One year later:

This Long Haul Trucker Bafang BBS02 750w conversion has been a great touring bicycle this year.  

Touring

The original Surly Long Haul Trucker is a great touring bicycle. For touring, the rim brakes work out fine. Touring riding is often gentle riding and most stopping is anticipated.  I even prefer the rim brakes over disk brakes for touring.  The rim brakes are much easier to replace pads and adjust while on the road.  

Having a pedal assist system smooths out those long hills and keeps older riders on the road.  On level roads, most of miles tick away with little or no peddle assist at a nice and normal touring speed... okay, slow.
But if a faster pace is needed to cover move ground, a small amount of assist (usually less than 100w) can bring the speed up by a few miles per hour. 
I use two small identical batteries for touring.  This works. 

as pictured in advertisement

 

I attach it to the Long Haul Trucker with a bungee cord on the rear rack.

With normal use, I can ride about 35-40 miles with each battery.  I rotate the batteries while riding and place the unused battery in the pannier.   When I stop for a break, the small battery and small charger are easily carried in a store or restaurant to have a "top off charge" while I take a break.  With age, these "breaks" are becoming a more enjoyable part of touring. I have stopped in bicycle shops and ask if I can charge my battery while I explore their town for a short time - (Always a good idea buy those needed items at the shop when doing this).  This is when having the multiple batteries really come in handy. 

Daily Use

When not touring, the Surly Long Haul Trucker E-Bike conversion is great to use for commuting or errands and shopping.  It can increase speeds, and get you up hills without making your heart race for those small trips. With the multiple battery options, you can just take one small battery to do the trip, no need to haul around a large battery.    

If you have a older quality bicycle that fits you well, an E-Bike conversion might be right for you.

Read about the conversion process HERE