u/calimota

We just got 2 Level 3 bikes and I’m setting up a spot in the garage for them. From what I can tell, the Level 3 chargers pull 48V each.

Can I safely plug both of them into the same outlet? Am I even thinking of the Voltage demand the right way?

Anyone doing this already?

NW is close $2.5M across various accounts. Plus about $1M in home equity with a low rate and monthly payments (stretched to buy in a VHCOL area in 2011). HHI is around $600k each of the past 4 years.

So on paper, we may have crossed the Rich threshold, but we don’t live a Rich lifestyle in our community. I actually find it difficult to assess NRY status before we pay for the kids’ educations.

We are finishing year 1 of the most expensive 10 years of our lives- one kid in Catholic grade school ($11k annual) and one kid in Catholic high school ($30k annual). Soon we’ll have both in high school, then the older one will go to college, and at some point we’ll have two in college for 1-2 years.

So in total, we still have 6 years of private high school to pay for and 8ish years of whatever college costs (529 should cover about 50-75%, depending on where they go).

Despite that, I’m about to downshift into a less stressful job. HHI will drop somewhat to $500-525.

I’m consciously prioritizing these last few years with my kids in the house, and as we get close to 50yo, who knows how much longer we’ll be healthy enough to enjoy this all. Hopefully we only have to work another 10 or 12 years. If the market doesn’t crater too badly during that time, lol.

We’re feel NRY (maybe were naively conservative in this assessment), and maybe will never be Rich. But we’re comfortable and going to lean into enjoying our kids while they’re home, and our 50’s, which start this year! We just bought e-bikes so that we can tackle the hills again like we did when we were younger and in better shape :)

This is a perspective that I’ve just recently come around to, and it’s liberating. Admittedly, this may be due to achieving some financial milestones that I never considered possible growing up very modestly.

Sharing here in case this vibes with anyone else. And I don’t have many people around me who I can discuss this with.

I’ve been saving up for e-bikes for years, and finally made it happen with the help of the Ava credit. These are NOT e-motos, these are electric-assist pedal bikes.

We live up near Skyline Blvd, so have never been able to really access much street biking because I have never been able to get back up the hill to my house on a conventional bike. My son is 12, so he could probably do it soon, but it’s a HAUL to get from most of Oakland to Skyline on a bike.

Anyway…. We got two bikes and immediately rode together from Sports Basement in Berkeley to our house. It was awesome. I grew up in the suburbs riding a bike everywhere, but my son never really experienced that, and he’s now stoked to be able to range about and explore.

Anyone have some good recommendations for routes for beginners to explore? Our route home yesterday took us on Russel St. in Berkeley, which is a Bicycle Boulevard, then onto the Landvale Station Trail. Both were safe and amazing - we were giddy the entire time.

Neither of us are super comfortable with lots of traffic around, and I obviously want to be safe with my son. We’re open to any length of route- we just want to explore safely while we get our bike senses honed.

Thank you for your suggestions!