A year ago, while sweltering in the confines of a rooftop greenhouse in Walla Walla, Washington, I conjured up the idea of biking across the country. Since that fateful sweaty afternoon, I've received a constant stream of the same questions, all of which I attempt to answer here, once and for all:

1) ARE YOU GOING ALONE?

Note: this changed on the trip. Read to learn how.

This is the question I'm asked most. At first I was planning on a solo endeavor. However, cycling alone for 70+ days is a surefire path to boredom and dangerous levels of introspection, so I quickly vetoed that idea and posted a "riders wanted" ad on the ACA website. It was a success. I'll be joined by Nicole, a 17 year-old college-bound graduate from South Carolina. I'll be departing from Astoria, Oregon (the official starting point of the route) on May 30th, and will rendezvous with Nicole several days later in Eugene, Oregon. From there we'll head east.

Traveling with others offers a great support network, all of which I strongly believe will be necessary on a trip of this length. That being said, both Nicole and I are self-supporting, meaning we can head off on our own if we want to cycle separately at any point. Flexibility is key, especially when you need to break up the monotony of looking at your fellow cyclist's butt in front of you for 8 hours a day.

Lastly, this is a BIG year to ride the TransAm. There will be hundreds, if not thousands, of other riders that will also be on the road, be it just for a couple of days, or for the whole trip. UPDATE: Nicole and I rode together from Eugene to Baker City. While we had a good time, we found that we had different riding styles and rhythms, so I pressed on at a faster pace. I'm happy to note, however, that she joined a group of two other girls and is doing great on the trail!

2) HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE? HOW FAR WILL YOU GO EVERY DAY?

We aim to be done by August 10, which gives us a total of 70 days to make it to Yorktown. This time frame is slightly faster than what ACA recommends, but we're all fit, healthy youngsters, so we're confident (and probably a bit naive). The route is 4228 miles, so we will have to average ~60.4 miles/day, IF we don't take any rest days. Factoring in a rest day every ~10 days, and we'll have to average about ~67 miles/day. However, this average doesn't really mean much. Factors such as weather, geography, morale, etc will mean that some days are longer or shorter than others. Again, flexibility is key.

3) WHERE ARE YOU SLEEPING? WHAT ABOUT FOOD?

Our main plan is to camp and stay at friend's houses along the way. However, we've also got a few other options for accomidations. There is a couchsurfing group for long distance cyclists called Warm Showers that we plan on using if/when we need a change of pace. Also, churches and city parks along the route are famous for their hospitality to bikers, so we may also rely on them, especially once we are in the Midwest and other rural areas.

With regards to food, the route goes through small towns almost every day, so finding food will not be an issue. Cooking food is another story. I'm planning on stocking up on bulk foods (rice, dried beans, noodles, potato flakes, etc) and snacks (trail mix, clif bars, etc) every couple of days, and then adding produce and perishables as I go. Of course, we're also planning on stopping at local eateries and farmers' markets. After all, food is one of the best ways to get to know a community. And, given that loaded touring demands between 3000-5000 calories/day, I think it's easy to say that be LOTS of eating in our future. Oh good.

4) HOW MUCH DOES A TRIP LIKE THIS COST?

Ignoring the most cost-prohibiting factors (equipment and time from work) I am looking to budget about $10-$15/day for food, lodging, and repairs. Multiply that by 70 days of riding and add the cost of a one-way return flight, and I'm looking at spending around $1500 for the trip. However, if you subtract the fact that I'm not paying for rent and utilities for 3 months, then the cost of the trip is really much more reasonable.

5) WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU DOING THIS? ISN'T IT DANGEROUS?

I usually get this question when a mom is asking me about my trip, and I don't blame them for asking it. As an adventure sport, cycling has inherent risks associated with it, and it is only reasonable for parents to worry. It took considerable persuasion and explanation for me to convince my parents to let me do this trip, and they still have mixed feelings about it. I hope that as the days roll by, they can start to see that the reward of such a trip far outweighs the potential for harm.

There are plenty of things one can to to mitigate the potential for danger on a trip like this. Avoid cycling at night; wear lights, reflectors, and bright clothing; use a helmet-mounted rear-view mirror; be aware of weekend/holiday traffic, when people may have been drinking; camp with others when possible; lock your bike; etc. The ACA maps do a fantastic job of warning cyclists when certain roads may have narrow shoulders or lots of traffic, or when there are few services.

6) WHY?

Why not? I'm sure my response to this question will become more significant as I spend time on the road. But, to give a slightly more meaningful response right now, I'd like to turn to a favorite quote of mine by Christopher McCandless: "The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." This is a freeing time in my life, and I don't know when in the future I'll have the time or flexibility to embark on such a journey. I'm moving to Mexico as a Fulbright scholar at the end of the summer, and will be occupied with work, graduate school, and life. Why not take this chance when I can?