I broke a vertebrae in a climbing accident, 35 years ago, and the rest has been downhill. I do feel neck pain when I start a tour, but after a few days it is fine. Back doesn't bother me at all when touring. I'm a big believer in road posture, it is like quadruped posture, before we became erect, which is more comfortable, more in our basic structure.

I don't think you need to train to go on a tour. 65 mile days are nothing. I did better than that after about 20 years out of the saddle. The key attitude is to just stay comfortable, and have a healthy attitude to pain. So for instance, don't overdo the first days. Deal with any problems that show up as they show up. Don't let anything get worse make a position adjustment right away if your new cycling shorts are too thick, or if you need to add some peneten to your butt. As far as the pain, I am just referring to healthy hardships, a good attitude will see you through, but modern life is very short tempered about any inconvenience. One hears Steve Jobs prattling on about the experience of this or that gadget, so what do you do when your life experiences 10 days of rain.

The problem with the approach I suggest, is it is too uncertain for selling your house, and quitting your jobs or something. But if you aren't needing to do anything too irreversible before you take off for Alaska, then it would work. Otherwise you need a plan that makes you certain your bodies will hold up, and your interest also. A lot of people enjoy touring but it's like sex. Like it. Don't necessarily want to spend the next 5 years doing nothing but.