Diana's Peace of Mind tour

America is the land of car culture. For better or for worse, we drive everywhere. Work. School. Going out for dinner. Concerts and sporting events. Appointments and errands. But for those of us who love to drive for the experience and the exploration of it, the Road Trip rules. Despite all the urbanization, the U.S. still offers vast swaths of gorgeous back country—and roads to run through it.

We love the great wide open spaces, big blue skies, towering mountains, and a horizon that stretches on forever. And more and more, we’re hitting the road in an EV. Range anxiety might still be a thing, but with over 64,000 EV charging stations in the country, anxiety is quickly turning into exhilaration—and the breath of fresh air, literally! that driving an EV brings.

It is our great pleasure to take you along on a road trip with one of our own—a seasoned roadtripper and an XCare member. Meet Diana, who just took off on a 5,200-mile solo road trip from North Carolina to Colorado via Montana. Yes, you read that right—it’s just Diana and her EV, a Tesla Model X she has named “Mercury,” inspired by the Roman god of speed and quicksilver. The car's loaded with FSD, which will take a little edge off all that driving for Diana and give her more energy to explore the towns she hits along the way.

Our senior writer Birgitte Rasine talks to Diana about her love of cars, driving, and road trips. Right after the Q&A, check out photos from her various stops along the way.

Birgitte: Diana, welcome and thanks so much for taking a little time from your trip to talk to us. Where does your love of cars come from?

Diana: I've always been a car lover. When I was six, I asked for a Tonka car carrier for Christmas! It has 2 Thunderbirds and a Mustang. I didn't play with dolls; I played with my cars.  

I hate gas stations. As a single female, I never felt comfortable, no matter how nice the station was. So, an EV was an amazing idea to me. I noticed the Tesla Roadster [when] it was still a concept, but I wasn't in a position to buy one at the time. When the [Model] S was launched, I was hooked, but still it was beyond my price point.  

Birgitte: We hear that a lot… many people dream of owning an EV long before they can get one. When were you able to realize your dream?

Diana: I was one of the first 100,000 to put in a reservation for a Model 3 on April 1, 2016.  That summer, I went on a long road trip with my 88-year-old mother. We stopped at the Tesla showroom in Orlando, and l loved what I saw. I waited patiently for my Model 3 until December 2017 and it still wasn't even close to production. So my mother and I went to the showroom in Naples, Florida, and I sat in an X. It was love at first test drive. 

I cancelled my order for the 3 and put in an order for the X. I was quite anxious because the price was over six figures. My mom asked me two questions: “Do you LOVE it? Can you afford it?”  I said yes to both questions, and she said "Buy the damn car!"

My X was delivered in March, 2018.

Birgitte: Sounds like you are a car gal through and through. How many EVs have you owned and what do you like about driving electric? 

Diana: This X is my first [EV]. I keep my cars for a long time. When I ordered my X it came with free supercharging for life—that was a key factor, as I knew much of my driving would be long distance. I also purchased Full Self Driving, even though it was rudimentary at best at that time.  I loved the black/white interior, the carbon fiber trim and the speed. The tech has always been impressive and it remains so to this day. I like that my car gets updates to keep it from becoming obsolete.

Birgitte: Anything about the EV experience you feel could use a little upgrade?

Diana: What I dislike has been the service centers. I think many Tesla drivers would agree with me on this. I don't blame the techs or the staff as much as I blame the company for putting less focus on service. When your car is under warranty, it's much better (though still hard to get in, with long waits for an appointment). When your car is out of warranty, it's a bit of a nightmare.  Getting in is difficult, but the worst is that “customer pay” means that you get no loaner vehicle, and I've felt that throwing parts at a problem has been more common than actually diagnosing the problem. This is one of the key reasons I chose to purchase XCare.

Birgitte: Let’s talk about the roadtrip you’re on now. You’re driving a total of 2500 miles in ten days. And this isn’t your first trip… 

Diana: I've always had wanderlust....the desire to be where I'm not!  My Tesla has been driven long distance more than short. I worked in Florida but my family was in Missouri and Colorado and I would drive every summer. When I moved to North Carolina, I still drove to Missouri and Colorado. I knew once I retired, I'd hit the road. Last summer, I drove an epic road trip (much like this one) from coast to coast in over 10 weeks. I love the freedom. I can stop whenever I want for as long as I want.  

Birgitte: Do you have a specific driving schedule when you’re on the road?

Diana: I usually leave the hotel by 9 am and drive 4 to 5 hours. That way, I stop by 2 pm and have the rest of the day to explore whatever town I am in.

Birgitte: And as a seasoned roadtripper, what type of environment is your favorite to drive?

Diana: I prefer wide open spaces; doesn't matter if it's mountains, farmland, or desert. I dislike cities and always have to plan drives through them during non-rush hour.

Check out the towns and sightseeing spots Diana is visiting on her drive across the country:

Mount Airy, NC

Starting out from her home in North Carolina, Diana's first stop was Mount Airy. A town of nearly 11,000 people, Mount Airy is the proud hometown of actor Andy Griffith—with a large outdoor wall mural called "The Five Faces of Andy."

Below are photos Diana sent to us from her stop in this picturesque Southern town.

"Historic Downtown" art mural in downtown Mount Airy

"The Five Faces of Andy" wall mural

Originally built in 1937, Wally's Service Station is now a tourist attraction that offers Mayberry Squad Car Tours — and replicas of buildings from The Andy Griffith Show.

Highlights from the rest of the tour

We could publish an entire book of photographs with all of the pics Diana took during her epic road trip. These are a few of our favorite highlights:

One of countless classic cars at the Main Street Classic Car Museum in Rapid City, South Dakota. And a very on-point PSA for car-loving parents...

The Dignity statue, representing the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota native people, near Chamberlain, South Dakota

Mercury on a gorgeous day in front of the State Capitol in Helena, Montana

The breathtaking, big-country mountains of Montana

Mercury at the world-famous natural monument Devil's Tower in Wyoming

Charging stops

No road trip in an EV would be complete without pics from the charging stations!

"Mercury" at the Tesla Supercharger in Wytheville, Virginia. The town is named after George Wythe, a mentor to Thomas Jefferson and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The Clarion Pointe hotel at the Sioux Falls airport in South Dakota—three Tesla superchargers and six Electrify America 350kw chargers. "Worth recommending," Diana says.

Diana and Mercury somewhere in Montana...