Mile 149 To Idylwild

With Trail Angel Mike Hein

After a quick breakfast of coffee and Poptarts, we attack the trail to Paradise. We make excellent time, then road walk to the cafe where we order more food than we should. Although it is only around 9 am, Brian gets his burger patty with eggs and hash.

Even better than the food is word that my brother in-law, Mike Hein, is on his way to carry us on his wings to a shower and laundry. His father Woody has a place in Anza, which for us is now a hiker heaven. We even take a quick spin on the ATV, just to remember what speed feels like.

We then race shopping carts up and down the aisles of a market in Idyllwild, creating ridiculous meals from the limited selection available. Mike all the time mumbling, this is what you are eating? We take another meal at a local Pizza joint, and Mike drops us off at the trailhead to Devils Slide, bypassing the fire-closed portion of the PCT. Angel Mike takes a few pictures, waves and flies off as mysteriously as he arrived… in his 4-cylinder Camry. We attempt a climb back up to the PCT, but Bri is not up for it. We retreat back to the trail head while there is still time to hitch back to a campground in Idyllwild, a town apparently not quite done with us.

Woody’s Hiker Heaven

Brian on ATV