Continent Forums

As cliche as it sounds, I found Tilley to have some great gear.
For a two month working-trip in Asia I brought one single pair of pants.

Something like this (although they have a few similar options):
http://www.tilley.com/canada_en/men/pants-shorts/pants/cotton-chino-pants-1.html

You can wash it in the sink and it's dry by the morning, and then you can re-pack it.
I know you'll be in bike-shorts while riding, but for meandering around towns and cities it's nice to look human

South America is a place that I feel I don't really understand, but everyone who does long trips comes back just beaming with life and feeling like they can take on the world.
By biking I bet you can bypass the "bus tour" route taken by thousands of backpackers every year and see some other places.

The one awesome thing? You can get by in most countries with the same language.
Start learning Spanish!

I think there's a "standard route" for people travelling the 3000km across North America near the 49th parallel. Actually, I think there are two routes.
1) take the Trans-Canada Highway
2) Drop down to the US at some point (some people say the whole way just below the border, some say just to get under the Great Lakes) and hug the border.

I think it would be cool to see some Canadian cities and towns that AREN'T on this well travelled road. Stay off the Highway 1, or at least veer off often and see places that aren't kept alive by a gas station and 4 fast-food joints.

Unfortunately, I think the most exciting cities are probably far north. Talk about Stigmatized, ignored, etc...