Warner SpringsApr 29 2017

Mike's Place

Apr302017
Map thumbnail of location

So you know how I said I was going to zero at Warner Springs? Well, I woke up at 6, laid there for ten minutes, said "to hell with it", packed up, and started hiking. I can rest in five months.

With my late start, there was only one other hiker leaving town at the same time, so we naturally hiked together initially. She (Shakedown) was really cool, so that turned into an all-day thing. Around lunch, we linked up with some hikers we had previously met, and we all hiked the remaining 8 miles to this Trail Angel's place -- Mike's Place.

Mike is a guy who lives just off the PCT, in a very dry stretch of the trail. A few years ago, some hikers came by his house, desperate for some water. Being a nice guy, he couldn't turn them down, and word got around. The next year, he decided to start having fun with it.

As a result, he will now host hikers on the weekends, offering them water, beer, soda, snacks, pizza, tacos, and a yard to sleep in. It's all donation-based, and from our chats, I think he winds up in the red, but not too far.

The welcome sign to Mike's PlaceThe welcome sign to Mike's Place
At the end of this season, he'll have made well over 1,000 pizzas (in two years) for hungry hikersAt the end of this season, he'll have made well over 1,000 pizzas (in two years) for hungry hikers

After spending the evening hanging out with my new trail family, it's time for bed since we have a lot of dry miles to cover tomorrow.

My hiker familyMay 01 2017