I asked Sam Correro if it was 'do-able' or advisable to attempt it solo, and which was the best time of year to do it.  He said it was, although some areas weren't best travelled alone, and the best month was probably May/June.  This is the best compromise between the heat of the desert regions and getting over the mountain passes  in Colorado(snow).

This is what Russell Fisher came across on his roadbook in Utah - 'Take plenty of water and do not go alone!!'

Making the Time   Time off from work was going to be the first problem.  If i couldn't get it, the trip wasn't going to happen.   I had to booked the time off a year in advance to ensure it was available.  I've got 6 weeks off work from the last week in May through to the first week in July.  The TAT should take between 3 - 4 weeks with an extra week for travelling to and from the start/finish from the UK via Canada.  This leaves me an extra week for anything unforeseen (for 'unforseen', read breakdown, injury, lost!).

Finding my Way     The maps for the 'TAT' can only be bought from Sam Correro and I had already bought the maps for Tennessee out of interest a few months before, to see what it was going to entail.  Once I'd sorted out the time off, I thought it was time to get the rest of the maps. 

They come in packs, state by state, and there are 101 in total.  There are also corresponding 'roadbook' maps (see below) which can be read on the go using a 'roadbook holder' (see above).  The diagram shows the next reference point you're looking for eg. T-junction, cross roads etc. with an arrow which shows the direction you need to take.  Beneath the diagram is the distance in miles to that reference point.........Simple!!!  The map winds onto the roadbook holder at the start of the day and can be wound on to show your next turn as you go.    Some of the roadbook maps have been updated with GPS coordinates, as Sam is constantly checking and updating the route and maps.

A typical section of roadbook

Which Bike?    Should I hire?  Use my own and have it flown/shipped out?   Buy a bike out there or take up Sam's offer to use a bike supplied and prepped by him?

The hiring option was quickly binned due to the lack of suitable bikes. There plenty of small trail bikes (DRZ400's and the like), big trailies (GS1150/1200's) but nothing like the stuff I was looking for. 

Although buying out there could have been a good option, it seemed to me like leaving too much to chance.  Finding the right bike, getting the extras fitted that I wanted and the time constraints settled this option.

Whether to use my bike or Sam's were the two most realistic options.  Using Sam's would have been easier and cheaper.  But I decided to take my own for these reasons:-   It would be my bike so I would be familiar with it, riding it and mechanically.  I could fit all the extras I wanted and prep it myself.  And I feel better knowing that if I have any problems due to something that I've missed then it's no-ones fault but my own.   The downside is the hassle and the cost.