9/2/03 We put up our tent and tripped down to the pump. It wasn't working last time we were here, but someone fixed it since and it easily and freely gushed water. We filtered out of the priming bucket and then refilled it. We went back to the shelter in time to meet two other hikers stopping by for a break. Jason, from Volvo in Burlington, recognized us from when we were in there last year getting road paint parts replaced. He found our story unbelievable then (the state paid for the damage) and has continued to tell our story ever since. With Jason was his friend from Austin. They were hiking south for few days.

We were happy to read a message in the shelter log from Short Stick and Rustle who were at the shelter on July 11th, one week after we met them on Stark's Nest. We missed them by two days when we were doing a day hike on July 9th.