A Creepy Story from Death Valley, 1968 

What a story!! If your brother only knew who he was really dealing with .He was a brave soul.

Fantastic job telling the story of your older brother's encounter with one of the most evil individuals known to man. Of course, that is true, but thankfully Dave could see he was at the wrong place and left. Also, the encounter with Tex watson (cold blooded killer) could have ended badly. Congrats on a happy ending to this chapter for your family!

Thank You ! We had messaged about 2 yrs ago concerning Manson, your brother and friend Michael Meyer. I had purchased his book and absolutely loved the stories he told of his days as a Ranger. Thank you for making this video of your brothers stories to add just a little more insight into this mass murderer. Your skills of story telling are truly getting more and more interesting. Trudy

Wow😱 Finally got enough WiFi to stream your DEATH valley video. Appropriately we drove through Panamint Valley today on our way to Ridgecrest. What a harrowing experience your brother survived. Thanks for sharing and re-tracing his tale

Had many good 4WD trips all around that area back when the building was still standing like in the picture. Thanks for the memories.

Loved this. Another 68 year old here who needs to start adventuring.

I could hear Lennon screaming ‘helter skelter’ while I was riveted to your brother’s recollections. You can still feel the madness, the horrific presence. Those rangers did an incredible job capturing that band of miscreants. Thanks for making the difficult climb, and sharing the history.

Fascinating. I do believe you should do a mini documentary on your brother Dave, as I suspect he has many stories to tell.

Great presentation of your brother's adventure. Wow...not something I would want to experience, but totally interesting. Thank you

Amazing. Just an amazing story. Thanks Dave. Thanks Debbie and John for being so persistent in finding the ranch so we could see it.

Well Holy Moly!!! An amazing story from your brother. I was on the edge my seat watching today’s video. Having grown up in LA during that time, hearing this brought back all the incredible strangeness and scariness for this high school kid at the time! Phew for Dave!

Dave was a true pioneer in the world of 'Adventure' riding. Very chilling story. Thank you!

"Frasier is down!" John cracked me up. Only old goats like me get that reference.

Wow! That is quite a story! I'm certainly glad your brother came through it unharmed! Please keep up the great videos...

Awesome shout-out to Matt's Offroad Recovery! :D

Wow! This was so creepy. I remember hearing stories of Manson’s early days here in Indiana before he headed west.I didn’t realize that they captured him in Death Valley. Your brother is so lucky to have evaded the “family”…

My son in law, a US ARMY Ranger took me up that canyon and into Butte Valley. There’s a book written in the 80’s by an old miner. The title is, There’s Ghosts in These Canyons. Or something like that. He tells of his encounters with the Manson Family there in Death Valley. Great video, glad you made it out of there safely.

I love that Matt’s Offroad recovery plug! Cracked me up

Debbie is a filmmaker now! I can see the efforts of your course in the amazing opening guidebook sequence and the overlays of your brother speaking while you explore the area he describes, looks great. My question is what did Dave say to y’all when Manson was caught, “Hey I know that guy!” ;)

This was fantastic!!!!! Better than cable tv !!!!

“Thought it was my bones”. Lol. I know the feeling more every day!

Loved this video, very interesting. I’m 73 so I can relate to this story. I forgot Manson was captured in Death Valley.

I was there in 2007 on a KTM 990r came over Mingal Pass. This was before the cabin was burned out, and in pretty good shape. It was a creepy place to say the least!! Each year in February, we camp in Furnace Creek and ride DV. Spectactual place!! Thanks for taking me along.

Very interesting and scary story. Well done! Your background music is perfect. I am always conscious of it and I’m amazed how you always have great music that matches the theme of your video.

oh, I chanced to stumble upon this great video. I was also fascinated with death valley and avid watcher of many videos on death valley. It is really astonishing that 68-70 year elders could do this sort of adventure into the remotest places. Feeling so grateful for this video, which took me on a free tour of Barker Ranch.

Your story telling skills are so impressive! I’m going to send this to our smart TV and have my Death Valley-loving family members watch the whole thing. Thanks Debbie and John!✌️

What a fascinating story and footage thanks for sharing.

Gave me shivers! Wow, fascinating story and atmospheric video. Thanks to you and your bro for sharing it. Took me right back to being terrified as a kid.

Wow. Good story telling! Thx.

Wow your brother is a very lucky guy to have escaped from Charlie! Thanks for the amazing story😲

Just bums me out that some dingbat decided to burn down Barker Ranch house, because it was "evil". Eventually, will drive my Jeep up Goler Wash and visit Barker Ranch, myself. As an aside, I'm 68, too. Enjoyed your video.

Wow, fascinating story - thanks for sharing!

The ability to talk your way out of a sticky situation is an important life skill! My friend, who grew up in a gang area, shared that he avoided being pressed into a gang with a strong sense of "gotta go"

Great story have been to Death Valley many times but, never was aware that Charles Manson camp in the valley. Thanks for taking me on this adventure.

Very interesting story, thanks for sharing 👍👍

Great Story! Your videos are exquisite.

Wow. What an experience!

What a story! Thanks for sharing.

Wonderful video and you guys rock!

When I was 6 and living in Death Valley in 1063, I remember hiking up some canyon with my parents and one of the rangers to check on a hermit. I remember once we got the shack/house how much greener it was, with shade trees. Must have had water. Unfortunately the guy was not there. Wish I could remember more of the story of who he was, and the spot. So cool that you made this video to remember the story of your brother. So much gets lost as we age, lol. Thanks, brought back some great memories of Death Valley.

Thanks for sharing. Dave’s story gave me the chills! Glad you didn’t get hurt on your fall.

Well Done 👍… 😳😬… I wasn’t scared!!

yep, 68 and falling off a e-bike is some bold frisky move's and a flat tire out there and the party is over...thanks for the ride thru.

Oh wow!! What a creepy and scary story. So glad your brother was able to fib and leave safely to tell this story.

Great video ! My sister-in-law dated Tex Watson in college in Texas. 👏

WOW.. what a story.... I had chills the whole video.. I kinda didn't want you to be in that area! Thanks for sharing.

I don't know if you know but you are an inspiration you're a real powerhouse I don't know if you're married but the way you put that truck together and that bicycle and all your stuff and just went down the road all to tell a story I appreciate you that's so deep to me!

Wow! What a great video and story! I loved it. Well done.

Very nice editing on this video!

This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing it with us.

Wow 😮!! This is a good one. Thank you.

Fun, thanks for sharing.

awesome video. thanks

I remember hearing about that family on the news while the family was still on the run. Your brother is a very lucky person! Good video too!

Very nicely done creepiness.

This was an incredible experience to watch. My best friend Don from many years later recounted a similar encounter there. Though thankfully, they bailed really fast after running into Tex in their 4WD Jeep. I ran into them (sorta) as a kid riding my bike to see the Spahn Movie Ranch because my Dad instilled a love of westerns into me. I remember them as hippies like my sister, cousin and their friends. But there was a weird vibe that even 8 year old me picked up on. Quentin Tarantino's great film brought all this back to me. My brother in law house sat at the Cielo Drive home. I guess I visited him there too but I don't remember that as different from other brief visits to Bel Air homes with my Dad. Thank you for sharing. Sharon Tate was a truly beautiful person who reminds me so much of my older sister. I so wish Rick and Cliff could have saved her. There is nothing funny about it. Just a longing for a safer feeling LA.

in the summer of 68 my dad, a NYC cop took me to visit his best friend growing up in brooklynwho was living in laguna beach. The pacific coast highway at nite was packed with young hippies, many who lived in caves in the canyons running out of laguna ! It was quite the adventure , we also visited tijuana where i bought sandals, leather belt and fireworks ! No charlie manson sightings but plenty of wild people, a far cry from booklyn but stories to tell my classmates my freshman year in september ! Now i want to go to death valley ! never gave it a thought till watching your videos, thanks for the inspiration !

That was a very interesting story Dave told, enjoyed the way you incorporated it into the present day🚐

Thoroughly enjoyed your video. It actually gave me chills. I can’t believe your brother lived to tell the story!

What a great format. You're so creative.

My best friend and I used to spend a lot of time camping in the Panamint mountains and valley back since 1970. We had many an encounter “ meeting “ those hippies over the last 40 plus years.Some not so good! I’ve seen Barker ranch in tact and even saw the cabinet where Charlie was hiding in the ranch. I was always careful as I was a California police office since 1973 and got a lot of good advise from cops back then not to trust or become overly friendly with strangers we meet out in the back country. I even met Ma Barker once at the Indian ranch. Panamint has alway been the Wild West!

Wow great story. Thanks to you and your brother for sharing!

Love your channel

Great video Debbie. Really good. Thanks for sharing.

Wow! Things could have gone so wrong for your brother. Thanks for sharing the story.

Too cool

Whoa. First - loved your editing & music. Second - good on you for being so persistent. Rest - yay for your brother for surviving that whole scenario. Holy crap. Unless you lived in CA during that time, you can’t understand that fear of what happened. Last - my ancestors were the people stuck there in 1849. Asabel & Sarah Bennett. I really enjoyed this one!

Your brother is lucky to be alive!

Just wow.

Nice work! I'm a bit like your brother in the fact that I enjoy stopping and visiting with everyone. My wife not so much. I've met a few not so stable folks but as far as I know, no Charlie Manson's. Great story ...

The good old Trail 90, road looks pretty rough now- years later. I hiked up Surprise Canyon in 07'. Rocky at Ballarat was telling me about the Ballarat Bandit- no relation to Bob. Another example of weirdness from Panamint Valley. Fascinating story. That meet with Tex would have been scary- he was the worst one of the lot. Of course, there are some happier stories about Death Valley- like some of Ed Abbey's adventures.

Wow!

This gave me goosebumps. Thanks for sharing.

Wow, morbidly fascinating! Well done!

Wow what an awesome story. Thanks for sharing. Very interesting 👌

Hi Debbie & John🙋🏽‍♀️ Very eerie…Glad your brother got out of there. Great story/video

Scary Wow!

Now I want to explore Death Valley! Thanks for the video, Debbie. I can see that you are incorporating ideas from your film course. Nice work!

That was an Erie happening and thank God your brother was a quick thinker, wow. And, I felt your pain when you were on the ground because this 68 year old took a header on the ice a few days ago, we just don’t pop right back up quite so fast do we. But, thankful that wounded pride was the worst injury. You do a great video, thanks.

Great story, makes one think to always be aware. I am your age and found myself in questionable situations more than once. Spent many days and nights exploring the west shore canyons and mountains of Tahoe in the mid 70’s, often alone for days at a time. Living on food in my pack and trout caught in the high mountain lakes. Young twenty something, at least I was an Eagle Scout and has some sense of surviving the outdoors. Decided to hitch hike (for something different) home once, Truckee to Pennsylvania. Had $500 in my pocket incase things went wrong. One sketchy ride, Mustang exit to Chicago. Don’t think I slept the whole ride, it was November and cold along rt 80. You can bet I flew back to Reno after Thanksgiving with my family. Sure glad I didn’t meet Charlie in those travels!

Great video! That was an incredible story, thank you for sharing. I see the drive for adventures runs in the family 🤣. Very brave to be on the trail, riding along on the video was scary enough for me !!

That was great. your brothers stories were great! I'll bet he's got a lot more.

Your brother was smart and lucky to get away.

What a great story! Please tell your brother "thanks"; I enjoyed this video very much! Interesting content and wonderful music score!

Wow, creepy creepy....I think I will pass on ever going there....

Creepy, indeed! Methinks Dave had a pretty wild experience!

Wonderful!❤️

Great video and story!

Thanks a lot. What an interesting story (life!).

Very cool - you might say chilling - story nicely filmed. Thanks.

I met the Manson clan as well, was hiking in the Santa Susanna Mtns and ran into them in a cave near spawn ranch on Box Canyon Rd. Weird people, they didn't want me to leave but I managed to get away from them.

Nice job on the video! I enjoyed it very much. I was in Ballarat recently but didn't make it to Barker Ranch. I hope to get there next time.

Oh wow. What a wild story. Very cool video and editing. Well done. Glad you are ok after your spill.

Got a flat tire three weeks ago after stopping at that very Ballarat sign. Took 5 1/2 hours to get the tire plugged and back on the road. But enough of my bad memory. You're story is great and the editing very good indeed. Well done!

I have been going to Panamint Valley since 1970. Me and my best friend have encountered many a hippy in those mountains . We always kept to our self’s while meeting these guys but it was intimating. I saw Barker ranch before it burned down and saw the cabinet Charley was hiding in still attached to the wall. I could probably tell a hundred stories. Since I was always a certified California police officer I got a lot of advise from other cops in that area. Always carry a gun! I am now 74 years old!

Interesting story, can’t wait to hear more like it

I've met some interesting people out in the wilderness but having caution is always top of the list. Your brother is a lucky man to say the least. We're headed in that direction next month but will avoid the ranch at this point LOL John's creaking bones "cracked" me up when you started the PW to leave.

Quite a story. I am in the process of going back and watching all your videos. Just love them. Saw you use a cell phone to level your RV. What ap do you use? Thanks.

Back in August 1978 I read a bunch of incredible books that changed my life. One, a paperback from a guy who was in the Manson family but escaped from Charlie with the help from an old prospector/roscicriucian/mountain man. I've never heard of this guy or seen the book again. He got away right before the murders went down in L.A. I think his name was Bob or something common like that. I still can't believe I never saw his name again. God really saved him. I wonder what became of that guy?

Hi Deb, did u drive over the Pantimint mountains or go thru Death Valley Junction? R there length restrictions for an RV driving over the P mountains. Gr8 video! Jim