Lots.

I am paranoid about problems on the road. For good reason I might add. My first bike tour was a three day affair during which I very nearly suffered heat exhaustion and had my private parts shredded by a bad bicycle saddle. There is not much I can do about the heat. My private parts are no longer endangered thanks to my recumbent bicycle which has a padded foam seat instead of a saddle.

Speaking of bicycles, mine could break down. I am tempted to bring 150 pounds of spare parts and tools. Maybe I could buy one of those roof top Spock coffins you see on cars going to the beach and stash it all in there. Something tells me that attaching a monstrosity such as this to my bike could pose a problem. Besides, in light of the fact that I have limited mechanical ability, bringing tools and parts makes very little sense. So I am paring the tools down to the essentials. I may need to change a flat, tighten a bolt, or adjust a brake. I think I can handle all that. Anything else will require my universal plastic tool, a Visa card.

I had some serious tire problems during my 2003 tour. The sidewall of my rear tire failed. I think I know what caused that, underinflation of my rear tire combined with an ill-fitting Mr. Tuffy tire liner. (A tire liner goes around the inside of the tire preventing debris from piercing the tube. For the record nothing made it past Mr. Tuffy.)

I could crash. In fact in my last two tours I went two for two. There is not much I can do about the crashing thing. I will do my best to avoid the underside of large moving vehicles. I will wear a helmet and I have two mirrors on my bike.

I could be chased by dogs. I will be carrying pepper spray for my canine friends.

I could be attacked by the blue meanies. I'll call Sgt. Pepper.

I cold get sick. I'll call Dr. Pepper.

I could be beset by bad weather. For bad weather when I'm out on my bike, I can always find some store or barn or eave. I am not above holing up in a motel for a day to wait out a tempest, and unlike 2003 I should have a day to spare.

What if I can't find shelter for the night? I am bringing a tent (with rain fly and ground tarp). I plan on using it as much as possible. There are campgrounds all up and down the C&O and GAP, and a few on route through Ohio and Indiana. If anybody reading this wants to put me up for the night, I'll be happy to oblige you.

When I get tired I will stop and read. I learned something from my 2003 tour; bring a book that you can read in public. In recent years I have been reading books that seemed to be ubiquitous when I was in college. So on that tour I brought, of all things, Fear of Flying. Now what would you make of a dirty sweaty sunburnt middle aged man sitting on a park bench reading Fear of Flying? Need less to say, I did not read much of it. When I did read it, I found it boring and pretentious. It was a book of its time, I suppose, but it was not worth the weight. This time I'm bringing Robert B. Parker's Double Play.

I will try to stay in touch with friends and family via this website and a electronic tether called a blackberry.

By the way, is there such as thing as pig Yiddish?

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Every ride needs a mascot, so Mike came along to keep an eye on things.