Not to belabor this aspect of the thread topic (I do not want to detract from the adventure) but I wanted to say that I have my foot in both camps, here, when it comes to the SPOT. I absolutely HATED answering for "delays" "diversions" "excessive circling"(bushwacking)etc., when it came to the damned device, itself. However, in the end, I shrugged and concluded that complaining about the fact that I had family, friends, co-workers, shul-buddies, a boyfriend...and a little dog, who all loved and missed me when I was on the trail was not the worst thing that life was going to toss my way.

The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.