The Ford Barn

glenn in camino · 09-09-2014, 10:01 AM

My club, The Hangtown As in Placerville, Ca. is going on a tour to Bodie in a couple of weeks. I've heard the road in to Bodie from the highway is rough. I think our Model As will be ok as they were made to drive on dirt roads. Any advise from those who have been there would be welcome.

1930artdeco · 09-09-2014, 10:32 AM

Ok here is stuff from a friend who went there. The road is about 3.5 lanes wide, small bumps and a few pot holes. The road is gravel and good to go at about 10 mph or so. Hope this helps..
Mike

DougVieyra · 09-09-2014, 12:25 PM

In 1968 Ray Hugenburger, in his 1928 4-Door Sedan, Doug & Al Vieyra, in their 1928 4-door Sedan, while camping in the Nevada desert (Bodie lies on the border between California and Nevada), drove into this Ghost Town (this was before it was a Calif. State Park), on a one lane gravel/dirt road, spent some time there, and then went on to the neighboring (Nevada) Ghost Town of Arrora (sp ?), about twenty miles away - all dirt, no gravel.

In 1968 the road to Bodie was gravel and dusty, and yes, full of 'pot holes', but really presented no issue at all to the faithfull flivvers. The road to Arora ws worse, but still easily traversed.

Today, now that it had become a California State Park, and has had nearly fifty years of road improvement, I suspect that your club will have a easy and comfortable experience driving the much improved road to Bodie.

- Doug Vieyra, Eureka, Calif. - projected high today of 58 degrees.....

P.S. · 09-09-2014, 01:25 PM

Road is gravel/potholes/washboard "stutterbumps". Being some spare spring shackles!

huddy · 09-09-2014, 02:10 PM

Been there many times. Road is rough but doable. Dust is your biggest problem. Watch weather as this is season for flash floods.

Elevation is high - 8,000+ feet - and the pass from Bridgeport to Mono Lake is 6% grade downhill & several miles long. You will go into Bodie from north end of Mono, but return road comes out near top of pass and there's a long downhill stretch on US-395 if you go out that way.

Exit road from Bodie is one-way most of the way - exits onto US-395 near Bridgeport, which has nice B&Bs and a couple of good restaurants. Also at bottom of pass (near Mono Lake) is town of Lee Vining, with some restaurants and B&Bs.

South of there are the resort towns of Mammoth Lakes and June Lake, which have plenty of places to eat and stay.

Should be pretty nice up that way mid to late Sept.

JohnLaVoy · 09-09-2014, 04:15 PM

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I have been there a few times, but not in the Model A. The road was unpaved but graded and there was not problem. It is a great spot to visit you can see how everyone just picked up and left.

oldman - NorCal · 09-09-2014, 06:55 PM

The main problem will be dust. Just drive slow and enjoy the stark beauty of the area. I remember a trip to Bodie several years ago when my buddy in the Model A behind me stopped and began walking out into the desert. He traversed several hundred feet and we could see him pick up a car fender. Upon returning to cars, we could see that he had found a beautiful / very heavy automobile fender probably from the 1920's. He hauled that fender around to swap meets for a few years and nobody was ever able to identify what make of car it was from. So, keep your eyes open........ there still out there.

Tom Endy · 09-09-2014, 07:00 PM

Glenn:

Best to stay out of Titus Canyon. There are still people looking for you with a rope under one arm and a tree under the other.

Tom Endy

glenn in camino · 09-09-2014, 07:49 PM

Thanks to all who responded. I'm really loking forward to this trip as I've always been interested in ghost towns and I've never been to Bodie.

Chris Haynes · 09-10-2014, 02:07 AM

You will find the remains of an A Cabrolet by the blacksmith shop in Bodie. But the rangers won't let you take it home.

asapguy · 09-10-2014, 10:29 AM

Went there 40 yrs ago & there were the remains of a Model A with two beautiful welled front fenders. I've often wondered if they're still there. Go visit Rosa Lee (if I remember her name right) & say hello, she's just outside the town cemetery.

Chris Haynes · 09-10-2014, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asapguy

Went there 40 yrs ago & there were the remains of a Model A with two beautiful welled front fenders. I've often wondered if they're still there. Go visit Rosa Lee (if I remember her name right) & say hello, she's just outside the town cemetery.

That is the remains of the cabrolet and it is still there.

09-09-2014, 10:01 AM	#1
glenn in camino Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camino, CA. Posts: 3,086	Bodie ghost town My club, The Hangtown As in Placerville, Ca. is going on a tour to Bodie in a couple of weeks. I've heard the road in to Bodie from the highway is rough. I think our Model As will be ok as they were made to drive on dirt roads. Any advise from those who have been there would be welcome.

09-09-2014, 10:32 AM	#2
1930artdeco Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lynden, Wa Posts: 3,776	Re: Bodie ghost town Ok here is stuff from a friend who went there. The road is about 3.5 lanes wide, small bumps and a few pot holes. The road is gravel and good to go at about 10 mph or so. Hope this helps.. Mike __________________ 1930 TownSedan (Briggs) 1957 Country Sedan

09-09-2014, 12:25 PM	#3
DougVieyra Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 1,733	Re: Bodie ghost town In 1968 Ray Hugenburger, in his 1928 4-Door Sedan, Doug & Al Vieyra, in their 1928 4-door Sedan, while camping in the Nevada desert (Bodie lies on the border between California and Nevada), drove into this Ghost Town (this was before it was a Calif. State Park), on a one lane gravel/dirt road, spent some time there, and then went on to the neighboring (Nevada) Ghost Town of Arrora (sp ?), about twenty miles away - all dirt, no gravel. In 1968 the road to Bodie was gravel and dusty, and yes, full of 'pot holes', but really presented no issue at all to the faithfull flivvers. The road to Arora ws worse, but still easily traversed. Today, now that it had become a California State Park, and has had nearly fifty years of road improvement, I suspect that your club will have a easy and comfortable experience driving the much improved road to Bodie. - Doug Vieyra, Eureka, Calif. - projected high today of 58 degrees.....

09-09-2014, 01:25 PM	#4
P.S. Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Hazzard County Posts: 1,916	Re: Bodie ghost town Road is gravel/potholes/washboard "stutterbumps". Being some spare spring shackles!

09-09-2014, 02:10 PM	#5
huddy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Central NY & Central CA Posts: 316	Re: Bodie ghost town Been there many times. Road is rough but doable. Dust is your biggest problem. Watch weather as this is season for flash floods. Elevation is high - 8,000+ feet - and the pass from Bridgeport to Mono Lake is 6% grade downhill & several miles long. You will go into Bodie from north end of Mono, but return road comes out near top of pass and there's a long downhill stretch on US-395 if you go out that way. Exit road from Bodie is one-way most of the way - exits onto US-395 near Bridgeport, which has nice B&Bs and a couple of good restaurants. Also at bottom of pass (near Mono Lake) is town of Lee Vining, with some restaurants and B&Bs. South of there are the resort towns of Mammoth Lakes and June Lake, which have plenty of places to eat and stay. Should be pretty nice up that way mid to late Sept. __________________ Owning an antique car is "start fixing one thing, find four other things that need fixing." Lather, rinse, repeat. Last edited by huddy; 09-09-2014 at 04:38 PM. Reason: added "downhill" to 6% grade

09-09-2014, 04:15 PM	#6
JohnLaVoy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Rocklin, CA Posts: 779	Re: Bodie ghost town Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I have been there a few times, but not in the Model A. The road was unpaved but graded and there was not problem. It is a great spot to visit you can see how everyone just picked up and left.

09-09-2014, 06:55 PM	#7
oldman - NorCal Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gold Country Posts: 69	Re: Bodie ghost town The main problem will be dust. Just drive slow and enjoy the stark beauty of the area. I remember a trip to Bodie several years ago when my buddy in the Model A behind me stopped and began walking out into the desert. He traversed several hundred feet and we could see him pick up a car fender. Upon returning to cars, we could see that he had found a beautiful / very heavy automobile fender probably from the 1920's. He hauled that fender around to swap meets for a few years and nobody was ever able to identify what make of car it was from. So, keep your eyes open........ there still out there.

09-09-2014, 07:00 PM	#8
Tom Endy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 3,168	Re: Bodie ghost town Glenn: Best to stay out of Titus Canyon. There are still people looking for you with a rope under one arm and a tree under the other. Tom Endy

09-09-2014, 07:49 PM	#9
glenn in camino Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camino, CA. Posts: 3,086	Re: Bodie ghost town Thanks to all who responded. I'm really loking forward to this trip as I've always been interested in ghost towns and I've never been to Bodie.

09-10-2014, 02:07 AM	#10
Chris Haynes Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camarillo, CA and Pine Grove, CA Posts: 2,962	Re: Bodie ghost town You will find the remains of an A Cabrolet by the blacksmith shop in Bodie. But the rangers won't let you take it home. __________________ 1921 Runabout 1930 Tudor Early 1930 AA Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?

09-10-2014, 10:29 AM	#11
asapguy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Snohomish Wa. Posts: 392	Re: Bodie ghost town Went there 40 yrs ago & there were the remains of a Model A with two beautiful welled front fenders. I've often wondered if they're still there. Go visit Rosa Lee (if I remember her name right) & say hello, she's just outside the town cemetery.