Wesser North Carolina
April 10, 1981 -Cold Springs to Wesser, stayed at motel
Walked into Wesser. I thought it was a fair size town. It has a restaurant and motel and gas
station all owned by the same person. This could have been a tourist trap but it was not.
Everything was reasonable and the food was the best. Stayed in motel. I split it with two
others. $8.00 each. It felt good to get a good meal and a shower, I took three of them. I
bought a down vest at backpacking store for the cold weather to come in the Smokys. I hiked
12 miles today. I had a hiker favorite to eat for lunch. I had trout fresh from the river.
April 11, 1981 - Wesser to Sweetwater Gap Camp spot-
12-14 miles. This was the most wear out day yet. I left Wesser at 6:35 a.m. and had to climb
up over 3500 feet in five miles. I then had to come down 2000 feet before climbing back up to
3000 feet. I got to Sweetwater Gap and then had to go 300 yards over hill to get water.
There was just a trickle out of spring. It took 40 minutes to fill up 2 quarts of containers. I am
worn out! It is 7:52 p.m. I am going to sleep. I am in tent tonight, alone. I should get mostly
into Fontana Dam tomorrow. I will need to pick up mail first thing Monday morning. I survived
Stecoah Gap!!!!!
Walked into Wesser. I thought it was a fair size town. It has a restaurant and motel and gas
station all owned by the same person. This could have been a tourist trap but it was not.
Everything was reasonable and the food was the best. Stayed in motel. I split it with two
others. $8.00 each. It felt good to get a good meal and a shower, I took three of them. I
bought a down vest at backpacking store for the cold weather to come in the Smokys. I hiked
12 miles today. I had a hiker favorite to eat for lunch. I had trout fresh from the river.
April 11, 1981 - Wesser to Sweetwater Gap Camp spot-
12-14 miles. This was the most wear out day yet. I left Wesser at 6:35 a.m. and had to climb
up over 3500 feet in five miles. I then had to come down 2000 feet before climbing back up to
3000 feet. I got to Sweetwater Gap and then had to go 300 yards over hill to get water.
There was just a trickle out of spring. It took 40 minutes to fill up 2 quarts of containers. I am
worn out! It is 7:52 p.m. I am going to sleep. I am in tent tonight, alone. I should get mostly
into Fontana Dam tomorrow. I will need to pick up mail first thing Monday morning. I survived
Stecoah Gap!!!!!
Following Dog
April 12, 1981 -Sweetwater
Gap to Cable Gap Shelter-
I was on trail at 6:40 a.m. and I
had no giddy up. I only went 8
miles to Cable Gap lean-to by
3:00 p.m. I ate well and gained
some strength. Dogs followed
me to Fontana from Sweetwater
gap. I wrote my name on a log in
this shelter while sitting in the top
bunk. I wrote Mike 1981. It is
the first and only shelter I ever
did this in. The shelter is a small
one and has wire double bunks
in it. Some people carry the
blow up Thermo- rest sleeping
pads. The wire bunks are bad
on puncturing them. I am
carrying a closed cell bed roll
and it is unaffected by the wire.
It rained on me here all
afternoon so I stayed put and
rested.
Gap to Cable Gap Shelter-
I was on trail at 6:40 a.m. and I
had no giddy up. I only went 8
miles to Cable Gap lean-to by
3:00 p.m. I ate well and gained
some strength. Dogs followed
me to Fontana from Sweetwater
gap. I wrote my name on a log in
this shelter while sitting in the top
bunk. I wrote Mike 1981. It is
the first and only shelter I ever
did this in. The shelter is a small
one and has wire double bunks
in it. Some people carry the
blow up Thermo- rest sleeping
pads. The wire bunks are bad
on puncturing them. I am
carrying a closed cell bed roll
and it is unaffected by the wire.
It rained on me here all
afternoon so I stayed put and
rested.
6