Hi all, I am forwarding to the list this email I sent to David Turock and Shawn Lawless, just as an FYI, for more info on my Florida Keys EV tour & charging station search mission.
Charles Whalen Charging Director Florida EAA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Whalen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "David Turock" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 6:06 PM Subject: Re: 240V charging in Key West? David and Shawn, I'm consolidating my responses to both of you on this, although I don't think you know each other. But I just wanted to thank both of you for your suggestions on 240V charging possibilities in Key West. I guess I should probably first introduce you guys to each other, as you are both EVers and EVangelists extraordinaire! David -- Shawn Lawless is the President of NEDRA (www.nedra.com), the National Electric Drag Racing Association, and is one of the top electric drag racers in the world, holding many world records. Shawn is based in Ohio (Youngstown or thereabouts in eastern Ohio, I believe) and spends a good deal of time down here in South Florida collaborating and working with our top electric drag racers down here and supporting our events. As I have just learned, Shawn also spends some time in Key West and knows it well enough to have given me some great recommendations on 240V charging possibilities there, as did you. Shawn -- David Turock, a former Bell Labs engineer, international tech serial entrepreneur, helicopter and jet pilot, aviation CEO, largest private fleet owner of Toyota RAV4-EVs in the world (I've lost track, but I think it's 3 and counting), is a one-man EV tour de force in the New Jersey-New York City area, where he is based, and well beyond, including on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, Sacramento, and here in South Florida, where David has a winter vacation home in Ft. Lauderdale that he has generously made our FLEAA Ft. Lauderdale charging station. David keeps one of his 3 Toyota RAV4-EVs here in Ft. Lauderdale, where it is driven by his next-door neighbor, veteran US Air Force fighter pilot, American Airlines Captain, and FLEAA member, Paul Renneisen, who uses it to commute back and forth from his home in Ft. Lauderdale to Miami International Airport, where he flies out of. Paul also drives and features David's RAV4-EV very prominently in his campaign for US Congress (www.renneisen2008.com), for Florida's 22nd Congressional district, encompassing most of Broward and Palm Beach Counties, as the first electric car driver ever to run for the US Congress. Anyway, enough of formal introductions. Hope I didn't short-change anyone. :-) David -- Thanks for the recommendation on the Galleon. I tried but couldn't get a reservation there, as they were fully booked. Thanks also for the offer on contacting your friend who has a house there. I would have taken you up on that if I hadn't gotten so many other good possibilties, which I will get to in a minute, here below. Shawn -- Here's my itinerary of confirmed hotel reservations, in case you're going to be down here a few days ahead of those dates you previously mentioned to me for your own trip to Key West and would like to hook up and get together, maybe our paths will cross. I deliberately chose all 3 of these hotels -- in Key Largo, Marathon, and Key West -- because all 3 of them have marinas with 30-50A 240V shore power outlets where I might be able to charge my car, as well as for other reasons, either for proximity to other marinas or existing charging stations we've already got, and/or reasonable, relatively cheap price (all except for the one in Key Largo, which is on the expensive side). Thursday May 8 ------------------------- Tarpon Flats Inn & Marina 29 Shoreland Dr. Key Largo, FL 33037 tel: 305-453-1313 $205/night Very nice, friendly people, excited about my EV. They already told me over the phone that I could charge my car using their 240V marina shore power outlets. Short 1/2 mile walk to our existing Key Largo charging station. Fri-Sat May 9-10 ------------------- Blackfin Resort & Marina 4650 Overseas Hwy Marathon, FL 33050 tel: 305-743-2393 $99/night I stayed at this hotel last year but couldn't charge my RAV4-EV because I didn't have the right marine type twist-lock plug adaptor. I do, however, this year, and I can park right next to the marina, so I should be able to charge from their 50A 240V outlets. We also have an existing charging station nearby at the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority workshop in Marathon, where I charged last year. I and other FLEAA members will be exhibiting our EVs at the Keys GLEE Expo (www.keysglee.com/html/08_expo/2008expo.htm) at Marathon High School on Fri-Sat May 9-10. I just got word late this afternoon from TJ Patterson of the Keys Electric Coop in Marathon that the high school's electrician has just today installed two 50A 208V 14-50 outlets on the outside of the school for our charging use. I have offered to pay for the $200 cost of supplies, which the GLEE organization and board of directors have gratefully accepted. Sun-Mon May 11-12 ----------------------- Banana Bay Resort & Marina 2319 N. Roosevelt Blvd. Key West, FL 33040 tel: 305-296-2534, 305-296-6925 $139/night In addition to being fairly reasonably priced (for Key West) and having its own marina, where I will try to charge my car, I also chose this hotel because it is just a short 4/10 mile walk to the City of Key West Garrison Bight Marina, which Shawn recommended as a good place to try to charge (and also for their 7am early-bird happy-hour beer specials, in case I'm up that early :-). Thanks, Shawn, for the link to that marina (www.keywestcity.com/department/division.asp?fDD=13-78). In case I am not successful in charging at either of those two marinas, I have got a firm offer to charge at two different Florida Keys Aqueduct facilities on Stock Island -- 1) at their fleet maintenance garage, and 2) at the welding workshop of their Reverse Osmosis Plant -- both of which have 50A 208V 6-50 outlets, just like their workshop facility in Marathon. Hours of operation (and hence charging) are the same as their Marathon facility: M-F 8am-5pm. I spoke by phone this afternoon with the FKAA Key West Operations Manager, John Melohn, who was most helpful and hospitable in offering their 208V outlets at their facilities there and making sure that I get what I need. So I am all fixed up in Key West. I am going to be taking a leisurely time making my way back up the Keys chain, stopping and getting off the Overseas Highway to drive around and look for other potential charging locations for us in the Summerland Key to Big Pine Key area and also on Islamorada. Here is the rest of my itinerary, in the reverse direction: Tues May 13 --------------- Blackfin Resort & Marina 4650 Overseas Hwy Marathon, FL 33050 tel: 305-743-2393 $99/night Wed May 14 --------------- Tarpon Flats Inn & Marina 29 Shoreland Dr. Key Largo, FL 33037 tel: 305-453-1313 $205/night Thursday, May 15, on my way back home to Delray Beach, I'll be stopping in Florida City at the end of the Florida Turnpike to scout out any possible charging opportunities for us there. I won't have a laptop or access to email on this trip but can be reached on my cell phone at: 561-251-2387. Thanks to both of you for your suggestions on charging in Key West. Below is my correspondence with a large group of professionals down there in the Keys -- with the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, the Keys Electric Coop, and the Keys Energy Services -- who have been very helpful in finding and offering us charging in the Keys and supporting the FLEAA, ... in case you're interested in reading it. Best regards, Charles Whalen Florida EAA Delray Beach, FL cell: 561-251-2387 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: David L. Turock To: Charles Whalen Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 9:17 PM Subject: Key West Charles, There are numerous marinas too. The Galleon is right next to a road where you should be able to get access. I also have a friend who has a house there. Would you like me to ask him? David ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Whalen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Colleen Tagle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "John Melohn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Brent Cranney" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Roy Coley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Florida EAA" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 12:48 PM Subject: Re: 240V charging in Key West? John, Colleen, Julio, TJ, and Karen, Thank you all so much for all the help and communications back and forth through your large circle of colleagues there in the Keys to find me an opportunity for 208-240V charging in Key West! And thanks especially to John Melohn at FKAA in Key West for the offer! I will give you a call this afternoon, John. The planning and logistics for this trip in my Toyota RAV4-EV electric car have taken longer than I thought and pushed back my timetable a bit. Rather than trying to make it all the way down to Key West on Thursday (tomorrow!, while here I am today still in Delray Beach as I write this, so no way possible at this stage anyway) and then have to rush back to Marathon for the GLEE Expo, I have decided to drive down to Key West after the GLEE Expo on Sunday, and spend Monday and maybe Tuesday down there in Key West, and just be more relaxed and leisurely about the whole thing. ... You know, sort of kick back, island style, and be on island time. :-) At least make it a "working vacation". I am basically now expanding this trip into an entire length of the Keys sort of promotional awareness tour for electric cars. Not that Key West is unfamiliar with electric cars, there being tons of them there, but of course I'm referring to highway-capable electric cars here like my Toyota RAV4-EV. And not that there's anything wrong or inferior with NEVs like all those found in Key West either. They are terrific for their intended application and serve a very useful and valuable purpose in those locations. It's actually great that Key West is already such an EV-knowledgeable and EV-friendly place, so I would expect a welcome reception and interest there in my electric car. My mission for my entire length of the Keys trip in my RAV4-EV, as the Charging Director for the Florida EAA, is to try to find 30-50A 208-240V outlets which could serve as charging opportunities for our members to be able to drive the entire length of the Keys in their electric cars, many of which have only a 40 mile range at highway speeds (due to being powered by lead-acid batteries). We are extremely grateful to the FKAA for their generous hospitality they have extended to us to charge at their workshop in Marathon last year and again this year, and now apparently in Key West as well, which I will follow up on today, and also to TJ Patterson of Keys Electric Coop for all of his assistance and coordination in facilitating that opportunity for us with the FKAA as well as setting up temporary charging facilities for us at Marathon High School for the GLEE Expo. Many thanks also to Karen Beal for finding us another charging location on Key Largo at the firehouse at MM99. The last few days I have been online researching hotels throughout the Keys where I will stay and also a number of marinas where I plan to ask about the possibility of charging using their 30-50A 240V shore power outlets. At least one of our members who had planned to drive his electric car to the GLEE Expo this year (and actually has a house on Key Largo) ended up not being able to make it because we could not find him anyplace to charge in Islamorada, which he would have needed to make it from Key Largo to Marathon, as his car has a 40 mile range at 45-55 mph. Basically what I need to do is to find us charging locations in Islamorada and also somewhere in the Big Pine Key to Summerland Key area, to add to those charging locations we've already got in Key Largo, Marathon, and now hopefully also Key West, in order to complete a charging network throughout the entire length of the Keys that will allow even our members with lead-acid powered electric cars to drive all the way to Key West and back. With gas prices now averaging $3.80 and expected to reach $4.20 this summer, and with oil over $120, and on last night's news (ABC World News) forecast to go as high as $200 a barrel this year (which would portend $6-7 gasoline), I think this is a very opportune time for me to be making this electric car promotional awareness tour and charging location search mission through the entire Keys in conjunction with the GLEE Expo. I am fortunate to have a wonderful, well engineered, production electric car with a 130-mile range, powered by advanced chemistry Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. That gives me the luxury of being able to drive from Key Largo to Marathon, and from Marathon to Key West, respectively, on single charges and still have plenty of extra range to detour off the Overseas Highway along the way and drive around in places like Islamorada, Big Pine Key, and Summerland Key to look for marinas and such. I would just like to thank and congratulate all of you associated with the Keys GLEE Expo -- including Karen Beal, the Alt. Trans. coordinator, TJ Patterson of Keys Electric Coop, Colleen Tagle and John Melohn of FKAA, and Julio Barroso of Keys Energy Services -- for all of your excellent work and collaboration with everything you're doing to promote green and sustainable living throughout the Keys!!! You have definitely put the Florida Keys on the map as the most progressive part of the state and have set an example of environmental leadership and stewardship that is a model for the entire state and are the envy of the entire state of Florida in that regard!!! And as part of that effort, thanks again for everything you're doing to help us in the Florida EAA promote awareness of highway-capable electric cars in the Keys! I look forward to seeing you in the next few days. Best regards, Charles Whalen Charging Director Florida Electric Auto Association (www.floridaeaa.org) Delray Beach, FL tel: 561-638-6881 cell: 561-251-2387 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: Colleen Tagle To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; John Melohn Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; Brent Cranney ; Roy Coley Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 10:34 AM Subject: Re: HELP! Great news, guys! Our Ops manager John Melohn is happy to help. Please have our visitor call him directly at 13057472625 to discuss the details. Thanks and see you at the Expo! Colleen 747.0466. ------Original Message------ From: TJ Patterson To: Julio Barroso Cc: Charles Whalen Cc: Karen Beal Cc: Colleen Tagle ReplyTo: TJ Patterson Sent: May 6, 2008 8:55 AM Subject: HELP! Colleen, HELP! Can you see if there is an outlet at FKAA in KW for us? Thanks, TJ Barroso, Julio wrote: Not sure of anyone off hand...let me know look in to it and let you know. Did you check with Colleen Tagle at FKAA to see if they have something in Key West? Julio J. Barroso Communications / Marketing Coordinator Keys Energy Services [EMAIL PROTECTED] (305) 295-1023 & FAX: (305) 295-1005 1001 James Street, Key West, FL 33040 P Please consider the environment before printing this email -----Original Message----- From: TJ Patterson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 8:34 AM To: Charles Whalen Cc: Karen Beal; Barroso, Julio Subject: Re: 1) my EV status update; 2) tentative itinerary; 3) 240V charging in Key West? Charles, Give Julio Barroso a call at Keys Energy at 305-295-1000 and see if he can find somebody for you. They may have something at their office, I'm not sure. He knows a lot of people, though and could probably find something. FKAA probably as a welding shop down there as well and you could probably use it. TJ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Whalen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Karen Beal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 4:25 PM Subject: 1) my EV status update; 2) tentative itinerary; 3) 240V charging in Key West? Karen (and TJ), Just wanted to give you an update on my vehicle status for what I'll be bringing down to GLEE and also my tentative itinerary. I tried but have been unable to repair my Vectrix electric motorcycle and get it in an operative, functional state. So I am driving down there once again this year in one of my Toyota RAV4-EVs (same as I did last year). I will definitely be there for the media session on Friday afternoon. Right now, depending on what I can accomplish and get done here in the next day and a half, my plans are to drive down there either on Wednesday or Thursday. (Last year I drove down on Thursday.) I haven't made my hotel reservations yet and will wait 'til tomorrow to do so, when I will make my decision about whether I'm coming down on Wednesday or Thursday. Either way, I am planning to stay at BackFin Resort where I stayed last year, mostly because they've got a marina there, where I am going to try to charge my car. Last year I didn't have a plug adaptor for their 240-Volt marine type outlets, but this year I do, so I am going to try to charge there. If I'm unsuccessful in charging there, then I'll go over to the Keys Aqueduct Authority workshop and charge there, where we charged last year. (That would be on either Wednesday or Thursday, depending on which day I drive down there.) If I come down on Wednesday, as I'm hoping to do, I'd like to take the day on Thursday to drive down to Key West and back to try to get us a 240 Volt charging location down there. (I would actually need a 240V charge down there in Key West in order to make it back up to Marathon.) Do either you or TJ or anyone else you guys know involved in the Keys GLEE organization know of any accessible outdoor 30-50A 208-240V outlets down there in Key West which the property owners or business proprietors might be willing to make available to us and host a charging location for us there? Thanks & best regards, Charles Whalen Charging Director Florida Electric Auto Association (www.floridaeaa.org) Delray Beach, FL tel: 561-638-6881 cell: 561-251-2387 [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Florida EAA mailing list [email protected] http://www.floridaeaa.org
