You gotta do what you gotta do, but for much of the world, 26" wheels are the norm for touring bikes, and in the rest, many of the very best bikes are custom built that way. Also, about half your riding in NA will be in areas where bike shops are not well stocked at all. Canada is a relative wasteland. Then you will go through areas that are biking nirvana, for a day or two, then you drop off the end of the world. But hey, it isn't as though you currently live in a place any different...