Plan B and the stats

We're comin' home
see all photos »

Everyone is familiar with the phrase "Plan B". An alternate plan if the original fails, right? Maybe, maybe not. During the first few months of our travels, Anne and I would periodically wear our Plan B t-shirts and got some very mixed reactions. Young teenagers seemed to identify the most with the phrase by giving you a thumbs up or "that's awesome!" Perhaps their meaning of the phrase evoked a positive reaction for something that we are unaware. We also had countless adults ask, "what's Plan A?" I would inform them that Plan A involved grinding away every last ounce of energy to continue in the corporate rat race, or Plan B, we could sell everything and travel for a couple of years. I told them that we chose Plan B. Immediately we would receive a thumbs up or "that's awesome!" I also received some dirty looks when wearing the embroidered t-shirt. These sinister stares may have been caused by the controversial morning after contraceptive named Plan B. (We were also informed at 14,494 feet that Plan B was a strip club in Sacramento) Either way, Plan B provokes some very different reactions.

Oh what a feeling to drive, TOYOTA!
see all photos »

For Anne and I, the meaning of Plan B has evolved from the little acorn to the giant oak. Approximately three years ago, we both felt that our jobs were in jeopardy. We needed a Plan B in case one of us got the pink slip. The idea of traveling was planted into our heads at a Fourth of July gathering, and quickly the idea overtook Plan A. One thing for sure, Plan B has afforded us new opportunities and dreams that Plan A would have most certainly kept masked. Here's to Plan B.

The stats for this leg of the journey

Now what everyone is waiting for. The stats for this leg of the journey:

number of days on the road: 46

number of nights in the tent: 32

number of nights in a hotel: 9

number of nights at relative's homes: 5

number of miles driven: 9095

number of times Brian lost his glasses: 3

number of Nat'l Parks attended: 18

total spent on gas: $926

total cost of Wild Wild West: $3869

least/most spent on hotel: $45/$65

least/most witnessed for one gallon of gas: $2.76/$3.89

number of animal attacks on car: 2. Cost for the attacks: $3214