You win the Luddite Gold medal for today.
Lay off it please. You exaggerate I feel.
May come as news to you that I was actually pleased to find my Ridgeback 2016 model (V brakes) before it was changed to discs in the following year. Discs have their plus points but I prefer Vs for all sorts of reasons stated by others upthread.
I keep my rims clean and regularly check the pads for debris. Not gone on a major expedition yet but like the idea that I can pick up the pads pretty much anywhere. Brake unit or lever failure extremely unlikely but if that ever happened I would have little problem getting (and fitting) new ones.
If setting off on a major major trip, no great problem to fit new Sputnik rimmed wheels. I reckon they would outlast most trips.
My 2016 model still has its original wheels as supplied and still running fine - I plan to get some Sputniks to fit when heading off somewhere serious. My general purpose bike has Sputnik wheels built by Spa and they are still going strong after several years. I fitted Vs to that bike (a 90s steel Ridgeback - how quaint/luddite) to replace the original cantis. I also in a modernising fit moved it from 7 speed to 8 speed for the simple reason that it works.
Not had any real problem stopping at all and you would not believe the amount of stuff I carry.
As for stopping in the wet, don't see that as a mega mega problem. And of course on tour, rather than racing to work, you don't necessarily have to ride ride on through a deluge. I might take it easy and spend more time in the tent with a good book. Or if in the UK retire to a spoons to catch up on internet and recharging.
I'd wager that your bike/s contain a fair few bits that are just so last century. But work.
