Very inspiring post. I've been day dreaming for a couple of years about riding coast to coast. Lately, I've been thinking about buying a used steel bike and rebuilding it and getting it ready for my big ride. This way I could take care of some maintenance and repairs on my big ride. I know very little about working on my bike. So far, I've changed tubes/tires, cleaned chain and rear cassette. I'd love to learn more. My husband recently bought me a Park Tool bike stand. I take care of our 3 bikes (what little I know).