Stuff I Carried on my Person

Here's what I wore on a typical day:

• T-shirt and shorts -- I generated enough heat while riding that I was comfortable in summer clothes unless the temperature dipped below 50 F. Even then, the prevailing wisdom is to dress in layers, and I liked to have something decent underneath the other layers!
• Biking shoes -- until mid-November, I was riding in ordinary shoes, and it looked for a while like I might have damaged my joints by doing so. Biking shoes have clips that fasten them onto the pedals, ensuring the "biodynamically optimal" range of motion.
• Socks, underwear, glasses
• Belt -- useful for clipping on my radio and dog dazer
• Dog Dazer -- I call this my "remote control for dogs". I bought it online for $15 and wasn't sure it worked at first, because it only works against hostile dogs. But now I've had plenty of opportunities to watch them stop in their tracks when I press the button. Friendly dogs hardly notice it.
• Helmet -- I got one with a visor for this trip, and I was very glad to have it!
• Sunglasses -- I like wraparounds, because I hate getting glare in my eyes. I know they look silly, but I don't care.
• Rear-view mirror -- I used to have one on my handlebars, but it broke off, so I got the kind that attaches to my helmet. It took some getting used to, but now I wouldn't use anything else.
• Bike lock key -- I rarely locked my bike when the trailer was attached, because there was no way to lock down the stuff on the trailer, and because bike racks aren't designed to accommodate a 15-foot-long vehicle that likes to fall over. But I carried the key for those few times when I did lock up.
• Multi-tool -- I got used to carrying a knife, screwdriver, etc. when I was repairing computers on a daily basis, and now I'm not comfortable without that functionality in my pocket.