Each day I've tried to train for the long trip. There have been numerous projects since the bike plan was hatched - working on the master plan for a new city of 250,000 people in China, moving out of my place in Bellingham, building a shed in Marblemount to accomodate storage of my stuff, researching gear for the bike trip and best buys. Training runs have been squeezed in between these other projects. I'm concerned that I've only trained 3 day's worth of riding - 180 miles.
And yet there has been great joy in these training runs. I've ridden in the area the equivalent of going from Anacortes to Washington Pass several times, on roads I have driven a car for nine years. Pedalling at 10 mph creates a different experience. There are many more creeks than I realized; cabins and trailers nestled among old growth; roads and trails leading to river vistas; a surprising number of homesteaders.
The experience of the bike is exhilarating, especially with the panniers taken off. I've never before used bike shoes that clip into the pedal - I feel very connected to the bike and to the earth. I hear the sounds of the river, birds, and my own breath. It is truly marvelous.
It all started during a hike with John Scott this February, when I was trying to decide between flying and driving to the monastery at Easton Mountain in Greenwich, NY to work, study, do yoga and think for a while. John Scott said "why not bicycle". That's how he got from Virginia to Seattle when he moved here. The idea was born, and it never let go. Here is the route. I leave noon on Sunday, May 23, weather permitting. Please take a moment during your day and visualize a safe journey for me. I'll think of you every day, especially Sundays at noon.
The gear shifters are built into the brake handles. Push in on the small black part of the brake lever, and it downshifts. Push in on the large silver handle, and it upshifts between 1 to 3 gears, depending on how far you push. The Shimano derailleurs will shift under load without burping.
The Ortlieb (made in Germany) panniers unclip just from lifting the carrying handles. Made like a kayak dry bag, they are waterproof and can compress the volume of the contents.
The clips built into the shoes are recessed, so they look like sneakers and don't sound like tap shoes when you walk. A raised button in the insole spreads the metatarsal bones to improve circulation while pedaling long distances. 
I got a full sized keyboard for the Palm last year, on eBay for $8. I can type posts in my tent during the rain and evenings; when I get to a phone plug, the modem and Palm dials Earthlink, and emails to a secret posting address which become posts to this web site.