We hung out with the horses. And took care of little things. Pete used a vice in Jeff’s shop and straightened out tent stakes. We sorted gear. And he gave me a lesson in knot tying. I learned how to tie half-hitches, taut line hitches, figure of eight loops, the clove hitch, the sheet bend, the square knot, and the bowline. I doubt what he taught me will stick—it never has in the past. The wind picked up speed as the day progressed. I remarked to Pete that I was glad that we took the day off.

Next: Dispatch #14: Again, the kindness of strangers