Back when we were packing for the trip, I made a post about everything I was taking with me. Now, for the edification of future bike tourists, I thought I’d go back and revisit the list.

•  Ortlieb Backroller Classic Panniers – count me on the list of people who love their Ortliebs. Kept things dry in the rain, and at campgrounds I put our food in one and had no fears of small wildlife helping themselves during the night. The taller half got the backpack attachment for one of his bags, but I prefer to use the long strap and carry it over my shoulder. The backpack attachment is permanently fixed to your pannier once you add it, and needs to be rolled up and fiddled with any time you adjust your bag.
• Orange REI stuff travel pack  – After the first two or three weeks, we almost exclusively carried stuff in this littlepack rather than pannier+backpack straps when walking around without bikes. It can hold raingear for two, lunch, and a camera, or quite a bit of groceries. Definitely glad to have this along
• Upper body clothing – Having a button up shirt ended up being really good because I could quickly take it on or off, or leave it unbuttoned for temperature regulation. The taller half had arm warmers, but I tried to avoid single purpose clothing. The rest of the layers I wore at various times, but probably got the least use out of  the black long sleeve, because it was harder to take on and off quickly around a helmet. I did also find myself wishing for a tshirt length bike jersey instead of sleeveless, for sun protection.
• Gray North Face polyester/merino long sleeve warm layer 
• Light blue tank top, light blue sleeveless bike jersey
• Black Mountain Hardware long sleeve (something like this)
• Tan long sleeve button up quick drying shirt
• Merrell Women’s Bare Access Arc shoes – Weighing less than 10 oz. for the pair, these were super lightweight and squishable into a pannier. I also found them comfortable for the walking we did, although the soles were thin enough that really lumpy cobblestones were worth avoiding.
• Shimano mountain biking style bike shoes – Part of the stitching came undone, but since my shoes all scuff in the same spot, I think it has more to do with my style of walking than the quality of the shoe.
• Novara Express 2.0 bike jacket in beautiful purple, black rain pants – We were lucky enough with the weather that I only wore the rain pants a handful of times, but I was glad to have them when I wanted them. The taller half didn’t bring rain pants, and was comfortable enough in leggings. If it had been any warmer in the rain, though, the steam inside would have defeated the purpose for me. The jacket worked great, and made a good warmth layer in the evenings or in the wind on descents. The visibility of the color I think was also a plys.
• Lower body clothing – The gel pad on the liner shorts covers a smaller area than some of the padded shorts I left at home, but having the versatility was key. I was able to easily swap around between longer and shorter length of shorts and capris. However, I found that I wore the cotton pair of shorts more than the quick-dry synthetic ones, which I might leave out if we ever did a trip like this again.
• 2x Canari gel liner cycle shorts
• 2x pair of shorts, one purple, one blue-gray, and a pair of capri length spandex, something like this 
• Merrell Alexandra dress, which is so comfy that I sleep it in all the time, and black leggings to wear under it or on cold cycling days
• 3x non-cotton quick drying undies, 2x Moving Comfort sports bras, 
• 4x cycle socks – the two pairs of thinner smartwool cycle socks, which I bought new before the trip, quickly developed holes in the toes. A slightly thicker pair, looser around the toe box, from a no name brand which I’ve had since 2006 has no toe holes. Thinner socks seemed like they’d be better in the heat, but the smartwool ones were not a long term solution. Boo.
• Bike helmet
• 1x batik sarong for use as scarf, towel, skirt, etc and 1x purple tiedye bandana
• Mess of toiletries/first aid, incl. one wee loofah, one bottle Dr. Bronner’s soap, one large bottle sunscreen, bandaids, neosporin, painkillers, hand sanitizer, tiger balm, chapstick, handwarmers
• Small camera w/ case & battery charger – since the taller half took all the pictures, I took barely a dozen and could have left this at home.
• Little blue flashlight – ditched before departure in favor of bikelight
• Kindle, small notebook, pencil – I got a lot of use of all of these, although we had to acquire a pencil sharpener. The taller half had a tablet, and nearly every hotel and campground we stayed had wifi (everywhere in France and Spain, although Italy was more of a tossup), so I could check out ebooks from the library at home and update the Kindle. I kept a written journal of our travels.
• Lady kit – ladies, you know what you need!
• Shea butter and tea tree/vitamin E creme for prevention and treatment of saddle sores – I went on a fruitless search for Hoo Ha Ride Glide in the days before we left, couldn’t find it, and read on the Team Estrogen forums about the wonders of shea butter. I got 2 oz. of shea butter from Whole Foods, and transferred it from a fancy glass jar to a sturdier plastic jar. It was applied to saddle sore prone spots, used as chapstick and as skin moisturizer, fulfilling my desire for multipurpose items, and working fairly well on all accounts.
• REI Halo 40 degree down bag and Women’s Prolite Thermarest – After the first week or two, it was warm enough that this bag was overkill. I have slept cold so many times in the mountains, though, that I found it really luxurious to sleep with a bag unzipped. The taller half had a much thinner summer weight bag and was occasionally cold; because I was extra toasty I was able to keep my bag unzipped and wrap part of it over him, giving back some of the body heat I have leached from him over the years. I returned a 1 inch Thermarest for a 1.5 inch pad before we left, and I have no regrets. Really, sleeping comfy in the tent for several weeks was key to a successful trip.
• 3L platypus bladder – We were rarely without a place to fill up on water when we needed it, and the bladder was superfluous. On a ride through less populated areas, though, it would have been handy.
• Sunglasses – Totally left my sunglasses in America when we left (on a rainy day) and had to get a new pair in Rome, because sunglasses are crucial.
• Leatherman, multi-tool, bike lights, spare tubes, patch kit, chain lube – Somehow we were lucky enough to never have any flats, but we regularly checked bolts for tightness and oiled chains a few times. Even though we didn’t use most of the repair gear we brought, I wouldn’t leave it behind.
• You can never have too many zip ties – Actually, yes, you can. I was absolutely convinced of the utility of these, but I only used a few to attach a papier mache rose to my bike after a holiday fair in Spain. I imagine most people could put two in their kit and be happy, instead of the twenty I had.
• Bungee cargo net – The taller half got this and although I wasn’t impressed at first, I now find it one of the most awesome things ever. It held the tent to the back of my bike, and I could easily take off a layer and stick it under the net without having to mess with a pannier. When we had damp laundry, I put it in a mesh bag under the net to air out during the day. It was incredibly useful.
• Cook set – We brought along the cook pot, teeny gas stove, iodine pills and whatnot that we take camping. We never used them once. Okay, we ate with our sporks all the time, because we consumed vast quantities of yogurt, but the pot? the stove? Shoulda left them at home, and never bothered buying fuel which we donated to the apartment where we stayed the last few nights through Air BnB.
• Quick dry pack towel from REI –  Although small and yes, quick drying, I think I’d leave these at home next time. We got the smallest size, and constantly wished they were bigger and more absorbent. I started using my cotton handkerchief towards the end of the trip after showers, and liked it better. It absorbed more, wrung out as well, and was not unravelling at the edges.

Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on your trip duration, time of year, and location, but hopefully this is useful for those planning their own tours!