I hope this isn't too much of a diversion, but here's a related question.
I have no touring experience but am planning a build of my second bike, a "fun" road bike to complement my wonderful but slow and heavy English 3-speed utility bike. I'm thinking about the Salsa Casseroll frameset in particular. I'd use it mostly for nice, long-ish day rides around the Chicago area where I live.
How much would it be pushing the envelope to go on short camping tours with it? I'm thinking 3-5 day unsupported trips, like say from Chicago to Milwaukee or South Bend or something like that. I'm light (145 pounds currently) and too naive to know why touring kit would weigh more than, say, lightweight backpacking gear plus tools. Basically, I'm not sure how loaded is loaded touring.
Is a trip of such a length even properly called touring?
Thanks.