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i see all the reviews on various backpacks and shoes/boots. somehow none seem to be concerning which would be best for people walking extremely long distances with much of the travel done on city streets or paved roads. i am a novice who will walk across the usa. i will not be taking a direct route but will be trying to hit most major cities. this should take 18 months or more.
please advise!!!!!!

Not having walked across the US, and doing virtually all my distance hiking on trails or crosscountry off trails, I can't speak from experience. But my suggestion would be to go to a dedicated running store and ask what marathoners wear. My guess would be that trail running shoes would be a good choice, but whether to get "support", "stability", "motion control", or "neutral" (or "comfort") variety is something to discuss with a trained running shoe specialist (running shoe stores also serve distance walkers). One chain I have found pretty good is Road Runner Sports (roadrunnersports.com). They have retail stores in a number of states on both coasts and in the Midwest. They have an electronic "foot motion" analysis device that can determine which type of walker or runner you are. I am sure there are other stores that offer similar analysis, since distance walking and running is extremely popular across the whole US.

Mel123, are you asking for advice on shoes, on gear, on what to bring with you, etc.?

To expand on BeritOlam's question -
1. are you camping or staying in hostels/motels/private homes or ??
2. are you going unsupported (carrying or buying everything along the way), with a support car (so you carry nothing but water and snacks), or what?
3. if you are supported, what is the level of support - just one friend/relative with the food, water, snacks, and nightly gear,and are you walking/running solo or with walking/running companions, or with a large group?

These all make a big difference in the answers. If you are camping, unsupported, and solo, your pack and all that goes in it will be much larger than if you have a support vehicle and companions. Some people have pushed or pulled a trailer with gear, rather than carrying a pack (it's much easier).

my intention is to camp some and stay in hostels some. this is an unsupported walk and i will be bringing my 2 pets, i am considering a burley tail wagon and walking by myself. i asking about gear and clothing and what to pack.

A few thoughts....

Clothing -- If you're going to be doing this for 18 months, you'll definitely need to layer. Avoid cottons like the bubonic plague.

Tent -- if it's just you and two dogs, then I would consider a light-weight two man (provided the dogs aren't huge!).

Sleeping bag -- it really depends on where you'll be at what time of year. Ohio winters and Arizona summers are quite a bit different. My advice would be avoid frigid cold areas during the winter, and stick with a good 3-season bag. Otherwise, you'll end up freezing in the winter OR burning up in the summer.

Shoes -- That's a lot of miles. Frankly, I'm not sure they make a shoe/boot that will last you that long. Certainly none that I've gone through! As to trail-runners vs. boots, that's really up to you. I've never had good success finding a trail-runner that can sustain constant hiking with a 4000+ cu in load; the boots just take that extra pounding better. And, most importantly, my feet always feel better with a good, solid boot.

Backpack -- it really depends on how long you expect to go between pit stops. Especially with 2 pooches along for the journey.

~Matt