A beautiful morning going down to Winding Stair Gap to catch a ferry.
Oh, Franklin. We used to take Siler Bald out of Winding Stair Gap every year and have breakfast at the Franklin Huddle House. There is no Huddle House on this trip, but here is my take on the Thru hiker options.
- Outdoor76 – Great Picks, Amazing Lounge Nearby
- English: There is no delicatessen, but otherwise it is fine.
- The Grove Hostel: very friendly hosts, sturdy “hiker box”, comfortable beds
- Two good burgers in town, the Lonely Hiker pop-up has better prices than both.
I bought a bag of dyneema food at Outdoor76. My food wears out a lot of silicone from my silnylon dry bag, so it fills with water when it rains.
In the Outdoor76 Nearo room
Tip: Be careful with silnylon in places that move a lot, such as those attached by straps to the outside of the backpack.
Otherwise, there’s not much to say about the city and this is a good time to address some frequently asked questions.
How do you get to the town?
Hitchhike or pay for a shuttle. Legit, one of the most dangerous parts of the trail. Not so much the risk of kidnapping, etc., but the risk of getting into a car with a stranger whose driving skills or sobriety are unknown. Look up accident statistics. Scary things.
Do you carry a weapon?
No, not out of objection or fear… I mean, see above, my biggest concern is cars. No, the weapons are just HEAVY.
What about bears?
Black bears kill people, and most commonly in areas where they have a lot of contact with humans. Bear spray is, as you may have guessed, HEAVY. In 20 years, I have had three encounters with bears. I am willing to accept the risk.
- Breakfast: oatmeal with granola, fig bars
- Lunch: hamburger and fries
- Dinner: instant potatoes and chicken.
- Snacks: I’m sure I ate something, but I forgot.
- Known today: Bill Dozer
- Days without ramen bomb: 11
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:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/house-explosion-pennsylvania-031226-43351ac2ade04021b810b7a1586a8bd4.jpg?w=238&resize=238,178&ssl=1 "Una casa explotó en Penn. con toda la familia dentro. Ahora el padre enfrenta cargos por supuesta nota ‘PS’")
