Refueling

Recently, as I thought about our planning, I was pleased with the progress Cappuccino and I had made on the OHT trip. We had transportation arranged, tickets purchased, hotels booked, shuttles arranged, a resupply plan, just about everything was falling into place. Our arrival time into Fayetteville was a little later than I would have liked, but then we didn’t have anything to do that night and we would start hiking the next morning. So no big deal. Still there was something missing that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

I woke up in the middle of the night and realized we wouldn’t have any fuel with us. You can’t take it on the plane and, unlike some trips, there would be no one there to meet us who could provide the little propane canisters that run our stoves. And since we were arriving so late the camping stores in Fayetteville would be closed so we would have to wait until 10 or 11AM when they opened then Uber down to the OHT trailhead 30 minutes away. This would make for a pretty late start at best.

“But,” you ask, “why don’t you just build a cook fire every day.?” Mainly because I hate fires. Smoke permeates every pore and all your gear, it gets into your lungs, and it has great potential to start a forest fire. Fires produce CO2, the search for wood causes limbs to be ripped from living trees, the list goes on and on, and it turns your pots black. I know, I know, it’s just not camping without a camp fire. I understand that, but no fire means less work, less worry, cleaner air and gear, and faster food. Rant over.

Meanwhile back at the fuel canister problem, I could send canisters general delivery to the USPS in Fayetteville, but we get in on a Saturday night and they are closed on Sunday. So that won’t work. I could send it to the motel we are staying at, but they were unclear about whether they accept mail for guest, so that kind of sounds like a “No.”

Then I thought about Walmart. They are open late and sometimes carry canister fuel. Usually they have the big heavy canisters for the Coleman car camping stoves, not the smaller ones for backpacking. But I checked online, and the Fayetteville store does carry the backpacking version and have them in stock, at least right now. What is better is that they are only 3/4 mile from our motel and they are open until 11. So, it looks like with a little night hiking over to Wally World we might be able to score a couple of canisters the night we arrive and be able to leave early the next day for the trailhead.

I realize this is a first world problem, but I find it interesting that what appeared to be a minor problem, blossomed into an elaborate search with multiple sub plans to solve. Half the fun of these trails is the planning.

Happy Trails and see ya next week.