11 May ‘07
Friday
One thing about traveling is that you see places that you had no idea existed and today we experienced two of them after checking into our new campground in Lee Vining. Bodie State Historic Park was a bustling mining town with an estimated population of 10,000 and was second to none for its “wickedness”. It was notorious for its saloons, brothels, gambling halls and opium dens, but after a major fire in the early 1900’s and gold almost completely vanishing from the hills...well the rest is history. Today there are about 170 buildings that are preserved in a state of “arrested decay”. They won’t be restored but are prevented from decaying further. The drive out there was a joy in its self. After a drive of 12 miles of winding road you continue another 4 miles on a graded dirt road. Then out in front of you sitting on the side of a hill is Bodie…
Friday
One thing about traveling is that you see places that you had no idea existed and today we experienced two of them after checking into our new campground in Lee Vining. Bodie State Historic Park was a bustling mining town with an estimated population of 10,000 and was second to none for its “wickedness”. It was notorious for its saloons, brothels, gambling halls and opium dens, but after a major fire in the early 1900’s and gold almost completely vanishing from the hills...well the rest is history. Today there are about 170 buildings that are preserved in a state of “arrested decay”. They won’t be restored but are prevented from decaying further. The drive out there was a joy in its self. After a drive of 12 miles of winding road you continue another 4 miles on a graded dirt road. Then out in front of you sitting on the side of a hill is Bodie…