I talked a friend into doing just the Katy trail across the state of Missouri a year ago. Like the author, I have a steel Trek 520. I did zero training — but the Katy trail is just one state.

I hated it every day — right up until we finished it. The boredom, the drudgery of every day. Now I can't wait to go again.

There was a weird thing that crept into my brain by about day 4 or so — I kind of didn't want to linger off the saddle for long. Strangely, I was starting to kind of prefer being on the saddle than to being off.

Also, having done a minimal of research, there were often unexpected happy surprises that would pop up from time to time — for example a sudden bar along the banks of the Missouri River (Cooper's Landing — not, you know, a sand bar).

I credit my friend being there for keeping me determined not to "puss out" and bail early. And he told me after he was waiting for me to bail so he could have an excuse to quit as well.

We met all manner of other riders: many, like us, on their first bike tour.

The six or so days on the saddle can be done, physically, by about anyone. I am almost 61 and over weight. I trained on the trail. I think if I had prepared before hand my ass might have been less sore — more "broken in". (It also would have been boring though.)