That may work depending on the location, but many places that folks tour it just will not always be possible. Towns can often be 40, 60, 80, or more miles apart and many of them will have no accommodations other than the tent you are carrying. Rain can and does blow in unexpectedly. I figured that not ever getting stuck riding in the rain was not a serious option.

I have always been pretty lucky to not have weeks of everyday rain for my tours, but I certainly have been rained on, sleeted on, and hailed on and at times I could not have easily avoided it.