Fights and murders
occurred almost daily,
fueled by liquor from 65
saloons, some of which
doubled as brothels,
gambling halls or opium
dens.
The hills disgorged
some $35 million worth
of gold and silver in
the 1870s and ’80s,
but when production
plummeted, Bodie was
abandoned, and about
200 weather-beaten
buildings now sit frozen
in time in this cold,
barren and windswept
valley. Peering through
dusty windows you’ll see
stocked stores, furnished
homes, a schoolhouse
with desks and books,
the jail and many otherbuildings. The former
Miners’ Union Hall now
houses a museum and
visitors center (h9am-
1hr before park closes), and
rangers conduct free
general tours.The Drive » Retrace your
way back to Hwy 395, where
you’ll soon come to the big sky
settlement of Bridgeport. From
there, it’s approximately two
hours to Reno along a lovely
two-lane section of the highway
that traces the bank of the
snaking Walker River.b Reno
Nevada’s second-largest
city has steadily carved
a noncasino niche as
an all-season outdoor-
recreation spot. TheTruckee River bisects
the heart of the high
mountain-ringed city,
and in the heat of
summer, the Truckee
River Whitewater Park
teems with urban
kayakers and swimmers
bobbing along on inner
tubes. Two kayak courses
wrap around Wingfield
Park, a small river island
that hosts free concerts
in summertime. Tahoe
Whitewater Tours (%775-
787-5000; http://www.gowhitewater.
com) and Sierra
Adventures (%866-323-
8928; http://www.wildsierra.com)
offer kayak trips and
lessons.54 p225
Start: a Bodie State Historic Park
During the 1860s gold rush, Virginia City was a high-flying, rip-roaring Wild West
boomtown. It was the site of the legendary Comstock Lode, a massive silver
bonanza that began in 1859 and stands as one of the world’s richest strikes. Some
of the silver barons went on to become major players in California history, and much
of San Francisco was built with the treasure dug up from the soil beneath the town.
Mark Twain spent time in this raucous place during its heyday, and his eyewitness
descriptions of mining life were published in Roughing It.
The high-elevation town is a National Historic Landmark, with a main street of
Victorian buildings, wooden sidewalks, wacky saloons and small museums ranging
from hokey to intriguing. On the main drag, C street, you’ll find the visitors center
(www.visitvirginiacitynv.com; 86 South C St; h10am-4pm). To see how the mining elite lived,
stop by the Mackay Mansion (D St) and the Castle (B St).
From Carson City, go east on Hwy 50, and then another 7 miles via Hwy 341 and
Hwy 342. Continuing on to Reno, wind through a spectacular 13 miles of high desert
along Hwy 341 to rejoin Hwy 395, with another 7 miles to reach Reno.VIRGINIA CITY
DETOUR:
CENTRAL.CALIFORNIA20
(^) EASTERN SIERRA SCENIC BYWAY