Great advice, tahomus, especially about having an inventory list to check against so you know what is missing.

And shipping the stuff ahead is becoming more and more of the preferred method as fuel prices rise and checked-bag weight-limits drop.

If there was EVER a reason to get into ultralight hiking, it's when there's a commercial plane somehow in the equation on how you're getting to the trailhead.

Five years ago: Passengers allowed 3 bags at 70 pounds each. 210 pounds total.

May of 2008: Two bags at 50 pounds each, 100 pounds total, with United planning in May to charge you $25 bucks for the SECOND bag unless you're one of their elite travelers. No other major airlines have announced they are tagging along with this, although Spirit airlines already is charging for ANY bags you check. Wouldn't be surprised if in a few years they'll be labeling us with "FAT" tags (and we're not even flying to FRESNO) and charging us for our own personal excess & overweight belly baggage.

Tahomus, I'm a diabetic like your boss, and I'm guessing it was because he was just diagnosed a diabetic and cause, well, he was your boss and all, but you should have said something like, "ARE YOU NUTS? You're lugging all that in your baggage? You think they don't have DIET SODAS in VEGAS? Diet shakes and crackers? In Vegas, they probably have got DIET DOM PERIGNON!" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />