Steel Vs Aluminum For a Touring Bike

One of the current debates about touring bikes is whether an aluminum or steel frame is a better choice. In the end, it comes down to personal choice. Aluminum is more rigid, which some people prefer. Steel flexes, which leads to a more comfortable ride for many.
However - we also need to consider ease of repair should something happen to your bike. Welding aluminum requires specialized equipment that you will most likely only find in large cities. Steel is more easily repaired and you should be able to find someone who can weld your bike in any small town throughout the world.
Some people say this is all a moot point - when was the last time you had your bike welded anyway? The chances of something happening to your bike that would require welding are very small. One argument is that you will not be able to find someone to properly weld a frame back together in any case. Should your frame completely break in two, you will need a new frame, so it makes no difference if you are riding a steel or aluminum bike.
A more likely scenario is that something small will happen to your bike. Perhaps you'll break a braze-on or some other small, critical part. If that happens, you could be stranded with an aluminum bike, but will be able to get a steel bike repaired quite easily.