I have faith in the goodness of the human race, but also recognize there are meth-heads all over america looking for things to sell for drugs. I will always lock my bike up at night and short trips into a store, etc. There will be a Ring lock on the next heavy touring bike i build up.

Always lock your bike up at night. You don't want to end up like Machka.

As to leaving stuff in a tent at an organized campsite, i try not to worry about it. There's not much market for dirty cycling clothes or a tent. I have heard anecdotes of entire campsites disappearing on people, but that's bound to be quite rare.

Don't leave electronics, money, or valuables in the tent, and ride into town to enjoy it.

Riding into a cool town for an afternoon of lounging about, drinking coffee under a shade tree, chatting up the locals, visiting used bookstores, consuming entire pies to the astonishment of waitresses....... some of the joys of bike touring. I caught "Grindhouse" the movie in an old Grindhouse in Portland on a swing thru there a few years ago. Catching a movie in an air-conditioned theatre on a hot summer day is a pleasant respite on a bike tour.

Don't let the fear of your gear being stolen get in the way of experiences like these.

ditto.