TOliver

"Donald Newcomb" <DRNewcomb@NOT.attglobal.net> wrote ...
>
>>
> Some shade of brown? Almost all my luggage is black. The only advantage of
> black is that you can match luggage from different manufacturers without
> any
> problem. With other colors it would be impossible to get a match. I'd
> imagine that any light color would be not so good since it would show dirt
> and wear.
>

Black is the color of my true love's heart....

For years I had a roll of "Day-Glow" orange duct tape which yielded small
pieces for each side of a series of family travel bag(s) for a couple of
decades. Finally, the roll ran out, but I adjourned to a nearby auto supply
store for a package with 4 small narrow rolls of brightly colored plastic
"electrician's" tape. Pick a color combo and apply a few pieces in visible
locations (especially around the "pull-out" handle of a wheeled bag). A
black bag will literally jump off the carrousel into your hands (and the
visible ID may cause a purloin artiste to stay his hand, not knowing whether
I'm looking on, ready to impale him on my swordless cane.

I'll echo the comment on Travel Pro wheels. I carry a shoulder strap rigged
for mine, the "sling swivels" firmly sewed by a cobbler to the bag's long
upper edge, but recollect only a couple of occasions, one in tiny Cittadella
d'Agliano, where the cobbles defeated the wheels.

At some conference I attended, the "giveaway" party favor was a black nylon
soft sided briefcase, the sort of which convention goers receive a steady
flow. This one was different and came with a compartment on the flat side
with semi-padded back straps, actually positioned to provide comfort with
modest weight loading. Even unloaded and stuffed in a front compartment of
one of my two sizes of Travel Pros (gifts of my road warrior daughter), it
goes most everywhere with me, makes a serviceable day pack or shoulder bag
or informal brief case as circumstances require. A big flap with two
audible-click buckles provides at least an inference of security, but
obviously no "back pack" is safe on the bus in Marseilles, etc..

Knock on wood and bless the fickle finger of Fate, but in a half century of
"traveling" since I left high school, I don't recall ever having been
pick-pocketed, to have lost "stuff" from a hotel room, or to have been the
victim of theft, from baggage or otherwise, a better record than experienced
at the hand of local burglars, car & residential. On one occasion, Denver
by Braniff's second incarnation, a checked bag was delayed for two days (but
I don't count late bags returning home from a trip, just as long as they
arrive before the dirty clothes in them become too strong). Some folks are
simply "Marks", giving off a pheromone which attracts scavengers and snake
oil salesmen.

TMO