My commute happens to be all pavement, but I cannot imagine any surface that I could ride a bike on where I would forgo using a rack & panniers in favor of attaching my load to my skeleton.

Re: geese, I hold my line and do not slow down for them (I do cut the goslings & their parents a break in the springtime though). They are like bees and can smell fear. Plus, though not the brightest creatures God did make them intelligent enough to get out of your way. But that is not to say that they won't test your resolve on the subject.