no backup codes saved" is the part that really gets you. I keep mine printed on paper in a fire box now, plus one copy at my brother's place. Sounds dumb until the day your phone decides to wipe itself.

So "the forecast showed zero chance of rain" is basically the mountains laughing at you behind your back, huh? A dry week in the Smokies is about as real as a free lunch. That random 3 AM storm did not care about your app, your weight savings, or your plan to see stars through the mesh. It just showed up and took your sleeping bag as a tip. I did the same thing once in the Sierra, left my fly behind to save a pound, and got woken up by rain hitting my face at 2 AM. Now that fly goes in the pack every single time, no matter what the radar says.

Whoa that is wild, two seconds is faster than I would have guessed for older hardware. Did the ThinkPad make any noise or show anything on the screen before it died, or was it just instant black? Also curious what made you pick the 2012 model for the test instead of something you cared less about. And after seeing it happen, what exactly do you look for now when you check those hotel cables?