The first step was searching for cheap flights to the US. I would choose a major city in the US and then ask Google Flights and Kayak.com for the cheapest flight with approximate dates. Return flights are cheaper than booking two oneway flights. Just like my trip to Indochina, Qatar Airways was again the cheapest ($770). As a bonus, they carry correctly packaged bicycles as part of the normal checked luggage checked luggage allowance.

I will be using the same bicycle as in Indochina. It's not designed for touring and I broke a lot of spokes on that trip. So for this trip, I equipped myself with the tools to replace them.

My gear is not waterproof. If it starts to rain, I want to stop, cover the bicycle and take shelter. This strategy worked fairly well on my European trip (and it hardly rained in Indochina while I was there).

Accommodation is quite expensive in the US, so I will camp whenever possible.

The basic plan is see as much of the North East as possible during the summer. I want to spend most of the autumn in the Southern States and at some point visit the West Coast.