We stand (sit, actually) at the end of two full months of living full time in the Big Taxi, and find we’ve accumulated a bunch of numbers during that time:

0 times stranded by breakdown
1 urgent repair
4 nights camped in state parks
4.3 miles moved per gallon of fuel purchased
7 nights camped beside churches
9 service events
9 stops for fuel
12 nights camped at service providers
14 nights camped at Wal*Mart, Home Depot, Kroger, or Lowe’s
24 stops for fresh water & dump holding tanks
59 miles per day
249 hours of Hydro Hot diesel burner water heater
264 hours of diesel generator
668 gallons of fuel
$2,785.56 spent for fuel
2871 miles traveled (started keeping track late; that’s for only 7 weeks)

The misleading statistic is 4.3 miles per gallon: diesel fuel we purchase also runs the generator (usually 2-4 hours per day to recharge batteries, more when we need AC), and runs our heater (just last night!) which also heats our water.

Mileage! always grabs peoples’ attention, but we empty our 100-gallon water tank in just days and are constantly looking for good sources. We usually stop for fuel only about once a week just to keep the 150-gallon tank full enough not to have to buy in Indiana where the taxes on diesel are about 20 cents per gallon higher than Michigan or Ohio (Indiana station signs announce the price without any tax!)

Priceless: all the time Robyn and I have spent so comfortably doing life with Ross & Ryan!

And with each of you.