I sounds Ok for those who could afford it. But, and I think this is a real big BUT, that is not really experiencing America by bike in its fullest. It's like cycling across the continent to avoid certain realities. Why not get out there and experience the realities? all the realities of it? I see CGOAB by ACA maps the same way. They travel well known bicycle routes and are met by friendly, welcoming, people many of whom have their own commercial / financial interests in mind, who know their town is on a cycling route, and who know the cyclists will be keeping track of encounters and posting them on a well-known forum. Of course they will put the best foot forward in transient situations like those. The cyclists stay in motels, many of them, and eat in fine restaurants.
How about camping out and scrounging around for a place to lay it down for the night? How about pulling into some town where long-distance cyclists are rare, and getting a load of some attitudes you encounter from people who stand nothing to gain or lose by how they regard you? How about stopping in at some small campground or trailer park and asking to pay for one little ten minute shower, and being answered like you are some kind of terrible person who should be gtten rid of ASAP?
I have cycled across the USA several times, and I love doing it. However, and I can say this with absolute certainty, the lowest and most disgusting parts of cycling across the US are the attitudes of the people you meet by happenstance. I have cycled extensively in Europe, China, and elsewhere, and I have never had to put up with anything like it anywhere. I don't fully understand what is wrong with Americans, but something is very definitely wrong.
However, it is a very good idea to use good cycling maps.
There is nothing wrong with the kind of touring company the OP is talking about. I am just saying that if you cycle across the USA, why not learn more about the USA and its people, and not bring la la land and back home on the block along with you when you go? Get out there and see what is really out there. Catch some of the attitudes. I started innocent conversations with strangers, and got attitudes and answers that I would not give anyone unless they had committed some serious crime against me or someone in my family. That is no kidding. If you want to insulate yourself from certain realites, that's OK, but in a sense it sort of defeats one purpose of getting out there and experiencing the world by bike travel. For example, one thing cross-country cycling in the US has taught me is this. Now I understand better why there are so many more people in prison in this country, and why there is so much more violent crime here than in other countries. With those kinds of attitudes so extant, how could it be otherwise? Several times I have walked into restaurants or stores for refreshments and a little harmless conversation, and walked out completely disgusted and repelled by the crummiest attitudes. I even work outside the country because of it. I come back because I have young children in the US. Nowhere except in the former Soviet Union have I encountered such attitudes. I love cycling across the USA, but as for many of its people, you can have them.
You can do a transcon cycling tour any way you like, but if you stay in motels all the time and are rich and such, when you talk about cycling across the USA, you and I will not be on the same page.
