Louisiana → Texas · Interstate 10 / Interstate 610
Before turning the key for Houston, Texas, on the homeward run from New Orleans, Louisiana, do a quick inventory sweep of onboard equipment: proposal binder, undelivered promotional items, and visitor badge should each go into a separate compartment so nothing slides into the footwell during a sharp brake. Interstate 10 / Interstate 610 accepts the 603 km (375 miles) of the return in roughly 5h 45m. Pulling out of New Orleans (the Mississippi River delta port and the birthplace of jazz music), the road eventually puts the driver back in front of the urban skyline of Houston (the fourth-largest US city and energy capital of the world). Refueling sits near $50.42 for the same 54.8 liters (14.5 gallons) at the EIA national average benchmark. Return reimbursement, calculated against $0.43/km, returns $259.29 into the driver's wallet. Snap the closing odometer with the phone camera and attach it directly to the Clara receipt — internal controls accept photographic evidence without a supplementary spreadsheet.