COVID-19. Every tour has it's own set of challenges.  This one has all the usual, plus the added challenge of doing it while COVID is still in play.  Much of the country has been vaccinated, but the mis-information campaigns are still keeping a significant percentage of the populous from getting theirs.  A rather strange and unholy alliance between right-wing conspiracy sites, Fox News, and Evangelical Christians has managed to misinform many folks, and there seems to be little hope in breaking through this wall of ignorance.  Michigan and adjacent states are currently a hotspot for spread of COVID variants, and we will be cycling through this area.  Doc and I are both vaccinated, but there is still some risk, especially with regards to the virus variants.   So I will wear a mask whenever I venture indoors, but I know that many others will not be as considerate.  It is what it is.

Terrain.  Our route has some challenging climbs in the Adirondacks, and in Washington State.  I don't know how they compare with the climbs in the Appalachians on the Transam route - I know that the Appalachians were crazy tough on  a loaded bike.  A few others who have done both routes say that the Northern Tier is harder, especially in Vermont - but most cyclists say that the Northern Tier is easier - so I guess we will find out.  When we enter Washington state, there are 5 mountain passes over a period of 4 days, so I'm sure the climbs will be hard enough. 

But it's the cornfields and prairies that others say are the dominating feature of the Northern Tier.  LOTS of wide open spaces, and mental toughness is needed to overcome looking at the same scene for days on end.   But at least one observer said he enjoyed the beauty of the plains, though they are desolate.  So I guess we shall see. 

Weather.  It seems that we should expect a lot of rain from Bar Harbor on until some point in New York - apparently there is a lake effect for rain as well as snow.   OK then - not a bad problem, except maybe at first when the temperature is still on the cool side.   However, I'd prefer not to have to camp in the rain - being wet and cold is no fun.  Maybe we will get lucky.

               Wind.  Wind can be a significant issue on this route, especially so in North Dakota and eastern Montana.  The wind direction is unpredictable, but historic data indicates we are likely to have buffeting side winds most days in the High Plains.  A strong side wind impedes progress, especially when it can act on panniers like a sail and make it hard to control the bike.  But a bad headwind in the plains can be reason enough to sit out that day - trying to move forward against a 20-30 mph direct wind can prove to be almost impossible.   And I haven't mentioned tornadoes, because - well, what's the point?  So we hope for favorable winds.

               Storms.  Afternoon thunderstorms are common on the High Plains, with hail and lightning producing dangerous conditions.  The solution, of course, is to start early and be done with the riding before the inevitable storms kick up. 

               Heat. I found that the potential danger from the sun was the greatest threat of all on my 2 other tours, and I expect it to be so on this tour as well.  Pedaling a fully-loaded touring bike under the summer sun is an invitation to heat-related illnesses.  And being exposed for many hours with no shelter from the sun brings on sunburn as well.  The answer to the heat problem is to get an early start and finish prior to the afternoon heat.  Early starts avoid the direct solar exposure, and one consumes less water in the cooler morning hours so there is less danger of running empty.   But some segments are long enough that you must cycle into the afternoon heat, and all it takes is a flat tire to cause a delay under the hot sun and necessitate more fluid consumption and possibly put you in a bit of danger.  All things considered, I suspect that the heat will once again prove to be the greatest adversary on this trip.

Forest Fires.  Global warming has intensified the forest fires in the U.S. West in recent years.  On my 2015 Transam, the fires were a real challenge and I rode in smoky conditions for 16 days and had to modify plans due to closures on the route.  Fires have already commenced here in Oklahoma, and the fire danger is reported daily on the weather stations.  So we will have to watch the route ahead, particularly so once we approach the High Plains and western states.  We will already have N95 maks with us due to COVID, and they could serve if needed for a temporary rescue mask in heavy smoke.  We can only hope for the best. 

Lodging.  Due to our last-minute decision to ride the Northern Tier instead of the Transam, we haven't done any research on lodging.  Doc and I prefer to stay indoors when we can, and splitting hotel costs helps to make it more affordable.  We both have full camping gear, so we can camp when needed.   I'm going to try and reserve hotels for the 1st week or so, but that's one of those things that's farther down on the "Do" list - I still have maintenance to do on my bike, and assembling and test packing all the gear - so I guess it's good that the start of the tour has been delayed 9 days.  

Lions & Tigers & Bears.  I don't expect animal concerns to be an issue along this route, except for the usual caution regarding bear in Montana, Idaho, and Washington.   This route doesn't have the reputation of the dogs in eastern Kentucky that one faces on the Transam.  But, then again, I never had any serious dog issues riding around Tulsa until the recent attack wherein I was drug off my bike and mauled!  (NOTE added after the ride; a grizzly bear killed a lady cyclist in Montana near our route at the time, so indeed animal concerns were a real threat - see Day 63 for more detail)

The tiniest of "animals" may prove to be more of a nuisance on this route than the large animals; I'm referring mostly to the insects.  Portions of this route are known for mosquitoes and biting flies.   Folks who camp a lot have more issues with the smaller animals than the larger ones - field mice chew holes in a tent to get at food inside, raccoons and other small animals can damage panniers trying to get inside - so we shall see.