With half the year now behind us on our Great American Adventure, I thought you might enjoy a few "stats".
We have traveled over 19,000 miles across 32 states. We've bought almost 1400 gallons of gas at an average cost of $1.59, and we're getting an average of 13.1 MPG on The Rolling White House. The most we've paid for gas has been $1.91 in Trinadad, CA, and the lowest was $1.34 in Frankfurt, KY.
We've spent about 1 month sleeping in the Van at an average camping cost of $23 a night, and 5 months of nights in Motels at an average cost of $85--including some spectacular resorts, as well as expensive cities like New York City. We hope to do more camping (we budgeted 3 nights a week camping) as we get back into warmer weather and longer days. Our most expensive night was $350 at The Greenbrier at White Sulphur Springs, W VA, and the least expensive, a camping night at $11 in a very nice city park in Iron River, MI.
We have certainly eaten well, having spent just over $13,000 on food, drink and groceries! Unfortunately, the scales show how wonderful the food is throughout this country! Our expenditures on attractions and entertainment (including golf, movies, parks, museums, etc.) have come in at 33% of budget - about $4200. Our $50 National Parks Pass has paid for itself many times over! Our most expensive round of golf has been $80 at Whitehawk in N. CA. And the lowest was $12 for an award winning 9 hole course at Southern Hills in Hot Springs, SD.
Overall, we are at 54% of our budget - not bad, considering my estimates were all just guesses.
We've visited 13 National Parks and 29 National Monuments, Seashores, etc. The Van climbed to a high elevation of 10,981 feet on the Beartooth Pass in WY/MT (spectacular) and a low of sea level at many locations.
We've been back from our holiday visit home for about a week and are heading towards better weather every day. We spent a few very nice days at Myrtle Beach golfing and relaxing, and are now enjoying beautiful Charleston, SC. This is a wonderful, historical city, with very gracious residents. I'm afraid our walking tour of the city today wasn't enough to rid ourselves of the calories from the fabulous Southern specialities in the restaurants here.
After a whirlwind visit home -- 24 parties, dinners and get togethers, 13 Dr., Dentist, and personal service appointments, 7 different overnight accommodations, 1800 miles on our car, leasing one of our rentals houses (in the middle of the holidays - bummer!), and seeing over 75 friends and relatives -- all in 28 days, we were READY for the tranquility of the open road!
Another 6 months, 16 states, 30 more National Parks, and probably
another 18,000 miles or so, and we will arrive back in our lovely
Charbonneau, richer for the experience, and having proved to ourselves
that you really can travel for a year for the price of staying
home.