Home sweet home.  It’s always good to get home, but after a couple days, it’s like you never left.  Why is that? 

Here are the final numbers from our adventure:

21 days away from home, 4/18/09 to 5/8/09.

16 of those riding, 5 visiting.

40 gas stops, 145.5 gallons, $359.80, average of $2.47/gallon, average of 41.75 mpg, costing $.06 per mile.

15 nights in motels, for $1217.16; 5 nights in private homes with friends/family.

Souvenirs, meals, and other expenses: $1634.12

Total cost for 3 weeks on the road touring the southwest and visiting: $3211.08. 

Opportunity to travel the US by Harley:   PRICELESS!

We didn’t stay at the cheapest motels.  We found the LaQuinta chain to be moderate in price and comfortable in amenities.  One of the best things about that chain is good quality shower heads.  Maybe it’s just me, but I hate those cheap joints with the little crappy shower heads that either spray too hard, or not enough to rinse off.  Many motels now have an expanded continental breakfast that includes waffles, some even had eggs, french toast, plus the usual choices in cereal, danish, bagels, and such.  We did try a cheaper motel one night and regretted the decision.  Hard mattress, crummy shower, rough towels.  It’s true you generally get what you pay for.

What will I do different next time?  More research in points of interest in route.  Knowing where I want to stop and what I want to do there, what it will cost, how much time I will need.  I was a little ambitious in my planning on how far I was going and how much visiting I wanted to do.  We’d have liked more time with everyone, and to have done more at each stop.  I would also plan more time on secondary highways than the interstate, though you can’t beat the interstate for getting from point A to point B quickly.  Sometimes it gets a bit intense at 75 or 80 mph!

My next travel will likely be more in the summer months.  We did get very lucky in only having to deal with heavy rains one day.  We were often just ahead of or just behind the bad weather. Whew!  I’d also like to take the northern route west and see some of the national parks up that way.

Once again, thank you to all who shared our journey!