The two main things to prepare were me and my equipment.

Me

This was easy. In the words of Eddie Merxx 'Ride lots'. We had an early spring in Toronto. So, I was able to start riding in late March. Most of my non-touring miles come from commuting. I currently, live west of Toronto and work east of Toronto. So, my typical round trip commute is 100km. I've worked on the route for many years and it is surprisingly nice. There is one section where I will see deer once a week when I am commuting regularly. In addition, I did a weekend trip to Niagara Falls one weekend (a 350km round trip). By the time the trip came around I had put in close to 2500km.

Equipment

Bike

I decided to fix up the old touring bike I took on my 2001 cross Canada trip. The problem was that the old threaded fork was loose and the stem was frozen in place. My winter project was to cut out the old fork and replace it with a new threadless fork. It was a good learning experience. I got it done in time, but it would have been nice to put in a few more miles to be certain of them.

Panniers

The rear panniers I had toured with since the beginning of time had finally worn out. Sadly, the company that made them no longer exist. I settled on a pair of Arkel panniers. Largely because they are side loading as opposed to top loading. I grew used to this with my old panniers.

Wheels

I wasn't sure of the number of miles on my wheels. In the past I have had the experience of wearing through rims on tour. Since I would be travelling on the unpaved Dempster Highway I did not want to tempt fate and decided to build a new set of wheels. The basic specs are: XT hub, Mavic T520 rims and Wheelsmith DT double butted spokes.

Tires

Again, I was concerned with the gravel roads. From everything I read, the Schwalbe Marathon XR tires are very durable. I wanted to carry a couple of spares with me. It seemed best if I selected the foldable option. I ordered some tires online during the winter.

Mosquito jacket and pants

The north is rich with insect life. The mosquitoes might scare me more that the bears scare me. I may or may not see bears, but for sure I will see mosquitoes. I thought the best way to deal with them would be to have a bug jacket with a hood and a pair of bug pants.

Water

There were several options here. I considered filters that need to be pumped, filters that drain, tablets, steripen and MiOX from MSR. Ultimately, I decided on tablets since they are compact and light. The biggest disadvantage that I could see is that I would have to wait for some time rather than taking it from a stream, purifying and drinking it right away.

Kindle

Normally, I carry books to stimulate my mind. However, books are bulky and heavy. The Kindle has the advantage of being small, light and batteries can last for weeks. Additionally, I could carry an entire library with me.

Spot GPS

This seemed like a nice addition. I could let my family and friends know my location even when I am far from any civilization.

Full boring list below - stop reading hear and you've missed nothing.

Valuables

Passport

Flight Tickets

Wallet

Money belt

Spare batteries

Camera

Bike computer

Headlamp

iPod

Camera

Charger

Memory cards x 2

Battery pack x 2

Camping Gear

Tent

Ground sheet

Sleeping pad

Sleeping bag

Stove

Cook set

Knife

Fork

Spoon

Swiss Army knife

Dish soap

Compass

Head lamp

Matches

Dish

Water purification tablets

Backpack

String

Tent repair kit

Stove repair kit

Safety pins

Water bladder

Compression straps

Toiletries

Soap

Shampoo

Washcloth

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Floss

Shaving cream

Razor

Razor blades

Sunscreen

Lip screen

Mosquito repellant

Nail clippers

Ear plugs

Cycling Clothes

Shorts x 3

Jerseys x 3

Socks x 3

Shoes

Cycling gloves

Regular Clothes

Long pants

Shorts

Underwear x 2

Bathing suit

T-shirt x 2

Sandals

Sunglasses

Hat

Fleece jacket

Bad Weather Clothes

Rain jacket

Rain pants

Rain socks

Polypro shirt x 2

Wool tights

Gloves

Toque

Tools

Wrenches

Allen wrenches

Spoke wrench

Spare spokes

Spare tubes x 2

Spare tires x 2

Brake pads

Screw driver

Pliers

Tire levers

Tire pump

Chain tool

Pedal wrench

Spare brake cable

Spare derailleur cable

Spare spokes

Hyper cracker

Duct tape

Electrical tape

Crazy glue

Grease

Oil

Bicycle stuff

Bike

Helmet

Mirror

Cycling gloves

Front panniers

Rear panniers

Handlebar bag

Cycling computer

Spare cycling computer harness

Bike lock

Rack straps x 2

Front rack

Rear rack

Water bottles x 3

Fenders

Miscellaneous

iPod

iPod battery pack

Maps

Kindle

Pen and pencil

Notebook