EKM
I know exactly what you mean. A number of years ago I recieved a very good camera as a gift. All the bells and whistles, a 20-80 removable zoom lense. I then got a 80-200 zoom and was pretty much set for what I need. People always comment on how nice the pictures from my camera are. Nice camera. Sure, but not real practical for pack in type hunting.
I love taking pictures while on trips. There is no better way to remember a trip than to look at pictures during the off season or years later. However, my camera isn' t exactly the " fit in your pocket, always handy" type. When I' m all loaded down with the gear I need and can barely close the zipper on my pack, the camera is not a priority. And if the weather is crappy and rainy or I' ll be in really rough terrain I' m loath to take it. Having dropped it on a rock and seen little bits go flying and dropping it in a lake, only a foot or so deep but still not good, and a few trips to the repair shop it' s taken me a few years to learn. Now it stays in camp a lot more than it used to and I don' t have as many pictures.
I think next year I' ll do like you did and get some cheapo disposables. I' ve been admiring you pictures on this board for the last little while and obviously they worked well for you and they look like great pictures as well.
I' d rather have more " good enough" quality pictures than only a few really good pictures.

Now if only you could get disposable video cameras. Same old problems there too. Weather, terrain, space/weight. What a guy really needs is a camera man to follow him around.