Awww man, I just missed the 7-day window to give you a rewarding up-vote for this awesome post. Yeah, the North is flat, as they say in Bavaria (my part of Germany). Still, it can be picturesque. I also like your bike! Having built my own touring bike, I can't help being curious about it. How do you handle all the weight in the back? And the "most contentious issue" among my bike-mechanic friends: It has a kickstand!
Well, I can imagine that since you're touring yourself, it may not be the top priority to address any of these topics. In any case, I'm looking forward to your future posts. Happy trails!