Ok, today I decided I needed to get my act together and start packing up for the Grand Canyon Trip on this coming Wednesday the third. I like to be prepared ahead of time so I am not running around freaking out if I forgot something.
As usual, I pack my cloths in Ziploc bags and separated those I will take down to the canyon. It is an old RAGBRAI (bike across Iowa) habit. I learned, as a precautionary measure, that it is a good idea to pack your cloth in Ziploc bags in case your bag gets wet. Your cloths stays dry.
As I was packing my BIG check in luggage with my backpack, food supplies, walking stick and all of my camping gear, I realize this sucker is going to be heavy. So I used a fish scale and sure enough it weigh in at 60 ibs. It is so heavy and big that the last time I did this was when I
went to Lake Tahoe and they had a hard time lifting it and stuffing it into the conveyor belt and told me that I need to a new one, because this one is so old that the weight is tips it over. Because the baggage is over 50IBS, I would have to pay an additonal $50 for the extra weight.
I started to wonder what would be better, if I paid the fee and lug this huge bag or split it between two bags and not pay the fee. I did some research and found out that it has now changed.
We now have to pay for Check in luggage.
Since I am taking US-Airways that is their fees.
First: $15 Second: $25. Third and additional: $100 each. Overweight Bags: 51 to 70 Pounds $50 to $15. This means if I take my big Monster bag, I would have to pay $15 + $50 = $65, total for both ways $130
If I split the Monster bag into two bag and keep it under 50Ibs I just pay $15 + $25 = $40, total for both way $80, I save $50 going this route.
SO, I went ahead and took out the food, utensils, water bottles, first aid kit and misc stuff from the monster bag into another back and kept my hiking stick, backpack, thermarest, ...etc. Now I have the monster bag only weighing in at a measly 38ibs and the other bag at 30ibs. I look like a damn dork carry all that, but that is what I have to do if I am going camping. I have my 2 camping stuff split into 2 bags, my backpack with my laptop, power adapters, camers, video camera, book and magazine and the other smaller gray one my cloth, both going with me.
Oh well.
1 comment:
At the airport with my daughter, I hate to pack too many bags. So, I pack a big bag that is half empty. And, a flimsy light bag. I put the smaller bag into the big bag until I get to the airport. I take out the smaller bag and check in with two bags. When we arrive, I put the small bag back into the big one and go on my way. Sounds stupid, but it works.
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