I may do that, Tri. I don't leave until Sunday, so I have some time to ponder my options. I packed my clothes in two cubes and one plastic bag, all near the top in an effort to make them visible, removable, and put-backable. But TSA is unpredictable, to say the least!

Tomorrow I'll see how it works with using a larger carry-on bag with my clothes. That would also help cut the weight down to under 50lbs for the checked luggage. The weight limits are 50lbs for domestic flights and 70lbs for international flights. I'm flying from Richmond to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to Paris. Does that mean that my bag can only be 50lbs for the first leg, and 70lbs for the second? It probably depends on the ticket agent.