Pre-trip Trip?

I'm thinking now that this tour should be pushed back to 2007, and that in 2006, I should do an overnight or weekend tour to a park or campsite a reasonable distance from home. That will give me this year to get my shit together and actually try it on a shorter trip. It's been a very long time, and I have all new stuff since last time. There's the packing list issue, and then making it all fit and work together. At the moment, Cooperstown (Glimmerglass, Giibert Lake?) and Cherry Plain SP are coming to mind as possibilities. Will need to spend some more time on this idea, but it seems like a reasonable way to transition into a longer trip.

Maps & Guidebooks

I'm in the earliest planning stages of this tour. I've ordered the maps and guidebooks located at:

http://www.champlainbikeways.org/maps.htm

and have started breaking the route down into days. Here's my current thinking:

1. Whitehall, NY, to Westport, NY (54.1)
2. Westport to Ingraham (55)
3. Ingraham to Grande Isle State Park, VT, on island (51)
4. Day off - explore islands
5. Grande Isle State Park to Burlington/Shelburne (34)
6. (day off?)
7. Burlington to Chimney Point (49)
8. Chimney Point to Whitehall (47)

I decided against crossing into Canada and going all the way to St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, because it just messed up the daily mileages I want to cover, and adds another day, basically up and back, for no good reason. I don't know yet about the rest day in Burlington, and that may depend on the weather and how much I want to get going. I'll probably have to adjust this whole thing after I figure out camping spots, etc.

Following a dream...

After two supported tours in the last 3 years, I want to try one on my own. I did a fully loaded trip once before for 2 weeks when I was just out of college, and now want to get in a dry run of sorts before I dream much more about the post-retirement adventure of riding coast to coast. That dream has followed me since 1976 and BikeCentennial, which I didn't pursue at the time. But I need to be sure I still enjoy it to the extent that the dream is really still on the table. Thus, this trip.