Well.....how long do you have**********??
First of all...I don't know how I would have done without this forum (sounds like I'm giving a speech at The Oscars!!). The wealth of knowledge is so vast, and the members so supportive, I couldn't have learned all of what I learned, from books, in a million years. Stumbling on this forum was the best thing that happened to me. And you, cyccommute...your answers, on all sorts of topics, never cease to amaze me, you are amazing, and as someone commented on the trailer issue, sometimes without bias or opinion, just perfectly stating the facts, in all their grandness.

I left Aspen, 3 weeks ago today. My first day, was climbing Independence Pass!! 4000' climb! That was a tough way to start, and I felt for sure that I would pay for it the next morning, but NO...I awoke feeling fabulous and excited to be finally on the road, and away from the somewhat stressful task of leaving town. The next 2 days were thru Colorado and every moment, I was sooooo aware that, I was about to travel thru KS, OK and TX, and the views would never be this good again. I WAS RIGHT!!! O, was I right!
As I left Pueblo, it was bye bye God's Country, hello Every Where Else. I took a photo in KS, I named it 'my first o my god moment'. Bleak, flat nothingness. What I did not realize at the time, is that I had the wind behind me. Because I am a novice, I didn't realize that going 20/22 mph, with little effort, meant a tailwind. I had never really ridden on the flat before, due to living in the mountains, and there is no wind, per se, due to living in a tight valley, I had yet to be introduced to The National Weather Service (another forum thank you) and didn't really know that wind could, and does, make or break you. Once that wind turned around, and blew in my face, and not up my a**, life changed for me!! After a desperate thread, I put the Weather Service as a favorite, and would log into it, as soon as I got into my hotel, each night. As a single female, and also over 40, mainly the over 40 part, I did not ever contemplate camping, and now, on day 21 would DEFINATLEY never contemplate it. I walk into my room at night, fill the tub up with hot hot water and bath oils, and soak away the day. It is without doubt, the highlight of each day, no matter how great the day has been. I slather myself with more wonderful smelly stuff, put on my bathrobe, remove the DNA laden top cover off the bed, and relax on the clean white sheets...ahhhhhhhhhh. No wind, no smelly clothes, no awful awful roadkill aromas, no 18 wheelers, just the silence and my clean clean horizontal body. What is it, that makes me smell so damn bad at the end of each day********** You'd think I'd been in my bike clothes for days, not hours. I clean them each night!!
I'm proud of my packing job, (another thank you forum, moment), I have exactly the right amount of clothes, 2 bike sets, 2 night sets (plus thin bathrobe!!). All synthetic fibers that wash easy and dry easy. I didn't bring leggings and arm thingies cos of where I was headed, plus I heat up so quickly anyway, and I brought raingear, that I have yet to need! Can ya believe it?? Not a drop! My digital camera and laptop have been a blessing. I would not do a trip without them, or my cell phone. Having those in the evenings, have made the solo trip rewarding and fun. Someone said, the hardest part of touring solo, is touring solo, and the hardest part of touring with someone, is the company!!!! Was that you Cyccommute??? O so true, but I like the solo idea, the best. I am enjoying talking to strangers, more than I normally do, and the occasions I've stayed at homes, with friends of friends, have been great, but I would not want that every night. I was disappointed not to have hooked up with forum members along the way, but I think my route was mainly to blame, for that ( I hope so, anyway).
I would be described as someone who likes, and is comfortable, with attention, but have definately had enough for this trip. I am a very strange sight, indeed, to most people I have passed, and I am not enjoying being stared at so much, stopping roomfuls of conversations, and being honked at so frequently. But, it is unavoidable, and the price you pay.
Wow, I could go on for many many more pages. I think I'd better stop. Feel free to PM me, if you have specific questions, and please read my website, and donate, if the spirit moves you
www.theheartride.org