Preparation

• Get permission from Vivi?   Completed. That was the easy bit.  I'm a bit peeved that she won't miss me?!
   
• Start a Physical Training programme.  Need to lose some weight! In Progress.  I've been active all Winter, hillwalking and getting out on the bike whenever the weather permitted.  However I'm disappointed with myself in not having lost any weight ... and I should be better prepared physically than I am at the moment. Still have plenty of time to improve my level of fitness and get into shape but it's just going to be a little harder than it needed to be.
     
• Plan a detailed ROUTE across USA from NY to LA. Completed. Spent a lot of time studying maps of the USA, particularly with Google Earth.  It's a fantastic resource and I'm happy with the route that I've chosen though I may still make a few 'tweaks'. Using 'Streetview' I've examined closely details of some parts of the road that worry me.  I expect to get lost now and again especially when passing through big towns .... but that's part of the adventure and I'll just have to get back on course one way or another. Again using Google Maps I've managed to download all relevant waypoints onto a Garmin GPS saving the need to carry bulky paper maps.  I have a small solar panel which, hopefully, can be used to keep the GPS and iPhone fully charged.
   
• Design, construct, develop, test and use this Blog site. Completed.  Settled on Google Blogger.  It's free and works very well with an App for the iPhone.  The plan is to keep an active daily log of the trip and allow anyone who is interested to follow my progress.  The idea is that when I stop to take a photograph or think of something sensible to write about, I'll be able to upload data while on the road ... providing I've got a suitable network connection.  I can be tracked on the road using the feature of Google Latitude.
   
• Decide on best time of year to start. Completed.  My initial plan was to travel late on in the year to avoid the searing heat of the Utah/Arizona deserts but then I thought ... maybe the limited amount of usable daylight in September or October might cause me other problems .... so I decided to do the tour during July and August! Am I wise?
   
• Book flights to/from USA. Completed.  Yep ... that's been done ... I've made the commitment and can't go back now.  Leaving Cushendall in mid June 2011 and will stay in NY for a week. Then cycle to LA, arriving no later than the first week in September.  Fly back to NY, stay there for one week before final flight back to Ireland.  Flights booked and paid for.  My Dawes Galaxy touring bicycle and camping gear travel as luggage.
   
• Enquire about best SIM card deal for use in USA. Would like FREE texting! Also need 3G access to do daily blogs. In Progress.   Am investigating Pay as You Go deals with Verizon, Sprint and O2.  Hoping to get a micro SIM card for my unlocked iPhone shortly. Any advice would be much appreciated.
   
• Prepare bicycle and equipment. Might change gear ratios? Completed.  I removed the smallest chainset ring from my mountain bike and fitted it to the touring bike.  Works great.  I should be able to climb steep inclines easily albeit very slowly.  Much easier to cycle up steep hills than push, on foot, a heavily laden bike with panniers.
   
• Search for and evaluate (and probably ignore) advice. In Progress.   If I think the advice makes sense and is useful to me then I will use it ... promise.  Many thanks to those of you who have already given me some good tips and suggestions.  Especially liked the idea of 'pinching' a few salt sachets from McDonald's to supplement mineral loss due to perspiration!