I have suggested that the money raised be used to pay a graduate student to write grant applications. No, you don't need to be fit to do long trips along bike tracks along rivers. The best way to cover long distances is to ride slowly for many hours per day. Lots of people take their kids along, which is fine provided the children's bikes are at least as good as the adults'. No, I didn't get bored.
Long stretches are kind of meditative and there is usually nice scenery.
I met lots of other cyclists on the way. I think it's because my existing bike seat already suited me very well, and on top of that I started wearing padded cycling shorts for the first time. The most stunning place I visited on the way was the walled medieval town of Rothenburg - touristville par excellence, if you like that kind of thing. You can easily buy maps of river routes as you go along. All you really need to know from a map is what town you are going to, how far it is, which side of the river you should ride on to avoid traffic and unsealed roads, and where you should cross.