Guidebook Takes You to the Top

Boulder author hasn't met a summit he didn't like -- and he wrote a book about his favorite fifty plus a few

The names of Colorado's 54 fourteeners -- peaks of at least 14,000 feet in elevation -- are emblazoned on T-shirts, sweatshirts, neckerchiefs and water bottles. Some have technical routes, requiring ropes and real climbing skills, but every one has at least one hike-up route. There are, to my knowledge, at least four fourteener hiking/climbing guides, one of which has been in print since 1978. Coloradans set goals of climbing them all, climbing them all in one year, climbing them all in one summer and, in the case first of Lou Dawson and more recently Chris Davenport, climbing up and skiing down all of them.

In Best Summit Hikes in Colorado, Boulder author James Dziezynski wrote both about his favorite fourteeners and lesser peaks as well, including some that are nameless and/or do not even have a trail to the summit. He enjoys traversing ridges that link neighboring mountains or summits and their subpeaks. His book details (and I really mean details) the routes he has followed. Some do require serious scrambling or have significant exposure, but many others are simply walk-ups.

Dziezynski has included features in his guide that I have not seen in any other Colorado trails book. I like his upfront thumbnail descriptions of the terrain. He writes that Mt. Elbert is ascended via a "well-maintained trail," while Mt. Powell requires "tricky off-trail navigation to steep, challenging hill climbs." For most hikers, that immediate separates out the doable, the difficult and the impossible. I also like his Gear Advisor such as "gaiters, trekking poles or ice axe, GPS," "helmet, good grippy boots" or simply "normal gear" are needed under most conditions.

His intro to every peak and his Quick Facts about the story of each mountain are interesting and his Why Climb It? offers insights that most authors don't bother sharing. The meticulous route guide itself locate each trail feature by mileage and also keys it numerically to a map. Of course, there is information on reaching each trailhead and lots of relevant numbers, such as distance, lowest and highest elevation, total elevation gain, trail rating by difficulty and estimated hiking time. The extensive introductory material includes some basics on first aid, altitude sickness, weather, flora, fauna, human impact on the Rockies

The book was published toward the end of last summer, so for all practical purposes, it is new this year. I suspect that some of those remoted, unheralded summits will feel a few more footfalls from now on.

Inflation Hits Travel Prices

Travel costs rose by an inflationary 6 percent over 2007

The Travel Industry Association, which keeps track of such things, released the following dismaying report, just as the summer travel season is gearing up:

"The April Travel Price Index, TPI, rose 6.0 percent compared to April 2007. Gasoline prices increased 5.6 percent from March and jumped 21.1 percent
from one year ago. Lodging prices were up 0.8 percent compared to April 2007 and
down 2.2 percent from last month. Airfares increased 10.1 percent against twelve
months earlier and 0.9 percent from previous month. The Consumer Price Index, or
CPI-U, was up 3.9 percent from April 2007.

"Developed by TIA, the Travel Price Index (TPI) measures the seasonally
unadjusted inflation rate of the cost of travel away from home in the United
States. The TPI is based on U.S. Department of Labor price data collected for
the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI). The TPI is released monthly and is
directly comparable to the CPI. Please click here to access the current month Index."

More Airline Woes

Tough times continue for Mesa, Frontier and US Airways

Just two days ago, I wrote that we are all tired of these troubled travel times and posted some positive news about a few favorite places in the West celebrating important anniversaries this year. That was then, and this is now -- time to report more discouraging airline news. Mesa Air promises to file for bankruptcy on July 20 if Delta severs its commuter contract for regional service. For its part, Delta claims that Mesa has not lived up to some of its agreements. Without going into tedious detail, the result could be that travelers again are the losers.

Frontier employees have taken pay cuts to help out their employer, which is operating under bankruptcy protection.

The New York Times reported yesterday that the United-US Airways merger talks appear to have unraveled. According to the paper, "There has been little to no contact between United Airlines and US Airways in recent days and the internal teams of senior executives at both companies, as well as external bankers and lawyers assigned to the project, have put it on 'permanent hold,”' one person involved in the talks said. While it remained possible the talks could be revived, people involved in the most recent discussions said they had never advanced to final negotiations."

Perhaps in preparation for continuing to go it alone, US Airways is further circling its fiscal wagon by eliminating free peanuts in economy class.

Major Western Anniversaries

Visit the wildlife refuge and classi amusement park at 100, renowned resort at 90, tribal park at 50, Asian teahouse at 10

I'm tired of writing about the miserable state of air travel these days, the diving American dollar and the increasing abuses inflicted on travelers by the Transportation Security Administration, and if you are a regular visitor, you're probably tired of reading about them. So here is an anniversary tribute to a quintet of very different places in the Rocky Mountain region and the Southwest that I've enjoyed and hope that you will too.

Centennial - National Bison Range, Moise, MT

If it weren't for the National Bison Range, the great shaggy beast that once dominated the Plains by the millions might exist today only on the nickel. In fact, the range's Bill West declared, "The whole concept of saving an endangered species sort of begin with the American Bison Society 100 years ago. It started the idea of philanthropy in the wildlife realm and also the idea of buying land specficially for wildlife."

With the support of President Theodore Roosevelt, Congress established the National Bison Range in 1908, when the national census of bison (commonly referred to as "buffalo") had dwindled to a few hundred head in private ownership, including some under the protection of the Pend Oreille peoples, and a federally protected herd in Yellowstone National Park.

Today, the 18,500-acre National Bison Range is a federal wildlife refuge whose 340- to 500-head herd is carefully managed to maintain health and diversity. If you go, stop at the visitor center before embarking on one of three self-drive vehicle tours. In addition to bison, you might see elk, deer, pronghorn, black bear, coyote and ground squirrels, and birds, birds birds. Among the more 200 species of birds that call the home are eagles, hawks, meadowlarks, bluebirds, ducks and geese.

National Bison Range, 58355 Bison Range Road, Moiese, MT 59824; 406-644-2211.

Centennial - Lakeside Amusement Park, Denver

Long before there was Disneyland and all the corporate-owned destination theme parks that have followed, there were local "amusement parks" with rides, entertainment and gardens. Denver had at least two, the original Elitch's in northwest Denver and Lakeside Amusement Park, which opened on Memorial Day 1908 on the city's western fringes. The current Elitch's bears no resemblance to the original, having been relocated to the Platte River Valley, acquired and divested by Six Flags. Through it all, Lakeside has remained a friendly old-style park.

When it opened, it was called the “Coney Island of the West,” because it was ablaze with 100,000 electric lights. No one was concerned about leaving a big carbon footprint in those days! It was so popular that a trolley line was laid to drop visitors right at the illuminated Tower of Jewels, then Colorado’s tallest building and still a local landmark. Today, the 40 major rides include spinning rides, upside-down rides, flying rides and a new drop tower. Don’t miss the classic wooden Cyclone Coaster, the original merry-go-round, and two tiny trains pulled by the country’s last two miniature steam locomotives from the 1904 World’s Fair. Family-owned Lakeside welcomes today’s families with a charming Kiddies’ Playland and affordable pricing.

Starting next week, Lakeside will be open daily through August 17, and then weekends through Labor Day. Gate admission (no rides) is just $2.50 (single ride tickets are available); unlimited rides $13.75 weekdays, $19.75, Friday through Sunday through Labor Day. Through sounds and images, the nostalgia-rich website evokes the feeling of a century ago.

Lakeside Amusement Park; 4601 Sheridan Boulevard, Denver; 303-477-1621.

90 Years - The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs

Next month the Broadmoor celebrates its 90th anniversary. I was kind of hoping that this magnificent resort hotel, which has been honored with more AAA Diamonds, Mobil Stars and assorted wine and hospital official accolades than any other, would make a big production of this noteworthy annivesary. But either they are saving their firepower for the centennial, only 10 years from now, or are so busy with the upcoming US Senior Open Golf Championship coming up on July 28-August 3 that there's no time to throw a birthday party worthy of Broadmoor standards.

The hotel opened with three buildings, 111 guest rooms, one golf course and lofty ambitions to match the finest European hotels in terms of architecture, cuisine and most of all, service. It is now the grandest resort in Colorado, and one of the grandest in North America. Set on 3,000 acres, it now includes 593 hotel rooms, 107 suites, 40 new "cottage" accommodations, 14 dining facilities from the fine-dining Penrose Room to the casual snackbar-style Cafe Julie, four lounges, magnifident public spaces, three golf courses, a tennis center, pools, a luxurious health club, a private lake, a movie theater, meeting and thousands of square feet of convention space, plus, plus, plus.

There's no better place Colorado, and few in the country, for a sybaritic vacation or romantic getaway, a wonderful special occasion dinner or Sunday brunch (right), an opulent 70-item feast in the Lake Terrace Dining Room (adults, $38). But even if you are on a tight budget, you can come into the hotel, walk the main-floor corridors whose walls are hung with historic photos and memorabilia, stroll around the lake, park yourself on a lakeside bench or sink into a comfortable chair in the grand lobby. It doesn't cost a king's ransom to dine in The Tavern (lunch, $9.50-$28; dinner $16-$48). Any way that your budget and time permit, this would be the year to come and share the anniversary spirit of this landmark resort.

The Broadmoor, 1 Lake Avenue, Colorado Springs; 719-577-5775 or 866-837-9520 (hotel reservations), or 719-634-7711.

50 Years - Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, AZ/UT

Monument Valley's spectacular sandstone towers, arches and fins are ancient formations that have served as backdrops for numerous Western films, but the official Navajo Nation tribal park designation is "only" 50 years old this year. Earlier this month, the anniversary was celebrated with two days of races -- a marathon, half-marathon, 10K relay and 5K fun run. Monument Valley Celebration Day Coming up on July 11 are the Drums of Summer and Outdoor Concert Series with live entertainment. The golden-anniversary year culiminates in the Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon Rally, December 12-14, with balloons entered by invitation only. Also scheduled for completion later this year is the new View Hotel & Spa. Otherwise, all you need to do is drive or ride through the park. General admission is $5. Guided tours, camping and hiking are also available. Inquire about permit procedures and fees.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, P.O. Box 360289, Monument Valley, UT 84536; 435-727-5870. The visitor center is at the junction of Highway 89 and Highway 64 in Cameron, AZ.

10 Years - Dushanbe Teahouse, Boulder

Dushanbe, Tajikistan, is one of Boulder's sister cities. As a token of friendship, that central Asian city donated a classic teahouse, tiled inside and out, to the City of Boulder. It took some time for Boulder to decide where to erect it and more time for Tajik artisans to assemble it here. It opened in 1998, and in just a decade, it has become such a Boulder fixture that it seems to have been in place forever.

Within the intricate and colorful walls, the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse is a popular place to come for a meal or a spot of tea -- an oasis of Asian tranquility. It is neither strictly vegetarian nor vegan but offers many dishes to meet these dietary needs. Breakfast and brunch entrees, $5.95-$11; breakfast scones and pastries, $1.50-$2.25; dinner entrees, $13-$18.

The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse is at 1770 13th Street (that's the Boulder Country Farmers' Market block), Boulder; 303-442-4993.

Air Fares & Add-on Fees: Up, Up & Away

The cost of flying Frontier, American, Delta and United continues to climb

Like a jet plane soaring to cruising altitude, the cost of flying continues to climb. "Crisis" is the word most often heard in airline circles. The latest news, tough on travelers but necessary given the unchecked inflation of aviation fuel, includes:

Frontier Airlines, which is already operating under bankruptcy protection, became the latest carrier to jump on the second-bag-charge bandwagon. Just before the long Memorial Day weekend, the Denver-based carrier announced that as of June 10, it will charge $15 per second checked bag costs $25. Also, the surcharge for oversize and/or overweight bags will rise from $50 to $75, and the cost of bringing a pair of antlers climbs from $75 to $100. Don't laugh. With a strong presence in the Mountain States, Frontier flies a lot of hunters -- and if successful, they like to bring their trophies home. Frontier’s mileage club members, active military duty personnel and people who purchase tickets before June 10 will be exempt from the extra bag charge, but presumably not the other increases.

The fee for unaccompanied minors aged five through 14 rises on two carriers. American is increasing it from $75 to $100 each way. Delta, which until now charged $50 for nonstops and $100 for connecting flights, is leveling all fees at $100, connection or no connection.

Pet policies and fees are changing as well -- and not favorably for animal owners. American and Delta are upping the fee for bringing pets into the cabin to $100 each way, up from $80 and $75, respectively. Checking a pet into the cargo hold rises to $150 each way on American, up from $100, and $200 on Delta, up from $150. Frontier is barring pets from airplane cabins altogether starting June 10. I wonder whether flying a live, crated animal will cost the same as a pair of antlers.

American, Delta and United are raising their fares by as much as $60 roundtrip for flights of more than 1,500 miles. People who track such things note that it will be the big airlines' 12th successive increase this year. Meanwhile, big-box retailers are promoting home, garden and patio enhancements for those who have thrown in the 2009 travel towel and are planning a "staycation" instead.

Intrusive New Airport Security Sceening

Explicit "full body scan" in place at six major US airports, including DIA

The Transportation Security Administration is at it again with an invasive new screening process. Denver International Airport (starting yesterday), Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport, Los Angeles International, New York's JFK International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International and Albuquerque International Sunport have installed L-3 Communications' millimeter-wave screening devices. These $158,000 machines bounce radio waves off the body to produce what has been described as "a graphic, whole-body image." While it is designed to reveal weapons and explosives that people might hide on their persons, it actually produces a controversial anatomically revealing image that is shockingly intrusive and invasive.

In a piece called "Airport Rolls Out Full-Body Scanning," Denver Post reporter Jeffrey Leib asked about travelers' legitimate privacy concerns:

"Travelers who do not want to submit to millimeter-wave screening can opt
for a pat-down search instead, [David] Bassett, [TSA's federal security director
in Denver] said. The new technology is 'less invasive' than the pat down,
he said. 'Some people don't want to be touched.'... To deal with privacy concerns, TSA is offering protections on whole-body scanning, including blurring the faces on images of passengers being screened, examining the images in a remote room and offering no possibility for images to be stored, printed, transmitted or reproduced, Bassett said.

"Whole-body imaging 'is an extremely high invasion of privacy,' although
TSA's effort to ensure that images are never made public is 'commendable,' said John Soma, a University of Denver law professor and executive director of the
Privacy Foundation. 'The compliance level has to be extremely high,' Soma said
of TSA's need to adhere to its rules in order to protect passengers' privacy. A
sign at the entrance of the millimeter-wave machine at DIA tells passengers to
'Remove everything from your pockets before entering. This includes all paper,
plastic items, pens and wallets.'

"As a passenger stands in the machine, it takes 2 seconds for the image to
be generated and 10 to 12 seconds for a screener in another room to interpret
the scan. On Wednesday, TSA employees stood in the machine to demonstrate its
capabilities. In a tiny, closed room at the back of the checkpoint, screener
Bill Whitlock scanned the image that appeared on his computer screen. It was
graphic and detailed, and the face was blurred. A shirt button, a belt buckle
and underwire in a bra were visible. Whitlock used a two-way radio to tell
another screener stationed at the millimeter-wave machine that the image had
been reviewed and the person could exit the machine. A sign on the door to the
small screening room says, 'Warning: Following items prohibited beyond this
point. — cellphones — video cameras — image-capturing devices. '

"Bassett said millimeter-wave screening will complement other technologies
already installed at checkpoints, including explosive-trace-detection portals,
or 'puffers,' that blow jets of air over a passenger's body and analyze air
samples for explosive residue. 'The puffer is sniffing; this is seeing,' Bassett
said of the millimeter-wave technology."

For a PG-13 version of how the system works, click here and follow the obvious links. The videos seem to be L-3 Communications', so they appear quite innocuous. The device works quickly and could, in theory, speed up the security process, but checking in has become such a long and tedious process that gaining a little time per passenger seems a high price to pay for this assult on personal privacy.

There are unpleasant side effects too. In addition to an intrusive new system inflicted on any one of us card-carrying Americans, our government now abuses our foreign visitors both coming and going. We fingerprint and photograph them when they enter the country as if they were under arrest, and we now can subject them them to a revealing full-body scan when they leave. Did I mention that this millimeter-wave scanning device is also being sold to "justice centers" (i.e., courthouses and jails).

Southwest Will Win Friends with Two-Bag Allowance

Low-cost carrier retains traditional checked-bag policies

On the heels of American Airlines' ill-conceived decision to begin levying a $15 charge for the first checked bag for most passengers and several carrier's recently instituted second-bag fee of $25, Southwest just sent out the following statement, which I quote in its entirety:

"Today's New York Times story on American Airlines' plan to charge for all checked luggage included a reference to Southwest Airlines that said, 'Other major American airlines, including Southwest Airlines, said Wednesday that they were considering matching the fee.' That is not true. The next line quotes a Southwest spokesperson saying, 'We're doing everything we can do to boost revenue, but it's not our goal to nickel and dime our customers.' That is true. We want to assure you that Southwest Airlines still allows you to check up to two free bags when you travel with us, and has no plans to change that. You can still count on Southwest Airlines to provide high quality air travel at a low fare, without a lot of extra fees. We look forward to seeing you onboard very soon. (And bring your luggage!)"

As I noted in my blog post yesterday that included news of this American Airlines "revenue enchancer," I believe that this surcharge will backfire and many passengers will avoid American whenever they can. Fifteen dollars is not a fortune, but for the proverbial family of four on a tight budget, that additional $60 each way to check just one bag apiece, the new fee can make or break a trip. Now, perhaps driving becomes a more reasonable option -- and so is staying home and enjoying what has come to be called a "staycation."

The entire issue of surcharges set travel consumer advocate Christopher Elliott off on a recent rant. He wrote "Five Airline Fees That Make Absolutely No Sense Whatsover" -- and that was before American decided to impose a fee for even the first checked bag.

Airline & Airport News

American to Charge $15 for First Checked Bag

American Airlines is about to charge more and provide less. The carrier is culling 75 aircraft from its fleet, which will definitely mean an 11-12 percent reduction in capacity and probably result in the elimination and not just reduction of service to some current cities. Additional bad news is that anyone booking flights after June 15 will paying $15 for the first checked bag -- unless s/he is flying full-fare economy, first class or business-first; is flying on a government or military fare or active military; has reached premium status on America's AAdvantage frequent flier program, or is connecting to/from a codeshare flight not operated by American. Plus, of course, American is also charging most passengers $25 for the second checked bag on all flights. The airline is adding or inreasing other surcharges. It's probably just as well that American is cutting capacity, because travelers will probably avoid the airline if there are options -- unless of course other carriers fall into line. These decisions are not sitting any better with employees than with customers. Employees reportedly picketed the airline's Fort Worth headquarters during annual shareholder meeting.

Singapore Airlines Converting Airbus 340-500 to All-Business Class

And for a glimpse at how the other half flies -- the "small half," that is -- consider Singapore Airlines' conversion of its A340-500s to and from the US, where front-of-the-plane luxury will soon be all-of-the-plane luxury as the carrier converts all five aircraft to all business class. The airline just inaugurated nonstop flights to Singapore's Changi Airport (SIN) from Newark International Airport (EWR) three times a week, which will increase to daily service by the end of June. It also flies LAX-SIN and SFO-SIN and will becomne the first carrier with all-business class transpacific service. Cabins are configured with just 100 30-inch-wide leather seats that convert into full-flat beds, with singles by the windows and two in the century of this wide-body aircraft. (In a three-class configuration, this plane can carry up to 313 passengers, which gives you an idea of just how much space each business class passenger has.)

This all-business class service includes new menus served restaurant-style and a new Passenger Corner area for socializing, drinks and snacks -- plus an enhanced inflight entertainment system. Passengers can now plug in their iPods, iPhones (for audio and video content only) and USB flash drives to view content on the system’s 15-inch-screen. Passengers on these flights won't be charged for checking bags.

British Airways to Upgrade JFK Facilities

Beginning next month, British Airways is also doing right by its front-cabin fliers as it furbishes its ground facilities at New York's JFK International Airport to the tune of $30 million. The 18-month project will enhance the check-in experience for for premium fliers with a dedicated curbside drop-off area for First and Executive Club Gold passengers; an upgraded check-in area for Club World and Executive Club Silver customers, and the renovation of lounges to the standards set at London's Heathrow Airport's new Terminal 5. Let's hope that the baggage handling system does not echo the problems when the new terminal at Heathrow opened in March, which I reported on here. After that fiasco, I am amazed that BA has the wherewithal to redo its JFK facility, but then again, with the strong pound and the weak dollar, it's a good deal for the airline now. The renewed JFK facility will aiming at Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Southwest Announces More Denver Flights

In addition to new Denver flights services announced earlier, Southwest Airlines is adding three daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and San Francisco and three daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and Omaha. These new flights begin September 2.

Mesa Airlines Subsidiary to Cut Service to 16 Communities

By June 30, it will no longer be possible to fly Air Midwest to Lewisburg, WV; DuBois and Franklin, PA; Athens, GA; Ely, NV.; Merced and Visalia, CA; Prescott and Kingman, AZ.; Farmington, NM; Columbia, Joplin and Kirksville, MO.; Grand Island and McCook, NB.; and Little Rock, AR. That's because parent company, Mesa Airlines, is shutting down this commuter subsidiary. Keep in mind that Air Midwest is not the same carrier as Midwest Airlines, which last time I looked, was still flying.

Continental Inaugurates Cleveland-Paris Nonstops

Tomorrow is the first day first day of Continental's new seasonal nonstop flights beteween its Cleveland hub (CVG) and Paris -- that's France, not Texas where Continental is headquartered. Continental will use Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG); Continental already flies Cleveland-London but utilizes Gatwick rather than Heathrow. The CVG-CDG flight will operate daily through September 1 -- just before Labor Day.

Delta and Northwest to Merge -- Probably

I've avoided posting items about mergers of major US carriers, because other engagements have been called off -- i.e., Delta-US Airways last year; America West-USAir in 2005, a merger that occurred in 2006 to create US Airways; United-US Airways in 2000. However, it looks as if Delta and Northwest will indeed the knot -- though exactly when is still a question mark and what it will be called has also not yet been announced. What will it mean? Other than a joint pre-merger website, perhaps eventually fewer flights, even though they claim that it will create a "premier global airline" and "is a merger based on addition, not subtraction, and it will open a world of opportunities for customers and employees."

China Earthquake Relief Donations Net Mileage Plus Credits

United Mileage Plus members who contribute $50 online or more through the American Red Cross's China Earthquake Relief Fund will receive a one-time 500-mile bonus. In order to receive the mileage credit, you need to forward your electronic receipt from the American Red Cross to ChinaRelief-Miles@united.com.

Flight Attendant's Tips for Dealing with Baggage Hassles

Airlines' second bag fee causes flyers to rethink what they take and how they pack

Yesterday, in considering traveling to places that are dangerous or have policies travels might find abhorrent, I rhetorically asked, "to go or not to go?" James Wysong, whose day job is flying for a living, now asks, "check your luggage -- or not?" in "Check it Out! 10 Clever Luggage Tips from a Flight Attendant" on Tripso.com.

Wysong observes, "Many travel experts suggest carrying on all baggage versus checking. As a flight attendant, I may seem like the last person to be impartial, but since I am also often a passenger, I see both sides." He adds, "Anyone with a lick of sense will tell you that once airlines charge for a second bag, more and more passengers will start carrying them on board, adding to the sea of already overcrowded storage space. This will mean more hassles at the gate, delays, and those of you who only bring on a small bag will many times have to store it in the cramped space under the seat in front of you. My only explanation for the lunacy is that the airlines have plans for charging for extra carry-on bags next."

As a passenger who frequently travels with ski gear, occasionally with scuba gear but never with golf clubs (but it's the same situation), I hasten to add that those "travel experts" probably don't ski, dive or golf -- or they have adequate travel budgets so that sports gear at $25 per item each way doesn't make a noticeable dent in their wallets. Here is Wysong's take on the merits and disadvantages of various tactics for dealing with luggage (reused here with permission of James Wysong):

Pros for checking bags in:
1. You will have a lot less hassle at security and throughout the airport.
2. You don’t have to cram your gels and liquids into three-ounce bottles and you can buy duty free abroad as you can check larger bottles that you can’t carry on board.
3. You don’t have to worry or hustle for overhead bin space once you board the aircraft.
4. You aren’t forced to pack light and wear the same outfit day after day, or purchase clothing abroad.
5. If you have minimal time between connecting flights you are much more mobile if you must run for your next flight.
6. You avoid the evil glare that the flight attendant gives you.

Pros for carrying on:
1. There is no danger of the airline losing or damaging your bags.
2. You don’t have to wait for your bags at the baggage carousel.
3. You can access the contents of your bags at all times.
4. You can use the computer check-in function more freely.
5. You get the flight attendant to give you an evil glare as opposed to the painted-on
smile.

Here are some quick carry-on tips:
1. Size matters. Get a roller-board suitcase that fits into the overhead with the wheels or handle first. Many times the ones that have to go in sideways take up too much room and are difficult to find space for.
2. Shut it. Make sure the overhead bin shuts because even though you might have been there first, a protruding bag will be the first one yanked.
3. Try to be a softie. Use a soft exterior bag with some give to it. Many times hard cases just don’t fit regardless of how much you shove.
4. Water works. The liquids and gel ban is still in effect. At security checkpoints, travelers are permitted to carry travel-size toiletries (three ounces or less) that fit comfortably in one quart-size, clear plastic, zip-top bag.
5. Weight it out. The golden carry-on rule is if you bring it on board you need to be able to lift it and store it. Most flight attendants are not covered by their insurance if they injure their backs with your luggage.
6. Close by. Try to use an overhead bin in your immediate area for safety and security reasons. It doesn’t have to be directly overhead, but you should be
able to see it from your seat. When opening an overhead bin, always put your
hand up, ready to catch anything that might drop out.
7. Give it up. If your bag is selected to be checked at the gate due to space limitations, don’t worry, as it is pretty much guaranteed to be on that flight and will probably be the first one out at baggage claim.
8. It’s not personal. If you have something in your bag that you do not wish the security personnel to see, put it in your checked luggage. Trust me on this one.
9. Lend a hand. Help out those in need, especially mothers. Don’t get too mad at those who abuse the carry-on policy, be amused instead, but be sure to duck and be prepared if they are utilizing the overhead directly above you.
10. Utilize common sense. Recognize when your bag is too big to be considered carry-on and check it in.

To Travel or Not to Travel? That is the Question

Do tourists help or hinder reforms in dictatorial states or impact on human rights abuses?

The Society of American Travel Writers' 2009 convention is scheduled for Beijing, setting off a debate on whether SATW's presence is de facto support of a regime whose human rights abuses in general and policies toward Tibet in particular many members find abhorrent. For a specific take on China, a recent essay in Newsweek's international edition called "Tibet Through Chinese Eyes" merits reading. Not only SATW, but many travelers in general, often wrestle with these questions when a place they want to see, like China, conflicts with their principles.

Susan Hack wrote a Concierge.com piece called "Should You Stay or Should You Go?" weighing the pros and cons of such travel. She wrote:

"Picture this: You excitedly tell your friends you're heading to China for
the Olympics, and they start lecturing you about Darfur, human rights, and the Dalai Lama.

"'But what about Shanghai, and the terra cotta warriors, and all those cool
new stadiums?' Stony silence. There goes your summer vacation.

"To some people, boycotting the Games — and China as a whole — is a way of protesting its government's policies.

"But does that mean those who visit condone repression — and even help
underwrite it? Must travelers body-swerve countries with flagrant human-rights
abuses altogether?"

For my part, I say: Go! Whatever reforms occurred behind what was once called the Bamboo Curtain happened after Nixon "opened" China, trade and talks started, and American and other Western tourists began to visit. Countries that were once locked behind the Iron Curtain are now not only on the tourist trail ("Gladys, I can't wait to see the Kremlin!"), and former Soviet satellites are booming, some now as part of the economically powerful euro zone. Americans visit Vietnam, where some 55,000 US servicemen perished in a previous undeclared war. While China and Viernam are still Communist, so is Cuba, where a decades-long embargo on American travel certainly did not to close the long-running Fidel Castro show. Only age and infirmity caused him to hand power over to his brother Raul, and perhaps normalization won't be too far off, and American visitors will easily be able to join Canadians, Eruopeans and Mexicans who travel without difficulty to the nation that lies just 90 miles from Key West.

Hack tackled the questions of visiting a baker's dozen places where all is not roses and lollipops: China, Syria, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Tunisia, Myanmar (Burma), Israel and the Occupied Territories, Russia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Iran, Venezuela. Some are currently such hotspots that only for the likes of Robert Young Pelton, author of travel books about "the world's most dangerous places" and whose website is called Come Back Alive. Others don't really want outsiders at all. Consider Myanmar, which is shutting out most relief workers who want to help the country's cyclone victims. Others only reluctantly let in any outsiders. In a recent CNN special, Christiane Amanpour reported on the New York Philharmonic to Pyongyang's (hopefully) ice-breaking concert last February. It was the first-ever performance by an American orchestra in the secretive People's Republic of Korea.

I haven't been to any hot war zones, nor do I have desire to do so, but years ago, I did visit East Berlin in the days of Checkpoint Charlie and spent time in Budapest when the Soviet shadow covered eastern Europe. I once crossed the former Czechoslovakia by train and had to get a visa in advance, even though I was not getting off the train, which surprised me, because in western Europe, it was easy to travel from country to country. And yes, I have been to China. Three times. And I want to go again.

Perhaps I am being naive, but in my opinion, travelers with open minds, open eyes and yes, open wallets are, on balance, a good thing. And I do wonder what happens when the proverbial shoe is on the other foot. For many visitors from overseas, the US is currently a travel bargain. Yet we photograph and fingerprint our foreign "guests" at our airports like suspects taken to jail. I wonder how many foreign visitors don't want to come here and be treated like crooks -- or who don't want to spend their money in a country responsible for Gantanamo, Abu Ghraib, extraordinary rendition or state-sanctioned torture to interrogate prisoners in our undeclared and ongoing "war on terrorism."

So read Susan Hack's piece and decide for yourself what's on your to-visit list and what isn't. For now.

Mileage Plus Tightens Credits

Wave bye-bye to 500-mile minimum credit for segments flown on United

Those short commuter hops on United, Ted or regional affiliates will no longer deposit 500 miles into your Mileage Plus account. Here's the latest salvo from the self-proclaimed "Friendly Skies" airline:

"To ensure that Mileage Plus miles earned toward elite status and award
travel on United are aligned with actual miles flown, we are revising our base
accrual policy. Beginning July 1, 2008, for flights of less than 500 miles,
passengers will earn redeemable miles equal to the actual miles flown. Elite
Qualifying Miles (EQM) will also be awarded based on actual miles. Elite
Qualifying Segments (EQS) are not affected.

"This new mileage accrual structure will apply to travel on or after July
1, 2008, regardless of when the travel was ticketed. Flights of less than 500
miles flown on or before June 30, 2008, will accrue Mileage Plus miles under the
previous policy of a minimum mileage accrual per individual segment flown."

Should you want "complete details," you can read them here. Interestingly, while United launched the policy of charging most passengers $25 extra for a second checked bag, US Airways was the first to tighten its frequent flyer mileage credits for short flights.

Austrian "Prison House" on Horror Highway

Voyeuristic visitors flock to see where the latest twisted family tragedy took place

Some people travel to look at places where bad things happened -- some large-scale and public, and others once private: Pearl Harbor and the watery grave of the battleship 'Arizona,' the site of the World Trade Center in New York that became known as Ground Zero, concentration camps in Germany and Poland, New Orleans' still-devastated lower Ninth Ward, the Federal Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the Texas School Book Depository and Dealey Plaza in Dallas where JFK was assassinated, plus assorted decommissioned prisons, jails and dungeons all over the globe all come to mind, as do the creepiest, bloodiest displays in wax museums. The latest tourist stop on the horror highway showing man's inhumanity is the house (left) in Amstetten, Austria, where Josef Fritzl imprisoned his daughter in a cellar and kept her as an incestuous sex slave for nearly a quarter of a century.

"Two weeks ago the small town of Amstetten, with a population of 23,000,
was a tranquil place where little of note ever happened," the Telegraph reported.

"But the town, formerly known only for its apple wine production, has been
suddenly put into the spotlight after it was revealed that one of its respected
citizens, the retired engineer and property developer Josef Fritzl, 73, had
imprisoned his own daughter Elisabeth, in 1984 and kept her as a sex slave,
producing seven children with her.

"Two weeks after the story broke, residents are now complaining about the
"ghoulish tourism" that is developing around the Fritzl family house in 40
Ybbstrasse. People are travelling from neighbouring countries such as Germany
and Hungary to visit the street and have their picture taken in front of the
house. According to reports, the three-storey house facing one of Amstetten’s
main roads has also been put on the route of a sightseeing bus tour which now
routinely stops in front of it.

"'It is bad enough that journalists and TV crews have beleaguered our town,
but now there is this ghoulish tourism with people coming to Amstetten just to
see the house in Ybbstrasse. It is appalling, we just want to be left in
peace,'" said one Amstetten resident.

"The house is guarded by police around the clock as over 40 forensic
experts are investigating its interior. One of the officers on duty outside the
house said: 'People are coming especially to have their picture taken in front
of the house. It has become a sort of pilgrimage site.'"

The idealistic side of me would like to think that people come to pay their respect and to memorialize victims of horror and tragedy, but the realist in me knows that, sadly, much of it is prurient interest at best and titillation at worst.

Airline Gains and Losses for Denver

Southwest to add more Denver Flights; Lufthansa to cut back

Good news for travelers to, from and through Denver International Airport is that Southwest Airlines is again adding more flights. Southwest Airlines is adding five new nonstop flights to Sacramento, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, New Orleans and Phoenix beginning August 4. From just 13 daily flights a bit over two years ago, the low-fare airline currently operates 61 daily flights and will be shortly adding those above.

Elsewhere in the Rockies, Frontier Airlines' new routes connect Denver with Colorado Springs, Aspen, Durango and Grand Junction, CO; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Missoula, Montana; Fargo, North Dakota; and Bozeman, Montana. Some routes are already being served; the last will be Bozeman's Gallatin Field on May 22. Republic Air and Lynx Aviation, a Frontier subsidiary, are flying these regional routes.

Meanwhile, Lufthansa has announced what it currently is calling seasonal suspension of its Denver-Munich non-stop late in October. It is planning to resume service in March. I am not sure how many Coloradans or other Westerners would be traveling to Germany in winter 2009-09, but given the strong euro and anemic dollar, I imagine that many European skiers will be traveling to Rocky Mountain powder -- and for them, the loss of this service is unfortunate.

DIA, the State of Colorado and the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation provided a $2 million "incentive package" for Lufthansa to inaugurate Munich-Denver service, which started only last year. I don't know what contractual strings we might have attached to the German airline's presence here, but I guess it wasn't enough. Meanwhile, demand for service between Germany and Asia is accelerating, which trumped our incentive payments.

Innovative Service for Internet Addicts Like Me

Service offers combination of connectivity and mobility for travelers

Shortly before I left for Britain, I learned about RoVair, a service that offers wireless mobile broadband (WMB) access. I have no idea just what aircards, datacards and evdo cards are, but as one who now drags her laptop around the globe, I do know what a hassle and/or expense it can be to find WiFi or Ethernet connections while traveling. I have struggled with Internet access at sea, because many cruise ships seem to have Internet centers with painfully slowly service via satellite at dial-up speed. I have paid through the nose in fancy hotels, where you would think that WiFi would be as much an included amenity as it is in many mid-range properties. My laptop and I have camped in hotel lobbies where that was the only place with WiFi service. I have driven for miles and paid usurious per-hour WiFi fees and otherwise sacrificed time and comfort to check E-mails or do some timely blog posting.

Therefore, RoVair's explanation that it is available anywhere there is a cellular signal seemed like a traveler's dream innovation ("hundreds of thousands if not millions of hotspots," the company says). As I understand it, you get a datacard and then use a "day pass" that is activated all the time -- or maybe the datacard and the day pass are the same thing. There are all sorts of other bells and whistles (including a price break for multiple cards and the ability to "light up" other devices elsewhere, which I probably don't need but might be useful for people traveling on company business).

Currently, you order your day pass for a certain number of days with a three-day minimum and return it to the company in provided packaging when the time is up -- sort of like NetFlix. "Soon," RovAir says, "day passes will be available from handy kiosks at airports, hotels, train terminals, shopping malls and other convenient locations."

In any case, card rental starts at $5.95 a day with a multi-day purchase, which made RoVair sound really, really, REALLY good. I was ready to sign up. Unfortunately for me this time, the service is currently available only in the US and perhaps Canada, but not in Europe or Asia.

To read about our trip, see my postings between April 26 and May 7. If RoVair had been in Britain, I could have dealt more easily or inexpensively with these specific situations:

• Lack of Internet access on trains, which was a bit frustrating, because there was an outlet and a table a each seat, which would have made good use of travel time
• The Famous Wild Boar Hotel in the Lake District has no Internet service. We didn't have a car, so took a taxi (£6 each way) to Bowness, where I found a cafe with Internet access at £3 for 30 minutes. We took advantage of being there to wander around Bowness and stay for dinner, but we did have to lug the laptop around.
• In Carlisle, one of the two hotels we stayed at had WiFi only in the lobby at a cost of £5 per hour. The second hotel had no Internet service at all.
• In Edinburgh, we lucked out at a B&B that had free WiFi in the rooms -- the only one of the five places we stayed with such an amenity.
• At the Sheraton Skyline near Heathrow Airport, Internet service was available in the rooms for £5 per hour or £15 for 24 hours. Gulp!

Therefore, I cheer: Go RoVair! I look forward to trying it in the US next time I am on the road, but more significantly, I hope the service is available in Europe next time I go overseas -- which, come to think of it, might be a long time coming given the state of the dollar.

And for anyone who has not yet navigated the rocky shoals of traveling with a laptop but wants to, the Independent Traveler website recently published a primer of what's out there, what you can expect and what you should take with you.

2008 is the Year of the Volcano in Chile

Two major volcanoes eruptions since January impact national parks and resort towns

In January, the central Chilean volcano called Llaima began breathing fire, sporadically emitting lava flows that turned the snow that covered upper slopes into steam and sending an ash column more than 10,000 feet into the sky, as was dramatically captured in filmed reports from National Geographic and CNN. The 10,252-foot volcano is reportedly one of the country's most active, having erupted as recently as 1994. It is some 422 miles south of the capital of Santiago. The nearest town, Melipueco, was evacuated, as were visitors and rangers in Conguillio National Park.

Chaiten, some 400 miles farther south near the Chile-Argentina border has been erupting since May 2, forcing evacuations first from the nearby eponymous town of Chaiten, then the larger and then more distant community of Futaleufo and even moving out military personnel. This was far more surprising. "The long dormant 3,280-foot (1,000-meter) Chaiten volcano began erupting on Friday for the first time in thousands of years, and the huge plume of volcanic ash is clearly visible on satellite images cutting a swathe across South America's southern tip," according to a Reuters report. Airlines have canceled flights to southern Patagonia, because of the potential danger of volcanic ash being sucked into jet engines.

Chaiten's eruption is still going strong (NASA satellite, photo right). It is located in what vulcanologists refer to as the Andean Arc that stretches from Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. "It is home to 2,000 volcanoes, 500 of which experts say are potentially active. Around 60 have erupted over the past 450 years," Reuters noted. While Argentina is not usually listed as part of the arc, ash has been reported in the Argentine resort of Bariloche in Nahuel Huapi National Park and even as far away as the capital of Buenos Aires. The region is famous not only for skiing at Bariloche but also for Tahoe-blue mountain lakes. As ash, which soared into the stratosphere, continues to fall over a wide region, it could impact the ski season that begins in June, and the lakes might no longer be so pristine.

Britain Travel WrapUp

Northern England and Scotland, on a budget but home with an emptier wallet

I've been a negligent travel blogger. I actually started this wrapup of our week a bit in Britain at the Sheraton Skyline at Heathrow Airport, but I didn't get a chance to finish -- but now I am. We took full advantage of the flexibility of our BritRail passes. Our only pre-planned time was in the Lake District, and after that, we tried to go where the rain wasn't. This was easy call, because it rained and rained and rained in most of the British Isles during our time. We had lots of clouds and a few sprinkles and one true sunny day in Edinburgh.

Here's where we went and what we did -- some of which I have posted here or on my Nordic Walking blog and on my food/dining blog:

Windermere/Lake District - April 23 (afternoon) to April 26 (morning)

Walked private trail on property belonging the the Famous Wild Boar Hotel.
Hiked from Ambleside to Troutbeck over a mountain called Wansfell with extremely limited bus service from Troutbeck to the highway at Troutbeck Bridge, we walk an additional 2 1/2 miles down a lovely country road to catch the bus back to Windermere, from where we walked an additional 1 1/2 miles or so back to Bowness.
In the process, explored the towns of Windermere and Bowness -- and a bit of Ambleside.


Carlisle - April 26 (afternoon) to April 28 (morning)

Guild Hall
Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery
Carlisle Cathedral - evensong rehearsal in progress when we visited
Hiked along Hadrian's Wall


Edinburgh - April 28 (afternon) to April 30 (morning)

Edinburgh Castle, including the Honours of Scotland (Scottish crown jewels), National War Museum, the Royal Scots Regimental Museum and
Museum on the Mound (Royal Bank of Scotland museum)
National Museum of Scotland
St. Giles Cathedral
City Art Centre
Ad hoc sightseeing bus ride (public bus, not tourist bus) that including a good look at the Royal Yacht Britannia, albeit from a distance
Sir Walter Scott monument and
The Royal Mile

We spent the last night at an airport hotel, the four-star Sheraton Skyline, which we booked at a good rate via priceline.com ($125 plus assorted taxes and fees). This American-style hotel is complete with expansive lobby, conference facility, swimming pool in a covered atrium, over-priced restaurant and somewhat less overpriced sports bar -- from which we watched Liverpool and Chelsea duke it out to face Manchester United in the upcoming European Football Championship. The Sheraton was the only hotel we stayed at that did not include breakfast. The add-ons: 24 hours of Internet service for £15 (that's almost $30) and airport shuttle for £4 per person (£8 for the two of us -- or more than $15.

Bottom line is that our trip was more expen$ive than we had anticipated. We tried to be thrifty, but due to the dismal state of the dollar, even thrift was not enough. We had a fine time and saw a lot that neither of us had seen before. We're glad we went, but we'll have to think out our destinations more carefully until the dollar begins to rebound against other currencies.

Security Procedures at Heathrow

Airport security is so annoying and probably so flawed that all I can do is blog about it to vent. While we were in Britain, we heard the news report about a 73-year-old man who managed to drive through a security gate at Miami International Airport and ended up on one of the main runways, fortunately, not when a plane was using it. Authorities speculated that he may have been disoriented. Duh!

With this in mind, we steeled ourselves for the security gauntlet at London's Heathrow Airport. Fortunately, there were no lines on Thursday morning, because if there had been, the many redundant procedures would have taken forever.

1. Before we could enter United's check-in area, someone examined our passports.
2. The counter agent who gave us our boarding passes and checked our baggage also looked at our passports. She also asked whether we had packed our own bags, whether our bags had been in our control since we packed them and whether anyone gave us anything to take along -- particularly pointless questions that are no longer asked in the US.
3. At the main security screening area itself, where two more people checked our passports and our boarding passes, we were astonished that we did not have to take our laptop out of its case nor did we have to remove our shoes.
4. But wait! There was more. We went from that screening area to a second screening area where we again had to show our passports and also to remove our shoes. We sent them and them alone through another device that might have been another Xray or perhaps some kind of explosives sniffing instrument.
5. Somewhere along the line, someone asked us whether any stranger had given us anything to take on the flight -- airport shop personnel presumnably excepted.
6. When we entered the waiting room for our United flight, we again had to present our passports and relinquish our boarding passes, which only returned to us when the final multi-phase screening took place. We again had to remove our shoes, which a security agent turned over to look at the soles. Was she checking whether we might have stepped into something unpleasant? Then we were frisked, not just a casual wanding but a real, hands-on pat-down. And then screeners unzipped every compartment of our carry-on bags and riffled through them. Finally, we were handed our boarding passes and permitted to wait until it was time to board the plane.

Some of these steps are standard and have been for a long time. Others might be required at all Heathrow terminals, or perhaps only for international flights, but I suspect that the final step is special treatment accorded to passengers bound for the US. I'm trying to remember the details when I flew out of Heathrow on British Airways last fall. I am quite sure that there was no separate shoe screening -- and I don't recall quite so many steps in the final pre-boarding security check. Then, the big deal was that the British Airports Authority was claiming to permit only one carry-on per passenger, but that was not enforced and has since been dropped.

When we landed at DIA, cleared immigration, finally got our bags that were so slow in coming up that they must have been put on the conveyor by a one-armed baggage handler and passed customs, we entered the main terminal. There was that recorded announcement from the Transportation Security Agency alerting everyone over and over and over that "the security level has been raised to orange..." blah, blah, blah. I think it's been perpetually on that announcement since the color-coded system was introduced -- except shortly before the last election when it was raised to red.