Data Update

The latest data update for our current trip -

Number of miles traveled since trip began in driveway on July 11th: 2,091 (includes two trips into New Orleans)

Best Price for gasoline: $2.93 - The Kangaroo Express in Ocean Springs

Number of states traversed so far: 7 (NY, PA, OH, KY, TN, MS, LA) We could see Arkansas from Mud Island in Memphis, but did not set foot there.

Number of "new" states for the Chank family: 3 (KY, MS, LA) Still to come are Alabama and West Virginia.

Number of states remaining on the Chank kid's 50 state blitz: 12-2 = 10 (HI, AK, AL, WA, OR, ND, NE, KS, IA, MO, VT, RI, WV + Puerto Rico)


Number of different restaurants visited so far: 6 (not including one stop at McDonald's, one meal at a "food court", and breakfasts at hotels)

Chris's favorite meal: the New Orleans Sampler (gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice) at the Gazebo Cafe (outside seating, in French Quarter with live Jazz band),


Number of cups of gumbo tried by Chris so far: 5 


Shelly's favorite meal: scallops and potato (with two $6.99 stuffed shrimp tossed in) at McElroy's on the Bayou in Ocean Springs, MS. and the Voodoo Shrimp appetizer with the Filet Orleans (steak and shrimp) at the Half Shell Oyster House in Biloxi, MS. (and, she liked the Hurricane she had at the Gazebo Cafe)


Jacob's favorite meal: Same scallops and potato as Shelly at the McElroy's on the Bayou (he didn't get the extra shrimp but he did have three glasses of lemonade)


Malcolm's favorite meal: The Texas Toast and Dr. Pepper refills at the Blues City Cafe in Memphis.


Emma's favorite meal: The Chicken fingers from the Gazebo Cafe (she also had a large orange juice "cocktail" to go with her mother's Hurricane).

Coolness ratios:

• Grumpy, lazy children - 1 out of 10
• The porch swing on the covered porch - 8 out of 10 
• Watching vivid lightening on the porch swing on the covered porch - 10 out of 10 (until the bat swooped in)
•  Two straight days of rain at 1pm until dark - 0 out of 10 (of course the kids like it because it means more TV time)
• Watching dolphins from the covered porch - 9 out of 10 (they only stayed for about 5 minutes)
• Watching brown pelicans dive repeatedly into the water after fish - 8 out of 10
• The thought of having to leave the ocean in less than two days... - -1 out of 10