LANDER — So, there I was, four miles from my destination. The gauge on my electric car’s dashboard said “0 percent.”
We were in danger of being stranded along a back road in the hills overlooking the mighty Mississippi River.
And it was getting dark.
We were near Elkader, Iowa, along the beautiful Turkey River, when the battery gauge suddenly dropped from 8% to 5% and then to 2%.
We climbed out of the valley, and I watched that gauge like a hawk. As we topped the hill, it hit zero.
Oh-oh.
This was going to be terrible.
Why in the world is an old-timer like me having to deal with a potential high-tech catastrophe like this?
But first, perhaps we should go back to the beginning of this adventure.
Tesla Model X
Seriously, should an 80-year-old be driving a highly technical electric car in these times?
I have always been an early adopter. I loved Apple products and started using them as soon as they came out.
For example, in 1985, my little newspaper in Lander was among the first, perhaps even in the world, to use desktop publishing. I did it with an Apple LaserWriter printer and two Macintosh computers.
Next came iPods and iPads. Loved them all.
The first iPhones were a joy. Apple products were easy to love because they were so easy to use.
My friends using IBM products practically had to become computer programmers to operate their machines. Not so with Apple.
But I digress.
For a long time, I believed the future of motor vehicles should be electric. Internal-combustion engines have been around for well over a century.
Surely, we can do better.
During our recent stay in Texas, where my wife, Nancy, was undergoing medical procedures, several of my friends were driving Tesla electric cars. They were just fantastic.
Despite my age, it was time for me to become an early adopter once again.
A used Tesla was calling to me.
I love my new-to-me car, a 2018 Tesla Model X that I bought from a doctor friend in Allen, Texas. He paid $125,000 for the car nine years ago.
He had it listed for $32,500. I got it for less.
It literally has all the bells and whistles.
The driver’s door opens when you approach it. The windshield goes all the way to the roof forming a giant sunroof. The two back doors open like wings. The car heats or cools itself with a prompt from a distance.
This was going to be both fun and possibly quite interesting.
Away We Go
On Oct. 10, my wife, my daughter Amber, and I left Dallas and headed out on a 3,000-mile road trip. We were headed to our home towns in Iowa and then back home to Wyoming.
New owners of electric cars quickly experience “range anxiety,” that nagging feeling that you might run out of juice and be stranded somewhere along the road.
Because of that anxiety, we found ourselves stopping about every 100 miles to recharge. Tesla has installed fast Supercharger stations along major highways, and knowing where they were located helped calm my nerves.
It should be noted that newer models are getting much better range than my nine-year old model.
We stopped for charging four times between Dallas and Kansas City, where we spent the night. After getting everyone settled at the motel, I spent part of the night looking for a charging station.
Then I sat in the car watching Netflix on its computer screen while the battery charged. The car came equipped with that entertainment feature, which helped pass the time.
Charging to 80% typically takes about 25 minutes, depending on conditions. But boosting it to 90-95% will take considerably longer.
Because of my anxiety, I often tried to charge to higher rates, hence longer wait times.
I particularly love the car’s self-driving feature.
Of the 3,000 miles on this trip, the car probably did the actual driving (with my supervision) for about 2,800 of them.
You still have to keep your hands on the steering wheel and remain attentive, even though the car handles the steering, accelerating, braking, and turning, including using the turn signals.
It follows the instructions that come from the navigation feature.
I love to drive, but at my age, I tire more easily. Not so much with this car. The driving assistance makes the miles fly by.
We drove 550 miles on one leg from Harlan, Iowa, to Cheyenne. This feature, alone, makes this car a good fit for an older person.
Charging at new Tesler Supercharger station at Mr. D’s in Lander. (Bill Sniffin, Cowboy State Daily) 
Nancy Sniffin is helped by her two daughters at the cemetery in Harlan, Iowa. (Bill Sniffin, Cowboy State Daily)
Zero Juice Left
Back to our earlier adventure:
So, there we were, near the top of the hill outside Elkader. The battery gauge showed 0%, and we still had about four miles to go.
Luckily, the road went downhill almost the whole way. As we descended, the car’s regenerative braking system recovered some energy, helping recharge the battery.
We coasted into little Marquette, Iowa, where we were staying. There was a Blink charging station there, a Level 2 charger that indicated it would take about four hours and 40 minutes to charge the battery.
Whew!
After about an hour, I had enough battery power to drive across the Mississippi River to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, where a Tesla Supercharger was available. After charging there, we were back in business. Disaster had been averted.
Back in the days when I was a private pilot, I learned that the three most worthless things in flying were altitude above you, runway behind you, and fuel you haven't put into the tank before taking off.
I have now learned three lessons about electric cars.
First, the most worthless electricity is the electricity you failed to put into the battery during your last charge.
Second, you cannot outsmart Mother Nature.
Cold temperatures, hilly roads, and strong winds can reduce your driving range and leave you with less battery power than you expected.
The battery is losing charge 24/7. You cannot assume the range displayed on the dashboard will always be available when you need it. In some ways, an electric car is just a giant smart phone with wheels.
Third, you must remember that an electric car's self-driving feature is not foolproof. Especially in construction zones. Stay alert or it can bite you in the butt.
Interestingly, when I got the car, it had three settings for self-driving: CHILL for slow, STANDARD for medium, and HURRY for going faster. At my age, I found the “chill” setting even a little faster than I normally drive.
Perhaps Tesla’s AI folks figured out I was an 80-year-old. They just downloaded to my car a fourth setting called SLOTH. It goes more my normal speed. These folks are smart.
I am still a newbie. Learning something new every day. Still haven’t figured out the radio stations. You can summon it to come to you and it can self-parallel-park for you. I have not tried either of those tricks yet.
What About Fossil Fuels?
As an old-timer, I love this car. Sorry, folks, I love the fossil fuel industry, too, and I feel a little guilty about making the switch.
Of course, the electricity that powers my car has to come from somewhere, and most of it is generated by coal-fired and natural gas-powered power plants.
My late dad spent his life working with fossil fuels. At times, especially during those sketchy moments, I swear I could hear him scolding me for this crazy notion.
A bonus on this trip was listening to two of Wyoming native Ron Franscell’s books, “The Deadline” and “The Obituary.” Both involve a small-town newspaperman in fictional Winchester, Wyoming.
Damn good stories.
In conclusion, the big question is whether this Tesla will work well during a Wyoming winter. Cold weather, wind, and long distances between charging stations will make things interesting.
Yes, I kept my reliable old Lincoln. I know it will start in just about any month of the year and take me wherever I want to go.
Without anxiety.
