Your loss.

I wonder if you would elaborate, please, about how you secured your panniers to your racks? I see the 3/32 SS cable but I don't understand how it was secured. Thanks.

I'll be using a PacSafe Exomesh on at least one of my panniers next year when I go CC.

Most inns will provide secure storage for your bikes. If you stay at Motels or budget hotels just take the bike into your room.

I take a lightweight cable lock to secure the bike when I go into shops and a cover for my drive train when I take it into motels.

http://www.chaincondom.com/

I also usually carry a U-lock along with a cable. It's what I use around town. When I go out of town, I often start and/or end my trip in a major city, where I'd definitely want my u-lock. Sometimes for an overnight camping trip, I might leave the U-lock at home and just use the cable and my ring lock. And, when I was biking on ahead to the beach, I put the U-lock in my wife's car, so I'd have it at the beach, and made due with the cable for all of the the less populated areas in between home and the beach.

I understand the weight penalty, and I understand that it's not always useful, but when I'm in a city, I don't like to be without it.

That is reasonable since you understand the risks and the downside of the lock and made an informed decision. I guess the deciding factor is where you will be and what you will be doing there. On the rare occasions that I am a major city when on tour I typically just don't let the bike out of my sight unless it is locked up in my room (if I stay in a major city I either get a room or stay with a host).

Major cities are not a big part of my touring and I don't mind walking or using public transit if I decide to do any sightseeing in one.

Also IMO where ever you are, it helps a lot to ease the worry if you ride a bike and use gear that you can fairly easily afford to replace.

I use a light cable lock. When I'm camping or quickly going into a store to grab something, I setup a trap so that moving my bike will trigger loud noise. Also I undo QR skewer, brake and cable, and drop the chain from the chainring. Sometime, I even dry shift the rear so that chain locks up and tie my helmet to the rear wheel and seattube.

If I'm in the city and I have to park somewhere, I'll go to a LBS and have them do a minor service and tell them that I'll be back. It felt safer than leaving the bike in my hotel room.