I agree with vspa. I have a goal to prepare to ride across the country, to acclimate to a certain lifestyle which will enable me to then ride to Buenos aires, where I will start a bike store in Buenos Aires and vacation/chase dreams with all the money made from the right sponsorship.
the main concerns I have are that; Mexico is dangerous, need to be able to carry/make/buy food, animals/insects may attack, medical kit & know how, proper vitamin/nutrition supply, bike tools & supplies, 2 second pop-up tent, sleeping shelter (tent for ground, hammock for elevation), sleeping bag (water resistant or bivy sack).
I'm in college right now, about to start the spring semester. I was wondering if I could do this in the summer, but I'd also have to come back. I'd have to start training more. I live in Woodstock/Saugerties NY, and I heard of a guy who knows a rail trail from here to the city- so then maybe we could meet up in Pennsylvania somewhere and go riding. my uncle has a house in Pennsylvania in the quiet mountainous terrain overlooking the Delaware river. I wanted to ride there.
but there's a lot of preparation to be made yet, for me. I ride 21-22 miles each day to school, (and back doubles it) 3 days a week. If I do errands I could do 65 a day easy. this semester I have 5 days of school a week. I have what I need to ride in the winter as I am now, though not as I was during school. I got a case of chronic patellar tendonitis (which can be youtubed for physical therapy massages [such as the cross-lateral technique for the adhesions of tissue to bone]). I'll stay local this summer, but I will still be pondering about sponsorship.
First of all I think a camera is good for safety as it is for leisure filming-GoPro could come in there. I want one camera on me, and two for my bike (forward and backward). Then I need a hard-drive to store the information- then I need electricity to do so, and I need electricity to charge my headlights and tail lights, and that's where the hub dynamo comes in.
I wouldn't depend on a hotel. They aren't everywhere, as they shouldn't be, so one must be prepared to sleep anywhere they are. The Quechua 2second tent comes into play here, and they might sponsor the users of it. The Postal Services might sponsor the ride for publicity.