Rich,
If you and your partner are like most of us on this board, you'll miss the visits to the park if you only go every other year - once you're addicted, it's hard when you can't/don't go. I've missed 2 trips with my partners in the past 12 years, and regret it badly (I made up for them by making 2 trips in other years).

If cost is the factor - I spend about 225.00 every trip. That includes canoe rentals, tows, camping fees and food, lodging the night before, and travel expenses from Indiana. I use and succeed with soft plastics (mostly), so more expensive hard baits aren't donated to the northerns.

I've accumulated all the other stuff I want and need and only use partial outfitting services. I can but what I need over the 50 weeks that seperate our trips wihout major impact on my budget.
I don't own fancy tents, sleeping bags or boots (I LIKE my sneakers and river runners). I tried a Kevlar rental this past year, and won't do that again (didn't like them, even on portages). You can make 2 week trips on my budget and still be comfortable. Besides, the canoe country can be tough on gear - I don't see the need to buy expensive equipment to have it last only 3 years. (Of course, if I bought expensive stuff, it might last longer than 3 years, but I doubt that I'll discover that - my "cheap" stuff works just fine for me).

If it's not the cost (and of course, it's none of my business), I suspect you'll change to yearly trips, especially if you have a really spectacular trip this time out, in the very near future.

Posted by Skip Guyer on February 29, 2000 at 08:06