Some Mischief in Burnham

Dr. Hugh Tildesley

How am I doing?

Blood work last week was fine and unlike one of my traveling mates I have not contracted any illness, Gorgeous seems to have a bit of bronchitis from his plane ride. My energy level is exceptional, I walked Burnham and Berrow 2 days in a row, around 6 miles with far more elevation changes than Point Grey or the usual dog walk. Day 2 I was stronger than day 1, another good sign.

Our last day of golf was rained out, a disappointment, but my days of being a mudder have long since passed. Our time in the clubhouse has been most enjoyable and Gorgeous has supplied entertainment value. Our first day he asked for some lemonade, and made it clear he did not want sprite. He confided to me that whenever he orders lemonade in the UK he gets sprite. This experience was no different and he explained to our waitress what lemonade was, she explained that they do not have it. They went back and forth for a while and finally exasperated she said, “ I am sorry I do not know what we want, we are not married! “

He settled for a glass of water.

We had a pint in the clubhouse as the rain poured down. I paid my tab and the same bar maid wished me well, and added, “ say good bye to my husband for me!” I again apologized for his tendency to perfection and she laughed knowingly.

George Selija, Hugh, Ted Kent

We then set off to find George a paper. I was extremely proud of my driving as we navigated through narrow streets, aimlessly looking for “ High Street”. We eventually found the street and a paper outlet and headed back to the B and B.

Filled with confidence based on my recent driving we headed back to home. Obviously, driving on the left hand side of the road is a consistent concern, and on my last sojourn to Scotland, Ted was my co-pilot, and he was constantly telling me to keep left. For whatever reason this trip he has been reminding me that I am too far left!

Deflation

The roads here have unusual curb out-croppings. I managed to hit one and my dashboard lit up with warning lights, simultaneously with a “pop” heard over the left front wheel.

Nothing in this world is better than good luck. We were 50 meters from a service station so the car was easily parked without incurring rim damage.

We quickly ascertained that a tire change was in order, opening the boot was disappointment….no tire!!!

 

No Spare!!

What followed was a series of phone calls, long periods on hold, a return number that needed a PIN to get answered, a request for the tire size (“ how can you not have this on record!” and finally a promise that the technician will be here in 5 hours. I heard Steve Jobs in my head saying that this was “ shit”.

We eventually phoned Avis as we had been talking to sub contractors and a service vehicle was sent out expeditiously. We are now back on the road, I really miss my Tesla!

On a more positive note we spied this poster in one of the local markets. Our nephew, Dan Jeannotte was a principal in the video game Assassins Creed Syndicate. His life-sized image was prominently displayed at the front door. We both were impressed with his international presence and that he is part of our family!

Dan Jeannotte

Tesla Titillations:

Just this week another electric vehicle (EV) record has been set.
Carl Reese and his fiancée Deena Mastracci sped across the country in their own red sticker-covered P85D with a high school buddy as a third driver and a team of three more friends in a rented Chevrolet Suburban backing them up as timekeepers and support drivers.

Carl Reese, Deena Mastracci, and Alex Roy made the coast-to-coast drive in 57 hours and 48 minutes, a time that is still to be verified by an independent third party. The three are veterans of record-setting transcontinental runs: In April, Reese and Mastracci set a record for the least time spent charging an EV while driving across the country. Arriving in New York in record time, without being arrested or killed, is a personal victory for the drivers. More than that, though, it highlights how quickly and enthusiastically autonomous technology is likely to be adopted, and how tricky it may be to keep in check once drivers get their first taste of freedom behind the wheel.

They covered 2,994 miles at an average speed of 51.8 mph, a figure that includes the time spent plugged into Supercharger stations along the way. They had autopilot mode engaged 96 percent of the time, Reese says, using it at speeds around 90 mph. It eased the burden on the team, a big deal when you’re in a car for 57 hours straight.

They did report issues taking corners at speeds above the speed limit. The take home message is leave your hands on the wheel at all times, especially when cornering. I have encountered similar issues especially if a road narrows into a corner.

 

Record Breaking Performance

A cross Canada trip is not yet possible as there need to be more supercharger stations installed. Currently there are no such stations in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and most of Ontario.

As I am currently in the UK I have left the car plugged in. It automatically tops up the battery every 48 hours or so. I can monitor the car using the Tesla app on my iphone, which eases any worry of the battery discharging fully.

Tomorrow we head to Heathrow to meet Deborah and then to London to pursue the cultural aspect of the trip.

I am so thankful that Ted and George found the time to come on this adventure, I would not have come alone.