I was one of the first out of camp this morning, hitting the trail around 7:30. I walked through a peaceful silence. Climbing small hills and descending them. Crossing streams and stopping to look at flowers. 

The first time I was startled was when a hawk jumped out of the bush next to me. Luckily he just flew away, but he cause me to jump a foot and a half in the air. Once my heart rate returned to normal, my peaceful morning continued. 

The second time I was startled was when I was sitting on a rock enjoying a drink of cold water looking out over a vista. Out of nowhere I heard a guttural shout and looked over just in time to see Pooh Bear flying through the air and landing on her face. 

I ran over to make sure she was ok, and she was. Just needed to dust herself off. “Of course it was that knee,” she said. Apparently she had landed on the knee in which she tore her ACL late last year. When I asked her how, she giggled and said she was jumping on a trampoline with her students and fell. She tore her ACL and managed to land tooth first on a students head. “Just don’t on a trampoline after 30. So fun, but definitely not worth it.” She also told me she was “definitely not glad” that I was there to witness her flight. 

I walked on until I saw a posterboard sign. I almost skipped to it thinking that it had to be for trail magic. But it was just welcoming a camping trip. I slunked into the parking lot and dropped my bag looking to see what snacks I had. “Want a coke and a donut?” I heard from behind me. 

Pooch was sitting in his jeep,and beneath one of the most intense mustaches ever, was smiling at me, offering out both. He told me he had thru hiked the AT in 2016, the had done the CDT and the PCT soon after. He was now enjoying life as a trail angel. I sat there chatting with him as Pooh Bear, shorts, Salt and Jack rabbit all came by. 

The rest of the hike was either up or down. The first down was steep steps to a beautiful waterfall, I cursed every step as I hit it. But the views were worth it. 

Then came the climb up. Which wasn’t too steep. But it was long. I was drenched by the time I reached the top. I sat at the top with jack rabbit chugging water and complaining about the heat (having forgotten now how much we loathed the cold). 

But I was in for a surprise when the downhill started, when I took my first bigger step down, a sharp pain shot through my left knee. I almost crumpled but caught myself. It happened again on the next step and the one after. I slowed to a crawl and side shuffled as much as I could which seemed to get things under control. Everyone who was behind me passed as I slowly waddled my way down the mountain. 

Folks let me know that there was a party going on at the next hostel to celebrate “the holiday” (Easter I’m sure). But I wasn’t in the mood, I decided to keep going and find my own place to camp. A peaceful night by the lake seemed like a better idea. 

I got to the bottom and sat in the ice cold lake, soaking my leg to see if that would help. I also plugged all my symptoms into ChatGPT, she wasn’t concerned. She said it was runners knee and I just need new shoes and to take it easy for a minute. 

Not fully convinced I wasn’t in a great mood when I found a campsite. But it was hard to stay mad here. I was alone right on the side of the lake. I cooked dinner, lit a fire and took an au natural soak in the lake. It may have been a lousy afternoon, but it was a lovely evening. 

Now I just have to make it to Damascus to get new shoes and rest my knee. 

Key stats: 

Miles:18 

Elevation gained: 3,100 ft

Mile marker: 432 

Days til new shoes: 2