What's in there?

I've noticed something: long-distance cyclists seem to carry a lot of stuff. It makes me wonder, what is in all those bags? It must be the hiker in me, but it just looks like way too much. I did the calculations, and both my rear panniers hold about the same amount of cubic inches as my pack that I carried for 6 months. I learned that the more space you have, the more junk sneaks its way in. And who needs a lot of junk when you need to haul it on your back, up and over mountains all day? Or, pedal it up and over 12,000' mountain passes? This may be a theme to live by. 

My friend, Andy from Baltimore, and I (yes, that is his name AND trail name) biked the C&O Canal this summer. I managed to fit all of my stuff in 2 rear panniers (with space to spare), and kept a few handy items in a handlebar bag, like snacks, maps, and a headlamp. I also took a collapsible fishing pole, for good measure (we didn't fish, and I heard eating from the Potomac is just downright disgusting). 

Some parallels of biking and hiking: biking is like hiking, only you can carry a whole jar of peanut butter vs a few squeeze packs of it (and not even notice the extra weight), you find yourself in the most incredible situations, something is always sore, the pit stench is just as bad (do cyclists wear deodorant?), and people on bike tours are just as kind. Oh, and taking advantage of ice cream when possible is just as important!

So, perhaps I'm prematurely speaking (er, typing) since I have yet to do a trip that is longer than 5 days.  I know I'll have a few more items to haul than I did in my pack, like tools, tubes, and random repair items, but, I think I can manage with just rear bags and a handlebar bag. Plus, people tour on folding bikes with much less space available, maybe they are the equivalent of ultra-light hikers?