I reached Knot Maul Branch Shelter just before 8 p.m. Stick, Juan, River and Lost were here when I arrived.
Stick told me Uncle Puck had been having trouble with a new pair of hiking shoes, which caused bad blisters, so he decided to stop a few miles back at a hostel.
The sky was turning dark by now.
When I returned from making a long trek to get water, I learned a bit of drama had been going on at the shelter.
A hiker had passed through and warned everyone of another hiker he said was following behind him. This other hiker was said to be a troublemaker, especially around women. This put River and Lost understandably on edge.
I talked to Juan Gone and we agreed that if he showed up, we weren’t going to allow him to cause any trouble for River and Lost.
I was trying to get my bear bag rope hung before it got dark when a hiker, presumably the troublemaker, came by. As best as I could tell, he didn’t cause a disruption.
It was dark by the time I cooked dinner. Though it had been a long day of hiking, it wasn’t especially strenuous and I didn’t feel worn out. I had taken my time to get here and still, I put in more than 19 miles.
I hadn’t yet found everything I was searching for. I hadn’t yet found a hiking friend. I was still trying to keep a positive and focused attitude,
But I was starting to get the hang of this long walk. More than ever, I thought, I can get to Maine.