Don't buy upgrades; ride up grades. ~Eddy Merckx

Post-ride note: Ok, I spent way, way, way too much time worrying about and researching and trying out equipment. Just buy/borrow something and go. Seriously. At least for a ride through America in the summer on roads where people live, very little/none of your equipment is seriously life or death. I enjoyed researching gear and all, but looking back, I didn't need to spend as much time on this part of the trip preparation as I did and never did finish these lists.
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This is an in-progress list I'm making, including pertinent info on cost where I think it may be helpful for someone else planning a tour. I'm too poor to buy cheap stuff and replace it, so I've been working another job to get the good stuff. I'm not the kind of girl who likes to buy shoes and clothes, but if you put me in an outdoors store, look out. Or Goodwill...I can be dangerous in Goodwill. Santa brought me some good stuff this year! Oh, and I know I'll be taking what some of you would call "too much," but it's stuff that makes me happy and comfortable. I'll offload ballast along the big uphills like the old Oregon Trail wagons did!

A big thanks to Circle City Bicycles for letting me repeatedly use my 25% discount for contributing to Bicycle Touring 101 and for hosting a bicycle maintenance class (Thanks Bill!).

Camping Gear
Marmot Firstlight/Earlylight, 2 person
         $170 at Scheel's, was cheaper elsewhere, but I got really good service here and that was worth the $20 I'd save at Campmor
Thermarest 3/4 (RAGBRAI veteran from 10 years ago)
Slumberjack Superguide 30 sleeping bag (from Santa)
Silk sleepsack ($30 on ebay) (left this at home--wasn't that comfortable)
Earplugs (never used them...gave them away)
Tyvek Groundcloth/Tarp (free from construction guys in bike club)

Kitchen Gear
JetBoil stove (Santa)
Lexan Spoon AND Fork (how extravagant of me!), $1.50 (only took spoon)
1.5 cup tupperware-like thingy with lid (to stabilize freezer bags in pot cozy and while eating or to use as a bowl) left at home
freezer bags/freezer bag cooking recipies
spices/condiments
Peanut Butter (Jif Extra Crunchy)
Tortillas (didn't take)
Oatmeal bags

Racks and Bags
Front Rack-Blackburn LowRider, $8 Ebay
Rear Rack-Tubus Cargo, Circle City (discount, yeah!)

Front Bags-Arkel GT-18s (with internal integrated dry bags, one with backpack feature)
Rear Bags-Arkel GT-54s with raincovers
         all from Circle City--scared to add up total

Clothing
Tifosi Kilo Sunglasses, $45 CCB
         I have a small face and have a really tough time finding shades. These are wrap arounds with adjustable nose pads and fit great!
Bottom Half
         Bike shorts (3) (sent one pair home from Colorado)
         Tights, $3.50 at Goodwill
         Convertible/Zip-off pants, $3.50 at Goodwill (and the sign that I was to go on this trip)
         PJ shorts (1)
         Capilene Underwear/Swim Bottom (1)
         Smartwool Socks (1 short, 1 tall) (only took short ones--got another short pair of wool socks in Yellowstone, mostly because they were pink)

Top Half
         Cycling jerseys (2) (one jersey, one lightweight exercise shirt)
         Off-bike shirt (1)
         PJ shirt (1)
         Wool sweater
         Capilene Sport Bra/Swim Top (1)
         Fleece Vest (left at home)
         Windbreaker (also rainjacket)
         Fleece Hat (aka pot cozy)
         Bike gloves
         Fishing gloves (left at home)
         Helmet
         Bandanas (2) (sent one home, got another one for keeping neck cool when it got really hot out west)

Bike
Trek 1000C, $600, stock except for...
         *11-34 freewheel and Deore rear derailleur ($45)
         *new bottom bracket and 24-36-46 crankset ($85 at LBS)
         *AirStryke aerobars ($68 on ebay)
         *Stem riser and new stem ($53 at LBS)
         *Continental Gatorskins tires, 28mm ($40 each at LBS)
         *Brooks B-17S ($70 at Wallbike.com)

Hygiene and First Aid
Wet Wipes
Band-aids (various sizes)
Gauze pads (3 4" pads)
Tape for gauze
New Skin liquid bandage (1 oz)
Gold Bond Antiseptic spray (2 oz)

Raingear
Lime Green RealWork rainsuit, $10 at Rural King
         Probably won't last too long, but I plan to avoid rain when possible yeah, that avoiding rain didn't work...only took pants and cut them off into shorts in Kentucky)
Sealskinz Socks, $10 government surplus
Yellow dishwashing gloves, $1 at Rural King
         Why spend money on "real" waterproof gloves?
Shower Cap helmet cover, $1 for 8 at Goodwill

Entertainment
Canon A520 digital camera with cable, $175 at Circuit City
SD cards-512 and 16 bought 2G before I left
Battery recharger with rechargable AA batteries
Tiny, tiny Coby radio with headphones, $5 at flea market
AAA batteries for radio and headlight
Pens, pencil
Journals
Pocketmail (did not take--couldn't type on it)

Information
Adventure Cycling TransAm Maps (ACA $98)
Donna Ikenberry's Bicycling Coast to Coast ($10(?) on half.com)

Other
Taillight ($25? at LBS)
Tiny red blinky light (free from Mom)
Spare batteries (4 AAA, 2 rechargable AA)
Headlight ($25? at LBS)
Bike lock (combo so I don't have to carry keys)($15? at LBS)