Thank you very much George.  This information is very helpful.  I am in the process of considering bikes, including the "ENVE Mog," a gravel bike that has great reviews for touring on the gravel and the open road (with thinner tires), with a SRAM 48-35t crank and a 12 speed 10-38t cassette. My issue is that I still work a few hours a day and need to travel in the mid-summer months, starting in mid-July or August.  I trust I will be up to it!

Leonard - your  late start could be helpful in that the east coast tourist season may be about over when you get there.  The new bike sounds nice - you know your capabilities, but if it were me I'd want a lower granny gear - my touring bike is set up with a 40/26 crank and 11-40 cassette.  I never thought I'd want a granny that low, but when I load the bike up and put in a long day and then have to climb a mountain, well I really appreciate that low gear. You have plenty of time to get your new bike, load it up, and see what she's like when climbing a steep grade. I'm cheering for you,

Great information for route planning!

I'd add that if there are people who would like to plan more rail trails after Grand Forks, we stitched together RT route through the rest of the states to Eastport ME then on mostly RT to Bar Harbor and onto Boston.

We cycled almost entirely through WI on Rail Trails.

Rachel