These Spring Nights Are Still Cold

When I stopped at the ranger station on the way into Smoky Mountains National Park, I found that Cade’s Cove is part of the park. I remembered that some of “Sheffey,” a film I worked on while in college, was filmed there. I couldn’t remember which part was done there, but saw some pictures and soon realized it was the John Oliver place that was used for Shed McComb’s cabin. This angle approximates the one used in the film:

In that scene, young Robert Sheffey, who had been traveling for two days, had spent the previous night along the roadside where it had been colder than he expected. He was seeking lodging and the McCombs took him in. I ended up spending the two nights of my three day ride around the Smokys sleeping on the ground under the stars and yes, these spring nights are indeed still cold. (to quote some dialog from the film) My complete set of camping gear consisted of a blanket and a flashlight. Fortunately it didn’t rain.

The first night I looked for a place in the woods but found that things have changed in the last couple of decades. It seems that outside the parks, there is a house tucked into just about every few acres of the mountains. I ended up finding an empty one with a for-sale sign out front and found a hidden corner behind a hedge row on the hillside out back. The second night I spent $17 for a campsite in the National Park. Next time I think I’ll plan to have a better kit of gear.