I am on the board of a teen mentorship program where we spend 5 months riding bikes a few times a week training for RAGBRAI.
Thru that time, the kids do 3 weekend campouts and ride over 1000mi before starting RAGBRAI.
it's a lot of 1 day ride leader responsibility for me and a few others who are on the board.
Herding 30 teens and 30 adults across the state on an organized ride is exhausting, and I share responsibilities with a handful of others to do this. I cant imagine being a sole ride leader and having it last the entire length of the US! That requires a special kind of patience, perspective, and strength which I know I dont possess.