Dirt Biking to Bodie: A Ghost Town Showdown

If you are planning a vacation to California this summer, don't spend all your time at the beach. How about a real adventure, such as exploring a California ghost town!

Frozen in time, the gold rush town of Bodie lies on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. When our family vacationed in Mammoth Lakes we decided to visit Bodie, the largest and most well-preserved ghost town in California.

As we rumbled down the dirt road on our off-road motorcycles, we started to worry. Were we lost? This lonely dirt road should be leading to an old ghost town, but we had been riding our motorcycles for over an hour, and there wasn't a ghost town, or a soul in sight. Just when we thought of turning back, we crested a hill and there-far in the distance-sprawled in the basin below...lay Bodie. Gold was discovered here in 1859 by William S. Body, and soon thereafter this desolate landscape hosted over 8000 residents and about 2000 buildings. And I might mention-some pretty wild living. Bodie acquired the reputation of being one of the most lawless and violent towns in the mother lode.

As we rolled our off-road dirt bikes up to the entrance gate, we noticed a pair of eyes following our every move. A California State Parks law enforcement officer, who just happened to make a sweep through the old ghost town on this day, watched us suspiciously. Like a cocky western sheriff, he strode right up to my husband, and stared him down. Back 50 feet from the confrontation, I wondered if I heard the faint jangle of spurs. A showdown was brewing. I stayed on my bike and kept the engine running.

"How did you get here?" he demanded.

"On that dirt road", my husband pointed.

Let me explain: A few days before, when I told my husband I wanted to ride our dirt bikes into Bodie, he shook his head.

"There isn't a way."

"But there's got to be a back road out there somewhere!"

I hadn't wanted to "drive" into Bodie the way everyone else did...on the road...like a 20th century tourist in a modern day horseless carriage. I knew it would be much more exciting to r-i-d-e into town. Enshrouded in a ball of dust. Like a cowboy on a horse!

Finally, with a map and some help from the Mammoth ranger station, we researched a seldom traveled route which began on the historic north shore of Mono Lake. After double-checking with the rangers to make sure it was legal, we saddled up and headed out on our western adventure-me and my posse-my husband, son, and a few riding buddies.

"That road you came in on is a state highway," said the Officer glancing at the young teens in our group. "You have unlicensed drivers here."

"That dirt rode is a state highway?"

"Yep."

"Is it marked? We didn't see any signs."

"It's a state highway."

"How can you have a highway without signs, speed limits, or any other markings? Can we leave that way?"

No answer...just a glassy stare. Was his hand slowly reaching for his pistol? I revved my bike nervously.....

We didn't think he was going to let us park our bikes and stay, but finally he did. Boy did we get some stares tromping down main street in our big black boots, and padded riding britches. People probably expected us to pass out any minute from the August heat. It was close to 90 degrees. By the way, that's cool for Bodie. We were lucky it wasn't its usual 110. We were beginning to wish one of Bodies 65 saloons might still be in working order.

Most of the town remains just how the gold seekers left it. Old dishes, furniture, and tools lay scattered in the old wooden structures and the general store is still stocked. Built in 1879 and owned by Harvey Boone, (A direct relation to Daniel Boone), the shop still has stocked shelves with artifacts such as aspirin, medicated powders, and castor oil.

Living in Bodie was not for the faint of heart. Shootings were every day occurrences along with robbers, stage holdups and street fights. Although the residents were mostly men, women eventually began to trickle in. A few established families did spring up, however, many of the first women who arrived in Bodie made a living in the red light district. And finally, with its baking hot summers and snow covered winters, it has been said, "Bodie was second to none for wickedness, badmen and the worst climate out-of-doors."

The streets of Bodie became quiet, finally, after a fire in 1932 and with the onset of WWII. Soon the population dwindled and the last few people straggled out. Today, Bodie lies in a state of arrested decay, with about 200 well preserved structures still remaining.

Later in the day, feeling like a bunch of "outlaw bikers" we headed back to our bikes and formulated a plan to sneak out the same way we came in, as it would be too dangerous to take Hwy. 395 back down to our trucks. Luckily the officer wasn't there. Probably out chasing other desperado's.

We quickly adjusted our helmets and started our bikes.

Goodbye Bodie!

Now let's get out of here before we get thrown in the pokey!