Awaiting my new Garmin Inreach Mini2.
The kids all chipped in and got it for us for Christmas.
I call it the Hipster Instagram Van Life version of the LifeAlert.
Decades of backcountry travel, a lot solo wore on my family. From backpacking, ice climbing, wilderness paddling and road trips out camping with no issues, but some close calls had them want to be able to know we are OK at the end of the day.
And I get it. I was never very good at leaving itineraries or plans, because they....plans....or my mood would change. Sometimes I would come home a day or 2 early, sometimes a day or 2 late.
So this way, when I'm out solo or when I have my wife along on a longer trip, we can keep in touch and if need be, have 2 way communication through the device.
And that's cool. I embrace tech.
And.....I have rolled the dice and won for a very long time. None of us are getting any younger even though I fight it like Braveheart with diet and exercise. And even that sometimes isn't enough, as I found out quite recently.
I have been through three storms I was sure I wasn't going to survive. One microbust that wiped out an entire island my friend and I were on in Quetico, one near encounter with an avalanche and a hurricane that swept up the coast and had me stuck in a tent for 4 days at 4400 feet in NH I decided to ride out. A few windstorms on massive lakes changing my course and grounding me for a day or two. A forest fire I had to try and outrun.
I always made it. Mother Nature has always been good to me despite her attitude sometimes. LOL.
So yeah.....I'm good with this and know deep down the reason for this gift. I will use it and plan on using it many weeks a year. My family will feel better and so will I.