Hey Van Duzer:____I totally dig what you're doing and the way you're doing it. I have a super cool suggestion for your route... You thought riding the carless Katy was cool. Imagine riding 250+ miles of carless coolness right into the heart of DC... Check the science below my friend:

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a US National Historical Park located in the District of Columbia, Maryland and West Virginia. It was established as a National Monument in 1961 by President Eisenhower to preserve neglected remains of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal along the Potomac River. The canal and towpath trail extend from Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, M.D. - a distance of 184.5 miles!!

So, you could ride from Cumberland to DC in carless style. I also bet you could get some coverage/support when riding this popular east coast trail. Let me know what you think. For info see: http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm