Thanks Emily,
I had a skull on the front of the bike for the Hilly Hundred as well.





The panniers themselves will nicely fit one of the reusable cloth grocery bags that you can get at most stores now. I often will take everything and repack depending on what I have by the time I'm heading home. I've used them quite a bit. Do watch your leg when dismounting with any pannier system, I've hit my right knee multiple times and bruised the inner edge of my knee.