If you're interested in what I'm bringing along on this trip, here is a list. I'd like to shave weight, but I can't think of anything to leave out right now. I'll probably be at the post office soon, mailing stuff home.

Bike
Rans Stratus
Windwrap fairing
Schwalbe Marathon tires
Angletech/Planet Bike fenders
Angletech Techwind seat bag and side panniers
Arkel RT-60 underseat panniers
Dinotte taillight -- super duper bright
Cateye taillight -- hey, gotta be seen
BeSeenWear flag -- ditto
Trek LED front light
ClimMitts
Liberally applied reflective tape
2 bladder bags, 2 water bottles (with duct tape and electrical tape wrapped around them)

Shelter
Sierra Designs Sirius 2 tent
Pacific Outdoor Insul-Mat
Mountain Hard Wear Clouds Rest 5 degree down sleeping bag
Small emergency space blanket
Slumberjack camp pillow

Food
Jetboil stove
4 deheydrated pouch meals -- hope to find a grocery
Peanut butter (Jif Extra Crunchy) & jelly (Grape) & bread
Tea (chamomile and blueberry), coffee (Folger's crystals), Splenda
Plastic fork and knife
Iodine tablets
Fold-up sink
Lighter

Tools
Spare brake and derailleur cables
Pump & patch kit
3 innertubes
2 tires (different sizes)
Chain break tool
Gerber multitool
Allen wrench multitool
Some twine
3 Hefty bags
Headlamp
Chain oil

Personal
Sunblock and lip balm
Toilet paper
Deodorant/toothbrush/toothpaste/floss
Small towel
Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap
Copenhagen Long Cut
First aid: tape, pads, gauze, Aleve, moleskin, Band-Aids
Hand sanitizer

Entertainment
Sirius Stiletto satellite radio + extra batteries and charger
HP iPaq Pocket PC w/ GPS / wireless + batteries + charger
Think Outside foldable bluetooth keyboard
Digital camera

audiobooks on sim cards:
Patrick O'Brien, Aubrey-Maturin (Master & Commander) complete series
Martin Dugard, Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone
Stephen Ambrose, Undaunted Courage
Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy complete series
Mortenson and Relin, Three Cups of Tea

Clothes
Sidi Dominator bike shoes
Lightweight walking around hiking shoes
3 pairs ski socks
Neoprene booties
Pearl Izumi thermal bike tights
Alpine Designs convertible zip-off pants
Synthetic base layer tights and shirt
Arm warmers / knee warmers
Synthetic North Face button-up shirt
Windstopper softshell jacket
Windstopper vest
Mountain Hard Wear shell
Sherpa hat
Balaclava
Helmet w/ cover
Winter work gloves
Glove liners
Sunglasses
2 cotton t-shirts, several boxers
Baseball cap

Maps
DeLorme Gazetteer sections from Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana
City bike maps of Omaha, Lincoln, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities

man, that's a lot of crap.

A lot of people have been asking me if I'm bringing a weapon on this trip. No joke. The bicycle forums are full of people who say that they never leave home without their machete/Taser/Glock/Mace. Thinking about it, I can't really see myself getting into a knife/gun fight. And I'm hoping that reports of roving meth-heads in Iowa are exaggerated. Hopefully I won't get overrun like in a zombie movie.