Would you consider having a man along on the trip? My husband is Australian and has to go back in July for awhile, he has been talking about doing the same thing- riding south and flying out of L.A. He is an avid cycletourist- but don't worry about speed, he likes to look as he rides and I'm often ahead of him. You'de want to take care of the cooking- as he only cooks pasta- but he is a great bike mechanic. I wouldn't be able to go due to work, but I know that he'd love it.