Miami->San Francisco advices-ccompanions

[Schwebedeckel]

Hello my name is Matthias Kehl from Munich in Germany. Im 29 years old and Ill finish my study in December 2007. Before I go to school as a teacher, I would like to go on a big journey. I will cycle from 1.2.2008 to 23.5.2008 from Miami to San Francisco. At first I planed this tour with an old friend of mine. But now he opens his own shop and he have neither money nor time to do this adventure.
So now Im searching for people who would like to attend me on this trip. I know that it is hard to find someone for all 4 months, so Im searching also people which go along who me for a stage.
Im a student and thats why I dont have so much money. I plan to sleep in my tent or by people who are members at hospitality club or couchsurvers. Its important for me to spend much time in nature and Id like to have much contact with locals. I would also like to make hiking tours in national parks.
So I dont plan exact daily stages. Its no problem for me to drive only 10 miles on one day and I also have no problem to go daily 100 miles during a week.
I just worked out the route with a very good German bicycleguidebook. You can find the route on http://bar.arcisheim.de/maps.html
If you are interested, let me know at matthiaskehl(ad)gmx.de

Im also glad about everything whatever can help me.

[chrisx]

Have you taken high cold weather into consideration. the rockie mountains are high 8,000 - 11,000 feet.

[DaveB]

Your trip timing of February through May will put you into the worst of Winter and early Spring weather.  It can be relatively cold even in the deep South and Southwest and as soon as you get into any higher elevations the roads will be impassible by bicycle.  

[staehpj1]

I haven't done the ST, but...

Adventure Cycling says, "The Southern Tier Route can be ridden between early fall to late spring."

A friend who has ridden the NT, TA, and ST, says that February is the best time to start a Southern Tier trip.