Business trip - advice needed

In a few weeks, I am taking my family to yellowstone, to Mt. Rushmore and a few other scenic places before ultimately visiting family in Northern Minnesota.  On the way (Fargo), is an attorney with whom I do business and I have a few pending patent cases I would like to discuss with him in person and the discussions would be related to my work as an independent contractor.  I assume there is some portion of the trip that can be written off as a business expense.  Does anyone here have any idea how that would be calculated?

In my limited experience the IRS doesn't usually sweat the small stuff, But (just my opinion) if it were me & what I have done in pervious tax filings, is I would write off half the mileage from your house to Fargo and a portion of the lodging.  UP to and Equal to an amount it would cost to fly yourself to Fargo and back?

That's not based on any accounting principals, but when my wife owned her own business I did her taxes the last few years and when things came up similar to that we just usally split the cost.

For example we lived In Atlanta and her work would take her to Jacksonville, so I would tag along and we would make a weekend out of it (this was that great time before kids) and we would expense (to ourselves) half the mileage and half the lodging (one night out of two) type deal.

Not saying that is right in the eyes of the IRS but that's how we used to roll..

Thanks, I appreciate the input Road Guy.

Going to Chi town next week for a convention. Woo-boy.

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