Good morning, gentle people. My non-hiking but otherwise lovely wife has decided that it’s been far too long since (as she put it) I’ve slept on cold, rocky ground in the barren mountains and peed out into the cold night air. We’d rented a sumptuous cabin near Bryson City, and last weekend she sprang her surprise on me. She is strongly urging me to drive up a few days early and resume my section hiking of the Trail into the Smokies!
I need advice from those who’ve done it. Tentative plans are to leave work “early” November 2, and drive up to Franklin for the night. Then, after a last shower and hearty breakfast, arrive at Fontana Dam early to mid-morning and head for Newfound Gap, where she’ll meet me on Sunday afternoon, where she’ll whisk me away to the Jacuzzi and soft bed.
Which brings me to my questions. Of the first three shelters, grouped a few miles apart (Mollies Ridge (10.3 mi), Russell Field (12.9 mi) and Spence Field (15.6 mi)), which is the nicer and more desirable to stay the first night? Given the latish start and fierce assent, not to mention early onslaught of nights in November, Spence Field may pushing it a bit. What do you think?
Second night is tentatively Silers Bald or Double Springs Gap. Again, all opinions are welcome (including that I’m an ambitious idiot who needs to rethink his plans!)
I’m also beginning to play with alcohol stoves, beginning with the Supercat. So far, I’ve made one, and the silly thing worked great in the controlled conditions of my closed garage. One ounce of alcohol brought two cups of tap water to a boil in five minutes, and kept it there for five and a half more. (Warm garage, and in Florida, you have two water temps, hot and warm!) Obviously, I’ll test it further before relying fully on it in November in the Smokies, but to help answer my lovely bride’s somewhat founded accusations of “you’ve got that expensive Whisperlite, and you’re going to use something you dug out of the trash?!?”, what experiences have you folk had that I can allow her to read?
That’s about all I can think of at the moment. My main concern is reserving the shelters, and making sure I meet her in a timely fashion without biting off more than I can chew, er, walk. Thanks, folk!