Close… threaded it over the metal tab in the middle of the cage, between the two pulleys. After 500k I’ve nearly worn through it. Oh well, I’ve replaced the chain and all is quiet and smooth again.
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Ha, exactly what I meant, just didn’t describe properly. Ask me how I know 
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I swapped frames and put all the goodness from one frame on another (complete component swap), and it was really noisy, and the chain seemed to be short. I took most stuff off and put it back on and still same issue. Took it in to the LBS, and the mechanic took one look at it. There are TWO slots that the pin from the derailleur sit in, and I put it in the wrong slot. He said it happens all the time with people that either swap their own components, do their own build, or take it off for cleaning. ‘Not to worry’, and ‘he wouldn’t tell anyone’. (He did, but whatever)
I never thought it was in the wrong slot. 
(It did make a LOT of noise! But other than that he said I did everything else perfectly. Win some, draw some? (It looked right before I put the chain on 
)
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I diagnosed that remotely! A customer went on holiday with the bike, came back and messaged me “the shifting has been terrible since I came back from my trip, any ideas why?”
I said I’ll have a look, walked out with only a 5mm Allen key - knowing that’s all I’d need to fix it - and a minute later the bike was working perfectly!
The reason I was so sure? I’ve seen it a few times, so it’s not just you!
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My tires absolutely have to have the insignia centered on the valve-
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More common than most people realize…been there, done that!
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If that was my screw up, yeah they said it was common, but on a trip, why would someone take off the rear mech? Doesn’t really make a lot of sense, but ‘users’ do a lot of crazy. Years in IT and some of the stuff I saw, well, and working at a recycle-a-bike too! OMG!! The crazy HURT!! (Hose clamps holding QR levers, welded QR levers, it just hurts too much to repeat some of it)
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This kind of dumb stuff is why I do all my own work. So that when a silly mistake is made, I know exactly who to blame… And yes, I’ve done it once, rode a century on it wondering why my recently maintained drivetrain was so noisy all day.
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A lot of bike bags/boxes require or at least highly suggest taking off the rear mech. I’d always recommend carrying a hanger on a trip away as well as it can save the day… If it’s installed correctly! 
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I stripped the threads on the brake mount of my “new to me” SID fork while installing it… Apparently, I wasn’t supposed to use those cone spacers and applied torque with only 3 threads engaged. 
I was able to get helicoils on it, but mag alloy is a real pain to work with.
A few years ago a friend of mine got new forks and carefully measured the fork steerer length against the bike… and then hacksawed away. It was only when he went to put the headset on that he realised his mistake…
He’s a professional engineer as well 
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Here’s something embarrassing… rode about 10 miles of the gravel and XL Sea Otter course on Sunday. Probably picked up over a hundred used gel packs that riders just threw on the ground. 
Is that how it usually is at races? Not a good look for the sport.
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Last time I did a gravel grinder, I made a point to pick up trash along the way.
While making a U-turn to pick up a gel pack I had just seen, my tire blew…
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I do to !!! maybe it’s a a pancreas failure thing 
Tubes on my insulin pump, tubes in my tires!
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Oh, I did not know that. I was looking to use a box for my Sonoma trip, and, it all fell apart. Don’t ask…
The wife freaked at the cost of the Thule hard box though, well, and so did I a little… It didn’t help when I told her that I was trying to protect a 5k bike, with a 1k travel hard case. (Glad she didn’t remember how much I told her it cost after I bought it. (It’s probably closer to 6 and a half 
)
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When I do a great workout, I review it 10 times. When I do a terrible one, I barely look at it.
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I haven’t done any extensive travel with my bike but for the domestic stuff, the cardboard box the bike came in has worked well. I reused all the old packing material to get it prepped.
As for the rear mech - it depends on the box or bag. A lot of bikes these days are shipping with them attached which tells you the manufacture feels they are strong enough to last through transit. I’d never thought about it until now but I’d take a look at the derailleur position in the smallest she largest cog and leave it in whichever position is most inward for shipping
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I’ve never taken mine off, weather it’s for a cardboard box or my evoc bag. But I’m very reluctant to travel with cardboard. It got me in trouble every time. With my Evoc I don’t see an issue. The derailleur is not touching anything and is protected by both side with the wheels from the outside.
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I’ve done it a few times when I’ve decided that the bushes inside the pulley wheels need regreasing, or when the pulley wheels themselves have collected enough crap to warrant more than the jeweller’s screwdriver treatment. But then I realised I could dismantle the cage with the RD still attached to the bike. Though I find the job easier with it removed from the bike.