Attention Dontom re EV charging in organ pipe cactus park.

[Viajeros]

Hi Don. Figured I would make this public for easier future public reference. Don we noticed on plugshare that you charged at the twin peaks campground in organ pipe campground. We are planning on spending a few days in that little campground.

We are thinking about going to peñasco for a month or two next winter towing our trailer. We have been to that campground in organ pipe years ago but don’t remember it. Is anyone allowed to charge up there?

We would want to top up before crossing at lukeville and heading to peñasco.

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated my friend. Here is the pic of your bike I found on plug share.

 

[DonTom]

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated my friend. Here is the pic of your bike I found on plug share.

I discovered that spot when I was hiking around OPCNM and so I put it on Plugshare myself.

It's really designed as a place for people to keep their laptops charged up as they sit there and use them. But there is usually nobody around there to ask you not to use the outlets for EVs. And I doubt if anybody would care anyway. But it is very close to the main entrance of the Twin Peaks campground. I never had any issue using them all I wanted to charge up my motorcycle.

EV cars have used it, as you can see there. But it is really all 120 VAC outlets that will take forever to charge up your Tesla at ~1.5 KW. But bring a 120 VAC "granny cable" with you in case you want to use it. You can charge overnight there or whatever, or whenever you're not using your Tesla.

Also be sure to charge up here at Olsen's Marketplace. In the rear parking lot. Not free, but reasonable and then can charge at 6.5KW with a J-1772 (be sure to bring your J-adapter). And it's a large shopping store. Has almost anything one could want. Do some shopping while there. It's 56 KM (35 miles) north of those 120 VAC outlets. You can also buy propane up that way, if you need it.

Do you have a generator? Inverter? Quiet hours there, except during the hottest months when almost nobody will be there.

There are no hookups up any kind, just a picnic table and a spot for your vehicles at Twin Peaks. But there is water and a dump station at a central location for the entire park.

Are you going to stop for a night or two in OPCNM on your way into Mexico? At a 120 VAC outlet, it will not be worth the wait there, IMO. It looks like that trip will be a hassle because of the lack of DC FC in that area. Your last DCFC will be in Gila Bend, 130 KM (81 miles) to Lukeville, where there is no place to charge at all. Then you're in Mexico.

Olsen's Market Place:



-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Viajeros]

I discovered that spot when I was hiking around OPCNM and so I put it on Plugshare myself.

It's really designed as a place for people to keep their laptops charged up as they sit there and use them. But there is usually nobody around there to ask you not to use the outlets for EVs. And I doubt if anybody would care anyway. But it is very close to the main entrance of the Twin Peaks campground. I never had any issue using them all I wanted to charge up my motorcycle.

EV cars have used it, as you can see there. But it is really all 120 VAC outlets that will take forever to charge up your Tesla at ~1.5 KW. But bring a 120 VAC "granny cable" with you in case you want to use it. You can charge overnight there or whatever, or whenever you're not using your Tesla.

Also be sure to charge up here at Olsen's Marketplace. In the rear parking lot. Not free, but reasonable and then can charge at 6.5KW with a J-1772 (be sure to bring your J-adapter). And it's a large shopping store. Has almost anything one could want. Do some shopping while there. It's 56 KM (35 miles) north of those 120 VAC outlets. You can also buy propane up that way, if you need it.

Do you have a generator? Inverter? Quiet hours there, except during the hottest months when almost nobody will be there.

There are no hookups up any kind, just a picnic table and a spot for your vehicles at Twin Peaks. But there is water and a dump station at a central location for the entire park.

Are you going to stop for a night or two in OPCNM on your way into Mexico? At a 120 VAC outlet, it will not be worth the wait there, IMO. It looks like that trip will be a hassle because of the lack of DC FC in that area. Your last DCFC will be in Gila Bend, 130 KM (81 miles) to Lukeville, where there is no place to charge at all. Then you're in Mexico.

Olsen's Market Place:

View attachment 171146

-Don- Reno, NV

So maybe I’m confused. It’s been awhile. I thought we camped right there. Is there no camping there? (Hookups not required).

 

[DonTom]

So maybe I’m confused. It’s been awhile. I thought we camped right there. Is there no camping there? (Hookups not required).

I am not sure what you mean by "right there."

Your car will have to be left there at the 120 VAC outlets when you're camped perhaps several hundred meters away. My motorhome was around a half KM away from my motorcycle at those 120 VAC outlets.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Viajeros]

I am not sure what you mean by "right there."

Your car will have to be left there at the 120 VAC outlets when you're camped perhaps several hundred meters away. My motorhome was around a half KM away from my motorcycle at those 120 VAC outlets.

-Don- Reno, NV

Ah ok. I don’t think that kiosk was there when we were there so not sure where it is.

It’s not a problem. We can charge in AJO on the way down. I just saw it pop up in Plugshare and thought it would be handy while we were camping.

Thanks Don.

 

[DonTom]

It’s not a problem. We can charge in AJO on the way down.

I think the way I would do this is to charge to 80% SOC in Gila Bend. Then top off in AJO to 100% SOC. Then top off again at OPCNM to 100% (close to where you enter the TP campground, it is at the exact location I put it on in the Plugshare map).

IOW, use the "satellite view" on Plugshare and you will see everything at its exact location right down to a fraction of a meter.

Up at the high end of the charge is where it is the slowest. Having less power in AJO and in OPCNM this makes more sense, as even in Gila Bend it will be extra slow up above 80% SOC.

This way you will be very close to 100% SOC as you enter Mexico.

Here is the exact location of the 120 VAC outlets as you enter (but notice it is a one-way street and the wrong way from the entrance):

 

[Viajeros]

I think the way I would do this is to charge to 80% SOC in Gila Bend. Then top off in AJO to 100% SOC. Then top off again at OPCNM to 100% (close to where you enter the TP campground, it is at the exact location I put it on in the Plugshare map).

IOW, use the "satellite view" on Plugshare and you will see everything at its exact location right down to a fraction of a meter.

Up at the high end of the charge is where it is the slowest. Having less power in AJO and in OPCNM this makes more sense, as even in Gila Bend it will be extra slow up above 80% SOC.

This way you will be very close to 100% SOC as you enter Mexico.

Here is the exact location of the 120 VAC outlets as you enter (but notice it is a one-way street and the wrong way from the entrance):

View attachment 171156

Yah. We’ll play it by ear leaving gila bend. We’ll probably just take our lunch break in gila bend and charge to 100. Then head on down to the campground via Ajo. There is a hike I want to do there again. If the opportunity to charge presents itself we’ll charge, otherwise we’ll just wait until puerto peñasco.

No firm plans yet. This is for next January. There could be lots of turmoil down that way come January so we’ll see how it goes.

 

[DonTom]

There is a hike I want to do there again.

Which hike is that?

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Viajeros]

Which hike is that?

-Don- Reno, NV

Not sure Tom. It’s been many years. When I was with 42 radar sqn we deployed to an auxiliary Air Force base in gila bend in support of a Canadian fighter sqn on exercise at Luke AFB. On some off time we went to that park and did a hike. Super interesting flora and fauna in the desert. But that was 20 years ago. So not sure where we started. We were with some USAF guys who were touring us around.

Anyway. We’ll play it by ear.

Thanks Don.

 

[DonTom]

Not sure Tom. It’s been many years. When I was with 42 radar sqn we deployed to an auxiliary Air Force base in gila bend in support of a Canadian fighter sqn on exercise at Luke AFB. On some off time we went to that park and did a hike. Super interesting flora and fauna in the desert. But that was 20 years ago. So not sure where we started. We were with some USAF guys who were touring us around.

Anyway. We’ll play it by ear.

Thanks Don.

If you stay at the Sonoran Desert RV Park, you can take hikes direct from the gate in the rear. By the large antenna towers you will see near there. They can be seen for quite a distance, so it is not possible to get lost.

 

[Viajeros]

If you stay at the Sonoran Desert RV Park, you can take hikes direct from the gate in the rear. By the large antenna towers you will see near there. They can be seen for quite a distance, so it is not possible to get lost.

Thank you Don. We’ll check it out.

 

[DonTom]

Thank you Don. We’ll check it out.

But do not expect it to be anything like a hike in OPCNM. But you can take the rather wide trail for as many KMs as you want.

If you go there in the spring during warmer weather, there could be sidewinders and other rattlesnakes around--even inside the RV Park! So watch your doggy carefully, especially on warm nights.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Viajeros]

But do not expect it to be anything like a hike in OPCNM. But you can take the rather wide trail for as many KMs as you want.

If you go there in the spring during warmer weather, there could be sidewinders and other rattlesnakes around--even inside the RV Park! So watch your doggy carefully, especially on warm nights.

-Don- Reno, NV

Thanks Don. Will do. I’ll keep him in his pack. We are used to hiking in rattler territory. This is where he stays.