Magic on the trail, too much food and a blue glow for Siler Bald

“There are two types of decisions on the Appalachian Trail: good decisions and decisions that begin with ‘let’s see what happens.’ This story begins with the second type.”

Haystack and I had just come off a four or five day wild stretch and were unloading our trash when we decided to try our hand at hitchhiking. On the second attempt, we were picked up on the bed of a truck and dropped off at what might be the best Ingles Markets ever.

Inside the tent, as we loaded up too much food for the three-day stretch to the Nantahala Outdoor Center, a woman named Mary Kay immediately recognized us as hikers. She struck up a conversation and offered to take us to Franklin, giving us a complete rundown of the city: where to stay, where to eat, and where the best outfitter was.

Franklin quickly became a nero/cero. We started the morning at a bakery with biscuits and gravy, apple fritters, and a maple donut. Haystack ate his first biscuits and gravy right there on Main Street.

One of the first stops we made in town was Outdoor 76, which turned out to be one of the most hiker-friendly places in town. They have a full outfitter with almost any gear a hiker could need, plus a hiker lounge and bar where hikers can relax, charge devices, and swap trail stories. The staff were incredibly helpful and gave us good advice on the way forward.

Right next door is Fishtales Outfitters, a great fly shop that immediately caught my eye. For anyone who likes to fish, it is a dangerous place to venture into. The selection of equipment is impressive and the staff clearly know what they are doing.

Over the next few days we explored the city and ate way more food than two hikers should probably eat. I had a great beef burger at Graff’s Tavern and we stayed a couple nights at The Lazy Hiker Brewing Company before moving to the Hilltop Inn to finish our nero/zero.

True to her word, Mary Kay returned and drove us to Winding Stair Gap so we could get back on track.

Take the blue glow

With no real plan for the day, I suggested we take it slow and do a side quest: a blue flare to Siler Bald and camp at the top.

Before continuing, we stopped at the nearby shelter to use the toilet and drink water, the closest reliable source to the baldies. If you plan to camp there, bring more water than you think you need. Read more: bds2rf. It is about a mile walk to the spring. We each carried two liters, which quickly turned out to be less than ideal.

The climb up the bald was steep, but the views opened up quickly. At the shelter we joked about calling it Base Camp. A little further up the trail, where the hikers had set up their tents below the summit, we called it Camp 1.

Our spot was the real prize: the Summit Camp at the top of Siler Bald.

We met some locals who were enjoying the view and a group of hikers who had gathered as friends. Everyone spread out on the bald heads as the sun began to set behind the mountains.

The sunset from the summit was incredible. The sky turned orange and purple along the ridges, and once darkness came, the stars came out in full force.

One of the guys in the group mentioned that they could bring fresh bread in the morning. If that really happens, it could be the best breakfast view on the entire Appalachian Trail.

Now we’re just waiting for dawn.

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