T-107 hours and counting

The following may not be our exact route, but this likely to be pretty darn close. (Map Details)



1,473 miles the distance they say it will take. 26 hours is how long they say we will be on the road.

I believe we have driven this about 7 times. I will have to confirm that with the wife. But I think it is 7 times. When we finally get back to Austin, that will bring the total to 9.

Historically we have been able to make the trip in approx 24 hours.

Avg speed of:
70 mph = 21.00 hours
65 mph = 22.66 hours
60 mph = 24.55 hours

Due to the fact that I can't sleep while Gina is driving, I force her to stop for the night along the way. Not to mention the fact that spending 24 hours in a car (with 4 dogs) is not at all my idea of fun.

This time around I hope to get her to let me stop and take photos at scenic points along the way. You know to say that we at least stopped for 5 minutes here and there along the way to take into perspective the cities and states that we go through. From my point of view stopping once in a while (for more than gas) on a trip that takes 24 hours of straight driving, doesn't hurt. Now if the trip was like 3-6 hours. Sure, stop for gas and that is it. But more than that and you need to try to enjoy the trip itself, cuz it isn't going to be over anytime soon.

Now who wants to take bets on how often we will have to stop.

Oldsmobile Achieva (specs)
15.2 Gallon fuel capacity
28 MPG (spec)

1,473 miles @ 28mpg = 52.6 gallons
52.6 gallons @ 15.2 = 3.46 times.

It has been too long for me to remember what the Achieva's LONG distance mpg is. But recent trips to Dallas definitely have it between 26 and 28.

The avg gas price right now is between $2.75 & $2.85. However, I fully expect that the avg price is to be about $2.99.

This means that it is going to cost between $144.65 to 157.27. (approx $300 round-trip).

If we had been able to take the Corolla (spec) we would get about 32 mpg.

Meaning:
1,473 @ 32 = 46.03 gallons
46.03 @ 10 = 4.63 stops

$126 to $137, approx $263. So only about $40 in savings. But in the summer that is some decent beer money.

Time to hit the sack. Got a long day tomorrow too.