1. Be flexible! Have a plan but understand that it will change. Things are going to happen that are outside of your control and you will need to adjust your plan accordingly. That's okay...these type of trips are not defined by how closely you follow your plan but rather how well you adjust or modify your original plan and the experiences you have.
2. Live in the moment. With a long trip or big goal it's easy to try to look forward to the end. Resist doing that and enjoy the present part of the trip no matter how bad it seems at the time....these times are usaully some of the fondest or most talked about times of your trip.
3. I would recommend some type of support system especially if you plan to ride alone. Either a support vehicle or at the very least a lifeline in each state. Someone that you can call if you need some type of help.
4. Don't overpack, you can manage with less than you think. There are several things that I brought with me that I never used...my load was way too heavy. As the ride continued I sent some stuff home then left some in Edina, MN and then some more in Belmont, MI.
5. The weather during the latter part of my trip impacted how many times I could camp...since I didn't want to break camp in a pouring rain. For safety you need to be prepared to camp. During the first week of the trip there were at least two days that I had no choice but to camp.
6. For this type of trip you do need to be looking ahead to make sure you have services (especially in the west) and always be prepared for no services. Always keep your water bottles full. I carried a couple of emergency dehirated meals...and ended up having to use them.
7. I was prepared for almost any mechanical bike problem and carried a lot of tools. I never had to use them. That could be a tribute to the quality of my heavy duty bike.
8. During my training I had a lot of problems with flat tires so before the trip I purchased new tires. These were the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires and weigh a little more but to me they were worth it because I didn't have any flat tires. I would highly recommend these tires!!
9. If you have a dream or something you always wanted to to....just do it! You can do anything that you put your mind to!
Again thank you for all of your support and generous donations to the Bain Injury Center!!!
Congratulations Tom. Sounds like an adventure of a lifetime! The Brain Injury Center of Ventura County is extremely grateful that you dedicated your ride to our organization and raised needed funds. We have followed your travels and just wanted to say thank you for taking BIC with you!
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