Date: 2016-05-04
From: NOC

To: Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was all about managing the swings in my emotions and mindset. This has long been my challenge in life. Sometimes, I am successful. Other times, I fail, blazingly. I camped beside a river last night, which, while pleasing for a while, quickly turned sour as colder weather set in. You may remember that I sent my warmer sleeping bag ahead to Fontana Dam, and was left with what is purported to be a 40 degree bag. Well, temperatures probably dipped into the high 40s, I was cold all night, and the wind off the river didn't help. Needless to say, I broke camp tired and cold. Off I went to NOC Outfitters for my new pack, the Granite Gear Lutsen 45. Very kindly, Tom (perhaps the owner?) was opening the store that morning and suggested I come by at 8:15, well in advance of their public opening at 9:00. This would get me on the trail sooner and allow me ample time to transfer all my gear from my old Gossamer Gear Mariposa pack to the new, which is actually more difficult than it sounds. On my old pack, I had rigged various add-on systems to secure my umbrella, my phone, and my camp shoes, all of which had to be moved to my new one. In addition, I had to figure out where to put every item of gear, factoring in how often I needed to access each. Throwing everything into the main compartment is a recipe for frustration, as it causes you to fully open the pack each time, thus taking unnecessary time and sometimes putting at risk those things you need to keep dry. There is absolutely a science to packing a backpack well, and I had it all figured out on my old pack. I didn't necessarily want to do it for my new pack. Change is often tough. Anyway, I surged through it, and then was gifted the offer of having the store's Shipping and Receiving Department take care of shipping my old pack home. Thank you, Tom, Kirby and Jason, for all of your help. Your kindness is very much appreciated!So, with new pack firmly in place (and feeling good), I took to the trail. Given my lack of sleep and the terrain, it was tough going. I was on my way up to Cheoah Bald, elevation 5,062 feet, from Nantahala Gorge. It was an eight mile climb in total, and felt every foot of eighty miles. And how, you ask, was your new pack, Blue Man?Not to bore you with my particulars, but I have a 19-inch torso, measured from my C7 vertebra to the crest of my hip bone. This 19 inches was confirmed by both the NOC Outfitters staff and the Gossamer Gear representative when I bought my original AT pack. But I've thought for some time now that while I may measure 19 inches, I carry a pack "smaller". Even though I felt this, I went along with the staff's 19-inch pronouncement, and left the store with my new pack duly adjusted to that measurement. (While my first pack could not have its torso length adjusted, my new Granite Gear Lutsen 45 can.)The upshot of all this is that my back hurt almost immediately upon departure, and, as the eight-mile climb went on, it was all I could do to trick myself into believing I liked my new pack. Now, I actually do love the design and features of my new pack. It's simply a better pack than my Mariposa in swallowing up my gear and having it accessible. Also, the sturdiness is a definite bonus, and it has some bells and whistles that just make it a really cool pack. But it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing....and thus far on that day's hike, it was failing me miserably. I spent the day somewhat deflated but soldiered on, up and over Cheoah Bald and down into Stecoah Gap. Once there, I was picked up by Donna, the owner of A Cabin in the Woods, where I was spending the night. Temperatures were forecasted to drop into the 30s, rain was again expected, and with that light sleeping bag of mine, they would have had to thaw me out of it in the morning. Donna and her "loft" ended up being a godsend (photo). I had a little bungalow to myself, with rafters to hang and dry out my tent and sleeping bag, and two beds, one for my gear and one for me. It has rained every day for the past four, either at night or during the day, or both. It was nice to again have a roof over head. Things were thus looking up....a bit. With a cheerier outlook, I took to thinking about my pack. I liked the fact that I could adjust the hip belt and the torso pad, and hoped I could land on some combination of settings to allow my back some relief. So, again questioning my 19-inch torso, I adjusted the pack to 18 inches and went to bed, falling asleep to another night of rainfall.