by the numbers

9,702: miles traveled during the trip. the first few miles in montana went the fastest, because i had gradually increased the speed to 100 before i saw a 75 mph speed limit sign. who knew montana had reinstituted a speed limit. the fastest farm roads were in texas, where you could go 70, so long as you kept an eye out for farm machinery.
$1,647.96: amount spent on gas. the price varied around the nation, with a number of places in the $3.85-$3.99 per-gallon range and others over $4. washington state is among those with the highest prices.
$3,648.76: amount spent on lodging. this varied as well, from $80 per night in some places to, well, considerably more in key west and d.c. i found that location determined price as much or more than the quality of the room. for example, the uninhabitable room at the howard johnson's in pensacola was $120, while the nice room just a few blocks away was $90.