Tehachapi News

Tehachapi Yellow Bike Project update

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The first wave of Pacific Crest Trail hikers arrived in Tehachapi in early May and has now become a steady stream of several hundred hikers making the 2,650 mile pilgrimage from the Mexico to the Canadian border. The Yellow Bike Project has been well received by the hikers visiting Tehachapi making the trip to the post office, laundry and markets much easier.

In years past Mojave was considered a favorite due to its compact size; however, since the introduction of the Yellow Bikes, Tehachapi is “much more accessible” according to ‘Miss Information’ a Pacific Crest Trail hiker using her trail name. Trout Lilly, Dash and Bat Man all used the bikes to tour downtown and for a stop at Tehachapi’s first seasonal Farmers Market.

Trout Lilly got her fill of Ranier cherries at a produce vendor to help fuel her next segment of the trail. Since the program began other communities like Mount Shasta have contacted the Tehachapi project for guidance in starting their own Yellow Bike programs.

A well deserved thanks go to all the generous citizens who donated bikes to the project and to Michael Limbaugh who donated his time to ensure all the bikes are road worthy. The Yellow Bike Project is still seeking donations for baskets, seats, locks and other accessories to make these bikes complete for use by hikers, pilots and other visitors.

The fleet of approximately ten bikes is available at Mama HillyBean’s Café, 426 East Tehachapi Blvd. For more information call 822-BEAN (2326). The Tehachapi Trail Angels are seeking additional volunteers to help give rides to and from the trailhead located on Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road at Cameron Road. For more information call 816-1518.

Posted June 1, 2009; Volume 110 - No.8, print edition June 3, 2009.