Thanks for the link indy. I actually met the writer Caitlin briefly during my 2009 TransAm tour. She had concluded her ill fated Southern Tier tour and she and her mom stopped on their way back to Portland to visit a member of our westbound group in Farmington MO. The
previous summer Caitlin had led the TransAm with a very small group of men, one of whom was riding it again with our group. I only chatted with her briefly before she went out to dinner with her friend but I could sense that her Southern Tier was stressful and she was glad it was over.
Three of the four TransAm tours I led were rewarding. Should have stopped while I was ahead as the fourth trip included four participants who were stressful for me. No death threats or alcoholics, but two participants who would literally run around camp in the dark to get on the road at the crack of dawn, skip their leftovers clean up duty then arrive at the destination at noon. Another rider was quite needy and required mechanical and psychological support daily, and another (Caitlin's friend) who resented me from Day 1. He had a been there, done that attitude from last year's tour. That said, I'm still receiving friendly emails 10 years later from two of that group.
I don't think I would lead another tour even if I were younger.