My wife worried more when I took my sons along than when I went solo. Honestly so did I. I always leave the phone number of the park office and a local outfitter. I also leave an itinerary (route, lakes names, schedule) with her along with when I expect to return and when she should start to worry if she does not hear from me. I rented a satellite phone once but never used it. I thought I’d call home in the middle of the week to check in but when I turned the thing on the battery was already at ¼ charge, so I saved it for an emergency, which never came.

She has accompanied me on several trips to Sylvania and one to Quetico. She said she had fun in Q, but our trip was late in June and the bugs were pretty bad. She became overheated by the end of one portage and started peeling off clothing and dropping gear as she came to the water then continued walking until she was in chest deep. It was warm but I did not realize how warm until I got a report from our outfitter when we were picked up. Atikokan was in the mid to high 90F range all week.

She doesn’t give me grief about one trip per year. Well not too much. It helped when I could play the father & son card. Now that my sons have moved away, way far away, out of North America, I think I’m still good with one trip but she would protest if it was two per year. Maybe the husband & wife card? She may be ready again.