Stay away from a walmart special it won't even make it half-way, beyond crappy seals will just leak salty water into your hubs and bottom bracket. Once this happens, it's game over man, game over!
Order a bunch of cheap chains and chain-checker, with cinder and salt allover the road u can feel the chain destroying itself. Keep the chain lubed up real good and use a can of wd-40 to drive out the salty water... pouring water into your chain could be a bad idea because it might freeze in the rollers and lead to premature failure! I'll be honest, your chain won't last very long no matter what you do!
Also prep your freehub with a lighter oil or it will probably freeze up(depending).
Studs are a good investment... but not necessary if you are young and wearing a helmet!
Mountain bike geometry is good(make sure you can use fenders), maybe get something a little smallish for you, it will be easier to control when the going is slow compared to a long touring like frame.
Last edited by electrik; 09-30-09 at 10:46 PM.