Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

place in the U.S. Some have said it's hotter than Death Valley due to the topography. To live in the Inyos, around Cerro Gordo in winter, one can hardly imagine the cold. The clapboard shacks and the lack of wood surely cooled the enthusiasm of the residents. Construction on the tram was staned in 1911, completed in 1913 and ran full time until 1918. Then, working only pan time it was ftnally abandoned in 1930. It was 13.5 miles long, had 300 buckets and carried 20 tons per hour. It rises some 7700 feet up Daisy Canyon from Saline Valley and drops 5200 feet to its western end near Swansea. Still visible are the ruins of the motor shed, several foundations and the rail spur from the Carson and Colorado Railroad. There are many wild stories about rides taken on the tram. Some were not by choice. Claims are made that some riders lost their heads to the tram towers when they tried to get too good of a view over the sides of the buckets. We were going to exit the Inyos via the Swansea grade but information from Jack Smith and a deer hunter we met, the condition of that road indio cated we should return via Cerro Gordo. After many pictures we staned our return. The road coming up from that tranquil valley was tough but going down it was the pits. Some of the roads we used on all the trips are over I 00 ~ars old and in places it seems they have not been repaired since they were built. With much wheel dragging due to full braking on both ends and still gaining speed we thankfully got to the bottom with hearts intact, if in our mouths. Mine anyway. The mileage' was .3 miles shoner on the return due to loclting up the front wheel. Back at Cerro Gordo for a last long look and to say goodb~ to Jack and Barbara Smith. By the way they charge a dollar per visitor, for a look at the town. It's a fair fee, as they work like hell to keep the "Yellow Grade" open. As we left, in our mind's ~, we looked back at the once bustling town and saw Remi Nadeau and his smelly mules, Mon Belshaw and his super silver producing smelter, Beaudry in his store, and then looking down some of the back streets and seeing Lola Travis and Maggie Moore, a couple of the more famous red·light ladies. Back down the hill it was the end of a series of trips my panner and I will not soon forget. The ftve rides covered super tough din roads to slick smooth pavement, elevations from 1000 to 9200 feet and temperatures from 45 to over 108°. Go well prepared; we did this time and won. Our bikes ran on stock jets and while the 360 developed a mileage problem, they ran perfectly and never failed to stan by the second kick. The maps you'll need are the USGS (Topa Maps) Darwin, CA, Ubehebe Peak, CA, New York Butte, CA; Waucoba Wash, CA; Panamint Butte, CA; Maturango Peak, CA; and Keeler, CA quadrangles. Also the Auto Club's Guide to Death Valley and the BLM maps of Panamint and Saline. The above maps will be useful because the map published with the anicle is very basic. Remember much of the area we have ridden in is dotted with private propeny or is of historic value. Please respect the signs and follow my motto of "take only pictures and leave only tire tracks." A street legal bike and a Class 4 endorsement is needed to ride the few miles of state highway' and the many miles of Inyo County road. It would be wise when going to Cerro Gordo to drop a letter to the Smiths with a self addressed stamped envelope requesting conditions and possible clo· sures before going. Write to Bar:bara and Jack Smith, c/o Cerro Gordo Mines, Box 3, Lone Pine, CA 93545. • HALF PRICE! tSmonthsof plus '\\This Custom 'N Belt Buckle ______~~l. $13 50· 4-WHEEL '" OFF.ROAD, 6725 SUDIet Blvd., P.O. Boz 3289, Lao AnseJes, CA. 90028 I I I I I I • SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER FOR NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: o Pleue eIIter my 18-lDODth IUhocriptioo (18 iuueI) to 4-WHEEL I: OFF·ROAD for only 513.50 (that'. HALF OFF the DCWIIUDd price 01 $27.(0) aDd IODd me my 4-WHEEL '" OFF·ROAD BELT BUCKLE at DO extra c1uor&e. o My payment ill eucIooed. G-71 NAME ADDRESS CITY I I STATE Tbia _ ~ I_~ _ u_.. ,. . - _.. . 10 me U.s.A. MId .......... s--.,." .... _ _ Cld.r~ _ ZIP ,... ... ,..... I I I I I I -------------_. 31

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