wow, thanks for all the good advice. think i have settled on departing from st. joseph missouri, making it an 800 mile trip - going north of wichita, thru newton, liberal KS, guyman OK, dalhart TX, Tonapah Nm, las vegas NM, and there to Taos over a good road and 8500' pass. I figure 300 miles a week avg, so three weeks, arriving around oct 10. this is sounding do-able now. thanks. longest stretch with no towns is 70 miles, dalhart tx to logan NM. and its not desert but high plain.

i like the idea of two summer bags. thanks. thanks for the bivy, slik liner, and other tips.