I'm planning a self-supported camping tour from Baton Rouge, Louisianna, up the West side of the Mississippi River to Natchez, Mississippi, the NT Parkway almost to Nashville, Tennessee and part of ACA's Great River Route through Land Between the Lakes In Tennessee and Kentucky. I hope to rent a car one-way from home to Baton Rouge and bike north. Has anyone biked in this area?

I've done a few supported tours and some camping tours across one state at a time (Kansas, Missouri, Indiana). I'm planning to start in late March if the weather doesn't look like monsoon season. Anyone know how warm/cold it gets at night in the South? I guess I'll take an old sweatshirt and long pants for some cold nights.

Now my bike is in the shop for tune-up/overhaul and I'm adding front rack and panniers (Arkel with rain covers) and a handlebar bag (Lone Peak). I'm a little confused about how to distribute weight between the front and back panniers. Some say the back should be heavier and others say the front should be heavier. Any ideas here?

I bought a Big Agnes 2-person 3-season Seedhouse SL tent, a sleeping bag, and pad. I'm planning on taking a mini-esbit stove to boil water for cocoa and few quick-fix meals. There's a website about quick camp cooking at freezerbagcooking.com. It has some good ideas. Anyone here have some great meals for single servings?