AFTER 6 STATES, RUBY IS NO LONGER A VIRGIN!

In 2 days, Ruby has traveled through 6 states:  NC, SC, GA, AL, MI, and Arkansas where we are now!  So far we have been mostly on interstates, and except for driving around Atlanta, Ruby has been a pleasure to drive.  Dave has driven about 2/3 of the time, and I've taken at least one "leg" each day.  We decided to "boogie" out here so that we would have more time in AK and Texas.  We did make 2 short (micro!) side trips.  The first to see where Deb first taught in Fair Play, SC.  I had already read that the school had merged with one in Westminster, but it was really sad to see the building practically falling down!

In Tupelo, we had to pay homage to Elvis! In this part of the country, instead of "George Washington slept here", it's "Elvis, slept/ate/sat here"!  LOL

In downtown Tupelo (about the size of Hendersonville), they paint guitars instead of bears or rocking chairs!

We arrived in Bentonville, Arkansas about 5 and I typed in "brewery near me" and we found a great little brewery right across from where they are building a new campus for WalMart's Headquarters.  This construction project is MASSIVE and the little brewery will be well-positioned!!  It was in a complex sort of like Optimist Hall.  We bought Clay some beer glasses and talked to folks for him about biking in Bentonville.  Folks actually move here for the biking.  There are 36 miles of paved biking trails with dirt trails going off of the main Razorback Trail.  Get well Clay, and dust off that helmet!!

As we drove through Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas, we were greeted with wide spaces of farm land.  They have planted canola as a cover crop, so the fields were bright yellow.  You felt like you were in the breadbasket of America.

Here are a few things we have learned traveling almost non-stop for two days in Ruby:

• We think she was more cargo room than the jeep!  And while not quite as much as the RV, we packed WAAAAY more in her than we needed and still have room left over.  One thing we need to perfect is packing the hotel cart when we stop.  We brought too much cold food and STUFF.  We need to pare down!  
• So far we have not "limped in" to any charging station, but have 10-15% (or @ 30-50 miles) to spare.  We did reduce our speed on one leg to compensate for hilly terrain and strong crosswinds.  You could do that to get better gas mileage too, but as virgin travelers, we were a little more motivated to stretch our charge.
• Chargers are easy to find, and an 85% to 90% charge usually takes us about 30 minutes:  maybe 10 minutes or so more than if we stopped at a regular gas station for gas and a potty stop.  We figure we might have to add one stop per day versus if we were in a gas car, but stopping and stretching is a good thing!  The chargers are usually on the edge of the gas station, or parking lot, so sometimes the walk to the bathroom is long!! LOL
• Things you can do while the car is charging:  grab a snack, shop at Michaels/Target/grocery etc., read the paper, work the Wordle, eat lunch, take pictures of kitschy gifts and send them to your daughter and granddaughter saying "I found your birthday present!!" 
  
  
  

• Instead of frantically checking Gas Buddy for the nearest, cheapest gas, we laugh as we ride by a Flying J and see almost $4/ gas!  You can become a little smug driving a Tesla!  And the newly updated Tesla charging app makes them easy to find.
• Driving the Tesla is much easier and less tiring than driving the Jeep or RV.  The lane assist and auto-following features make freeway driving a breeze.  You set how many car lengths you want to stay behind the car in front of you, and your max speed, and the only thing you have to do is pay attention and keep your hand on the wheel (she'll ding you if you don't!  Dave says its like having your mother fuss at you!! lol)  So while you may have to add an extra stop, you don't arrive frazzled!
• So far we have driven 1000 miles and spent $95 on charges /or $.095 per mile. We figure gas would have cost us @ $150+ in the jeep... or $225 in the BMW  it would have been $225!!!  An $600 in the RV!!!!

Today we plan to spend the bulk of the day at Crystal Bridges, an art complex given to the town by WalMart.  We were here several years ago and realized it was a place we wanted to come back to and explore more.  Since we've been gone, they've added a performance place, and a Frank Lloyd Wright house!  Except for the COLD and windy weather, it should be a good day... tune in, in a few days and find out!!  Then on to Dallas.