I’ve had this trip in the back of my mind for several years, but there have always been an almost insurmountable number of obstacles: permits, shuttle, length of time and water levels to name a few. My wife and longtime adventure partner, Patti, and I had acquired a Liquidlogic XP9 and a Wavesport Ethos and had done several shorter self-support trips over the spring and summer. The advantage of these “crossover” kayaks is the large volume for comfort and storage capacity and a retractable skeg for tracking in flat water. I thought that with a couple resupply stops, this trip could be not only feasible but enjoyable. The idea bubbled to the top this summer when, having obtained a Lodore late season permit for 10/1 when they were released in March, I saw that the Flaming Gorge release forecast was for a 2500 c.f.s. average for the rest of the year. This created a rare opportunity as fall releases are typically in the 800 - 1000 range and the extra volume should simplif