The “baggage” is no doubt an egg sac. Momma popped out from where she was hiding when I got too close while I was weeding.
weeding ['wēd ing] intransitive verb
The never-ending task of removing unwanted plants from plots of desired plants. Example: “I was weeding a flower bed”
Posted to BugGuide; ID’ed only to the family of Wolf spiders (Lycosidae).
Aha! Six years ago I posted a photo later in the season, when some of the eggs had hatched and the newborn babies had climbed aboard for the ride. See this 2016 post!
Retired economics professor (“dismal scientist”). Married 40+ years to the love of my life; we have two grown daughters, both married, two granddaughters and a...