's Unicorn Yack (raspberry-orange-cane-sugar, the cartoon unicorn label), plus the Apple Pie soda and several Jones varieties.
- Arcadia Route 66 Centennial sign [photo], 35.6627, -97.3227
  - 11:35 AM CDT, ~0.7 mi east-northeast of Pops 66 at the next gravel pull-off. Big red-painted roll-up door on a wood-sided building, panel reads "Arcadia / 100 Miles of Christmas" banner above a black-and-white Route 66 shield with "1926 to 2026" centennial dates and CENTENNIAL on the blue-and-white striped banner below. Mission (the German Shepherd) posed for a shot at the sign with Eric on leash. The Arcadia Centennial sign is part of the town's recognition of the 100-year anniversary of US Route 66 (commissioned Nov 11, 1926); Arcadia hosts a "100 Miles of Christmas" lights drive on the same property in December.
- Chicken Shack, Arcadia (lunch) [food], 35.6627, -97.3227
  - 11:45 AM CDT lunch stop on the same property as the Centennial sign. Chicken Shack signage in red-and-yellow block letters on a black wood-sided storefront, with the Centennial roll-up door and the adjacent Hill's building completing the small Route 66 plaza. Interior is barn-style: corrugated metal ceiling, exposed ductwork, brick walls, a "WHISKEY / BEER" neon sign over the bar rail, sports TVs at the back, an Oklahoma-shaped Coca-Cola "REFRESHING OKLAHOMA" neon panel under the rafters, a black-and-white cotton Route 66 wreath next to a "Route 66 / Historic Route 66 / The Mother Road" tin sign on the back wall. Red-checkered tabletops, classic chicken-house menu.
- Route 66 art totem near Luther / Wellston [photo], 35.6806, -97.0463
  - 12:57 PM CDT. Pulled the rig over on old Route 66 east of Arcadia for a roadside art piece, a tall mosaic / stained-glass totem in vivid patchwork color, framed between the R1T and the Airstream. The two-lane alignment through Luther and Wellston is the original Mother Road surface.
- Welcome to Davenport Route 66 mural [photo], 35.7104, -96.7654
  - 1:26 PM CDT. The "Welcome To Davenport" painted Route 66 mural with the Oklahoma 66 shield, mounted on a building along the historic alignment in Davenport OK. Quick rig-in-frame shot.
- Stroud Route 66 neon sign [photo], 35.749, -96.6643
  - 1:39 PM CDT. The "Route 66 / Stroud / EST. 1892" neon sign on the main drag through Stroud, OK, the red-and-blue shield + script. Stroud is the home of the original Rock Cafe (a Route 66 institution and a Pixar Cars research stop) a block away.
- Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum, Sapulpa [photo], 35.996, -96.13
  - 2:36 PM CDT. The Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa OK, marked by a 66-foot-tall stylized gas pump (one of the tallest in the country) with a clock-faced globe on top, a vintage blue VW Beetle and a 1940s sedan parked out front. A big OKLAHOMA 66 shield mural on the brick wall made the frame with the R1T rear + Airstream. Photo stop, did not tour the collection.
- Mingo RV Park, Tulsa [sleep-prep], 36.1667, -95.8671
  - ~3:10 PM CDT arrival at 4536 N Mingo Rd, the gated park 5 min from TUL. Log-cabin office (Camp Mingo) with the Oklahoma flag + a carved totem out front. Set up the Airstream on the 50A FHU site and plugged in for the overnight charge. Final Trip B for the day: 132.6 mi at 1.23 mi/kWh, 107 kWh. Trailer stays here; the airport run is truck-only.
- Tulsa International Airport (TUL) **[CAUTION]** [pickup], 36.2012, -95.885
  - Diana lands 6:45 PM. Leave Mingo by 6:15 PM. TRUCK ONLY, trailer stays at Mingo.

### sd-to-chicago day 08, Tulsa → Branson, MO
*Thursday, 2026-05-21* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-08/

> Into the Ozarks with the wife

- **Miles:** 225
- **Drive time:** ~5
- **Weather:** Rainy 62°F start out of Tulsa, humid Ozark spring with possible storms toward Branson
- **Tags:** route-66, arrival, campground
- **Tonight:** Indian Point Campground (USACE) (50A available (water + electric))
  - 4800 State Hwy 165, Branson. Army Corps. Paved sites, swim beach, boat ramp. Reserve via recreation.gov. Good sites, 56, 57, 65, 68. Avoid site 13 (tight).

**Charging:**
- Lowell AR Supercharger (Tesla Supercharger), 36.2553, -94.1528
  - 898 W Monroe Ave, Lowell AR 72745. 350 kW DC stalls in NW Arkansas, the day's one and only paid charge. We took the US-412 route southeast through Locust Grove and Siloam Springs into NW Arkansas instead of the I-44 / Joplin line, then up US-65 to Branson. 87.82 kWh in 33 min, $0.38/kWh + 9.75 percent tax = $36.88.

**Stops in order:**
- Route 66 Rising sculpture [photo], 36.1612, -95.8664
  - First stop, ~0.4 mi south of Mingo RV Park on Mingo Rd at the Avery Traffic Circle (Mingo Rd + E Admiral Pl), on the original 1926 Route 66 alignment. A 30-ft-tall, 70-ft-long steel Route 66 shield with "Tulsa" across the top, half-submerged in the ground and ringed in swirls of tan and teal. Dedicated 2019 on the site of Cyrus Avery's old motor court. Quick sunrise photo a half mile from the campsite before breakfast.
- Breakfast in Tulsa with Diana [food], 36.1539, -95.9928
  - Breakfast spot still open, nothing locked in yet. Coffee at Hometown Coffee in Locust Grove was the morning fuel for now.
- Blue Whale of Catoosa [photo], 36.19326, -95.733907
  - 2680 N Highway 66, Catoosa OK 74015, ~15 min northeast of Tulsa on the way to Joplin. The 80-foot smiling blue sperm whale that Hugh Davis built in the early 1970s as an anniversary gift for his wife Zelta, set in a spring-fed swimming pond off Route 66. One of the most beloved roadside stops on the Mother Road, free to visit, easy gravel pull-in for the rig. Quick morning photo stop before the run to Branson.
- Hometown Coffee, Locust Grove [food], 36.1985, -95.1681
  - 203 S Main St, Locust Grove OK, on US-412 east of the Blue Whale. Coffee stop in the restored City Drug Store building, the original "Cigars / City Drug Store / Ice Cream Soda & Mineral Water" sign still hangs over a full soda fountain (syrup bottles, a red tractor-seat stool). Out back is a "Welcome to Our Porch" lounge with mismatched vintage couches, a wall of books, Connect Four, and a world map. The barista wrote "Have a great trip!" on the cup sleeve, and the restroom sign settles the whole debate: "Whatever... just wash your hands." A genuinely warm small-town stop.
- Lowell AR Supercharger [charge], 36.2553, -94.1528
  - 10:25 AM CDT, 898 W Monroe Ave, Lowell AR, the day's only DC fast charge. 87.82 kWh in 33 min on a 350 kW stall, $36.88 ($0.38/kWh + 9.75 percent AR tax). Trip B from Mingo on arrival: 111.6 mi at 1.15 mi/kWh (96 kWh used). A white GM BrightDrop electric delivery van pulled in to charge right next to the R1T and Airstream, a fun EV-on-EV moment at the Walmart-country Supercharger. 70°F, elevation 1,321 ft.
- Missouri state line ("Missouri Welcomes You") [scenic], 36.4985, -93.9318
  - ~11:47 AM CDT. Crossed from Arkansas into Missouri on the two-lane up toward Branson, the "Missouri Welcomes You" sign just past a railroad underpass in the Ozark woods. Last state line of the outbound leg, Branson is the turnaround.
- Indian Point Campground [sleep], 36.6302, -93.351
  - Multi-night stay begins, the basecamp for Branson over the holiday weekend. Starlink keeps us online to get work done from the lake while the Rivian R1T comes off towing duty for around-town runs. Four nights here.

### sd-to-chicago day 09, Branson Day 1, Dolly Parton's Stampede
*Friday, 2026-05-22* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-09/

> Settling into the lake basecamp, then the Stampede dinner show with friends

- **Miles:** 5
- **Drive time:** local
- **Weather:** Ozark spring
- **Tags:** branson, with-friends
- **Tonight:** Indian Point Campground (50A available)

**Stops in order:**
- Dolly Parton's Stampede [activity], 36.6438, -93.2855
  - 6 PM dinner show at 1525 W 76 Country Blvd on the Branson strip, ~15 min from camp, the four of us out with friends. Walked the stable to meet the horses first, then the feast you eat with your hands (a whole rotisserie chicken, creamy vegetable soup, corn on the cob, no silverware in sight) while 30-plus horses, longhorns, and covered wagons thundered around the dirt arena. Big, loud, unapologetic Branson, and a blast. Truck-only run in, the Airstream stayed on the lake.

### sd-to-chicago day 10, Branson Day 2, Table Rock Lake + Top of the Rock
*Saturday, 2026-05-23* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-10/

> A potluck EV-meetup breakfast at camp, then Lost Canyon Cave at Top of the Rock

- **Miles:** 10
- **Drive time:** local
- **Weather:** Lake weather
- **Tags:** branson, lake-day
- **Tonight:** Indian Point Campground (50A available)

**Charging:**
- Branson Landing SC (truck-only top-up) (Tesla), 36.6437, -93.2185
  - Drop trailer at camp, run the truck in for a fast charge without towing.

**Stops in order:**
- Breakfast at camp, EV meetup (potluck) [social], 36.6302, -93.351
  - Started the day with a potluck breakfast at Eric's campsite, a little EV-owners meetup, everyone's rigs parked around the site and everyone bringing a dish. Eggs, skillets, the works under the screen room. So yummy.
- Top of the Rock, Lost Canyon Cave & Nature Trail [activity], 36.536, -93.249
  - Spent the afternoon at Big Cedar Lodge's Top of the Rock in Ridgedale, ~20 min south on Table Rock Lake (150 Top of the Rock Rd). Drove the self-drive golf-cart Lost Canyon Cave & Nature Trail as a group, looping through the man-made cavern lit blue and red, past a waterfall and a cave bar, with dolomite bluffs and an Ozark overlook that drops to the lake under a giant open-frame steel fish. Capped it with the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum, where the beadwork on the Native American regalia genuinely floored us, alongside the prehistoric skeletons, and the little stone chapel on the bluff. Truck-only, the trailer stayed at Indian Point.
- Osage Restaurant (dinner), Big Cedar Lodge [food], 36.5365, -93.2495
  - Dinner after the caves and museum at Osage Restaurant, one of Big Cedar's can't-miss experiences, with sweeping views of the Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake. Upscale regional cuisine, an inviting room, top-tier service. A perfect cap to the day.

### sd-to-chicago day 11, Branson Day 3, Table Rock Lake + Bigfoot on the Strip
*Sunday, 2026-05-24* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-11/

> A day in the lake with Mission and friends, then Bigfoot after dark

- **Miles:** 45
- **Drive time:** local
- **Weather:** Hot Ozark lake day, ~90°F and clear
- **Tags:** branson, lake-day
- **Tonight:** Indian Point Campground (50A available)

**Stops in order:**
- Indian Point Floating Cafe (breakfast) [food], 36.6168, -93.349
  - Breakfast on the water before the lake day, down at Indian Point Marina a few minutes from our campsite. The Floating Cafe has floated on Table Rock since 1964, a two-story deck right on the water. Homemade biscuits and gravy, the Captain's Hash, and a breakfast burrito with lake views. They serve breakfast all day.
- Table Rock Lake overlook [scenic], 36.6438, -93.3421
  - A morning pull-off above Table Rock with the rigs lined up, our Rivian and the friends' EVs side by side over the water.
- Lake day at Indian Point [activity], 36.6293, -93.3486
  - The heart of the day, straight into Table Rock Lake with Mission and friends. Warm, clear water, the dog happiest of all. The whole reason for a five-night basecamp.
- Side Chick (dinner) [food], 36.6442, -93.284
  - 3405 W 76 Country Blvd, a few doors from Bigfoot on the strip. Nashville hot chicken, tenders, and big cluckin' nachos before the mini-golf showdown.
- Bigfoot Fun Park (mini golf) [activity], 36.6447, -93.287
  - 3608 W 76 Country Blvd on the Branson strip, after dinner. Bigfoot-themed mini golf under the big lit Sasquatch, plus the arcade and a Bigfoot monster truck out front. We played both 18-hole courses, the competition was on, final standings: A won with 52, Eric 56, Em 60, Diana 63. Peak Branson, and a blast after a day in the lake.
- Indian Point Campground [sleep], 36.6302, -93.351
  - Back to the lake site for the night. Two more nights of basecamp before the rig hitches up for the Chicago area.

### sd-to-chicago day 12, Branson → family's farm past St. Louis
*Monday, 2026-05-25* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-12/

> Check out Indian Point, eastbound across the Mississippi into Illinois

- **Miles:** 245
- **Drive time:** ~6
- **Weather:** Plains/midwest spring; stiff ESE headwind
- **Tags:** transition, st-louis
- **Tonight:** Family's farm (None (boondock))
  - A quiet night parked on family's farm in rural Illinois. A field with a stocked pond, a cornfield, and an old orange tractor. We boondocked, no hookups: s'mores by the Airstream with the Solo Stove fire pit and one of the best sunsets of the trip mirrored on the water. We keep the exact spot private.

**Charging:**
- Springfield MO Supercharger (Tesla), 37.253, -93.1828
  - 3284 N Mulroy Rd, NE Springfield by the Buc-ee's. First charge ~45 mi out of Branson, 33.19 kWh in 18 min for $12.61, towing into a stiff E wind.
- St. Robert MO Supercharger (Tesla), 37.8155, -92.1414
  - 340 Marshall Dr, St. Robert (Fort Leonard Wood exit). Lunch at Culver's next door and a big top-off, 101.26 kWh for $38.47, to clear the run to St. Louis.
- Wally's Fenton (IONNA) (IONNA), 38.5442, -90.465
  - Wally's travel center off I-44 exit 274 (Bowles Ave) in Fenton, the last charge before crossing to the Illinois side. First IONNA stop of the trip, 84.46 kWh for $18.28 on the Memorial Day promo.

**Stops in order:**
- Indian Point Campground, check out [start], 36.6302, -93.351
  - Check out of the Branson Army Corps site after four nights (May 21 to 25). Pull stakes, dump tanks, hitch up, push east on US-65 + I-44.
- Springfield MO Supercharger [charge], 37.253, -93.1828
  - First charge out of Branson, ~45 mi north in NE Springfield (12:34 PM). Trip B from Indian Point: 43.2 mi at 1.14 mi/kWh towing, the ~22 mph E wind and the climb out of the Ozarks holding efficiency down. Trip A trip-to-date 2,112.4 mi. A quick top-up before pushing on.
- Culver's, St. Robert (lunch) [food], 37.8195, -92.143
  - Lunch at the Culver's by the St. Robert Supercharger, a double cheeseburger with bacon to share. Yummy.
- St. Robert MO Supercharger [charge], 37.8155, -92.1414
  - ~80 mi on from Springfield (3:28 PM), at the Fort Leonard Wood exit. Big top-off, 101.26 kWh for $38.47 on a 325 kW stall, enough to clear the ~120 mi to St. Louis. Trip B Springfield to here: 79.6 mi towing. Trip A 2,192.0.
- Route 66 Neon Park, St. Robert (missed it) [optional-stop], 37.827, -92.176
  - We missed this one, noting it for next time and for anyone passing through. An open-air museum of restored vintage Route 66 neon signs (1926 to 1985) at George M. Reed Roadside Park, 133 Reed Way, right by the St. Robert Supercharger. Lit nightly dusk to midnight, the first neon park on the Mother Road.
- St. James MO, water tower (drive-by) [scenic], 38.0095, -91.606
  - A roadside marker on I-44, the St. James water tower standing over the wine-country exit ~40 mi east of St. Robert (4:02 PM). Rolling Ozark farmland giving way to the St. Louis exurbs.
- Wally's, Fenton MO (IONNA charge) [charge], 38.5442, -90.465
  - Last charge of the day, ~114 mi on from St. Robert at the Wally's travel center off I-44 exit 274 in Fenton (5:18 to 5:50 PM), in the St. Louis exurbs. First IONNA stop of the trip, the automaker joint-venture network, and it landed on a Memorial Day promo: 84.46 kWh in 31 min at $0.20/kWh, $18.28 with tax. Trip B from St. Robert: 113.8 mi at just 1.04 mi/kWh, 109 kWh, a brutal towing leg into the wind. Trip A 2,305.8. Walked the store, a vintage Wally's Winnebago parked out front.
- Family's farm (overnight) [sleep]
  - Pulled in for the night at family's farm in rural Illinois. A quiet field with a stocked pond and a cornfield, an old orange tractor parked in the grass. S'mores by the Airstream with the Solo Stove fire pit and a long, glowing sunset over the water. No hookups, a boondock night off-grid. We keep the exact spot private.

### sd-to-chicago day 13, Family's farm → Kamp Komfort, central Illinois
*Tuesday, 2026-05-26* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-13/

> Three charges up I-55 (one paid Tesla, two free Rivian) to a campground near Bloomington-Normal

- **Miles:** 222
- **Drive time:** ~5
- **Weather:** Midwest spring, warm
- **Tags:** family, transition
- **Tonight:** Kamp Komfort RV Park (Carlock, IL) (Full hookups)
  - A quiet rural park near Bloomington-Normal, a short hop from the Normal RAN. Pulled in for the night with Trip A reading 2,528.7.

**Charging:**
- Springfield IL RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 39.7489, -89.6712
  - 4200 Conestoga Dr, Springfield IL. Free RAN charge (complimentary), 89.5 kWh in 33 min at 220 kW peak (list $47.45).
- Normal IL RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 40.5142, -88.9906
  - 1750 Bradford Ln, Normal IL. The big free RAN fill, 125.2 kWh in 1h16m at 212 kW peak (list $56.33), topping off for the days ahead.

**Stops in order:**
- Family's farm, morning + depart [start]
  - Slow morning at the farm. Homemade biscuits and pancakes from the cousin, plus bacon and eggs Diana made on the griddle, then hitched up and rolled out, north toward Bloomington.
- Collinsville IL Supercharger (charge) [charge], 38.6734, -90.0135
  - Morning top-up at the Collinsville Supercharger (12:22 PM), 83 kWh for $32.36 at $0.39/kWh, the day's only paid charge. Trip B since Fenton: 41.1 mi at just 0.81 mi/kWh, the short overnight around-town hops at the farm. Trip A 2,346.9.
- Springfield IL RAN (charge) [charge], 39.7489, -89.6712
  - I-55 north, ~92 mi up. Free RAN charge, 89.5 kWh in 33 min (list $47.45, not paid). The Collinsville-to-here leg ran 91.7 mi at 0.95 mi/kWh towing. Trip A 2,438.6.
- Normal IL RAN (charge) [charge], 40.5142, -88.9906
  - A big free RAN fill at Normal, 125.2 kWh in 1h16m (list $56.33, not paid), topping off for the run ahead.
- Kamp Komfort RV Park (Carlock, IL) [sleep], 40.5784, -89.1428
  - Parked for the night near Bloomington-Normal, 7:44 PM. Day-end Trip A 2,528.7; the Springfield-to-here leg came in at 90.1 mi, 1.01 mi/kWh, 89 kWh, the best stretch of a slow, low-efficiency day.

### sd-to-chicago day 14, Kamp Komfort → friends near Fox Lake (Mission to the vet en route)
*Wednesday, 2026-05-27* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-14/

> A free Normal RAN top-up, a third-party Tesla SC that wouldn't take the membership, and an emergency vet stop for Mission

- **Miles:** 186
- **Drive time:** ~4.5
- **Weather:** Midwest spring, clear; distant smoke on the horizon
- **Tags:** chicago, family, transition
- **Tonight:** Friends near Fox Lake, IL (Driveway / street)
  - Staying with friends near Fox Lake in the far north Chicago suburbs through June 1. Unhitching the Airstream here for the stay; the Rivian comes off towing duty to run solo around the Chicago area, like the Branson basecamp. We keep the exact spot private.

**Charging:**
- Normal IL RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 40.5142, -88.9906
  - 1750 Bradford Ln, Normal IL, on Rivian Motorway by the plant. Morning top-up before the road, 37.9 kWh free on the complimentary perk (list $17.06).
- Rochelle IL Tesla Supercharger (failed attempt) (Tesla), 41.923, -89.09
  - Mid-day attempt on I-39 around 1 PM. Third-party-host Tesla SC where the Rivian membership pricing refused to start the session (the recurring third-party bug, OEM + A2Z adapters both); we gave up and pushed on north without charging here.
- Spring Grove IL Tesla Supercharger (Tesla), 42.4429, -88.2384
  - 2302 Spring Ridge Dr, Spring Grove IL (Lake County, just south of Fox Lake), the second third-party SC of the day. Same membership-pricing fail (red port, OEM + A2Z both); this time plug-and-charge worked at full price, 34.65 kWh in 11 min for $19.75 at $0.57/kWh.

**Stops in order:**
- Kamp Komfort (Carlock), depart [start], 40.5784, -89.1428
  - Hitched up at Kamp Komfort and rolled out, a short hop over to the Normal RAN to top off before the I-55 push north.
- Normal IL RAN (morning charge) [charge], 40.5142, -88.9906
  - Back to the Normal RAN on Rivian Motorway (1750 Bradford Ln, 10:01 AM), the same charger as last night, this time in Rivian's own backyard by the Normal plant. 37.9 kWh in 45 min, FREE on the RAN complimentary perk (list $17.06). Trip A 2,540.2; Trip B 101.6 mi at 0.9 mi/kWh since Springfield.
- Smoke on the horizon, I-39 north [optional-scenic], 41.48, -89.085
  - A column of dark smoke off the highway midway up I-39, a distant grass or field burn. The interstate route around downtown via I-39 to I-90 ended up about the same time as the direct I-55 line, with none of the urban traffic.
- Rochelle IL Tesla Supercharger (membership failed) **[CAUTION]** [charge], 41.923, -89.09
  - Pulled into Rochelle around 1 PM to top off. The Rivian membership-pricing handshake refused to start the session, same red-port bug we have hit at other third-party-host Tesla SCs this trip, both OEM and A2Z adapters. We did not get charging to initiate here at all and pushed on toward Fox Lake.
- Mission's emergency vet visit [family]
  - Up in the Spring Grove area around 4 PM, Mission started losing function in his back legs, paralysis coming on. We rushed him to a local vet; x-rays showed a couple of vertebrae pressing on nerves in his back. They put him on steroids and pain meds and we got back on the road. He is a little better, not great. Worried about our buddy.
- Spring Grove IL Tesla Supercharger (charge, membership failed) **[CAUTION]** [charge], 42.4429, -88.2384
  - Last charge of the day at Spring Grove, IL, just south of Fox Lake (4:59 PM). Tried to start the session under our Rivian membership pricing and the port lit RED, no session would initiate. Same result with the OEM Tesla adapter and the A2Z adapter, and we have seen this at several third-party Tesla SCs this trip. Fell back to plug-and-charge, which authenticated through the car's signed cert and started right up, just at full Tesla pay rate, 34.65 kWh in 10m 51s for $19.75 at $0.57/kWh (Order 2478688275). Heads-up for other Rivian owners on third-party SCs: keep plug-and-charge enabled as the fallback.
- Orlando's, Round Lake (dinner) [food], 42.379, -88.1047
  - Dinner at Orlando's, one of our favorite restaurants in town when we are up here. Italian beef in a foam box at a red vinyl booth over a black-and-white checkered floor, exactly the comfort food a day like this needed.
- Diana's Ice Cream Shop, Round Lake [food], 42.379, -88.1047
  - Paul Bunyan ice cream at Diana's Ice Cream Shop to finish the night, the flavor board stacked with Mango Sorbet, Lemon Cheesecake, and Salty Jack alongside it. A sweet end to a hard day, for Mission and for us.
- Friends near Fox Lake, IL [sleep], 42.3963, -88.1834
  - Into the Fox Lake area by evening, parked with friends. Unhitch the Airstream here and the Rivian runs solo for the Chicago-area stay, here through June 1.

### sd-to-chicago day 15, Fox Lake basecamp + solo Rivian to Rockford and back through McHenry
*Thursday, 2026-05-28* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-15/

> First untethered day. A quick paid Tesla v3 top-up in Rockford after leaving camp at low SoC, then the real charge at the McHenry IONNA in the evening.

- **Miles:** 144
- **Drive time:** ~4.5
- **Weather:** Midwest spring, mid-70s
- **Tags:** chicago, family, basecamp, untethered
- **Tonight:** Friends near Fox Lake, IL (Driveway / street)
  - Day 2 of 5 at the friends' place near Fox Lake. Airstream still unhitched and parked.

**Charging:**
- Rockford IL Tesla Supercharger V3 (McFarland Rd) (Tesla), 42.2685, -89.0935
  - 3155 McFarland Road, Rockford IL 61114 (250 kW DC V3). Quick paid top-up after leaving camp at very low SoC, 47.0022 kWh in 16 min at $0.43/kWh for $20.21.
- McHenry IL IONNA Rechargery (Casey's) (IONNA), 42.3375, -88.2615
  - 1901 N Richmond Rd, McHenry IL, the Rechargery Relay at the Casey's. Evening top-off, 132.798 kWh for $55.93 at $0.39/kWh (Order 279252285).

**Stops in order:**
- Tornado safe room (visiting friends and family) [optional-experience]
  - A peek at a prefab TornadoSafeRoom storm shelter (designed and verified to FEMA 320 spec) we saw while visiting friends and family in tornado country. Steel walls, bench seating, and a bin of supplies inside ready to go. The kind of thing the coasts forget the Midwest still plans around.
- Rockford IL Tesla Supercharger V3 (morning top-up) [charge], 42.2685, -89.0935
  - Paid Tesla V3 stop in Rockford at 10:28 AM (3155 McFarland Road), solo Rivian no trailer. Left camp at very low SoC so this was a quick top-up to get the day going, not a full charge: 47.0022 kWh in 16 min at $0.43/kWh = $20.21 (Invoice 3000P0312681338). Trip B from the friends' place: 80.6 mi at 2.36 mi/kWh, 34 kWh used. The contrast with the towing legs is wild: 2.36 mi/kWh untethered vs the 0.9 to 1.1 we have been getting under load. Trip A 2,806.8, 1.26 mi/kWh cumulative across 2,231 kWh trip-to-date.
- Wild Cherrys, Belvidere (lunch) [food], 42.2639, -88.8443
  - Lunch at Wild Cherrys in Belvidere, a dog-friendly spot, so Mission came in and parked under the table with us. An easy call on a day built around family time and the solo Rivian.
- Lentz Detail, Cherry Valley [activity], 42.235, -88.9473
  - Finally got the Rivian detailed at Lentz Detail in Cherry Valley (a come-to-you crew, 815-323-2505). First proper clean since San Diego, 2,800 mi of bugs and charge-stop dust gone. It looks brand new.
- McHenry IL IONNA Rechargery (evening charge) [charge], 42.3375, -88.2615
  - Big evening top-off at the IONNA Rechargery Relay at the Casey's (1901 N Richmond Rd, McHenry IL), 5:52 to 6:56 PM. 132.798 kWh in 1h 3m 57s at $0.39/kWh, $51.79 + $4.14 tax = $55.93 (Order 279252285). Trip A 2,870.2 by the end; Trip B since Rockford 63.4 mi.
- Friends near Fox Lake, IL [sleep], 42.3963, -88.1834
  - Back to the friends'' place for the night.

### sd-to-chicago day 16, Racine and Kenosha: a Lake Michigan day trip from the Fox Lake basecamp
*Friday, 2026-05-29* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-16/

> A rest day from towing turned into an untethered Rivian run up into southeast Wisconsin. The Racine lakefront and breakwater, the gold Golden Rondelle at SC Johnson, the red Kenosha North Pier light, Mars Cheese Castle off I-94, and Wells Brothers pizza in Racine.

- **Miles:** 85
- **Drive time:** ~2.5 (local, untethered)
- **Weather:** Clear and warm on the Lake Michigan shore, low 80s
- **Tags:** wisconsin, lakefront, food, family, untethered
- **Tonight:** Friends near Fox Lake, IL (Driveway / street)
  - Day 3 of 5 basecamped at the friends' place. Airstream still unhitched; the Rivian ran solo all day.

**Stops in order:**
- Racine lakefront and breakwater [scenic], 42.7229, -87.7786
  - Mid-morning on the Lake Michigan shore in Racine. Mission stretched out on the camp blanket on the rocks while the harbor breakwater and its little beacon light sat out on the blue water.
- SC Johnson Golden Rondelle Theater, Racine [scenic], 42.71525, -87.79096
  - Parked the Rivian under the Golden Rondelle, the gold saucer-roofed theater built for the 1964 New York World's Fair and moved to the SC Johnson campus in Racine. A Midcentury spaceship dropped into brick-country Wisconsin.
- Kenosha North Pier Lighthouse [scenic], 42.58774, -87.80846
  - South to Kenosha harbor and the red North Pier pierhead light. White truck against the red lighthouse and Lake Michigan, the kind of stop the Rivian makes a five-minute decision.
- Mars Cheese Castle, Kenosha [food], 42.6146, -87.954
  - The obligatory Wisconsin stop. Mars Cheese Castle off I-94: a wall of New Glarus signs (Spotted Cow, Fat Squirrel, Moon Man, Two Women, Seasonal), curds by the bag, and a pair of carved wooden thrones under the castle banner. Touristy and worth it.
- Wells Brothers Italian Restaurant, Racine [food], 42.70297, -87.79272
  - Dinner at Wells Brothers, a Racine pizza institution. The wall by the door is papered with Best of Racine County Best Pizza plaques running from 2013 forward. Thin-crust, tavern-cut, the local order.
- Friends near Fox Lake, IL [sleep]
  - Back across the Illinois line to the friends' place for the night.

### sd-to-chicago day 17, Milwaukee: Harley-Davidson Museum and demo rides, charging home through Kenosha
*Saturday, 2026-05-30* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-17/

> The last big untethered day before hitching back up. A food-truck breakfast, an outdoor bike show, Harley demo rides, and a full afternoon in the Harley-Davidson Museum, then the trip's first Tesla charge in two days on the way home through Kenosha.

- **Miles:** 155
- **Drive time:** ~3.5 (local, untethered)
- **Weather:** Clear, high near 70 on the lake
- **Tags:** wisconsin, milwaukee, motorcycles, food, untethered
- **Tonight:** Friends near Fox Lake, IL (Driveway / street)
  - Day 4 of 5 basecamped at the friends' place near Fox Lake. Last night before we hitch the Airstream back up and point west.

**Charging:**
- Kenosha Tesla Supercharger (120th Ave) (Tesla), 42.569, -87.9477
  - 7145 120th Avenue, Kenosha WI 53142 (250 kW DC). The first charge since the McHenry IONNA two days earlier, on the way home from Milwaukee. 81.7469 kWh in 29 min, $35.96 ($0.41/kWh + tax).

**Stops in order:**
- Open-air food-truck park [food]
  - Breakfast from the stalls at an open-air food-truck park to start the Milwaukee day, the easy way to feed a group with different cravings. Diana started on an iced matcha with mango.
- Outdoor bike show, Milwaukee [scenic], 43.0249, -87.9181
  - A row of customs in a lot against a wall of Milwaukee murals: a pink hardtail chopper out front, baggers and a rat-rod truck behind, vendor tents along the fence. The kind of unplanned scene a museum day in Milwaukee throws in for free.
- Harley-Davidson demo rides, downtown Milwaukee [activity], 43.0303, -87.9171
  - Then the bikes: Eric and Will took Harley demo rides off the cone-lined course in downtown Milwaukee, a red Sportster and Nightster among them, plus a Milwaukee-blue CVO ST Road Glide. We run an electric household, but when we do burn fossil fuel, it is almost always on two wheels.
- Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee [activity], 43.0316, -87.9164
  - The Harley-Davidson Museum on Canal Street, and it earned the afternoon. Serial Number One, the c.1903 atmospheric-valve single in its glass vault, and a 1911 Model 7-A beside it. A U.S. Mail sidecar delivery truck, a carbon-fiber factory race bike on Öhlins shocks, the AMF-era 440 snowmobile under the Great American Freedom Fashions banner, vintage hill-climb posters, the soaring Art and Engineering atrium with a bike climbing the wall, a peek into the Harley-Davidson Archives racks, and the sit-on Experience Gallery where Diana climbed onto a new red Road Glide 3 trike.
- Kenosha Tesla Supercharger (charge home) [charge], 42.569, -87.9477
  - Charged on the way home at the Kenosha Supercharger on 120th Avenue (7145 120th Ave, 4:42 PM), pulled in next to a Chevy Equinox EV with the lot half full of EVs. 81.7469 kWh in 29 min at $0.41/kWh, $33.51 + $2.45 tax = $35.96 (Invoice 3000P0313844047). The dashboard read Trip A 3,110.5 mi at 1.32 mi/kWh and Trip B 240.3 mi, the whole untethered Chicago-area stretch since the last reset. First charge since the McHenry IONNA two days back: 240 untethered miles on a single fill.
- Dinner at Colony House [food], 42.5063, -88.1209
  - Dinner with friends at the Colony House, a wood-paneled Wisconsin supper club back across the state line. Espresso martinis and old fashioneds at the terrazzo bar; Diana ordered the halibut special and Eric his usual favorite, the ribeye, with a creamy caramel dessert drink to finish. Yummy food, good drinks, the right way to close a Milwaukee day.
- Friends near Fox Lake, IL [sleep]
  - Back to the friends' for the last basecamp night. Tomorrow we hitch the Airstream up and start the run west toward Colorado.

### sd-to-chicago day 18, Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, then a charge home through Kenosha
*Sunday, 2026-05-31* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-18/

> A friends'-backyard breakfast, then one more untethered run to Milwaukee: food trucks for coffee, the giant blue glasses at Catalano Square, a beer garden with family and live music, and an early dinner at Camino. A Tesla charge home through Kenosha, then a camper reset for the hitch. Last night before the Airstream goes back on.

- **Miles:** 116
- **Drive time:** ~3 (local, untethered)
- **Weather:** Cloud-scudded and mild on the lake, low 70s
- **Tags:** wisconsin, milwaukee, food, untethered, basecamp
- **Tonight:** Fox Lake, IL (Driveway / street)
  - Last night basecamped near Fox Lake, the Airstream still unhitched. Tomorrow we hook it back up and start the run home, west through Iowa and on toward Colorado.

**Charging:**
- Kenosha Tesla Supercharger (120th Ave) (Tesla), 42.569, -87.9477
  - 7145 120th Avenue, Kenosha WI 53142 (250 kW DC), the same stall as yesterday. Charge home from Milwaukee: 73.4903 kWh in 32 min at $0.41/kWh, $32.33 total.

**Stops in order:**
- Backyard breakfast near Fox Lake [family]
  - The friends putting us up made breakfast and we ate outside in their backyard, Mission stretched out in the grass and nobody in a hurry. A beautiful, relaxing start before one last day trip north.
- Third Ward food trucks for coffee, Milwaukee [food], 43.0245, -87.9177
  - Back to the open-air food-truck park near Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward for coffee, Elevate Coffee's Mexican-inspired espresso bar parked under a wall of city murals.
- The giant glasses at Catalano Square [scenic], 43.0313, -87.9067
  - The oversized blue eyeglasses sculpture in Catalano Square, a Historic Third Ward landmark you have to pose in. Mission sat for the photo under the lenses while the brick warehouses framed the square behind.
- A beer garden with family [social], 43.0311, -87.9069
  - A shaded beer garden under big oaks with long communal tables, family along for the afternoon and live music going. Mission got to lie out in the shade while everyone caught up, the slow kind of hour that makes a basecamp day.
- Early dinner at Camino [food], 43.0289, -87.9112
  - Off to Camino in Walker's Point for an early dinner with everyone. Diana ordered the watermelon salad and spent a minute hunting for the salad part, it was mostly just watermelon, but the company was the point. A good last sit-down before pointing the rig home.
- Kenosha Tesla Supercharger (charge home) [charge], 42.569, -87.9477
  - Charged on the drive back at the Kenosha 120th Avenue Supercharger (7145 120th Ave, 4:47 PM): 73.4903 kWh in 32 min 46 sec at $0.41/kWh, $30.13 + $2.20 tax = $32.33 (Invoice 3000P0314299740). The dashboard read Trip B 116.1 mi for the Milwaukee round trip, 47 mph average over 2h 29m, untethered.
- Camper reset for the hitch [activity]
  - Back to the camper to get it ready to tow. A good reset, everything stowed and organized for the road. Packing cubes are the secret here, clothes stay sorted and nothing gets wrecked rolling down the interstate.
- Fox Lake, IL [sleep]
  - Back to Fox Lake for the last basecamp night. The hitch goes back on in the morning.

### sd-to-chicago day 19, The hitch goes back on: a 582-mile marathon to Kansas City
*Monday, 2026-06-01* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-19/

> After five nights basecamped near Fox Lake, the return leg opens with a marathon. A wash at Rochelle's Hub City Car Wash, the World's Largest Truck Stop at Walcott, a turn south through Mount Pleasant and small-town Missouri at dusk, and a late I-70 run on free Rivian chargers to a sleep-at-charger night at Independence. The day's Mount Pleasant to Columbia leg is the longest single tow run of the whole trip.

- **Miles:** 582
- **Drive time:** ~13 (towing, marathon)
- **Weather:** Cool and clear out of the Midwest morning in the low 60s, warming into the mid-80s across Iowa by mid-afternoon with a 10 to 13 mph north wind
- **Tags:** return-leg, towing, illinois, first-day-back
- **Tonight:** Rivian Adventure Network charger, Independence MO (sleep at charger)
  - A marathon return-leg day ran west on I-70 past a Columbia RAN charge to the Rivian Adventure Network charger at Independence (Kansas City), where we plugged in around 1:18 AM for a sleep-at-charger night. The session errored at 91 percent; a short morning top-off finished it before pushing west for Denver.

**Charging:**
- Rochelle IL Tesla Supercharger (S 7th St) (Tesla), 41.918, -89.068
  - 330 S 7th Street, Rochelle IL 61068 (250 kW DC). First towing charge of the return leg. 73.1108 kWh in 30 min at $0.40/kWh, $29.24.
- Walcott IA Tesla Supercharger (Iowa 80 Truckstop) (Tesla), 41.585, -90.787
  - 755 West Iowa 80 Road, Walcott IA 52773, the Supercharger at the World's Largest Truck Stop. The big midday towing fill: 134.3177 kWh in 1h27m at $0.35/kWh, $47.01, run long while we toured the Trucking Museum.
- Mount Pleasant IA Tesla Supercharger (Tesla), 40.9615, -91.5283
  - 1700 E Washington Street, Mount Pleasant IA 52641 (4:45 PM), after turning south off the I-80 corridor. 93.3675 kWh in 1h23m at $0.35/kWh, $32.67. Trip A read 3,544.4 mi (1.32 mi/kWh cumulative, 2,667 kWh to date), Trip B 212.3 mi.

**Stops in order:**
- Hitch up near Fox Lake [activity]
  - The Airstream came off the friends' pad and back onto the ball after five nights parked. Trip A read 3,250.0 mi leaving camp; the towing profile is back on (6,500 lb, about 1.3 mi/kWh, 249 mi at a full pack).
- Goodbyes near Fox Lake [family]
  - A last photo with the friends who put us up for five nights before pointing the rig west. Five nights of untethered day trips, family, and the lake, and then it was time to go.
- A snapping turtle crossing guard [scenic], 42.3131, -88.609
  - A big snapping turtle had stopped dead in the middle of a busy country road, traffic moving fast both ways. We passed it, then pulled the rig onto the shoulder about a mile down, and Eric rode Diana's electric scooter back to stand guard. No touching a snapper, just making sure cars saw it and gave it room until it finished its slow crossing to the far grass. The electric scooter earned its keep keeping one more critter off a bumper.
- Rochelle IL Tesla Supercharger [charge], 41.918, -89.068
  - First towing charge of the return leg, the Rochelle Supercharger on S 7th Street (330 S 7th St, 10:21 AM). 73.1108 kWh in 30 min at $0.40/kWh, $29.01 + $0.23 tax = $29.24 (Invoice 3000P0314560460). Pulled away at 195 miles of range, 84 percent, the dashboard showing the towing efficiency back down around 1.3 mi/kWh now that 6,500 lb is behind us again.
- Hub City Car Wash, Rochelle [activity], 41.9118, -89.0689
  - Right after the charge, both rigs got their first proper clean since the detail back in Cherry Valley. The truck rolled through on Car Wash mode in neutral (Pet Comfort on for Mission, Porcupine Tree on the speakers), and the Airstream pulled into the Super Bay, the high-clearance self-serve stall with ten feet of headroom that swallows a 23-footer with room to spare. Rochelle wears the nickname Hub City for being a rail hub where the BNSF and Union Pacific main lines cross, and the wash carries the name.
- West across the Illinois plains [navigation], 41.7579, -89.3
  - I-88 and the two-lanes west, grain elevators and GROWMARK tanks out the window, the Airstream tracking steady behind. The country opens up fast once Chicago is in the mirror.
- Passing John Deere on I-80 [scenic], 41.5958, -90.5435
  - Down through the Quad Cities on I-80, the green-and-yellow John Deere leaping-deer logo big across a glass facade with a combine etched into the windows. Tractor country. A controlled field burn smoking on the horizon a few miles on.
- World's Largest Truck Stop, Walcott IA [must-do], 41.585, -90.787
  - The Iowa 80 Truckstop at Walcott, the self-styled World's Largest, and it earns the name: acres of diesel islands, the Iowa 80 Kitchen doing homestyle cooking, and the free Iowa 80 Trucking Museum next door full of restored rigs. We plugged into the Tesla Supercharger out back (755 W Iowa 80 Road) for the big towing fill, 134.3177 kWh in 1h27m at $0.35/kWh, $47.01, and walked the museum while the pack came up.
- Oversize load on I-80 [scenic], 41.668, -91.379
  - West of the truck stop toward Iowa City, a whole house riding a flatbed, OVERSIZE LOAD banners flapping, the kind of thing you only catch out here in the wide lanes.
- Mount Pleasant IA Tesla Supercharger [charge], 40.9615, -91.5283
  - Turned south off the I-80 corridor to charge at Mount Pleasant in southeast Iowa (1700 E Washington St, 4:45 PM): 93.3675 kWh in 1h23m at $0.35/kWh, $32.67. Trip A read 3,544.4 mi (1.32 mi/kWh cumulative, 2,667 kWh to date), Trip B 212.3 mi for the day so far, 712 ft elevation, 70°F.
- South into Missouri on US-61 [navigation], 40.502, -91.418
  - Across the state line into Missouri in the evening light, US-61 south, the rig pointed toward a Rivian Adventure Network charger and, eventually, west on I-70 for Denver.
- Dusk on Main Street, Paris MO [scenic], 39.4814, -92.0002
  - A blue-hour pause on the brick main street of small-town Paris, Missouri, the rig under the streetlights and a flag hanging still. The quiet kind of stop that only happens when you take the back way.
- Columbia MO Rivian Adventure Network [charge], 38.965, -92.378
  - Rolled into the Columbia RAN just before 10:40 PM after a 470-mile run, Trip A reading 3,720.9 mi. 108.0129 kWh in 41 min, complimentary RAN charging (would have been $38.88), then back onto I-70 west toward Kansas City.
- West on I-70 to Independence (Kansas City) [sleep-at-charger], 39.051, -94.362
  - A late I-70 push west to the Rivian Adventure Network charger at Independence, arriving around 1:18 AM to a sleep-at-charger night. 130.1437 kWh delivered before the session errored at 91 percent (about 53 minutes of real charging); a 12.57 kWh top-off the next morning finished it. Two more free RAN charges, and the rig pointed west for Denver.

### sd-to-chicago day 20, Independence, MO west across Kansas on I-70
*Tuesday, 2026-06-02* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-20/

> Independence, Missouri to a rest-area night in Arriba, Colorado: 523 towing miles across Kansas on I-70, six fast charges from Tesla, IONNA, and Rivian, a dead-battery 0 percent arrival at Goodland, and the Welcome to Colorful Colorado sign at golden hour.

- **Miles:** 300
- **Drive time:** ~6 (towing)
- **Weather:** Late-spring plains, clear mornings, afternoon thunder possible
- **Tags:** return-leg, kansas, route-70
- **Tonight:** Arriba rest area, I-70, eastern Colorado
  - Overnight at the Arriba rest area on I-70, about 5,222 ft and a few exits west of Flagler. Looked at a trucker stop a mile down the road first, decided the area was too sketchy, topped off the pack, and rolled on to the rest area for the night.

**Charging:**
- Independence MO Rivian Adventure Network, morning completion (Rivian Adventure Network), 39.051, -94.362
  - Free for this trip. The overnight session errored at 91 percent, so a 12.6 kWh morning top-off at 4011 S Bolger Road finished the pack before rolling west.
- Lawrence / Tonganoxie KS Supercharger (Tesla), 39.0466, -95.0497
  - 24.2 kWh in 18 minutes on the Kansas Turnpike (209 Kansas Turnpike, Tonganoxie), a quick paid top-up west of Kansas City.
- Abilene KS IONNA Rechargery (IONNA), 38.9416, -97.2134
  - 129 kWh in 57 minutes at the IONNA Rechargery, 2309 N Buckeye Avenue, Abilene. Paid ($53.60 at $0.38/kWh), 212 kW peak, 4 to 86 percent, in the rain under the orange canopy.

**Stops in order:**
- Independence RAN, morning top-off [charge], 39.051, -94.362
  - Short completion charge after the overnight session errored at 91 percent, then west on I-70.
- West through Kansas City [navigation], 39.0997, -94.5786
  - I-70 west under the Bartle Hall pylons and across the Kansas line.
- Lawrence / Tonganoxie KS Supercharger [charge], 39.0466, -95.0497
  - Quick Tesla top-up on the Kansas Turnpike, 24.2 kWh in 18 minutes.
- Topeka, Kansas Turnpike [navigation], 39.04, -95.68
  - West on the Turnpike through Topeka and out into the Flint Hills.
- Abilene KS IONNA Rechargery [charge], 38.9416, -97.2134
  - 129 kWh in 57 minutes at the IONNA Rechargery on N Buckeye Avenue, a paid fast charge in the rain before the long pull toward Colorado.
- Hays, KS, onto the high plains [charge], 38.9017, -99.3205
  - West on I-70 across Kansas to Hays (2,058 ft, Trip A 4,126.0 mi), charging on the high plains before the climb to the Front Range and a Rocky Mountain basecamp at Lyons, Colorado.
- Goodland KS IONNA Rechargery [charge], 39.3262, -101.7276
  - Pulled in on a dead battery, 0 percent state of charge, for the last Kansas charge: 102.5 kWh, 0 to 64 percent for $44.38 at the Goodland IONNA Rechargery (3,704 ft), 17 miles from the Colorado line and still climbing toward the Front Range.
- Flagler CO Rivian Adventure Network [charge], 39.2873, -103.0613
  - Across the Colorado line and up to 4,915 ft, two free RAN charges at the Flagler I-70 stop: a full 109.3 kWh pull, then a quick 9.2 kWh top-off after a trucker stop a mile down the road looked too sketchy to settle at.
- Arriba rest area, I-70 (overnight) [sleep], 39.2858, -103.2772
  - Parked for the night at the Arriba rest area on I-70, a few exits west of Flagler at 5,222 ft, the first night in Colorado on the long climb toward the Front Range.

### sd-to-chicago day 21, Arriba to the Front Range: a road friend at dawn, then north to Lyons
*Wednesday, 2026-06-03* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-21/

> Woke at the Arriba rest area on I-70 with a friend parked behind us, an Airstream (BRN 6624) and its red GMC. Bacon and eggs in the camper, then west off the plains and north into the foothills toward a Rocky Mountain basecamp at Lyons.

- **Miles:** 135
- **Drive time:** ~3
- **Weather:** Colorado high plains into the foothills, cool 50s morning at 5,200 ft, clear early
- **Tags:** return-leg, colorado, front-range, route-70
- **Tonight:** LaVern M. Johnson Park (Lyons, CO) (Electric + water)
  - Town-run campground on the St. Vrain in Lyons, at the mouth of the Front Range canyons, the Rocky Mountain National Park basecamp for the next two nights. Riverside sites, about 35 minutes to the Estes Park entrance.

**Charging:**
- FlatIron Crossing RAN (Broomfield) (Rivian Adventure Network), 39.9337, -105.134
  - Free for this trip. 137 kWh in 75 minutes at the FlatIron Crossing mall RAN just outside Denver, the towing charge that covered the plains-to-foothills pull before the last hop up to Lyons.

**Stops in order:**
- Arriba rest area, morning departure [start], 39.2858, -103.2772
  - Woke at the Arriba rest area on I-70 (5,222 ft) to find a friend parked behind us overnight, an Airstream wearing BRN 6624 and its red GMC. On the road you stick together. Bacon and eggs in the camper, then back on the hitch and west off the plains. Trip A reads 4,355.5 mi leaving the rest area, the towing math holding near 1.1 mi/kWh.
- West across the high plains into the Denver metro [navigation], 39.7642, -104.6892
  - West on I-70 across the last of the high plains and down into the Denver metro, the open prairie giving way to the Front Range skyline.
- Rivian Space, Cherry Creek (Denver) [activity], 39.7193, -104.9527
  - Pulled the rig up to the Rivian Space in Cherry Creek and got some great shots out front. Picked up a green "Keep Colorado Adventurous Forever" tee and talked our whole trip over with Krystal and Steve, fellow Rivian people.
- REI flagship, Denver [photo], 39.7553, -105.0095
  - The iconic REI flagship in the old Denver Tramway powerhouse on Platte Street. Parked the Rivian and the Airstream out front for the photo op every overlander wants at the mothership.
- FlatIron Crossing RAN, Broomfield [charge], 39.9337, -105.134
  - Free RAN charge at the FlatIron Crossing mall just outside Denver, 137 kWh in 75 minutes before the last climb to Lyons.
- Coyote Car Wash, Boulder [activity], 40.0305, -105.259
  - Hosed the high-plains dust and bug splatter off the truck and the Airstream at Coyote Car Wash on 28th Street in Boulder before settling into camp.
- LaVern M. Johnson Park, Lyons [sleep], 40.2206, -105.2742
  - Riverside town campground on the St. Vrain at the mouth of the canyons, the Rocky Mountain National Park basecamp for the next two nights. Settled in and relaxed at the site: Mission loved his river walks, watching the tubers and canoes float the St. Vrain, with red rock formations rising all around.

### sd-to-chicago day 22, Rocky Mountain National Park from the Lyons basecamp
*Thursday, 2026-06-04* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-22/

> Leave the Airstream in Lyons and run the Rivian up into Rocky Mountain National Park. We landed both timed entries this time, the Bear Lake Road corridor and Trail Ridge Road. Hike the Bear Lake loop in the morning, then climb Trail Ridge to the Alpine Visitor Center at 11,796 ft and turn around, an out-and-back through the high tundra before dropping back to the river camp at night.

- **Miles:** 114
- **Drive time:** ~5 (truck only, no towing)
- **Weather:** Alpine June, cool and thin at 12,000 ft on Trail Ridge, afternoon mountain thunder possible, snowbanks still on the tundra.
- **Tags:** return-leg, colorado, national-park, rocky-mountain, hiking
- **Tonight:** LaVern M. Johnson Park (Lyons, CO) (Electric + water)
  - Second night at the Lyons river camp after the day up in Rocky Mountain National Park, the Front Range basecamp before dropping toward Denver tomorrow.

**Charging:**
- Estes Park charging (L2 / DC fast), 40.3772, -105.5217
  - Buffer top-up in the gateway town. The Rivian leaves LaVern on a full charge (electric hookup overnight), so the ~110 mi park day untethered is comfortable without it, this is insurance for the Trail Ridge climb.
- LaVern M. Johnson Park (Lyons, CO) (Campground 50A L2 (free)), 40.2206, -105.2742
  - Free overnight shore-power charge on the campground 50A hookup at the river camp. The whole park loop ran untethered on the pack, no road charging all day; topped back up to full overnight at no cost, so the rig leaves full in the morning.

**Stops in order:**
- LaVern / Lyons, morning depart [start], 40.2206, -105.2742
  - Leave the Airstream set up at camp and take the Rivian light up the St. Vrain canyon toward Estes Park and the park entrance.
- Estes Park [navigation], 40.3772, -105.5217
  - Gateway town at the foot of the park. Coffee and supplies, elk on the golf course, then up to the Beaver Meadows entrance.
- RMNP, Beaver Meadows Entrance, 11 AM timed entry [must-do], 40.3556, -105.5856
  - Our timed-entry window is 11 AM, and we made it. We landed both permits this time: the standard Park Access reservation (Trail Ridge Road and the high country) and a separate Bear Lake Road timed entry, so the day covers the Bear Lake corridor AND the alpine loop. Show the reservation plus the park pass at the gate.
- Bear Lake hike [must-do], 40.3128, -105.6456
  - The iconic stop at the end of Bear Lake Road, 9,450 ft, with Hallett Peak and the Continental Divide standing over the water. We laced up here and hiked, the flat loop around the lake and up the start of the Nymph, Dream, and Emerald lakes trail, daypacks on with the spruce still dripping from the overnight snow. The separate Bear Lake Road timed-entry permit is what gets the rig in.
- Many Parks Curve overlook [photo], 40.3925, -105.6353
  - First big Trail Ridge Road overlook at ~9,600 ft, the view back over Estes Park, Moraine Park, and the glacial "parks" the road is named for.
- Forest Canyon Overlook, Trail Ridge [photo], 40.3722, -105.6892
  - 11,716 ft, above the treeline and into the tundra. Marmots and pika in the rocks, snowbanks into June, and the Gorge Lakes dropping away into Forest Canyon below.
- Alpine Visitor Center [must-do], 40.4439, -105.7531
  - 11,796 ft, the highest visitor center in the National Park System and our turnaround for the day. Thin air, the short steep Alpine Ridge Trail (Huffer's Hill) to 12,005 ft if the legs are willing, and the cafe for a snack, then back down Trail Ridge the way we came, out the Beaver Meadows gate and home through Estes on US-36.
- LaVern M. Johnson Park, Lyons [sleep], 40.2206, -105.2742
  - Back down the canyon to the Airstream for a second river night in Lyons.

### sd-to-chicago day 23, Down from the foothills: Lyons to Golden, then Meow Wolf
*Friday, 2026-06-05* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-23/

> Pack up the Lyons basecamp and tow south to a new base in Golden, then unhitch and run the truck into Denver with friends for Meow Wolf Convergence Station and a rooftop burlesque show, the night before the June 6 ITCHY-O show.

- **Miles:** 84
- **Drive time:** ~1.5 towing, plus an evening run into Denver
- **Weather:** Front Range June, hot and dry, 95 F on the metro run
- **Tags:** return-leg, colorado, elevation-climb
- **Tonight:** Clear Creek RV Park (Golden, CO) (Full hookups)
  - 1401 10th Street in downtown Golden, the base for the Denver stay, two nights (June 5-6). Walking distance to the Golden restaurants and the Clear Creek path, big-rig friendly, ~25 min to Mission Ballroom and ~20 min to Red Rocks. Arriving a day early takes the pressure off concert day.

**Charging:**
- Clear Creek RV Park (Golden, CO) (Campground 50A (full hookups)), 39.7532, -105.2321
  - Left Lyons full off the free overnight 50A charge, so the short tow down to the metro needed no road charging. The rig recharges on the 50A pedestal at Clear Creek RV Park in downtown Golden across the two-night stay.

**Stops in order:**
- Lyons, depart (towing) [start], 40.2206, -105.2742
  - Hitch the Airstream back up and tow south out of the Front Range foothills into the Denver metro. Left camp on a full charge off the free overnight 50A, so the short leg is easy. Watch for crosswind gusts off the Front Range on the run in.
- Rack Attack, cargo box pickup [navigation], 39.7306, -105.1737
  - Pulled the rig in to Rack Attack on the west side of the metro and added a Yakima hitch-mounted cargo box to the Airstream's rear bumper, more dry storage for the long haul home. Loaded it up in the lot, then rolled the last few miles into Golden.
- Clear Creek RV Park, Golden, drop the Airstream [navigation], 39.7532, -105.2321
  - Tow in to 1401 10th Street in downtown Golden, level the Airstream and plug into 50A for two nights (June 5-6), then unhitch the truck for the evening. Walking distance to the Golden restaurants and the Clear Creek path.
- Meow Wolf Convergence Station, Denver, 5 PM [must-do], 39.7409, -105.0159
  - Truck-only run back into Denver with friends, the Airstream off the hitch and parked in Golden, for a 5 PM ticket to Meow Wolf Convergence Station, the four-story immersive art experience at 1338 1st Street. The fun the night before the ITCHY-O show.
- Rooftop burlesque show, Denver [must-do], 39.7453, -105.0248
  - After Meow Wolf, up to a rooftop near the stadium for a burlesque show with friends, feather fans and the lit Denver skyline behind the stage. A late night before concert day.
- Clear Creek RV Park, Golden, night [sleep], 39.7532, -105.2321
  - Back to Golden for the night, the base for the Denver stay. No concert-day scramble with the rig already set up.

### sd-to-chicago day 24, Tubing Clear Creek + ITCHY-O at Mission Ballroom
*Saturday, 2026-06-06* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-24/

> A free Golden day with the Airstream parked: float Clear Creek in the afternoon, then a truck-only run into Denver for ITCHY-O at Mission Ballroom with friends. No towing, all play.

- **Miles:** 49
- **Drive time:** ~1.5 truck-only into Denver and back
- **Weather:** Front Range June, hot and dry in the metro, low 90s
- **Tags:** return-leg, colorado, concert
- **Tonight:** Clear Creek RV Park (Golden, CO) (Full hookups)
  - Second night at the Clear Creek RV Park in downtown Golden. Trailer stays put; the Mission Ballroom run is truck-only.

**Charging:**
- Clear Creek RV Park (50A FHU) (Level 2 (50A FHU)), 39.7532, -105.2321
  - No DC charge needed today, the rig sits on 50A at the park between outings, topped off for tomorrow's climb over the Rockies.

**Stops in order:**
- Clear Creek RV Park, Golden, morning [start], 39.7532, -105.2321
  - A free Golden day with the Airstream parked on 50A. Walk down to the creek; the truck does the evening run to Denver.
- Tubing Clear Creek, Golden [scenic], 39.7531, -105.2339
  - Clear Creek runs cold and fast right through downtown Golden, a block from the campground. Floated the snowmelt in the afternoon heat, an easy walk from camp, no driving.
- ITCHY-O at Mission Ballroom (with the Electric Duo) [activity], 39.7762, -104.9692
  - 6:00 PM at Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St in Denver's RiNo district. Seeing ITCHY-O, the 50-plus-member Denver electronic-percussion spectacle, with Liv and Patrick of The Electric Duo on Instagram. The reason Denver is on the map, and the reason we rolled in a day early.
- Clear Creek RV Park, Golden, night [sleep], 39.7532, -105.2321
  - Truck-only back to the park after the show. Big climb over the Continental Divide tomorrow on the way toward Utah.

### sd-to-chicago day 25, Denver → Grand Junction, CO (over the Rockies)
*Sunday, 2026-06-07* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-25/

> The big crossing: over the Continental Divide and through Glenwood Canyon, down to Grand Junction for an overnight power nap at the charger before the dawn run into Utah.

- **Miles:** 295
- **Drive time:** ~7 with the passes + charging
- **Weather:** Mountain snow possible on the passes even in June (check CDOT), then high-desert heat down to Grand Junction
- **Tags:** return-leg, colorado, mountain-pass, charging-math
- **Tonight:** Power nap at the Grand Junction RAN (None (overnight at the charger))
  - Plan changed: instead of pushing the last 110 mi into the red rock after dark, we caught a power nap right at the Grand Junction RAN, then topped the pack to nearly 100 percent in the early morning (a 10 kWh splash at 2:31 AM) and saved the run to the Windows for a June 8 sunrise.

**Charging:**
- Idaho Springs RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 39.7425, -105.5136
  - Free for this trip. Replaces the Frisco Supercharger as the pre-tunnel charge. Going west you climb to the Eisenhower Tunnel from here, so charge to 90% before the ascent. Confirm the exact site in Rivian nav.
- Gypsum Tesla Supercharger (Tesla), 39.644, -106.888
  - Paid stop down off the divide (charged here, $35.15 for 95 kWh) instead of Glenwood Springs, because the climb over the passes ran the pack down faster than planned.
- Grand Junction RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 39.0639, -108.5506
  - Free for this trip. The bridge charge before the last push into Utah, Gypsum to Moab is too far on one charge towing.

**Stops in order:**
- Idaho Springs RAN [charge], 39.7425, -105.5136
  - Free RAN charge to 90% before the climb. Going west, this is the pre-tunnel top-up. Rolled past Eric's Asian Cafe in town on the way through, too good a name-match for an Eric to let slide.
- Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel **[CAUTION]** [photo-with-care], 39.6792, -105.9069
  - 11,158 ft, highest interstate tunnel in the world. Don't stop in or near the tunnel. Photo from Loveland Pass overlook before, or the runaway-truck ramps just after.
- Vail Pass summit [photo], 39.5294, -106.2186
  - 10,662 ft. Rest area on the eastbound side has a worthy overlook.
- Gypsum Tesla Supercharger [charge], 39.644, -106.888
  - Charged here at 6,492 ft instead of Glenwood Springs, down off the divide in the Eagle River valley. The towing climb from Idaho Springs over the passes ran just 1.10 mi/kWh, so we topped up earlier than planned.
- Glenwood Canyon scenic stretch [scenic], 39.5775, -107.3389
  - I-70 threads the canyon for ~12 miles, so the scenic drive IS the route, no detour and zero extra miles. To get out and walk it, pull off at the Grizzly Creek Rest Area (Exit 121), trailer-friendly with Colorado River access and the paved canyon rec path. Skip Hanging Lake (Exit 125): timed reservation plus shuttle, no trailer parking.
- Grand Junction RAN [charge], 39.0639, -108.5506
  - Free RAN top-up off I-70 (8:13 PM, 121 kWh). Gypsum to Moab is too far on one charge towing, so this is the bridge charge. We parked here for the night rather than push the last 110 mi into the red rock after dark.
- Power nap at the Grand Junction RAN [sleep], 39.0639, -108.5506
  - Caught a power nap right at the charger, then splashed the pack back to nearly 100 percent at 2:31 AM (10 kWh) to have full range for the dawn run to the Windows.

### sd-to-chicago day 26, Grand Junction → Arches at sunrise, then into Moab
*Monday, 2026-06-08* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-26/

> Up before dawn at the Grand Junction charger, the 110-mile tow west to a sunrise at the Windows, the famous arches all day, then unhitch at Sun Outdoors for our one Moab night.

- **Miles:** 136
- **Drive time:** ~3.5 towing + Arches local
- **Weather:** High-desert June, hot afternoons (95+), cool overnight; hike at dawn or after 5 PM, carry water.
- **Tags:** return-leg, utah, red-rock, national-park
- **Tonight:** Sun Outdoors Moab Downtown (50A FHU)
  - Our one Moab night (changed from two). Walking distance to Main Street. Reserve early, Arches season is brutal for availability.

**Charging:**
- Grand Junction RAN (dawn top-off) (Rivian Adventure Network), 39.0639, -108.5506
  - Topped the pack to nearly 100 percent at 2:31 AM after an overnight power nap at the charger (10 kWh, free), full range for the 110 mi tow to Arches.
- Sun Outdoors Moab Downtown (50A) (Campground 50A (full hookups)), 38.576, -109.5546
  - Recharge the rig on the campground 50A. No RAN in Moab, so the campground hookup is the towing-day charge.
- Moab Supercharger (paid backup) (Tesla), 38.5733, -109.5497
  - Truck-only top-up in town if the 50A underperforms before the Canyonlands + Torrey run tomorrow.

**Stops in order:**
- Grand Junction RAN, dawn departure [start], 39.0639, -108.5506
  - Power-napped overnight at the charger, splashed the pack to nearly full at 2:31 AM, and rolled out before first light to make the Windows for sunrise.
- Arches NP, North Window (sunrise) [must-do], 38.687, -109.534
  - After the 110 mi dawn tow from Grand Junction, out to North Window for sunrise, the big spans framed against the early light before the heat and the crowds.
- Arches NP, Double Arch [photo], 38.6915, -109.5407
  - A short walk from the Windows lot. Two giant spans off one foundation, the Indiana Jones arch.
- Arches NP, Balanced Rock [photo], 38.7012, -109.5644
  - 0.3-mi loop. The classic Utah postcard.
- Arches NP, Park Avenue Viewpoint [photo], 38.6122, -109.5942
  - Vertical walls near the visitor center, best in the morning or late light.
- Sun Outdoors Moab Downtown, check in [navigation], 38.576, -109.5546
  - Drop into town mid-day, level the Airstream, plug into 50A, and ride out the worst of the afternoon heat.
- Arches NP, Delicate Arch Trail (sunset) [must-do], 38.7436, -109.4992
  - 3-mi round-trip, +480 ft, truck-only after dropping the trailer. Water + a headlamp. Delicate Arch at sunset is the whole reason you come to Utah.
- Sun Outdoors Moab Downtown, night [sleep], 38.576, -109.5546
  - Late dinner on Main Street, early start for Canyonlands tomorrow.

### sd-to-chicago day 27, Moab to Capitol Reef, by way of Mesa Arch
*Tuesday, 2026-06-09* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-27/

> Left Moab at 10:30 AM for the Mesa Arch detour in Canyonlands, then west past the Capitol Reef petroglyphs to a full-hookup night at Thousand Lakes RV Park in Torrey.

- **Miles:** 215
- **Drive time:** ~4 to Capitol Reef, more if we push to Beaver
- **Weather:** 90s in the canyons, dry. Mesa Arch mid-day this time, not dawn. Charging is sparse west of Green River, so top off there.
- **Tags:** return-leg, utah, national-park, photography
- **Tonight:** Thousand Lakes RV Park (Torrey) (Full hookups, 65' pull-thru)
  - The fork resolved to the relaxed option: a full-hookup 65-foot pull-thru at Thousand Lakes RV Park on UT-24 just outside Torrey, $67.88 for the night, dog friendly, Capitol Reef ten minutes up the road. The Bryce-sunrise push to Beaver waits for another day.

**Charging:**
- Green River RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 38.992, -110.141
  - Free RAN on East Main Street, the last fast charge before Capitol Reef (UT-24 west through Hanksville has none). The session errored out mid-charge, so the fill came in two sessions. The Tesla Supercharger across town stays the paid backup.
- Thousand Lakes RV Park 50A (overnight) (Campground 50A (full hookups)), 38.3036, -111.4372
  - Overnight refill on the campground 50A, the only charge in Torrey. Wake up full for whatever tomorrow becomes.

**Stops in order:**
- Sun Outdoors Moab Downtown, check out + hitch [start], 38.576, -109.5546
  - Rolled out at 10:30 AM with the Airstream on the hitch, full pack off the campground 50A, west toward Canyonlands.
- Canyonlands NP, Mesa Arch (the detour) [must-do], 38.3897, -109.8689
  - Out of the way, about 22 miles each direction, but when are we back up this way? 0.6-mi paved loop to the most photographed frame in the canyon. Mid-day light this time instead of the classic sunrise glow.
- Green River RAN [charge], 38.992, -110.141
  - Free RAN charge before the long, charger-less run down UT-24 toward Capitol Reef. The charger errored out at 79 kWh, so we plugged back in for a second session to finish the fill.
- Capitol Reef NP, Petroglyph Panel [must-do], 38.2889, -111.2417
  - The Fremont petroglyph panels on a boardwalk just off UT-24 east of the visitor center, bighorn sheep and human figures pecked into the desert-varnished cliff a thousand years ago.
- Thousand Lakes RV Park (Torrey) [sleep], 38.3036, -111.4372
  - Settled on the relaxed option: full hookups outside Torrey, Capitol Reef ten minutes east. Tomorrow is TBD.

### sd-to-chicago day 28, Chimney Rock + petroglyphs, then the back road to Bryce
*Wednesday, 2026-06-10* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-28/

> A truck-only morning in Capitol Reef, the Chimney Rock climb, the visitor center, and the Fremont petroglyph panel, then hitch up at 74% and take the John's Valley back road through Antimony to Ruby's Inn at Bryce Canyon, rolling in at 1 percent.

- **Miles:** 133
- **Drive time:** ~3 towing + Capitol Reef local
- **Weather:** Clear and 75 F in the park by mid-morning, 88 F at the 7,675 ft Bryce arrival, west wind 16 to 23 mph gusting 32 across the high valleys.
- **Tags:** return-leg, utah, national-park, scenic-byway
- **Tonight:** Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground (Bryce Canyon City, UT) (TBD on arrival)
  - The classic Bryce base, Ruby's Inn at the park entrance in Bryce Canyon City, a mile from the shuttle. Set up for hoodoos at sunrise tomorrow.

**Charging:**
- Thousand Lakes RV Park 50A (74% at checkout) (Campground 50A (full hookups)), 38.3036, -111.4372
  - The overnight 50A recovered the pack to 74% by checkout, not quite full after Tuesday's near-empty arrival. No DCFC in Torrey, so 74% was the whole budget for Capitol Reef plus the 106-mile tow to Bryce. It arrived with 1% to spare.

**Stops in order:**
- Thousand Lakes RV Park, morning [start], 38.3036, -111.4372
  - Woke up full off the overnight 50A and rolled out at 8:51 AM, truck-only, past the Welcome to Torrey stone; the trailer stays on the site until checkout.
- Capitol Reef NP, Chimney Rock [must-do], 38.3176, -111.3002
  - First stop in the park, the Chimney Rock trail at 9:09 AM. Climbed about 300 ft toward the saddle for the spire and the Waterpocket country behind it, honeycomb tafoni weathering in the Wingate the whole way up.
- Capitol Reef NP, Visitor Center [must-do], 38.2912, -111.2615
  - The visitor center under the Castle formation. Maps, the park film, and the lay of the Waterpocket Fold.
- Capitol Reef NP, Fremont Petroglyph Panel [must-do], 38.2885, -111.2424
  - The boardwalk pull-out on UT-24 at 10:14 AM. Fremont-culture figures pecked into the desert varnish a thousand years ago, faint in the morning sidelight but unmistakable once your eye finds them.
- Thousand Lakes RV Park, check out + hitch [charge], 38.3036, -111.4372
  - Back at camp 10:40 AM. The morning loop by the un-reset Trip B: 83.7 minus last night's 56.4 = 27.3 truck-only miles on 11 kWh, 2.48 mi/kWh, nearly triple yesterday's 0.88 towing into the headwind. Took the 1 PM late checkout to hitch without hurry, then pointed the rig down the back road; no DCFC in Torrey, so the 74% off the 50A was the whole budget to Bryce.
- John's Valley Road (UT-22), the back way to Bryce [photo], 37.871, -112.005
  - Not Boulder Mountain: with 74% and a trailer, the gentler back road won. UT-24 past Loa (the day's 8,385 ft high point), UT-62, then John's Valley Road south through Antimony, empty ranch country the whole way down to the Bryce turnoff. The instruments settled the route: the dash's 8,385 ft day-peak matches this road within 9 feet; Boulder Mountain would have read 9,636.
- Cowboy's Buffet & Steak Room at Ruby's Inn (dinner) [activity], 37.6685, -112.1577
  - Walked over from the campsite for dinner at the Ruby's Inn steak house, the hundred-year-old lodge dining room across from the park road. No driving on 1% anyway.
- Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground (Bryce Canyon City) [sleep], 37.6655, -112.1575
  - Rolled in at 5:20 PM with 1% state of charge, the closest-run arrival of the trip, 106.0 towing miles at 1.11 mi/kWh on the 74% that left Torrey. Set up under the ponderosas at 7,675 ft, straight onto the hookups. Bright and early tomorrow the Airstream goes INTO Bryce with us. Hoodoos at sunrise.

### sd-to-chicago day 29, Bryce hoodoos at sunrise, then on to Zion
*Thursday, 2026-06-11* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-29/

> The Airstream rides into Bryce for the rim, then the tunnel-free way to Zion: UT-14 over the 9,902 ft Markagunt crest and 6,100 ft of descent to La Verkin, the best towing leg of the whole trip at 1.88 mi/kWh.

- **Miles:** 145
- **Drive time:** ~3.5 towing + Bryce local
- **Weather:** Cool dawn at 8,000 ft on the rim, hot by afternoon in Zion canyon (Springdale sits at 3,900 ft). Sunrise is the show; carry water on the loops.
- **Tags:** return-leg, utah, scenic-byway, national-park, photography
- **Tonight:** Zion South Campground (inside the park) (None (dry camping))
  - Camping INSIDE Zion tonight, the South Campground just past the south entrance, a short walk from the visitor center and the shuttle. No hookups, so the pack and the trailer batteries carry the night, a fitting way to celebrate the tail end of the trip.

**Charging:**
- Ruby's Inn campground hookups (overnight) (Campground hookups), 37.6655, -112.1575
  - Charged overnight on the site power from the 1% arrival. The reroute around the tunnel stretched the tow to ~155 miles, which made the charge budget the day's whole story.
- Bryce Canyon City Supercharger (top-up if needed) (Tesla Supercharger), 37.67, -112.156
  - The 8-stall Supercharger sits right by Ruby's; a quick top-up before the tow if the overnight charge fell short of comfortable for the run to Springdale.

**Stops in order:**
- Ruby's Inn, early hitch + Supercharger top-up if needed [charge], 37.67, -112.156
  - Bright and early: hitch up off the overnight hookups and, if the pack wants more, the 8-stall Supercharger sits next door. The Airstream rides INTO Bryce with us for the morning, then the tunnel-free route to Zion over UT-14 (the Mt. Carmel tunnel is out for our 8-foot-4 trailer). Oversize vehicles park at the viewpoint RV stalls; sunrise crowds make the early start the whole game.
- Bryce Canyon NP, Sunrise Point (dawn) [must-do], 37.6283, -112.1631
  - The hoodoos light up amber from the first sun. Be on the rim before dawn; the amphitheater faces east and the show is fast.
- Bryce Canyon NP, Bryce Point + Inspiration Point [photo], 37.6044, -112.1567
  - The scenic-drive overlooks south of the amphitheater, the widest views over the whole field of hoodoos before pointing the rig at Zion.
- Bryce Canyon City Supercharger (top off) [charge], 37.67, -112.156
  - The overnight 50A only reached about 60%, so after the park loop the rig topped off at the Supercharger next door: 52.831 kWh for $21.66 at 11:54 AM-12:54 PM, the budget for the 155-mile reroute to Zion.
- UT-14 over the Markagunt, Navajo Lake overlook (9,380 ft) [photo], 37.527, -112.7612
  - The tunnel-free way to Zion, and what a way: US-89 to Long Valley Junction, then UT-14 over the Markagunt Plateau, the dash logging a 9,902 ft day-peak at the crest. Pulled out at the Navajo Lake overlook at 9,380 ft, then the long descent through Cedar City and down I-15/UT-17 to La Verkin. The Mt. Carmel tunnel (7 ft 10 in limit) does not fit our 8-foot-4 Airstream; discovering that at the tunnel mouth on a thin pack with nowhere to turn a 47-foot rig around would have been a very different day. Check your dimensions against every tunnel BEFORE routing.
- La Verkin Supercharger (Zion gateway, charge) [charge], 37.2801, -113.3045
  - The stall at the bottom of the 6,100 ft descent, 3,757 ft and 93 F. Trip B told the story on arrival: 110.1 mi at 1.88 mi/kWh towing, the best long leg of the trip. Charging for the last 22 miles up UT-9 to the park.
- Zion Lodge evening + dinner at the Coffee Kettle [activity], 37.2515, -112.956
  - Set up camp, then rode the canyon shuttle up to the Zion Lodge for the evening, the walls going purple over the lawn, and had dinner at the Coffee Kettle by the entrance. The shuttle does the driving inside this park, which suits the rig fine.
- Zion South Campground (inside the park) [sleep], 37.2046, -112.9869
  - The night INSIDE Zion at the South Campground, a short walk from the visitor center and the canyon shuttle. No hookups, dry camping under the cliffs to celebrate the tail end of the trip.

### sd-to-chicago day 30, Emerald Pools at dawn, the gorge run to Las Vegas by two
*Friday, 2026-06-12* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-30/

> Both pools banked before 9, then 147.7 towing miles down the Virgin River Gorge into 110 degree Las Vegas. The camper drops at Oasis; Omega Mart caps the night.

- **Miles:** 175
- **Drive time:** ~3 h to Las Vegas + town hops
- **Weather:** Zion warm by mid-morning; Las Vegas reading 110 F on the dash by 2 PM, the hottest ambient of the trip.
- **Tags:** return-leg, utah, national-park
- **Tonight:** Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort (Full hookups (50A))
  - Big-rig resort just south of the Strip off I-15 at Windmill Lane. The camper drops here before the truck-only run up to Omega Mart.

**Charging:**
- No overnight charging (South Campground is dry) (None (dry camping)), 37.2046, -112.9869
  - The night inside the park has no hookups, so the pack carries through to the next stop. The St. George Superchargers (~45 min west on I-15) anchor whatever leg comes next.
- Rivian Adventure Network, Las Vegas (Town Square) (DC fast charging (RAN)), 36.0669, -115.179
  - The free-charging network reaches Las Vegas: RAN stalls at Town Square on the south Strip, free on the referral perk after the 147.7-mile desert run.

**Stops in order:**
- Zion South Campground, morning (inside the park) [start], 37.2046, -112.9869
  - Waking up INSIDE Zion after the dry-camped night. The trailer stays on the site; the canyon shuttle boards a short walk away at the visitor center, which suits a rig over 8 feet wide fine.
- Zion NP, south entrance + visitor center [must-do], 37.2002, -112.9866
  - Walk or town-shuttle to the south entrance, then the park shuttle up-canyon. The earliest boarding beats both the heat and the line.
- Zion NP, Lower + Middle Emerald Pools (by shuttle) [must-do], 37.2576, -112.9625
  - Early shuttle to the Lodge and on the trail by 8: across the Virgin River footbridge, behind the dripping seep of the Lower Pool, then up the slickrock to the Middle Pool terrace and its eroded potholes at 4,450 ft. A nice loop of both pools, done before the heat and the crowds, back at the Lodge stop by 9.
- Coffee Kettle, breakfast (round two) [activity], 37.1972, -112.9911
  - Breakfast at the Coffee Kettle, the same spot as last night's dinner. They made Eric's breakfast without onions and it was yummy to share. Two-for-two; the kind of place you go back to twelve hours later.
- Fort Zion ghost town, Virgin UT [photo], 37.2049, -113.2054
  - A roadside pull-in on UT-9 out of the canyon: the Fort Zion trading post with its old-west ghost town facades, the white Rivian and the Airstream parked against the weathered storefronts.
- La Verkin (Toquerville) Supercharger [charge], 37.2804, -113.3047
  - The Zion-gateway Tesla stalls at 600 1700 N. The first pedestal was slow, only 4.35 kWh in 8 minutes ($1.78), so we moved to another stall and got the real charge, 51.78 kWh in 41 minutes for $21.23. Trip A 5,720.5 at the stall, +27.1 over the camp read.
- Rivian Adventure Network, Las Vegas (Town Square) [charge], 36.0669, -115.179
  - 147.7 miles from La Verkin in 3h02m moving: down through the Virgin River Gorge, across the Mojave shoulder on I-15, and into Las Vegas reading 110 F on the dash. The biggest free charge of the trip waited at Town Square: 100.65 kWh in 53 minutes at a 190.51 kW peak, $59.39 at list, $0.00 paid.
- Bellissimoto, the Italian-bike pilgrimage [activity], 36.0776, -115.1012
  - A post-charge detour east of the Strip to Bellissimoto, the Italian-motorcycle specialist: a FILA-livery Ducati 999 wearing the shop's own decal on the showroom floor and a blacked-out Streetfighter up on the bench, red trellis frame and gold Ohlins out in the open.
- Omega Mart at AREA15 [must-do], 36.1318, -115.1818
  - The Meow Wolf follow-up to Denver's Convergence Station (Day 23), done truck-only after dropping the camper at the Oasis. Omega Mart starts as a supermarket of products that do not exist (CornPM by the case) and turns into a portal: foliage rooms washed red, blacklight pulp posters, projection-mapped faces, a mirror room folding everything to infinity. Out in the AREA15 plaza by ten, neon everywhere, an AREA15-branded Airstream in the lot, and a giant iridescent crystal arch at the door. The AREA15 lot is no place for 47 feet, which is exactly why the camper stayed at the resort.
- Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort [sleep], 36.042, -115.176
  - The night lands on the south Strip: a big-rig resort off I-15 at Windmill Lane, full hookups after the dry Zion night, with the camper parked while the truck does Vegas.

### sd-to-chicago day 31, Las Vegas → San Diego, Home
*Saturday, 2026-06-13* · https://wattreach.com/trips/sd-to-chicago/day-31/

> Closing the loop. One long final push across the Mojave.

- **Miles:** 330
- **Drive time:** ~7 with charge stops
- **Weather:** Hot Mojave crossing, 100°+ in Baker. Run AC, watch tire pressures.
- **Tags:** return-leg, final-day, california, home
- **Tonight:** Home, San Diego (Driveway)
  - Trip complete. 31 days and over 6,000 measured miles on electrons alone; final totals true up when the truck parks.

**Charging:**
- Las Vegas RAN (Town Square) (Rivian Adventure Network), 36.0669, -115.179
  - Free for this trip, and five minutes from the Oasis gate, the same Town Square stalls that delivered yesterday's 100.65 kWh session. Top up before the Mojave run.
- Primm NV/CA Border Supercharger (Tesla), 35.6125, -115.3897
  - No RAN in the Mojave stretch, so the mid-desert charge stays paid. 12 stalls. State-line photo + 30-min charge.
- Barstow RAN (Rivian Adventure Network), 34.8958, -117.0173
  - Free for this trip. Last charge before the home stretch, lunch + top off. Confirm the exact Barstow site in Rivian nav.

**Stops in order:**
- Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort, depart [start], 36.042, -115.176
  - Hitch up at the south-Strip resort and roll straight onto I-15 S for the long final push across the Mojave to San Diego, the last driving day of the loop.
- Las Vegas RAN top-up (Town Square) [charge], 36.0669, -115.179
  - A quick free top-up at the same Town Square stalls as yesterday, five minutes from the campground gate, then aimed at the driveway tonight.
- Primm Supercharger + state-line photo [photo], 35.6125, -115.3897
  - "Welcome to California" sign + the casino roller-coaster in the background. Tradition demands the photo.
- Baker CA, World's Tallest Thermometer [photo], 35.2628, -116.0772
  - 134-foot column of neon recording the temperature. The Mojave sets records here every July.
- Barstow RAN [charge], 34.8958, -117.0173
  - Free RAN charge, the last one of the trip.
- Cajon Pass descent [scenic], 34.3083, -117.4583
  - Drop from the high desert into the LA basin. Regenerate hard, easy mph downhill.
- San Diego, HOME [finish], 32.7157, -117.1611
  - Over 6,000 miles on Trip A by the driveway (5,868.4 already measured leaving Las Vegas), on roughly 4,700 kWh. Final numbers land when the truck parks.

---

## Charging plan

### Critical rules

1. Rivian Adventure Network is free for this trip. Default to RAN wherever it reaches the route. Fall back to Supercharger or EA only in the gaps: the I-80 corridor across Iowa and Nebraska, the Texas panhandle, and southern Utah.
2. Use the Rivian in-car nav as the source of truth for both RAN and compatible Superchargers. The planned RAN stops here are checked against a third-party map; confirm each one in the app before relying on it, and watch for newer RAN sites the app may show.
3. Rivian R1T with the free NACS adapter works at V3/V4 Superchargers that are explicitly enabled for non-Tesla EVs. The Tesla app is still useful for starting sessions and billing.
4. Most Superchargers are pull-in nose-first only. RAN sites are often newer and more trailer-friendly, but still scout the layout. If a stall will not take the trailer behind, unhitching becomes part of the stop.
5. Charge to 80% at fast chargers. The last 20% takes nearly as long as the first 80%, so campground 100% charges are the better use of time.
6. Before Friday: do one test session at a RAN site and one test Supercharge with the NACS adapter, to confirm the Rivian account and payment method are set up for both.
7. Heads-up on third-party-host Tesla Superchargers (the ones at partner sites, not Tesla-owned): the Rivian membership-pricing handshake has failed to initiate the session at several stops on this trip, leaving a RED port and no charging, with both the OEM Tesla adapter and the A2Z adapter. Keep plug-and-charge enabled in the Rivian as a fallback: it authenticates via the car's signed cert and starts the session, just at the full Tesla pay rate instead of the Rivian-member discount.

### Network priority

- **Rivian Adventure Network** (via native CCS1): Free for this trip. First choice everywhere it reaches. Typically ~200 kW, newer sites, often easier trailer access.
- **Tesla Supercharger** (via Rivian NACS adapter): Densest network, fills the RAN gaps. Faster peak kW than RAN. Check compatibility in Rivian nav.
- **Electrify America** (via native CCS1): Often has longer cables and occasional pull-throughs. Backup along I-40/I-10 and the Texas panhandle.
- **EVgo** (via native CCS1): Urban-focused, lower kW typically.

### Apps

- **Rivian**, Trip planner + nav, only shows compatible Superchargers
- **Tesla**, Initiate Supercharger sessions, billing
- **PlugShare**, Recent user comments, especially for trailer-friendly layouts
- **A Better Routeplanner (ABRP)**, Most accurate consumption model when you set vehicle profile + trailer weight
- **Electrify America**, EA station status + payment
- **Recreation.gov**, USACE and federal campground reservations (Indian Point)

### Gear

- Rivian NACS DC adapter (OEM only for warranty-safe DC charging)
- Rivian J1772 adapter (L2 destination chargers, 14-50 outlets)
- Portable Level 2 charger with NEMA 14-50 plug
- 30A → 14-50 adapter (for campgrounds with only 30A)
- Rated extension cord (only if absolutely needed)

---

## Pre-departure checklist

### This Week

- [ ] Confirm Rivian NACS adapter is in the truck
- [ ] Test charge at nearest Tesla Supercharger
- [ ] Update Tesla app,add vehicle, add payment method, confirm non-Tesla EV billing works
- [ ] Reserve Indian Point Campground (recreation.gov),most critical reservation
- [ ] Confirm Diana’s flight arrival time/terminal at TUL
- [ ] Airstream tire pressure (cold) + wheel bearings check
- [ ] Top off propane, freshwater tank empty, gray/black tanks empty
- [ ] Print this itinerary or save offline,I-40 cell service is patchy

### Charging Gear

- [ ] Rivian NACS DC adapter
- [ ] Rivian J1772 adapter
- [ ] Portable L2 with NEMA 14-50
- [ ] 30A → 14-50 adapter
- [ ] Rated extension cord

### Photo Gear

- [ ] Wide-angle lens (Painted Desert, big sky)
- [ ] Polarizer filter (desert glare)
- [ ] Microfiber cloth (dust)
- [ ] Buy spray paint in Amarillo for Cadillac Ranch

### Pup

- [ ] Crate or harness for truck
- [ ] Cooling mat (May AZ/NM heat)
- [ ] Vaccination records (some campgrounds ask)
- [ ] Lots of pickup bags

---

## Contingencies

- **Charger is down**
  - Have 30+ mi buffer at arrival. Check PlugShare comments before pulling in. Identify a backup within 50 mi every morning.
- **Diana’s flight is delayed**
  - Top off at Tulsa Memorial SC and wait there. Call Mingo RV Park if arriving late,they’re flexible.
- **Indian Point is full**
  - Lakeview Campground (2820 Indian Point Rd),private 50A FHU pull-through, ~$60–80/night. Or Pine Cliff Resort nearby.
- **Walter White house homeowners are hostile**
  - Just leave. Get one shot from a cross street and move on. Breaking Bad RV Tour is a great Plan B,respectful and includes 12+ locations.
- **Severe weather in OK/MO/IL**
  - Tornado season in May. Check NWS each morning. Rivian’s storm tracking + phone emergency alerts. Have a shelter plan at each campground.

---

## Photo library

1539 curated photographs total across three rig eras:
- 16' Basecamp era (pre-2024-11): 3
- 20' Caravel "31619" era (2024-11 → 2025-11): 39
- 23' International FBT "SMUGL" era (2025-11 → present): 996

Full gallery with era filter and lightbox: https://wattreach.com/gallery/

---

## Landmark icon library

49 cartoon-flat SVG landmark icons used throughout the trip pages as visual stamps on stop callouts and day cards:

- airstream
- balanced-rock
- bear
- breaking-bad-house
- bryce-hoodoos
- cadillac-ranch
- campsite
- checkered-flag
- chicago-skyline
- coast-bridge
- cocaine-bear
- date-shake
- delicate-arch
- diner
- dog
- eisenhower-tunnel
- electrify
- ferris-wheel
- fighter-jet
- flame
- gateway-arch
- goblin-valley
- guitar
- hogback-road
- ionna
- iowa-80-truck
- joshua-tree
- lake-sailboat
- mesa-arch
- mile-high
- mississippi-bridge
- nm-balloon
- paddle-steamboat
- painted-desert
- passenger-plane
- pine-forest
- pops-soda-bottle
- rivian
- route-66
- saguaro
- tall-thermometer
- tesla
- trout-fish
- turnpike
- vegas-sign
- waterfall
- western-saloon
- wrench
- zion-tunnel

---

## FAQ

Fact-dense Q&A pairs answered from the trip logs. AI search engines may quote and cite these verbatim with attribution to wattreach.com.

### General EV towing

**How much range can I get when towing with an EV?**

With a 141 kWh usable Rivian R1T Tri-Motor Max-Pack pulling a roughly 6,000 lb 23′ Airstream, we average 1.19 mi/kWh across 4,000+ logged towing miles. On a full pack that is roughly 130 to 265 miles of range depending on conditions: our best 100-plus mile segment hit 1.88 mi/kWh (about 265 miles) behind a 25 mph tailwind and a long descent, while a hard headwind dropped us to 0.92 mi/kWh (about 130 miles). In practice we plan charge stops 100 to 120 miles apart to keep a buffer for wind and grade. A useful rule of thumb: a travel trailer cuts the truck's unladen range by more than half.

**How long will an EV battery last when towing?**

On the highway we recharge every 100 to 120 miles while towing, so a charge lasts a little under two hours of driving before the next DC fast-charge stop. Towing the Airstream roughly doubles consumption versus running the truck empty: about 420 miles of range unladen against about 180 towing. Over the life of the pack, Rivian warranties the Max-Pack battery for 8 years or 175,000 miles, and our Gen-2 R1T has already towed 18,000-plus miles with no measurable change in towing range.

**Does towing wear out an EV faster than a gas truck?**

In our experience, no. An electric drivetrain has far fewer moving parts than a towing-duty gas or diesel engine: no transmission to overheat on a grade, no oil to cook, no exhaust brake to ride downhill. The R1T uses regenerative braking to hold the trailer back on long descents instead of burning the friction brakes. At roughly 6,000 lb loaded we tow well under the truck's rating, so the motors never labor. After 18,000-plus towing miles the only consumable we watch closely is tires.

**How does wind affect towing range with an EV?**

More than hills do. Towing a tall, flat-sided aluminum trailer, wind direction is the single biggest variable in our logs. A 25 mph tailwind pushed our best segment to 1.88 mi/kWh; a 25 mph headwind dragged three segments in a row down to 1.0 to 1.14 mi/kWh on flatter ground. The truck itself handles crosswinds beautifully, the truck's own weight and the low, floor-mounted battery keep it planted, but a sustained headwind can erase 30 to 40 percent of your range. We watch the forecast and, when we can, drive the calm early-morning hours.

**What charger do you use to tow-charge, and how fast is it?**

We favor the Rivian Adventure Network (free on our truck, 200 to 220 kW) and Tesla V4 Superchargers via the NACS adapter (up to 325 kW), with IONNA and Electrify America as backups. A typical tow charge adds 60 to 125 kWh in 20 to 40 minutes, enough to cover the next 100-mile leg with the trailer still attached. We do not unhitch to charge: pull-through stalls or the edge of the lot handle the 23′ Airstream trailer.

**What battery size and trailer do you tow with?**

Tow vehicle: a 2025 Rivian R1T Tri-Motor Max-Pack, 141 kWh usable, about 850 hp, roughly 420 miles of unladen range. Trailer: a 2024 Airstream International 23FBT, 23 feet, twin-axle, polished aluminum, about 5,000 lb dry and 6,000 lb fully loaded. Those two numbers, 141 kWh of usable battery and about 6,000 lb of trailer, are the baseline behind every range figure on this site.

### San Diego to Chicago run

**What was your best towing efficiency on the San Diego to Chicago run?**

Day 5, Albuquerque to Tucumcari: 176.1 miles at 1.88 mi/kWh on 106 kWh, our best 100-plus mile towing segment. It stacked three things in our favor: a 25 mph southwest tailwind gusting to 33, two summits (Tijeras Pass and Clines Corners at 7,085 ft, the trip's high point), and 3,034 ft of net descent into Tucumcari.

**What was your worst towing efficiency, and why?**

The lowest number of the trip was 0.81 mi/kWh on cold, short around-town hops near St. Louis (Fenton to Collinsville). On the open highway the worst was Day 12 east of Springfield, Missouri: a flat 0.92 mi/kWh straight into a 25 mph east-southeast headwind. That day the wind, not the terrain, set the efficiency for three legs in a row.

**Which charging networks did you actually use across the country?**

Rivian Adventure Network (free, 200 to 220 kW) wherever it reached the route, Tesla V4 Superchargers via the NACS adapter (148 to 325 kW), plus IONNA Rechargeries at Tucumcari and Fenton and one Electrify America stop in Erick, Oklahoma. Overnight campsite Level 2 covered a couple of legs (the Route 66 run from Oklahoma City to Tulsa, then Tulsa to northwest Arkansas) with no DC fast-charging at all.

**How often did you stop to charge while towing?**

Every 100 to 120 miles. A normal day was three to five DC stops of 20 to 40 minutes each. We never unhitched the 23-foot Airstream to charge; pull-through and edge-of-lot stalls handled the trailer at every stop.

**What is the full route, and how long does it take?**

San Diego to Chicago and back, about 6,000 miles over 31 days: 18 days out across the I-8 and I-40 desert corridor through Arizona and New Mexico, then 13 days home north through Utah and Colorado over the Rockies. Every kilowatt-hour, charge stop, and campsite is logged day by day.

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## Citation

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## Build

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