Day 9 – Warner Springs to Mike’s Place, mile 127

Got up 5.45am, left 7.30am after several good byes. Some hikers with the same start date (i.e. my “bubble”) stayed behind to let their blisters or other injuries heal. The good byes were not so easy… You don’t know if you will meet someone on trail again.

I had a really good start after the day rest and stopped for my 2+ hours lunch break at 11.30am already at mile 121, just 6 more to go.

Arrived in Mike’s place around 5pm.

Mike’s place… And interesting place that I have to describe. The first impression… It is a big property away from any towns, accessible via a 4WD road. One house, a big garage, an outdoor kitchen. Car wrecks and trash everywhere. An old huge RV abandoned on the side of the road (I was thinking “Breaking bad”).
I was welcomed by a guy in a poncho with pizza and soft drinks. And reminded of the tip jar which only makes the trail magic at Mike’s possible. Several times. We were maybe 8 hikers, by nightfall rather 15. There was a freshly killed rattlesnake.. I played with its rattle. The place was sketchy. But a storm kept coming and we decided to stay. Some slept in the old RV, I slept with others on the porch of the house in a space called hikerbox, just protected from the weather with a mosquito net.

We were in for a cold night…