Counting Miles Over a Mountain Pass

Arnie and Reggie’s first stop outside of Yellowstone was Cody, Wyoming—the town named for Buffalo Bill, William F. Cody. Arnie toured the museum named in his honor.

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West was comprised of five independent museums linked together like spokes on a wheel. The Natural History museum displayed different wildlife, geography, plant life, dinosaur bones and recovered fossils. “What I liked about the museum was that it was Wyoming-centered,” Arnie said.

Arnie was impressed by the Firearm museum. With thousands of guns on display, early rifles to modern day designs, this was an NRA member’s dream. With 1600 models loaned from the Smithsonian Museum, the Firearm museum displayed the history of weaponry—including an excellent original Gatling gun—and

 many of the tools used to make weaponry.

The next museum was Western Art, but Arnie preferred to move along to the Plains Indians museum. A history of the Native American lifestyle was displayed, including an impressive full model teepee. “I didn’t realize how functional it was,” Arnie said. “Far more advanced than throwing some buffalo skins over wood. You can adjust the smoke hole for the draft and it’s easy to disassemble.”  As Arnie was appreciating the dated photographs of Native Americans in walked Henry—the young English bicyclist he met in Virginia City. They smiled and chatted and wished each other continued luck on the road. “I believe this won’t be the last time we see each other,” Arnie said. “When you get to Baltimore give me a call.”

Arnie proceeded to Buffalo Bill’s museum. “I didn’t realize how he transitioned from buffalo hunter, to Indian fighter, to army scout, to rancher, to showman,” Arnie said. Buffalo Bill toured a circus-like act—Buffalo Bill’s Wild West—performing thousands of shows from 1893-1917 across the U.S. and Europe.  He was a fierce fighter and protector of Native Americans. The show was very elaborate—a big deal before mass media took off. Buffalo Bill’s last interview was in 1916 for the Baltimore Sun. He died the following year. 

Three hours later, Arnie met his writer and set out for Buffalo, WY, where he reserved a cabin.  By 8 o’clock, after the sun set over the Rockies miles across the plains behind them, Arnie and Reggie stopped at the Cow Diner in Worland with a 160-mile range on the Tesla’s navigation system. Arnie ordered the day’s special, an Indian Taco. “It was strange, the first one they served all day,” Arnie recalled. The shell was about an inch thick, buttery soft all around and layered with spicy beef salsa and cheddar cheese—a hearty meal for the upcoming drive over the Powder River Pass, elevation 9666 feet.

Whether driving a gas-powered car, an electric vehicle or Henry’s bicycle, you’re going to use more energy uphill. Reggie recorded the Tesla’s performance over the upcoming Wyoming mountain pass.

“I did it again,” Arnie said. The car sped up as he was changing lanes. “This cruise control is in the wrong place.” In his mind, the cruise control lever was where the turn signal should be. As the levers paralleled each other, it was easy for him to mistake one for the other. After driving 1635 miles in the Tesla, he still could not get used to it.

As they entered Bighorn National Forest east of Tensleep, WY, they were at 4426 feet in elevation. They were about to climb over 5000-feet into the night sky. Tesla’s navigation system displayed a 136-mile range with 68 to go.  Up the hill they climbed in the dark—pitch dark if not for their headlights. Zig-zagging up the mountain, their 2-1 mileage range-to-destination advantage dropped like the bank account of a poor gambling addict. A huge elk appeared on the side of the road and thought, Is that an electric car? With a 68-mile range they had 40 to go. When they reached the top, Powder River Pass at 9666 feet, their range was 59-miles—35-miles from Buffalo (elevation 4645-feet)—a 24-mile range advantage. How much power would the 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year generate driving 5021 feet down the mountain?

The Tesla Model S passed the yellow, blinking, diamond-shaped sign advertising a 4% decline for the next four miles. Over that distance the Tesla gained a three-mile range, boosting their range-to-destination ratio to 62-31—back to the two-to-one ratio to keep Arnie from having another heart attack.

When driving the Tesla downhill, Arnie could not coast. He needed to keep his foot on the accelerator (or use cruise control—though cruising down a windy mountain road was not recommended). If he released the accelerator, the Battery-powered Tesla would slow substantially, as if he had his foot on the break. The decrease in speed regenerated the Battery. The feel was similar to going into a lower gear in a traditional car. If Arnie pressed the breaks, that would also charge the Battery. In fact, the battery regenerated even when Arnie had his foot lightly on the accelerator—but at a lesser rate. This explained why their range did not drop below 62-miles until they were 25 miles from their destination—when the road leveled out and led to a slight incline in elevation. They continued to gain momentum at this rate:

52-17.5; 50-15; 50-10

They passed a second yellow flashing sign warning of a 7% descending grade. Runaway truck ramps were strategically placed along the mountain road. Tesla’s Battery recharged at this rate:

53-7; 56-6.7; 56-5; 56-2

No drama this night. They lost only a 12-mile range covering their final 40 miles and arrived at their cabin safely with a 56-mile range.