[Mahigeer]

Guys, your efforts to change my mind and encouragement are appreciated and deserve further explanation on my part.

Baja_Traveler—I did not realize that you lost your rod. Having fallen in the water in the same manner as you did in the past, I kept yelling, “be careful” or “forget about it” or something similar if I recall. I guess there are not many places on Solo to tie the rod leashes.

As to walking back to my car, you are right.
However, after you left I told Jack that I had to use the bathroom and he can leave if he likes. I don’t know how much of it he understood.

I knew Bob was gone, you did not want to follow him due to frequent stops and Robert went to town.
It was all fine with me. I knew the way, it was daylight traveling and lots of people on the road.
Most importantly I was confident that ½ tank would be enough. If you recall we talked about it.
You did count. Without you there would have been no pulled pork dinner.

It is important to be clear that getting stuck or not catching fish are not as big a factor as the group may think. Obviously the purpose of going to such outing is to catch fish. However, I have been around long enough to know that there is more to going fishing than catching fish.

Simply said, my 4Runner which is my only means of transportation back home is too small and I cannot afford large repair bills on repair of suspension, body/roof and such. It is also only two wheel drive.

Up to now for each trip the planning (making a list so I don’t forget anything that I may need), loading the gear and kayak, driving long hours, setting up camp, unloading the kayak, taking down camp, organizing and loading back the removed gear, loading the kayak, driving long hours, unloading the SUV and the kayak and reorganizing and cleaning (wash down of the under carriage) have been physically and mentally exhausting.

Mind you everyone has their own way and that happens to be mine for better or worse. Add the heat, bugs, lack of peace during night, etc.

I know it seems I am complaining, but in fact I am simply painting a picture of what I have to do.

Now if there were constant days of “100 fish”, instead of having to sit around for a whole week, less three hours of fishing which happened during the last New Year’s trip, well it would be somewhat different.

As for the October trip; if you remember I had posted in the past, that I was going to Canada fly fishing the first two weeks of August.
It will be too early for me to take another trip in October.

In the future, should my circumstances change, I will consider joining the group, but for now I may visit the areas that do not require four wheel drive with good roads, and perhaps stay in a motel, so I do not have to pack so much.

Again, thank you all for your concern, encouragement and care.