C2C TransAm tour update:
About 4 people have committed to forming a group to cross the country starting May 31st from Yorktown, VA.
I did buy a Bike Friday for this endeavor. Here it is in its suitcase. I will not be using the suitcase as a trailer, but one of my cohort will be. My suitcase is being shipped to Portland, OR (final destination) filled with goodies for the first apartment of my daughter, then I will pack the bike in it for the flight home.
The second photo illustrates the solution to a nagging problem. Handlebar bags, lights and odometers take up too much space on the handlebars. In this case, the bag sits up so high the light ends up behind the bag. After doing some extensive Googling, I found this solution. Mount a second handlebar stem on the steering tube, put a truncated handlebar in it and mount the bag to the second stem. Now the light is above the bag. I can still see the map case adequately. On a Bike Friday this is an especially good solution, because the steering tube is so long.







Answers to popular questions:
Q: How are you gathering the group?
A: after the posting on Adventure Cycling I collected email addresses starting in August, then in January, I began a group email. I used one address for the posting, but a different one for the group. This allowed me to keep the non-serious people separate from the serious.
Q: How will you get to the start?
A: Probably by train. I booted out starting points without public transportation options.
Q: How long will it take?
A: About 3 months at 50 miles per day
Q: Where will you stay?
A: In campgrounds, parks and church lots. So many hints are found on the Adventure Cycling maps, including where to stay and the location of restaurants and grocery stores.
Q: Won't your butt get sore?
A: Yup.

Things I am investigating: Is there a useful solid shampoo I can also use for dish and laundry soap? What other maps should I take? Are there good sections of the route convenient for others to join me? Are my current rainpants acceptable? Could an iphone replace my Palm, phone, camera and allow me to update my blog?