I've got a ti road bike (Merckx AX) and several steel road bikes, including a Bob Jackson World Tour. I absolutely love my ti Merckx for long recreational rides and supported tours. However, unless you have money to burn, I don't see the bang-for-the-buck in buying a ti touring frame. By the time you get your touring bike loaded, the weight savings from a ti frame would be negligible. The only real advantages of ti over steel are marginal weight savings, rust resistance and not having to worry about paint chipping. My ti bike only weighs about 1/2 lb less than comparably equipped steel bikes, so that's a non-issue. Rust is also a non-issue if you treat a steel bike with frame saver, clean it regularly and touch up an paint chips. Paint chipping is only an issue if you are rough on your bikes.