Monday, August 29, 2011

BODIE - Remnants of an Era

BODIE - What more is there to say? Bodie is a relic. a reminder of a past era when men mucked for gold, when women followed them as wives, lovers, or whatever. When gunshots in the tavern or gambling hall or street were nearly a daily event. When people tried to make a life for themselves wherever they landed, when civility was a tough challenge.

Today Bodie is a relic, being maintained in a kind of arrested decay, a reminder to all of us of what went before, where some of us may have sprung from, where others would dare not go.

We've shown you some parts of Bodie, and with little further comment, here are some more views, in no particular order.





















Bodie - Is it dead? No, not really, but it is slowly returning to to the earth from which it, and all of us, have come. Even the little cemetery is returning to nature.







The last burial here was in 2003, surprisingly. The gravestone reads, in part: "Hello God, I just got here.... I'm the last of the old time miners."

Goodnight, Bodie, sleep well.

For even more of Bodie, you are invited to visit our 2011 Bodie Ghost Town web album, or just Google "Bodie Ghost Town." You also have an invitation to follow the footsteps we recently took in ... Our Life on Wheels.
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15 comments:

  1. michael ultraAugust 29, 2011 at 8:10 AM

    I often ponder, 'If only those old houses and machines could talk'. What a story they could tell. I really enjoyed this post. Thank you.

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  2. Clark RamblingAugust 29, 2011 at 8:42 AM

    We enjoyed your blog about Bodie the last few days. Great pictures and a nice insight and views about the place. Looking forward to more ghost town blogs.

    It isn't common to find a ghost town east of the Mississippi River due to many factors. Quick decay of wooden building due to moisture being one of them. Out west where it is drier helps preserve these old places.

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  3. squawmamaAugust 29, 2011 at 9:32 AM

    Loved the pictures ~ was Suzy heading towards that outhouse to use it??? LOL Putting this place on my places to visit list!!!
    Have fun & Travels safe
    Donna

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  4. Carol KAugust 29, 2011 at 9:45 AM

    I'm glad you were wearing red shirts, Jerry and Suzy, so that you stood out among the dusty Bodie scenes!

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  5. Carol KerrAugust 29, 2011 at 10:40 AM

    Thanks for sharing Bodie. I think you've finally given me the amo I need to get Johnny to visit California! lol

    Question: How do you transport Big Red? Johnny recently got a scooter to make sightseeing easier, but we're struggling with the logistics of RV, day to day vehicle and the scooter.

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  6. Russ KrecklowAugust 29, 2011 at 10:59 AM

    Thanks for sharing all of the great pictures and stories of Bodie. We always want to get up there, but never have been able to yet. The road is always closed with snow when we go that way. Guess we should change our "season" of travel, maybe?

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  7. BarbAugust 29, 2011 at 11:06 AM

    Great photos, thanks for showing us so many. I really enjoyed them all.

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  8. Travels with EmmaAugust 29, 2011 at 1:41 PM

    I never did understand two whole outhouses. It's not something I'd want to do with a friend. :)

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  9. where's weaverAugust 29, 2011 at 2:22 PM

    You have a great eye for pictures. I really enjoyed looking at Bodie. I don't know if we will ever get there, but you brought it to us! Thanks for the great job!

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  10. Dennis and DonnaAugust 29, 2011 at 3:31 PM

    How the Heck did anyone even get a grave dug in that hard earth?? I'll be they did it by hand and shovel, back in the day...I would so have been channeling history, touching every stone...That last Angel stone..Evelyn, born May 1894, died April 1897...wonder what happened..See?? I get crazy nutso in cemeteries....Loved the tour...your tip will be in the mail...:-))

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  11. Chuck and Anneke's RV travelsAugust 29, 2011 at 6:15 PM

    I like the rusted farm equipment and of course the cemetery pics:)

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  12. Donna KAugust 29, 2011 at 6:52 PM

    Thanks for sharing such a wonderful tour. Russ always likes to take pictures of the old broken down machinery...he calls them Russ's Relics! I am more determined than ever to visit Bodie.

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  13. ErinAugust 30, 2011 at 4:35 AM

    The living museums bring history alive...good that Bodie is being exhibited as it is now, and not as what it might have looked like back in the day. Makes for a more realistic experience and teaches us about the ravages of time.

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  14. RickAugust 30, 2011 at 7:12 AM

    Another great blog of interesting pics from Bodie. You might just be the best promoter of the town that Bodie's seen in a while.

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  15. EdSeptember 18, 2011 at 2:19 PM

    Judy and Emma said...

    I never did understand two whole outhouses. It's not something I'd want to do with a friend. :)

    Judy,
    The two holes were not there so you could have company.
    It is much easier to dig the pit wide enough for two holes rather than just one. When you are down in the pit with a pick and shovel of a one hole it is cramped. Also, with the two holes it takes twice as long to fill up so you aren't digging another pit as often.

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