Sounds like a great ride! I have rode in many tours like you are talking about( I leave for one myself in a couple of weeks). I TOTALLY agree that camping in the gym with others can be very challenging! Having your own space is much more enjoyable, and you can choose to be as close or as far from others as you want. In shared spaces, people tend to be noisey, people have all different schedules as to when and how long they sleep...somthing that affects everyone. You will also have people that may try to pack and repack during that time... zippers, opening bags etc.... I would definitely set up a tent!