Rivian R1T · Jul 11–19, 2026

The Loop — daily pages

Black Diamond → Sequoia → San Diego → Joshua Tree → Eastern Sierra → home. One page per day. Times are targets, not gospel — tailgate down, no clock.

Underlined place taps into Apple Maps · italic row = flex / open time · sunrise & sunset in gold · = a shot worth stopping for

1Sat · Jul 11

Black Diamond, WA → Mt. Shasta, CA

520 mi

A long 520-mile I-5 push south — mostly windshield and charge stops — ending at a lakefront camp under Mt. Shasta for a swim and a tailgate dinner.

Start~7:30 AMHome · Black Diamond, WA
End~6:00 PMLake Siskiyou Camp Resort
SleepRooftop tent

Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort — lakefront pad under Shasta conf 597219606

Charge 50A NEMA 14-50 pedestal (~7.7 kW), full pack overnight · Mt. Shasta RAN 7 min out if you'd rather DCFC

The day
5:24aSunrise
7:30aRoll out of Black Diamond Coffee in hand, Mt Rainier in the mirror
7:30–9:15aI-5 south, past RainierMt. Rainier — Mounts Rd pull-off — Rainier over the Nisqually farmland, best while the morning air's clear
9:20aTop-up charge, Centralia Quick splash to clear the Portland stretch
9:40a–12:00pInto Oregon, over the Columbia Cross into Portland metro
12:00–1:15pCharge + lunch, Woodburn Charge to ~90% over the long lunch — clear Portland metro on a full pack
1:15–3:30pSouth through the Willamette Valley
3:30pCharge, Grants Pass Charge to ~90% — anchors the thin Roseburg→Medford stretch before the climbCaveman Bridge — Rogue River rainbow arch, a 2-min walk while the Rivian tops up
3:50–5:15pOver the Siskiyous into California Shasta starts to fill the windshield near Weed
5:15–5:35pCharge, Yreka Now mandatory — clears the Siskiyou Summit + pull to Shasta with real margin
6:00pLake Siskiyou Camp Resort Check in, breathe, you made it
6:00–7:15pSet camp before dark Tents up, tailgate down, no rush
7:15pSwim in the lake Rinse off the drive, Shasta on the water
8:00pTailgate dinner Cook slow, eat by the water
8:44pSunset
9:00p+Fire and stars Linger as long as you like — nothing after this
Watch
  • Log real mi/kWh with the tent up — it sets our desert-half range math
2Sun · Jul 12

Mt. Shasta → Three Rivers, CA

370 mi

The relaxed day: an unhurried cruise down the valley to an Airstream on the Kaweah, in by mid-afternoon for the pool, the river, and nothing else on the schedule.

Start~9:00 AMLake Siskiyou · no rush
End~4:30 PMAutoCamp Sequoia
SleepAirstream

AutoCamp Sequoia — Airstream on the Kaweah, tent stays packed booked

Charge 9 complimentary L2 chargers → 100% overnight (5-hr session cap, restart once) · arrive topped from the Visalia SC (Ave 280)

The day
5:48aSunrise
9:00aDepart Lake Siskiyou Slow morning, coffee, roll out when ready. No rush.
9:00–11:00aI-5 south down the Sacramento Valley Shasta in the mirror, Trinity ridgelines. Cruise.Castle Crags Vista — granite spires and Shasta in one frame, a 0.25-mi walk off I-5
11:00aCharge + coffee, Redding Charge to ~100% — you'll need it to reach MantecaSundial Bridge — Calatrava's glass-deck span on the Sacramento, 5 min from the charger
11:15a–1:00pI-5 to the Chico area Flat valley miles, easy driving.
1:00pLunch, Chico Sit-down at the brewery or grab-and-go, whatever the mood is.
1:00–2:00pLinger or roll Extra buffer if lunch runs long or you want a beat off the road.
2:00–3:00pCA-99 south to Manteca Merge off I-5 to 99; ag country and orchards.
3:00–3:45pCharge, Manteca RAN The one real charge on this leg (Rivian's stop), ~43 min, depart ~80% — Redding→Three Rivers is too far without it
3:50–4:45pCA-198 up to Three Rivers Foothills climb along the Kaweah. Almost there.Lake Kaweah (Lemon Hill) — golden foothills wrapping the reservoir — the Sequoia-country gateway shot
4:45pArrive AutoCamp Sequoia Check in, drop bags, exhale.
4:30–7:00pPool + river time Pool, Kaweah swimming hole, or just do nothing. Rest of the day is yours.
7:30p+Fire pit, easy dinner Fire pits and clubhouse on site; low-key evening.
8:16pSunset
Watch
  • The easy day — bank it; tomorrow's the early Sequoia + San Diego push
3Mon · Jul 13

Three Rivers → Sequoia → San Diego

360 mi

Up early for the giant sequoias before the crowds — General Sherman and Moro Rock — then the long run to San Diego, timed to land at Sunset Cliffs for the sundown.

Start~6:45 AMAutoCamp · early start
End~6:00 PMKona Kai · San Diego
SleepHotel · resort

Kona Kai Resort & Spa — Shelter Island, on the water conf 9088507450181

Charge On-site Tesla Destination L2 + Liberty Station Supercharger 5 min away

The day
5:49aSunrise
6:45aDepart AutoCamp Sequoia Early roll-out, coffee to go. Beat the Sequoia crowds.
6:45–7:45aGenerals Hwy climb Windy 1-hr ascent into the park; watch for early wildlife.Amphitheater Point — rare side view of Moro Rock and the foothills sweep, before the haze builds
7:45aGeneral Sherman Tree Largest tree on earth. Early = near-empty lot; short walk down.
8:45aMoro Rock 400 granite steps to a huge valley view; go before it heats up.
9:15aTunnel Log Drive the truck through a fallen sequoia — the hero shot, a 2-min spur off Crescent Meadow Rd. 8-ft clearance clears the R1T; measure the closed tent first — there's a bypass lane if the stack's too tall.
9:45aGiant Forest Museum Passport stamp + quick exhibits, then linger in the grove.
10:00–10:30aGrove time Linger among the sequoias or roll out. Grove capped at 2–3 hrs.
10:30a–12:00pDescend to the valley Long downhill on Generals Hwy — regen tops off the battery.
12:00–1:00pCharge + lunch, Visalia Plug in and grab a real lunch while it fills. Last easy stop before the run south.
1:00–2:45pCA-99 south to the Grapevine Steady Central Valley miles toward the I-5 climb.
2:45pCharge, Tejon Ranch Charge to ~100% — feeds the long run to SoCal
5:10–5:25pCharge, Temecula RAN Now required — a ~15-min splash to ~55%; Tejon→San Diego direct is too far otherwise
5:15pTop-up, Temecula Short splash only if the buffer's thin for the last 60 mi to Shelter Island.
5:25–6:15pI-15 south into San Diego Last leg down to the coast.
6:15pArrive Kona Kai Resort Check in, drop bags on Shelter Island.
6:15–7:30pSettle in Breathe after the drive. Unpack, walk the marina, or just sit.
7:45pSunset Cliffs at sunset 10 min from Kona Kai. Time it to the light; sunset ~8:00 PM.
8:00pSunset
9:00pBack to Kona Kai Late dinner nearby or wind down at the resort.
Watch
  • Leave AutoCamp at 100% — Giant Forest is a no-charge climb
  • LA traffic on the afternoon run into San Diego
4Tue · Jul 14

San Diego — rest day

~35 mi

A true rest day on the coast: Ocean Beach, a Sunset Cliffs cruise, an optional stamp or beer crawl, all leading to the 7 PM group dinner at Solare (rideshare — leave the truck).

Startslow AMKona Kai
EndlateKona Kai · night 2
SleepHotel

Kona Kai — same room, no re-pack conf 9088507450181

Charge Same on-site L2 + Liberty Station SC — top off for tomorrow's desert leg

The day
5:52aSunrise
8:30aSlow morning at Kona Kai Coffee on the marina, no agenda while the marine layer sits
Late morningLinger / regroup Laundry, calls, pool — let the fog burn off before the beach
11:30aCabrillo National Monument Optional Point Loma detour — bonus passport stamp + harbor views
12:30–2:00pOcean Beach / Dog Beach Beach time once the sun's out; let the dog run at the north endOcean Beach Pier — longest concrete pier on the West Coast — shoot it receding to a vanishing point
2:00pLunch on Newport Ave Grab a bite in Ocean Beach before the beer crawl
2:30–4:30pNewport Ave beer crawl walkable OB breweries; pace it, dinner's the main event
5:00pCruise Sunset Cliffs Blvd Slow drive down the cliffs; pull out for the ocean view
5:30–6:30pBack to Kona Kai, clean up Truck stays at the hotel — rideshare tonight for drinks
6:40pRideshare to Liberty Station Party of 7 — leave a little early to regroup at the door
7:00pDinner — Solare Ristorante Reservation, party of 7; rideshare both ways
7:59pSunset
LateRideshare back to Kona Kai No clock — call it whenever the table's done
Watch
  • Rideshare to/from Solare (drinks) — truck stays parked at the hotel
5Wed · Jul 15

San Diego → Joshua Tree NP

215 mi

Out of the city into the high desert — Joshua Tree's boulders, a hot midday to wait out, Keys View at sunset, then the Milky Way straight from camp.

Start~8:30 AMSan Diego
End~2:00 PMRyan CG · or hotel (see heat)
SleepRooftop tent · in-park

Ryan CG #10 — drive-in pad · heat-abort to a 29 Palms hotel order 0878273108-1

Charge No power at camp — run to 100% at the JT Outpost RAN by day (nothing inside the park)

The day
5:53aSunrise
8:30aDepart San Diego Roll out cool; beat the desert heat north.
8:30–10:45aCabazon — optional ~80% splash Buffer only; the camp-night 100% fill happens at the JT Outpost during the heat breakSan Gorgonio wind farm — ~3,500 turbines marching toward snow-dusted San Jacinto — surreal on the drive through
10:45–11:45aCharge to 100% + break, Cabazon Fill full here; coffee and restroom at the outlets while it charges. No charging in the park.
11:45a–12:45pHwy 62 up to Joshua Tree town Climb into the high desert via Morongo Valley.
12:45pJoshua Tree Visitor Center Passport stamp, water, intel. Closes 5.
1:00–2:00pLunch in town Sit down in AC before the desert bakes.
2:00–4:00pWait out the heat at the JT Outpost RAN Plug in to 100% while you rest in the AC — this is the camp-night fill (Ryan has no power)
4:00pEnter via north entrance Onto Park Blvd as the sun starts to ease.
4:20pSet up camp at Ryan Campground Drop gear, claim a site, catch your breath.
5:00–6:00pHidden Valley loop Easy 1-mi loop through the boulders as it cools.
6:15pSkull Rock Quick roadside pullout off Park Blvd.
6:30–7:00pDrift toward Keys View 20-min spur off Park Blvd; time it for the light.
7:30pKeys View sunset Valley overlook; stay for the afterglow.
7:58pSunset
8:30pBack to Ryan; dinner at camp Tailgate down, cook, cool off.
8:30–10:00pEvening at camp Wind down. If the night's too hot, this is the heat-abort call to a hotel.
10:00pMilky Way from camp Moonless sky; let your eyes adjust and look up.
Watch
  • HEAT CALL check NWS ~3 days out — overnight low >72°F or a heat warning → hotel
  • No bears here (desert) — cab food storage is fine tonight only
6Thu · Jul 16

Joshua Tree → Tioga Lake (Yosemite gate)

375 mi

The trip's biggest transit, and the one with a clock: race up US-395 from the desert to a 9,700-ft alpine camp at Yosemite's gate, aiming to claim a first-come site by 2 PM.

Start~6:30 AMJoshua Tree · early, big day
Endby 2:00 PMTioga Lake · grab a site
SleepRooftop tent · alpine

Tioga Lake CG, 9,700 ft — grab a first-come site; if full, Ellery/Junction, then your Silver Lake backup backup reserved

Charge No power — battery hold at altitude. 100% at the Lee Vining RAN on the climb up. Bear box at the site.

The day
5:46aSunrise
6:30aDepart Joshua Tree Big day north — coffee in hand, tailgate loaded
7:00aCholla Cactus Garden Quick loop in the low morning light on the way out
7:30–10:45aUS-395 north Long Owens Valley run with the Sierra wall to your left
10:45–11:05aCharge, Olancha RAN Rivian's required southern stop, ~20 min, depart ~90% for the Tioga climb (Bishop-first would strand you)
11:15aAlabama Hills / Mobius Arch ~15 min graded dirt off Movie Rd; short walk to the arch framing Whitney
12:45–1:15pBishop to Lee Vining Final valley stretch before the CA-120 climb
1:15pLee Vining charge to 100% Charge full at the foot of the Tioga climb; Mono Lake view from the site
1:30pMono Lake overlook Quick tufa view while the pack fills — Old Marina is a 2-min detour
1:45–2:00pCA-120 climb to Tioga Lake ~12 mi and ~3,000 ft up to the east gate
2:00pClaim Tioga Lake campsite HARD TARGET — first-come; grab a site the moment you arrive (9,700 ft)
2:15–3:00pSet camp Tent up, gear sorted while there's daylight and energy
3:00–7:00pThe whole afternoon Site is claimed, so exhale: nap, lakeshore wander, read, or drive up to Tioga Pass
7:30pCamp dinner Cook lakeside; layer up — nights are cold at altitude
8:15–9:00pGolden hour Watch the alpenglow fade off the peaks; nothing to do but be here
8:20pSunset
10:00pMilky Way from the tent Dark alpine sky; let your eyes adjust ~15 min for the full band
Watch
  • ARRIVE BY 2 to claim a first-come site — else drop to the booked Silver Lake
  • Coso Junction is a single-point-of-failure charger — keep buffer to reach Bishop RAN
  • Near-freezing at 9,700 ft — layers. Off high ground early if storms build
7Fri · Jul 17

Tioga Lake → east Yosemite → Mammoth

150 mi

First car through the gate for a dawn lap of Yosemite's high country and Mono Lake, then a short, easy slide into Mammoth with a wide-open afternoon and a village dinner.

Start~5:30 AMTioga Lake · first car through the gate
End~6:00 PMThe Limelight · Mammoth
SleepHotel · Village

The Limelight Mammoth — new hotel in The Village conf 50669SG012832

Charge Complimentary on-site EV charging; Mammoth RAN (300 kW) as backup

The day
5:30aDepart Tioga Lake First car through the gate — cold air, empty road.
5:45–6:15aOver Tioga Pass into the park Drop west into the high country as it wakes up.
5:49aSunrise
6:15aTuolumne Meadows Passport stamp at the visitor center, just past the gate; stretch in the meadow.
7:00aTenaya Lake Tioga Rd pullouts — glassy dawn water, quick shoreline wander.
7:45aOlmsted Point Granite domes and the Half Dome sightline; morning light is the reward for the early start.
8:30–9:00aLinger or roll No agenda between here and Mono. Coffee, tailgate, or just go.
9:00–10:00aBack east over the pass Retrace Tioga Rd, exit the park, wind down to the Mono Basin.
10:00aPanum Crater Short crater-rim walk — youngest volcano in the chain, obsidian everywhere.
11:15aMono Lake South Tufa The otherworldly tufa towers; easy loop trail along the shore.
12:30–1:15pLunch in Lee Vining Whoa Nellie Deli at the Mobil station, or grab-and-go before the drive south.
1:15–2:00pMono Basin breathing room Extend the tufa walk, poke around Lee Vining, or nap in the shade. Nothing due.
2:00–2:45pSouth on US-395 Easy 30-mile cruise down to Mammoth.
2:30pConvict Lake Mount Morrison drops straight into a mirror lake, a 10-min spur off 395 — quick now, or come back for sunset.
2:45pCheck in — The Limelight In The Village; drop bags, plug in, decompress.
3:00–6:00pWide-open Mammoth afternoon The real slack of the day. Soak, hammock, wander the Village, or drive up to Minaret Vista. No plan required.Minaret Vista — the serrated Minarets razored across the sky — a short drive up, telephoto at golden hour
7:00pVillage dinner Whitebark or Vulcania — reserve ahead. Walkable from the room.
8:17pSunset
after dinnerSlow evening Fire pit, dark sky, early night before tomorrow.
Watch
  • Call the Limelight first — confirm they'll park the 8-ft truck (sub-8-ft garage)
  • Tuolumne stamp: the Wilderness Center (8–5) is the fallback if the VC is closed
  • Off the pass early if afternoon storms build
8Sat · Jul 18

Mammoth → Mt. Shasta

520 mi

The long haul home begins — a big US-395 and I-5 transit with one lunch-and-charge stop, ending back under Shasta at an alpine lake camp.

Start~8:00 AMMammoth · late checkout, breakfast
End~6:00 PMCastle Lake · or hotel
SleepRooftop tent · dispersed

Castle Lake dispersed — alpine, Shasta views · or a Mt. Shasta hotel no booking

Charge No power — fast-charge at the Mt. Shasta RAN (111 Morgan Way) before camp

The day
5:49aSunrise
8:00aDepart Mammoth Lakes No rush — top off the battery before rolling.
8:15aBreakfast in Mammoth Village Grab coffee and a bite before the long haul north.
9:00–9:20aNorth on US-395
9:20aMono Lake overlook Quick pull-off for the tufa and basin views on the way out.
9:30a–12:30pUS-395 north through the high desert Long open stretch — Bridgeport, Walker Canyon, on toward Reno.Conway Summit vista — the whole basin spread out below from a northbound turnout — zero detour
middayLinger or push on Slack built in — stop for a photo or roll straight through, your call.
12:45pReno / I-80 junction Swing west onto I-80, then north toward Susanville.
1:30–2:30pCharge + lunch, Susanville Depart ~80%+ (not 60%). Mammoth→here is the trip's thinnest leg — splash at Carson City if arrival trends under ~15%
2:45–4:30pWest on CA-36 / CA-44 toward I-5 Forest and lava country — the quiet back way to Redding.
4:30pI-5 north, Shasta on the approach The mountain fills the windshield for the last hour — enjoy it.
5:45–6:30pFast-charge, Mt Shasta Charge to 100% — camp-night fill for powerless Castle Lake (budget ~45 min for the last 20%)
6:30–6:45pUp to Castle Lake
6:45pClaim a dispersed spot Find a flat pad with daylight to spare, then set up camp.Heart Lake — a 1-mi climb above camp to a sheltered tarn that mirrors all of Shasta — the money shot, best at sunset
eveningSettle in at Castle Lake Tailgate down, dinner, watch the light fade off Shasta.
8:40pSunset
Watch
  • SMOKE CALL check AirNow — bad air → grab a Shasta hotel bed instead
  • Castle Lake has NO bear box — food in the canister, not the cab or tent
9Sun · Jul 19

Mt. Shasta → home

480 mi

The easy roll home — a straightforward I-5 cruise with charge-and-lunch stops and Rainier on the approach, in your own bed by evening.

Start~7:00 AMMt. Shasta · early
End~4:00 PMHome · Black Diamond, WA
SleepHome

Home — own bed

Charge Home charger

The day
5:54aSunrise
7:00aRoll out of Mt Shasta Coffee to go, tailgate down for one last Shasta look.Lake Siskiyou (Cable Beach) — one more Shasta mirror at sunrise — glass-still, 3 min off I-5 before you head north
7:15–8:30aOver the Siskiyous into Oregon Climb the pass, drop into the Rogue Valley.
8:45aCoffee + top-up, Medford Quick splash-and-go if you want a bigger cushion north.
9:00–11:30aRogue & Umpqua valleys Easy green miles up I-5; Sunday traffic is light.
11:30a–1:00pLunch charge, Eugene Charge to ≥80% — this splits the Roseburg→Tigard hop, unreachable on one charge derated
middayLinger or roll Halfway home. Stretch, walk, or just push on.
1:00–2:30pUp the Willamette, around Portland Cross the Columbia into Washington; Portland is quiet on Sundays.
2:30pCharge, Vancouver WA Planned 10-15 min stop — nothing between Tigard and home; ~20% arrival without itColumbia River — Vancouver Waterfront — the lift bridge over the Columbia with Mt. Hood downriver, from the waterfront by the charger
2:45–3:45pMt Rainier on the approach Watch it fill the windshield northbound — the sign you're nearly home.Scatter Creek pull-off — Rainier fills the windshield — a legal pullout right off I-5 for the farm-foreground shot
4:00pHome, Black Diamond Trip complete. Unpack tomorrow.
8:58pSunset
Watch
  • Sunday = lighter Portland traffic; an early start still helps