Electrics at the Dragon - Day 1: Muskegon to Chelsea, MI

Day 1: Muskegon to Genoa, OH Chelsea, MI

Stats and Map:

Intended mileage

274

Actual mileage

170

Cumulative mileage

170

Number of charge stops

2

Charging cost

$2.50

Charging energy (kWh)

18

Intended Route

The intent on the first day was to get to Genoa, OH where a high school friend has invited me for dinner and an overnight stay.  I also wanted to meet up with a few other friends for a coffee in Chelsea, MI where there is a charging station in town.  

My motorcycle, a 2022 Zero SR/S, has a secondary road range of about 100-120 miles depending on temperature and a few other factors.  So with a nearly 300-mile trip today, the goal was to stop 2 times to charge.  I typically like to ride 2-3 hours max before stopping for a break and charging provides that.  

Charging in Downtown Chelsea
What Really Happened

The weather forecast for my intended departure date of April 11 looked awful, so I decided to leave a half day early and knock out some miles while the sun was still shining.  

First Stop:  Wagon Wheel Restaurant, Portland, MI

This little gem of a restaurant with Level 2 charging station (PlugShare link) is on East Grand River not far from I-96 west of Lansing.  There are two free ChargePoint stations, so I did a quick 20 minute charge with the DJ Rapid Charge to plan my next segment.  

Second Stop:  Lansing, MI

I went a few miles further to the Capital City Market Meijer location with two Shell Recharge stations (PlugShare link) that hardly ever get used.  The Capital Market has a nice coffee shop inside with all kinds of food choices.  One was actually being used, but a few minutes on a 7 KW charger was enough to bridge the range to Chelsea.  

My AirBNB

If you're familiar with the ubiquitous Jiffy Mix boxes for corn muffins and other baked goodies, you might be interested to know that those products are milled and packaged right here in Michigan.  Head into town and you'll see the giant grain and flour elevators as well as the manufacturing site.  

Chelsea, MI

I found a charming AirBNB in Chelsea, MI not 2 blocks from a downtown charging station.  The owner recommended Cleary's Irish Pub which was in easy walking distance.  The  Shepherd's Pie and a Guinness as well as some conversation with a local hit the spot after a day of riding. 

Here is a video overview of today's trip: https://youtu.be/oHa8_cfFBOo

On To Ohio

There's a break in the weather mid-morning, so my plan is to cruise down to Genoa OH via Monroe, MI.  I might even pick up a National Parks stamp at the River Raisin National Battlefield Park.  

Stop Soldier Suicide Fundraiser

As part of this ride, I'm participating in a Facebook Stop Soldier Suicide fundraiser.  If this issue is important to you, please chip in a few dollars to a worthy cause.  I will post my mileage updates on that page as well as this page.


See you on the road!

In This Series


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