The Electric Rivet

I'm very excited about the progress made by Aptera Motors. They are getting extremely close to the production of their $34,000 solar/electric vehicle. (Link in comments)

Great News! (via Rivian Updates)

Starting in 2025, the Rivian R1T and R1S will ship with new, fully integrated NACS hardware, making it even easier to use Tesla's Supercharger Network!

It's been said that the R2 Will be Rivian's "Model 3 moment".
What do you think?
Could this be the vehicle for you?
How do you think this will affect the stock price?

Does everyone know about the April 8th complete solar eclipse?!

They say that if you're not in the path of "totality", you simply won't get the truly amazing experience of the eclipse (hence the map). My hometown folks (Western PA & Eastern OH) have NO EXCUSE!

This feels like déjà vu... 😆

Lots of articles are running with the "EV demand is down" headline. It's a twisting of words, to influence the public. The demand "growth rate" is slowing, but demand is still increasing.

The fact is, EV sales in North America were up 47% y-o-y in 2023 and are projected to be up 32% in 2024. Demand is still increasing, just not at the "rate" it was previously increasing.

As long as I still have to buy gas, you're not going to hear me complaining about getting cashback. Bonus: you can use it on some food places.

This is from using the Upside app ($5 bonus referral link in comments).

What do you think about the newest Consumer Reports owner satisfaction survey results?

Rivian tops out the reader-survey driven report with the #1 highest owner satisfaction score based on percentage of owners. 86% of Rivian owners said they would buy it again. Check out the rest of the results.

Google Bard didn't do half bad.
"Dog driving a Rivian R1T"

I like these periodic reminders of how much cashback I've been getting from using the Upside app when buying gas.

You can use my user code 4FFMR to get an extra $5 bonus on your first purchase.

PSA: You should be checking out the Decorah Eagles North Nest channel on YouTube. It is one of the famous bald eagle mating pairs in Decorah, Iowa.

The eagles are relatively active at the nest right now, and the camera operators at Raptor Resource Project do a great job of focusing on the action (rotating and zooming) with their high-quality cameras. They even zoom in on animals on the ground if there are no eagles. 🤯

Is the Jackery Solar Mars Bot the next big thing for off-grid Airstreaming, or is it a silly gimmick?

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"The robot is equipped with the Automatic Sunflower Solar Tracker system, including autonomous navigation and sunlight tracking, enabling it to intelligently navigate towards areas with strong light for photovoltaic power generation or charging stations when light conditions are poor.

The product ingeniously integrates solar panels with the energy storage system. The innovative foldable photovoltaic panels are positioned at the top. When folded, its compact size enhances the product's portability and aesthetic appeal. When expanded, these solar wings boast a 600W output, demonstrating a remarkable 25% max solar conversion efficiency."

I've had an Aptera solar-powered vehicle on reserve for a few years and I'm really excited to see this project finally come to fruition next year.

- Travel up to 1,000 miles on a single charge
- Capable of up to 40 miles of solar-powered driving per day
- Starting under $30,000

Reserve Aptera Reserve Reserve Aptera |

Fall beauty! 🥰

Congratulations to and of team Limestone Legends, who took first place in the 4x4 class during the 2023 and became the first team to make the podium in an EV (first place, no less).

LINK IN BIO for story!

The rally is the longest off-road map-and-compass rally in the US.

I'm glad I got the chance to help out such a great cause. I encourage you to donate or ride as part of the Great Cycle Challenge USA next year.

Today's the last day. If you want to donate you can find the link in the comments. I hope to put in even more miles next year. 🙌

Just a reminder: You may mean well, but you may not realize that it doesn't matter how friendly your dog is; other dogs don't always like strange dogs approaching them, especially when restrained with a leash. Dogs often feel vulnerable and get defensive when leashed.

Not only that, many people have a fear of dogs. Your "friendly" dog may be causing them distress and ruining their experience.

Please keep your dogs restrained in public areas, especially campgrounds.

If you haven't already read about this amazing travel trailer concept, you've gotta check it out!


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Colorado, we're coming your way.⁠
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Find us and the L1 at Overland Expo Mountain West on August 25-27th. (Tickets required, purchase through the link in bio)⁠. We *might* have a special tow vehicle on display with the L1 during this show as well...⁠
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Roll call! Who's coming?!⁠
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It was great getting the chance to see the new Mobile Service van in person at the Minneapolis service center, along with all the Rivian colors.

The sticker worth breaking my "one sticker" rule on my Hydroflask. ❤️ What a beautiful representation of Decorah, Iowa; Norwegian troll/gnome, Decorah Eagles, the Upper Iowa River, nature, and Pride!

(Created by: Sarah Hedlund Art)

This beautiful new setup for (Instagram) is about as close to our ideal future setup as you can get. 🙌

They've got the R1T electric truck (limestone exterior 😍) and a 25' travel trailer. With a slight change in the R1T's wheels (and waiting on the Max Pack battery), and adding 3 feet to the Airstream, you've got our future setup. ❤️

Big news for Rivian owners! 🙌

From ..................
"We’re collaborating with Tesla to open charging for Rivian vehicles at more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across The United States and Canada.

Starting as early as Spring 2024, we’ll offer an NACS adapter that allows you to charge at Tesla charging sites. In 2025, Rivian will incorporate NACS charge ports as standard in R1T and R1S, and offer a corresponding CCS adapter. No matter which charging port is built into your Rivian vehicle, you’ll soon have access to over 25,000 DC fast chargers spanning Rivian Adventure Network, Tesla Superchargers and other third-party CCS networks."

Today we're celebrating Rivians and Airstreams! ❤️

These are just some of the accounts I follow. If I missed you and you'd like to be in the next one, leave a comment.

Always a pleasure to see R1T trucks and R1S suvs (pictured) in our small town. 🤩

Excited for some of this! 🙌


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Here's a different framing of that previous photo. Which do you prefer?

Taken at Pulpit Rock Campground, who recently added a huge solar array to supply the campground, along with additional 50 amp hookups. It's a beautiful way to visit the iconic Decorah!

Visit Decorah Decorah Parks and Recreation

Tis' the season of Airstreams, here in Northeast Iowa. It's wonderful to see these beautiful trailers back at Pulpit Rock Campground in Decorah, Iowa.

Fun fact: Pulpit Rock Campground recently added a huge solar array to supply the campground, along with additional 50 amp hookups. It's a beautiful way to visit the iconic Decorah!
Visit Decorah Decorah Parks and Recreation

We may have a distorted view of what will be like, thanks to This Airstream Life]. 🤩 Hey, it's what you make it. Right?

This is just a spectacular image! 🙌

This Airstream Life]
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Living life on the edge just might get you views like this.

Tried using a free version of to create an image of a Rivian towing an airstream along the Pacific Coast Highway, and this was the result. 🤔