Coyotes, a Resupply, and Draft Beer

So it’s Saturday, March 30, and I’m at the Microtel in Franklin, NC. I woke up this morning at Rock Gap campsite. Another cold morning, so it was difficult to rally and get going. At some point overnight, I don't know what time it was, I heard what I think was a fairly large pack of coyotes, making a lot of noise. I wasn't too worried, because the guy in the tent next to me had his German Shepherd with him. So I figured that if any intrusions happened, the German Shepherd would make himself known, and hopefully, all would be well. Otherwise, it was really interesting to just lie there in my tent and listen to it all.

I only had about four miles to cover today to get from Rock Gap down to Winding Stair Gap, which is a popular pickup area to get down into Franklin, NC. It really is a “must resupply” point for me, because it’s been about 40 miles since my last restock. When I got down, another hiker was there who had arranged to have a local outfitter (Three Eagles Outfitters) pick her up, and I was able to jump in that with her.

In addition to food, I needed some new fuel for my stove, and I also picked up a thermal shirt for sleeping in, because it's been so cold in the evenings. I think that'll be helpful. After the outfitters, I was able to check into the Microtel early, which was huge.

Unfortunately, their laundry machines were broken, too. This seems to be a theme. This time, I didn't actually have that much laundry, so when I was in the shower, I just put all my clothes in the tub with me and kind of stomped all over them. They got pretty sudsy, and I saw a bunch of dirt go down the drain, so I’m guessing that helped a little bit, at least. Now they're hanging all over the bathroom, and they should be adequately dry by the morning.

Next, I walked about a third of a mile down to the Ingles Market on a sidewalk alongside a kind of highway. I think I got some really good stuff. I was psyched to find the packets of salmon. And I grabbed these sweet Hawaiian tortillas, which I’ve never seen before. A couple of those with peanut butter? Get out of here! The Tastykakes are a bit of a guilty indulgence, but that’s the upside of burning so many calories every day.

My next task was to find a way to get to the Lazy Hiker Brewing Company, which was about three miles away. There were no taxis at all available, and there's literally one Uber in the entire town. Luckily enough, I was able to get that guy, but on the way to the brewery, he explained that by the time I was done there, there'd be no way for me to get back. So he gave me his personal number for when I needed a ride.

At the Lazy Hiker, I had a number of beers, and they were all excellent. And not surprisingly, they were all trail themed. I started with a Springer Fever Pilsner, had a couple beers in between, and then finished with a Mt. Katahdin IPA. I figured that was thematically appropriate.

I called my Uber friend, who was able to give me a ride back, which was fantastic. I grabbed a few things from Walgreens, and for dinner, I got a big roast beef sandwich from Arby's, which I haven't done for as long as I can remember, but it tasted wonderful.

I was able to talk to S. for a while, and now it’s time for me to head to bed, because I need to get up early. I’ll get some breakfast at the hotel, and then I’ve arranged a shuttle at 9 a.m. to get me back to the trailhead. I'm either going to hike about 10 miles tomorrow or 15. We'll see how early I get to the first campground. It's about 30 miles to get to the Nantahala Outdoor Center — the NOC — and I want to get there early on Tuesday. Some thunderstorms are supposed to roll in that night, and the NOC has a bunkhouse. I’d much rather ride out the thunderstorms in the bunkhouse.