Ever get worried about planning?

I've been wandering around through the intertubes this evening, and I came across an inspiring piece of advice from a bicycle tourist (Ken Kifer - www.kenkifer.com). I think it will save me a lot of time during my planning for the trip to Asia! Here's the advice from Ken - it relates to a question about maps: "Your question about maps has several answers. I just use road maps and plan my trip as I go, avoiding main roads connecting large cities and using secondary roads that connect small towns. You have to be aware of features that don't show up on these maps, such as mountains." Like, basically, I don't have to really plan my trip! SuuuwEET! Now all that remains is to find funding. Stay tuned faithful reader(s), this trip is starting to get legs...
-Stephen

The Rough Travel Plan

While I was chillin' at my apartment a couple of nights ago, I came up with a very rough travel plan. The idea is to ride my bike from Boulder to New York City. From there, I will take a plane to London. From London, I take the Chunnel to Paris, and then ride from Paris to Tokyo. There will, of course, be a flight or a boat ride involved to get to Tokyo. From Tokyo I will take a plane to Seattle, Washington, and then finish the trip with a ride back to Boulder. I have not yet looked at detailed maps to plan any of the individual legs of the journey. However, I would like to visit as much of Europe as possible, I would like to see Turkey, I would like to see the Pyramids, then cross over to the Arabian peninsula, make my way through Yemen, Oman, through the UAE and over to Iran if I believe that it can be safely at the time I arrive. I have not researched the politics of these areas enough to make these decisions yet. An alternative to this route could be to make my way out of Europe through Ukraine instead of Turkey, thus avoiding the Middle East. Eventually I will make my way to Pakistan, and then spend a good deal of time riding through India. I have not decided which places I would like to see in India, but I'll play it by ear there. This seems appropriate. After leaving India, I will make my way along the southern coast of China, visiting Hong Kong and Shanghai. Perhaps if it is possible I will also take a trip to Taiwan inbetween. Finally I will visit Beijing and then see the Great Wall of China to the North. Then I will roll into Russia, and catch a flight or a boat to Japan. It would make me very happy to learn some Japanese and to see a good deal of Japan. By this point in the journey I will most likely be ready for some kind of break. Perhaps I'll take it here. Once I find my way to Tokyo, I will catch a flight to Seattle, then ride my bike back to Boulder via the most scenic route possible. The trip will likely require a new bicycle. Perhaps a Trek 520 with really light components? Hmm.
-Stephen