Tallying up the cost: Time and Money

I've been working my way through Getting Things Done, by David Allen and my first exercise was to write down something that was nagging on my mind. My choice was this awesome trip we're planning. I was told to write down what a successful completion of this project would look like and what my "Next Action" would be. My answer: calculate the cost in time and money. According to Google Maps the route we're taking south is roughly 3,351miles long and would take 2 days and 6 hours to complete. The trip back is roughly 4000 miles and would take 2 days 17 hours. These are all without stops, etc. and taking highways. Good to know if we needed to get back for a family emergency or something. Knowing that it would take us 7 days or so (stopping once or twice) to get there and back gives us 9 weeks of time! Super exciting.

Cost in gas will be figured in a car that gets 30mpg at $5 a gallon just to be safe. A 15 gallon tank at $5 a gallon is $75 dollars a tank. 1 Tank goes roughly 450 miles. 8 tanks of gas. $558 on the way out, and closer to $700 on the way back (again straight through without stops or scenic routes factored in). Good to know.  That's a rough estimate, anyway!