I prefer to ride my 29er-

I have a mid 90s 26 inch wheel bike with rim brakes.
I ride it to trail heads, stash it in the woods and go hiking.
I ride it in Mexico, because that's the kind they have parts for.  The kind every village has parts for.

I prefer to ride my 29er-

In the major cities of central and South America they have a 29er or 2 mixed in with the 26ers.  in the villages they have 26 26 and 26 with rim brakes. 

In 2008 the Oregon coast had a bike shop with 1 29er tire on the wall.  The mechanic said he was going to send it back because it was collecting dust. In 2009 Seattle  was having trouble allowing the word 29er into the English language. I had to go down to Portland to get some tires. now they are everywhere.

On November 2 2014 the bike mechanic in Oaxaca Mexico has a 29er for sale, next to his 87 26 inch wheel bikes.  In Medellin Colombia there are multiple 29ers for sale amongst the 1,000s of 26ers, in 2014.   

Similar to 2008 in Oregon.
 2014 universal cycles has 0 26 inch bikes on the show room floor

bump this back up top so it is easier to click on his diary and read about the CDT

are there a couple of places you would like to visit again?

trailer, about 12 pounds
2 racks and 4 panniers, about 10 pounds
backpack and frame bag, about 3 pounds

Panniers are the worst in a head wind, and most convenient for finding your stuff.
Backpack is the lightest and most mobile.  It might cause additional injury in a crash. 
Sea anchor trailer is low and out of the wind, and heavy.

Warm weather gear fits in a backpack.
Below freezing gear takes up more space.
10 days worth of food takes up a lot more space than 3 days of food.
You have to push your bike to the top of the mountain if it is over loaded.
You have to go back to town if you don't have enough food

  no correct answer exists

John Wayne Pioneer Trail
Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes
and others, most of the distance is covered by rail trails.  Research is needed. I only glanced at it.
Not connected all the way.

No plans to ride the GDMBR at this time. 

http://www.traildino.com/img/upload/North_America/United_States/Map/Great-Western-Trail.gifv

GDMBR?

I could see the Montana section as part of my route.  But the Great Western trail
http://www.expeditionutah.com/featured-trails/great-western-trail/
http://www.greatwesterntrail.org/forum/index.php?board=1.0
sounds better to me.

Does it have to be a bike tour?  

up in the air, don't know yet.  2 things to consider.
I will be on a v1 Fargo.  
road tires are a headache to get on and off Flow rims.  At least the tires I already have are.

Go for the PNT! - But know it can be brutal in MT/ID. Lots and lots of steep up and down. Lots of hike-a-bike.

There is so much potential in the Northern Rockies a lot of times you can just pick where you want to go, and find a number of options to get you there. I like to use these for 1st-stage/overview planning: http://www.benchmarkmaps.com/products-page/atlases

Do you have to start in Seattle?

Hike a bike is one of the few techniques I have mastered.  

Public transit goes from Seattle, as far as Concrete, WA.  I could take the train some where.  I don't have to start pedaling in Seattle.  That is where I will be when it is time to head out. I will end up in San Diego.  Train and bus can be used.


East of Ross lake there are plenty of gravel roads to get around the Pasayten Wilderness, and on to the trail.  The guide book, and some of the maps I already have.  The updated PNT guide book should be available in March. http://pnta.proboards.com/thread/319/pacific-northwest-trail-digest-edition
There are a lot of road sections on the trail as well.  PNT is a young trail, still being developed.  

But know it can be brutal in MT/ID. Lots and lots of steep up and down.

There was mention of alternate routes around the PUD, pointless ups and downs

Around  July 21st 2015 I Will have 6 or 7 weeks to take a bike trip.  Where?  I don't know yet.  I will be in Seattle.
I will most likely ride My Fargo for the trip.  I have a mid 90s mt bike, if I decide to do a week or 3 worth of hiking along the way.  I have contemplated riding the Eastern half of the Pacific Northwest Trail. { I did not say Pacific Crest Trail.} 

Any Ideas?

http://www.pnt.org/trail.html

Is it conceivable to ride the PNT to Glacier National Park. Then ride the Milwaukee Rail Road Corridor from Missoula Montana back to Seattle?  At a glance, there are a few rail trails, though not connected, going the bulk of that distance.  I have all winter to look at maps.  There is also the great Western Trail.  Perhaps ride South from Glacier, along the Western slopes of the Rockie mountains.  Although poorly mapped, the GWT passes through mostly national forest, and other public lands.

Or something else
any ideas

http://pinion.eu/en
http://pinion.eu/en/discover-pinion/news/

[wow]

wow
they made it

A well educated person could make a better decision
http://janheine.wordpress.com/2011/02/10/a-journey-of-discovery-part-4-front-end-geometry/

per·spic·u·ous  [per-spik-yoo-uhs]  Show IPA
adjective
1.
clearly expressed or presented; lucid.
2.
perspicacious.
Origin:
1470–80;  < Latin perspicuus  transparent, equivalent to perspic-,  stem of perspicere  to look or see through ( per- per- + -spicere,  combining form of specere  to look; see inspect) + -uus  deverbal adj. suffix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZVcRGB1KdQ

symbiosis
n. noun
A close, prolonged association between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but does not necessarily, benefit each member.
A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.

Zo; I am now contacting German scientists to analyze bicycle discusion for me.  Russian guy is telling me his German scientist is smarter than mine German scientist.  I am not thinking that.

I think I will have the Mexicans paint my old bicycle, while I wait for the German cogitation of the Australian nomenclature.  Conceivably; the Canadians will post photos of another bicycle endeavor while I scratch my head.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzciD09URjg

bio_¡?  The oval  shaped chain ring was faster.  Acceleration comes from pushing down on the pedal. More teeth during the down stroke, less teeth between down strokes, means more time accelerating.  It was abandoned because it trashes knees quickly.

In the old day one chainring existed.  Looks like we are going back to one chainring.  A few more years and we will have internal geared bottom brackets, instead of internal geared hubs

how far is too far
http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/recent-progressions-in-mountain-bike-geometry-39736/

t I don't need (or want) a garage full of 5 or more niche bikes.

The Canadian guy seems to understand the question.

May need a dictionary and a tutor and some time to figure out what the Australian guy is talking about.  Be patient I'll figure it out.
http://www.epinions.com/content_951820420?sb=

Could not help but notice;
Vancouver , BC Is surrounded by hills.

What exactly are you asking? 

I am asking about bicycle geometry 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_frame#Frame_geometry

what geometry makes a bike good on up hills and down hills

go out and ride some bikes and see what works FOR YOU.

how do you ride 10 different bike for a few days each to see what works

[HILL]

Thanks for helping define the question.  now if someone knows the answer. . . . Please note, 20% is a hill not a HILL

Whatever bike feels good to YOU going up and down hills.

It really depends on what you mean by hills and the type of terrain. A bike built to climb 20% grades won't be the same bike built to descend -20% grades.  And those wont be the same as bikes meant for chunky singletrack.  Trade offs in between to find a happy medium for everything above.

There is a legal limit to the grade of a road.  Most any bike can be go up and down on a 20% grade.  When you get off the road, there are trails and such with more incline than the the roads.  Lumps, bumps, ruts, etc.  I am not asking which bike goes up and down hills.  I am asking what geometry is good for going up and down HILLS.

No, downhill bikes are definitely not for bikepacking.