I'm leaving this weekend on my first self supported tour ever, and I'm truly excited! I finally finished the touring bike I have been building for a couple of years, and now am waiting for bags as well. I've opted for not using racks/panniers and instead use bags made by Relevate Designs and Phantom Pack instead. For me, it makes more sense because they will be lighter, and something that I can use on my touring or mountain bike.
We've chosen to ride in the Northeast Kingdom in Vermont and more than likely we'll cross over into Canada as well. Although we'll only be out there for 5 days, I'm truly looking forward to a mini break from the shop and getting out with a new bike and new gear
http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com