Around May or so, I plan on riding from Chicago to Columbus and am taking a very minimalist approach. I'll be riding my fixed. I considered using my backpack to hold gear (i have a pearl izumi bag that's super confortable) but I realized that even 10 extra pounds pressing down on my naughty bits for 4 days would probably get really uncomfortable, really quickly. I'll probably buy some small paniers, mainly to hold food, tools, and a tarp. I'm not taking a tent, I'm not taking a sleeping bag, no stove, nothing like that... Only essentials. Think about it... that's how people used to travel. I'm looking forward to this being a trip where I get to know myself and my bike really well. If you haven't tried camping under the stars, try it. There are few things I find more pleasurable.