Lori,

You mentioned sleeping in parks. That was where you showed your lack of experience. I recently asked a homeless guy where he slept and he was the one who told me not to sleep in parks or golf courses because of the sprinklers. Sorry about the dry humor.

If I were doing a trip like this, I'd consider a bicycle as it does shorten the time between water and food. But bicycles also have their own dangers a person needs to learn about. There are long stretches of the ADT that are impassible to bikes from forums I've read.

But the question was about walking, and this is a backpacking forum. People are right to be concerned about the safety issues which is why I recommended preparation. I'm not one to avoid activities because they are perceived as dangerous. But I am one to find safe ways to do these activities.

If I were to do this trip, I'd experiment with a baby jogging stroller. It would solve the problem of carrying enough water. It would also allow for carrying 2 or 3 types of shoes and more variety in clothes and other gear.

I'd also really look at the routes through big cities. On the southern route, Kansas City, St. Louis and Washington are potential trouble spots.

In spite of the humor about going for it now, it's really the wrong time of year to leave for a very long hike. So, I go by my original recommendation to do short hikes in your area to find out the things you don't know.