Cool. I didn't mean to sound like I was talking down to you. I'm on a sport touring bike with friction barends for my USA touring and an old 26" mtn bike for my foreign tours. I also think people get carried away with stuff like this and think you need hydro disc's, 700x55 tires and $400 front racks that can carry a small child's weight for overnight "real" touring. Either way, I hope you are able to go and have a great time.