BJ Nemeth's Blog

I've compiled some of the stats for the first 14 days of this 80-day trip. At the end of the trip, I'll have a more complete breakdown, including data like time spent and miles driven for all 50 states.

Sun, Jan 24 - Sat, Feb 6

Total Miles Driven: ~5,250*
Average Gas Mileage: 30.92 mpg
Total Expenses: $1,659.80

* Total miles is approximate because I didn't check the mileage when I parked for the ferry to Alaska. At the last fuel fillup in central Washington, the figure was 5,040 miles.

Here's a breakdown of expenses by category:

Gas: $425.48
Food: $179.85
Ferry to Juneau, AK: $506.00
Broken Window Replaced: $248.14**
Dog Crate & Pillow Pad: $102.67
Rhapsody's Pet-Sitting: $60.00
Rhapsody's Certificate of Health: $50.00
Parking: $36.00
Yellowstone Entry Fee: $25.00
Gambling: $20.00
Souvenirs: $4.16
Lockers & Towel Rental (Boat): $2.50

** Maria Ho graciously saved my ass by paying for the repair of the broken window, since it may have been enough to bankrupt my budget. Thanks, Maria!

I know some of you are curious, so I broke down the food expenses for a few of my favorites:

McDonald's (x5): $29.20
Waffle House (x3): $33.00
BBQ Places (x3): $30.00

There was actually a fourth Waffle House meal, but it was paid for by Daniel Negreanu. (Thanks!) There was also a fourth BBQ meal, but that was paid for by an anonymous friend. (Thanks!) Finally, I received a few free meals while I stayed with Donna Lawton's family for 24 hours in Ogden, Utah. (BIG Thanks!)

I should also note that this accounting only includes costs incurred after the trip began. I bought a few road-trip groceries before the trip, and spent about $300 at REI (which included cold-weather gear). Recurring expenses that aren't directly related to the trip (cellphone bill, rent, etc.) aren't included among the costs of the trip. Also, the round-trip boat ticket to Alaska is on a friend's credit card, to be paid back when I receive my next WPT paycheck.

I'll conclude this statistics-heavy post with a list of the states I've visited so far, in order:

1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. Mississippi
5. Tennessee
6. Arkansas
7. Missouri
8. Iowa
9. Minnesota
10. North Dakota
11. South Dakota
12. Nebraska
13. Colorado
14. Utah
15. Idaho
16. Montana
17. Wyoming
18. Washington
19. Alaska

If you have any questions about Rhapsody & BJ's Epic 50-State Road Trip, leave me a comment below.