Adventure Possible

Trial & Error in a Life of Adventure

Subscribe by Email to AdventurePossible.com
  • Life of Adventure
  • Books
  • Sponsorships
  • Weekend Adventures
  • Appalachian Trail
  • Bike America
  • RV’ing
  • The Kelleys
You are here: Home / Adventure / Sleeping Bag Fails in Icy Temperatures – AT Thru-Hike Day 139

Sleeping Bag Fails in Icy Temperatures – AT Thru-Hike Day 139

May 28, 2014 by Mark Kelley Leave a Comment

Share adventure with others

  • Tweet

Location: Francis Marion Hotel

The author in a freezing cold morning on the Appalachian Trail

The author in a freezing cold morning on the Appalachian Trail

Last night was the most sleepless night I’ve had on the trail. I may actually have slept less on other night, like the night in Pennsylvania that the rain overcame my tent and I woke to rushing water in the pitch black, but last night certainly was an uncomfortable sleep. The wind blew into the open shelter all night. As temperatures fell into the thirties, the cold wind swirled in the shelter. The wind seemed able to find every opening in my sleeping bag and constantly exchanged the warm air inside my bag with freezing cold air. I woke on the half hour every hour to try to plug the gaps in my sleeping bag. I could not keep the wind out.

As I fought with the wind, tossing and turning and tucking, a mouse began giving me trouble. I woke once as he ran across my chest on my sleeping bag. I could hear and feel the patter of his feet. Twice the mouse became tangled in my hair as I slept. Both times that the mouse got into my hair I was asleep. I woke both times in frantic jerking motions to shake the rodent free. I could smell that a mouse had been in my hair when I rubbed my fingers through it this morning. The smell and thought of a mouse in my hair made me sick.

I met mom at Dickey Gap this evening. I arrived before she did, and for the half hour before she arrived I feared that she might be waiting for me in a different spot. She eventually showed, and I was delighted to climb into the Tahoe. We found an exceptionally nice hotel in Marion, VA, called the Francis Marion. After I showered and changed into the khakis and collared shirt that mom had brought me, we went to a Japanese restaurant down the street for sushi. The food was great, but the restaurant was quite strange. Sponge Bon Square Pants played on the only television. Neon palm trees and aquariums lined the walls, and almost everyone eating in the restaurant was morbidly obese. Mom and I ate our dinners and returned to the hotel so I could rest in luxury.

Share adventure with others

  • Tweet

More adventure, please!

Filed Under: Adventure, Adventure Trip, Backpacking, Mark's Appalachian Trail Thru Hike, Virginia Hiking

Share your comments... Cancel reply

Subscribe to Adventure Possible

Click to Buy eBook

Buy This eBook from AdventurePossible.com ($4.99)

Based on the actual adventure and transformation of Mark Kelley, publisher of this website, who struggled mightily on his hike through the rugged and remote 100 Mile Wilderness on the Appalachian Trail.

Once reached Amazon Top 20 Best Seller List for Adventure Travel eBooks.

Buy It Now. Support Adventure Possible. ($4.99)

Meet the Adventure Possible Family

kelley family photo

Hi, My Name is Katie and I Married an Adventurer.

Quitting My Job

How can we afford to quit work and to travel for a year?

Are we investing for the future while we travel long term?

How much does it cost to RV around America for a year?

Adventure Possible in the News

Live a Life of Adventure in 15 Steps

Our family has adopted an approach to modern life that builds adventure into life's trajectory. We call it the Adventure Possible Life. In a … Read More

Main Navigation

  • Life of Adventure
  • Books
  • Sponsorships
  • Weekend Adventures
  • Appalachian Trail
  • Bike America
  • RV’ing
  • The Kelleys

Dream Big

  • Live a Life of Adventure
  • RV across America
  • Bike across America
  • Hike the AT

Resources

  • Checklists & Tools
  • Adventure Sponsorships
  • Weekend Adventures

Shop

  • Shop
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • My Account

Get Involved

  • Contributing Writers
  • Buy our Books
  • About The Site
  • Meet the Kelleys

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search

© 2013-2016 ProTrack Marketing LLC. Raleigh, North Carolina. Google+ Publisher.