Personal Luggage Scale Saves Money and Check-In Hassles

Draconian checked-bag and overweight-bag fees call for cleverness -- before you leave home
Domestic airlines have seemingly been in a race to see who can impose the most aggressive fees for checked bags -- policies that I and other observers have howled over with outrage. It seems that airline passengers are now traveling lighter, only with carry-ons when possible. Southwest, the rare airline that still checks two bags free for domestic flights, seems to have been a beneficiary of these new policies.

But the majority of flyers travelers are booked on other carries, and many of us want to avoid or minimize checked-bag fees whenever and however we can. Balanzza has come up with a simple, hand-held digital luggage scale that you can use to weigh your bag before you leave home (or before you return home with your purchases) to make sure that no single piece of luggage moves into the overweight-bag zone. The scale itself weighs less than a pound and can weigh bags up to 100 pounds.

Strap the device to the handle of your bag, lift it, wait for the beep, put the bag down and read the weight on a digital screen. If you need to repack, you can do so before you get to the airport. Two models are available -- one that designed to be lifted with one hand, the second with two hands. Either one costs $24.95.

Travel Blog Offers Dozens of Packing Tips -- Mostly for Women

Months before airlines put the hammer down by levying baggage charges, a blog called Travel Hacker ran a piece called "The Art of Packing: 44 Tips to Save Space, Time and Keep Your Organized." While it does not specifically address such issues as minimizing the number of bags to be checked or keeping the weight down on those bags, some of this advice does help with packing strategy.

These tips are overwhelmingly geared to fashion-conscious women travelers. Number 6, for instance, reads, "If possible, try to pack only one sweater and/or jacket for your whole trip. Unless you’re going to Paris Fashion Week in the winter, you should be able to get away with sporting the same outerwear for a few days. You can jazz up your outfits with different accessories to keep your look from getting too tired out too quickly. You’ll be saving yourself a ton of extra packing space, so you can stock up on more fun items like shoes and shirts. Even better if you decide to wear or carry your jacket on the plane instead of forcing it into your luggage." But if that describes you, take a look and see anything that might help you pack lighter, smarter and better.

Southwest's Growth Fuels Musical Gates at DIA

Still-healthy Southwest Airlines' growth in Denver requires more gates

Southwest Airlines, a tenant at Denver International Airport's C Concourse (now renamed "C Gates"), currently has 84 daily departures (and a comparable number of arrivals, of course), with 95 by September and 115 planned by November 2. To say that Southwest is bursting at its C Gate seams is no exaggeration.

To accommodate this growth and give Southwest more contiguous, DIA is asking Alaska Airlines, US Airways, AirTran Airways and Midwest Airlines to move. Alaska and AirTran are expected to move from their current C Gates to A Gates. Air Tran and Midwest will share an A Gate to which the latter has already moved. US Airways' move will be shorter, from C32 to C29.
It will be a win-win relocation, with Southwest getting the space it needs in the upcoming months, and Alaska, Air Tran and Midwest passengers departing from a closer-to-the-terminal concourse.

When I flew Southwest last month, it looked as if a moving walkway was being installed on C, the shortest of the concourses where passengers were previously required to walk to all the gates. What I think is a new walkway seems to be a substitute for the planned 10-gate expansion of C, put on hold because of the present pullback of United, Frontier and other airlines using DIA.

United's Premier Baggage "Club" Benefits Frequent Travelers

Premier Baggage is United's latest loyalty program -- and a quick revenue producer too

United wants $249 of your money now. "For a limited time," the airline says, passengers can sign up at this "introductory rate" for a one-year membership in its new Premier Baggage program. They're not saying how long the introductory period is or what the fee might be after it's over.

The airline describes Premier Baggage like this: "Forget about first and second bag fees. With Premier Baggage, you and up to eight companions traveling under the same confirmation number can check up to two standard bags each without fees, where applicable, every time you travel within the United States or internationally on United or United Express operated flights during the year. When you purchase the Premier Baggage option, your annual subscription will be associated with your Mileage Plus account. Simply provide your Mileage Plus number each time you make a United reservation, and you'll automatically receive your Premier Baggage benefits." (Oversize and additional bag fees excepted, of course.)

It makes sense for those frequent flyers who always check a bag or two. It makes sense business colleagues who fly as a small group with checked bags. It makes sense for families who take a couple of trips a year -- one to the beach or to visit family, one to go skiing, etc. And it really makes sense for United, which has figured out that passengers who have already pre-paid for a year's checked baggage are more likely to fly the Friendly Skies than competitor carriers.

The last time we heard about a special introductory offer, it was for short-lived Clear, established to fast-track frequent travelers through airport security. I'm not anticipating that United is about to go out of business (though some people had their money on Swissair, Pan Am, TWA, Northwest and numerous other airlines), but I do sense something of the health-club of video store come-on: Join now! Limited time only! Join now! Save more if you join for a year! Save the most with a lifetime membership!

Smarter Travel, which alerted us to this new program, did a bit of math on who saves and who might as well not bother, and commented, "United is targeting the travelers most heavily penalized by its fees. Which, I suppose, is better than nothing. But it does more to remind us how much the industry has changed in the past two years." SmarterTravel.com is a Smarter Travel Media LLC company, but I'm not sure who among the editors the "I" above might be.

Hotel Room Cleanliness: A Concern?

Travelers weigh in on hotel room cleanliness

The Independent Traveler has tackled the topic of hotel room cleanliness, how much it matters to travelers and to what lengths they are willing to go to stay in a spic-and-span room in "How to Find a Clean Hotel Room." Some of the revelations are enough to make a body just want to stay home -- for example, "A recent study conducted by the University of Virginia found that people infected with a cold who spent a night in a hotel room left contagious germs on nearly 35 percent of objects they touched. The study showed that a virus can live on objects like faucet handles and ice buckets for at least a day -- disturbing evidence of what might be waiting when you wheel your suitcase into a suite."

The Independent Traveler's current poll of the week, "How Clean Is Your Hotel Room?", reveals that most travelers do something to avoid the worst of the germs and cooties that might be present in hotel rooms. The question was, "How do you ensure that your hotel room is clean?" Participants have 10 answers to choose from and may click on more than one. Of the 68 people who responded so far, 29 percent clicked on "I avoid the bedspread at all costs"; 27 percent plan ahead and clicked on "I read hotel reviews before booking to avoid 'dirty' hotels; another 27 percent selected "I wash my hands frequently," and just 2 percent of the most cautious (or biggest jokers) clicked on "I travel with a gas mask and plastic gloves."

Fall(en Leaf) Hike to Surprise Lake

Autumn hike to Surprise Lake in the northern part of the Eagles Nest Wilderness

Our last few Front Range hikes have held the promise of gloriously golden aspens "next weekend." Because the aspen groves are bigger and more spectacular west of the Divide, we drove to the trailhead at near the Cataract Creek Campground above Green Mountain Reservoir. We remembered aspens from previous summer hikes and had our fingers crossed. Well, between the last weekend in September and the first in October several inches of snow fell in the high country, and while the trail was mostly clear, the branches were mostly cleared of leaves too. Last weekend turned out to be a tad too early and this past weekend was definitely too late for spectacular Colorado fall color of yellow.

Still, that was a minor, if nagging, complaint on a beautiful fall day with comfortable temperatures and no wind. From the fee station and wilderness trail register, the Surprise Lake Trail drops down a short way and crosses Cascade Creek. While mountain bikes are prohibited, horses are permitted on this trail, so the bridge has to be sturdy enough to support their weight.

Cascade Creek, which in spring and early summer can be a rough torrent is, in fall, is a gentle watercourse that floqa into the Blue River Valley, Green Mountain Reservoir and eventually the Colorado River.

We entered the Eagles Nest Wilderness a short way into the hike.

The steepest part of the trail comes at the beginning as it passes through open meadows and stands of aspen. Some tenacious brown leaves hung off a few trees, but basically, the leaves were underfoot.

Farther along, conifers line the route, and we encountered some lingering snow at the edge of the trail...
...and among the rocks.

A couple of miles from the trailhead, the Surprise Lake Trail comes to a T when it meets the Gore Range Trail. We turned right and continued up to Surprise Lake.

Snow was already beginning to pack onto the north-facing terrain on the higher peaks, but lily pads still floated on unfrozen surface of Surprise Lake.

A gray jay, more commonly known as a camp robber, came around looking for handouts when we stopped for a bite to eat.

We turned back and retraced our steps to the trailhead. If we had wanted a longer hike, we could have continued up the Gore Range Trail and made a loop to return to the trailhead. As it was, we hiked about six miles with an elevation gain of roughly 2,000 feet -- depending on whose electronic tracking device we consulted.

It rained most of today at Boulder's 5,400-foot elevation, which probably meant snow on the trail we just hiked. Golden aspens or not, we're happy to have done so.

Travel Thumbnail #1: Bent's Old Fort

Step back to the 1830s and 1840s with a visit to this adobe fort along the historic Santa Fe Trail

This is the first of a series of periodic reports on specific places I've visited -- and you might want to as well. Post a comment or let me know directly what you think of this new Travel Babel feature.

The Place: Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, CO

The Story: This "castle on the Plains" is a faithful reconstruction of a fortified adobe trading post built on this this site in 1833 by brothers William and Charles Bent and Ceran St. Vrain along the Santa Fe Trail's Mountain Route (that is, the northern route). That section of the Santa Fe Trail followed the Arkansas River, which provided water for livestock and humans in the Great American Desert.

Bent's Fort was the linchpin of the Bent-St.Vrain Company's trade that stretched from Fort St.Vrain to the north to Fort Adobe to the south. Cheyenne, Arapaho, Arikara, Comanche, Kiowa, Shoshone and Sioux Native Americans were known to have traded at Bent's Fort, but the main trade was with the Southern Cheyennes and Arapahos. Bent's Fort took in buffalo robes and passed out supplies, but it also resupplied explorers, adventurers, pioneers and the US Army and also was a place for wagon repairs, livestock, food, water, hospitality and congenial company.

Bent's Fort welcomed anyone traveling along the Santa Fe Trail, including Indians, soldiers, Mexicans, Germans, French, Irish and blacks -- tolerance that was not to be taken for granted in its heyday. William bent encouraged alliances among people who would later war violently on each other.

During Mexican-American War in 1846, Bent's Fort was a staging area for Colonel Stephen Watts Kearny's "Army of the West," which seized land in what is now New Mexico but was eventually defeated in California. Until a combination of disease and the US Army's unwillingness to compensate William Bent for garrisoning Kearny's soldiers caused its abandonment in 1849, the fort was the only major permanent Anglo settlement along the Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and Mexican holdings.

The fort was reconstructed for the US Bicentennial in 1976 according to archaeological excavations and original sketches, paintings and diaries. A skeleton Park Service staff is on hand all year round, supplemented in summer by costumed docents and re-enactors who recapture life in this frontier fort for 21st century visitors.

Today, visitors see living quarters, workshops, store rooms, ramparts, kitchens and trading areas.

Tips for visiting: Sunscreen, water and bug spray are useful. Mid-day summer temperatures in the 90s or higher are not unusual.

Cost: Adults, $3; children aged 6 to 12, $2 under 6 years , free. Also free are holders of the Interagency Annual Passes, Senior Passes and Access Passes.

More Information: The Santa Fe Trail Historic Byway Association has additional information about Bent's Old Fort and also encampments and other participation events.

The site is open daily except select holidays. Summer hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. From September 1 through May 31, hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Bent's Old Fort is 70 miles from Pueblo, 8 miles from La Junta and 15 miles from Las Animas. The official address is 35110 Highway 194 East, La Junta, CO 81050-9523; 719-383-5010.

Oberammergau? Book Now!

Bavarian village produces Passion Play every 10 years. Hurry to attend in 2010

Half a million people make a religious or theatrical pilgrimage to the Bavarian village of Oberammergau every 10 years to witness the spectacle of the renowned Passion Play that has been put once a decade for 375 years. It is an astonishing feat for a mountain hamlet of 5,200 inhabitants to put on a five-hour spectacle depicting the last days of Jesus. Nearly half of the residents are involved in some way -- on the open-air stage, in the orchestra or behind the scenes.

Something like 100 performances will be put on next year between May 15 and October 3, and if you want to attend, book now. I mean now. Yesterday, I met Mike Adams, managing director of Germany TourComm, who said that individual tickets are already sold out and that if the world economy were stronger, tickets in conjunction with tour operator-based packages would most likely be gone by now too. But the economy is weak, and tickets are still available in conjunction with a lodging package that can be as short as one night. Click here for US tour operators booking one- and two-night Passion Play packages. The Passion Play website also links to tour operators in other countries.

The Passion Play was first performed in the town cemetery in 1634. The story never changes, but the precise words, the music, the sets, the costumes and even the supporting roles have evolved over the centuries. The photo (above right) by Thomas Dashuber shows a rehearsal of the 2010 production. Thanks to Passion Play Oberammergau for its use.