Spokes break. Fact o'life. Rear spokes break more often.

When you think about it, those poor spokes really get a workout, so it's no wonder that metal fatigue gets them in the end.

We've had a rash of spoke breakage this summer for some reason. What we do is just ride home sitting lightly in the saddle and take the wheel into the LBS the next day. I don't do spokes (yet).

If I had the wheel rubbing, I don't know what I'd do, probably just cuss more creatively on the ride home - and tell myself I'm doing hill training.

BTW, if you go to bike touring sites, the pinging sound you hear as you log on is the sound of overloaded spokes breaking. Bike tourists often take along emergency replacement spokes (kevlar?), but I don't think they'd be worth the effort for day trips.