[pct-l] Paradise Cafe vs mikes smoked chicken

[Timothy Nye]

When you hit Chihuahua Valley Road, a day out of Warner Springs, turn right
and in a 1/4 of a mile you'll see Mike's. It used to be just a water stop,
but when he bought the place 6 or seven years ago he began letting hikers
use his sleeping porch, usually stocked with drinks and some food, as well
as a hiker cabin he rehabilitated.  There is a donation jar.  If he's in
residence (try to get there on a weekend) he barbeques a ton of chicken
served sides.  If you roll through on a Monday, there may be some meat still
in the smoker.

His place is amazing.  Grandfathered into this remote area the only other
thing out that way is a scout camp about five more miles out the road.  It's
so remote that even when I had directions I took hours to find it
driving.  He's got a short wave radio as a sat phone doesn't always work
there.  Much easier to get to by trail.

Sometimes he has speakers out on his front porch broadcasting music to the
desert.  There is an unobstructed view of a couple of miles of the trail
past the road heads up to the pass;  hikers, reduced to distant specks by
the distance, can be seen passing by.