Ghost Town Showdown

A few summers ago...

Were we lost? I was beginning to wonder. This lonely back road should be leading to the most well preserved ghost town in California. We had been on our bikes for over an hour, and there wasn't a ghost town, or a soul in sight.



Just when I thought we should turn back, we crested a hill and there...far in the distance...sprawled in the valley below...lay BODIE.

The picture above was taken just moments before the local sheriff tried to run us out of town.

You see, as we first rolled our bikes up to the entrance gate, a CA State Parks law enforcement officer just happened to make a sweep through the old ghost town. 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, not amused.
"On that dirt road", we pointed.

Let me explain: 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. With the sun at my back and wind in my hair. (kinda) Like a cowgirl on a horse. Only better! Cause when I roll, I roll on two wheels!!!



The day before I had researched a seldom traveled route at the Mammoth ranger station which began on the historic north shore of Mono Lake. I made sure it was legal with the rangers. The next day we headed out on our western adventure. Me and my posse - Tom, Dylan and our good riding friends LT and G.

Below is G, LT, Dylan and Tom - AFTER we wrangled our way out of the Pokey.

"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 reved my bike nervously.....

Disgruntled Outlaw Bikers (can you say "busted")

We didn't think he was going to let us park our bikes and stay, but finally he did. We actually had a really great day. Boy did we get some stares tromping down main street in our "moto" attire. :-) Bodie was and still is incredibly cool. Most of the town is left just as it was when the gold seekers walked out. The town was booming in 1877, but by 1940 only ghosts of the past remained. Old dishes, furniture, and tools lay scattered in the old wooden structures and the general store still has items on the shelf. The residents were mostly men (and a few of the wrong kind of women). Shootings were every day occurences and there were robbers, stage holdups, street fights and 65 saloons along main street! The weather brought bitter winds, snowy winters, and baking hot summers. It has been said "Bodie was second to none for wickedness, badmen and the worst climate out-of-doors."

Bad Boy Bikers? Jail - or no Jail?

Later in the day, we snuck out the same way we came in, as it would have been too dangerous to take Hwy. 395 back down to our trucks. Luckily the officer wasn't there. Probably out chasing other desperado's.



Goodbye Bodie! Now let's get out of here before we really do get busted!



Posted by Sharon Lynne with a little help from Tom.