Continuing Our Adventure…What’s Next?

August 15, 2016 by Kristin

It was just a little over one year ago, that we left behind our “perfect” life for an “imperfect” future. I use quotation marks because our life looked perfect, and even felt perfect…with thriving careers and a beautiful home. But our priorities had changed. We evaluated what was important to us (spending time together, travel and the freedom to do both – how and when we wanted to) and we made huge changes to craft the new lifestyle we desired for ourselves.

We sold our house, sold or gave away most of our stuff, and implemented a one year plan to travel full time in an RV and support ourselves with our small business.

Our Goals:

Travel throughout the country EXPLORING the USA, including the vast expanses of our national parks, rugged coastlines, towering mountains, green forests and arid deserts! We crave experiencing new places and creating new adventures together.
Grow our online business, Destination Tree! Do what makes you happy, right? Well, we’re passionate about making cool and unique custom artwork. And we believed we could do what we love, the way that we wanted to, and make a great living at it.

We had a few doubters. We had a lot of supporters. And we have no regrets. We accomplished exactly what we set out to do.

Our Success:

We visited 34 states. We hiked and explored over 40 National Park Sites. We have an even deeper appreciation for the beauty and majesty of our planet.
We retrofitted a 10×10 space into a mobile workshop. We created and shipped hundreds of custom orders all around the world while traveling all across the country. We grew our business beyond our wildest expectation

One of our many shipments from one of the many locations we created artwork across the country!

Of course, there were challenges and sacrifices along the way. But they were all part of the journey. They were learning lessons and reminders that anything worth doing isn’t always going to be easy.

So now, more than a year later, a lot of people have asked:

“WHAT’S NEXT??”

Well, we’ve confirmed two things over the last year. We love to travel and we love being entrepreneurs. Traveling for an entire year fueled our desire to continue exploring both our country and the world. And the freedom, flexibility and joy we get out of entrepreneurship is priceless.

As we enter into this next chapter of our adventures, we have NO intention of settling down. However, we ARE going to restructure how we manage our two passions. Our business has grown so much over the past year that it is physically impossible to continue managing it in a 10×10 space while simultaneously traveling.

We’ve always loved Northern Michigan, so we’re leasing a warehouse in Petoskey in order to have the space to continue growing Destination Tree over the next several months and through the holiday season. We’ve also leased an inspiring little place to live for the same time period where we’ll develop our plans for our next phase which involves an exciting balance of entrepreneurship and continuing to travel the world.

Life really is like a Choose Your Own Adventure book. And we’re going to keep living, enjoying the twists, turns and unexpected challenges along the way, but also making conscious choices to LIVE INTENTIONALLY…setting the course and steering the direction we want to go and exploring new places across the globe.

I’ve struggled with how to close out this blog post. Because our journey isn’t over. So, I’ve decided to leave you with my recent thoughts from our 365^th day on the road:

If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey, it is to believe in yourself. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Believe in yourself and your sense of adventure. Believe in yourself and the decisions you make. Believe in yourself and the mistakes, challenges and mishaps you learn from along the way. And believe in yourself enough to follow your dreams. It’s a big fat risk, but it’s worth it. And so are you.”

Cheers!

Kristin & Matt

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Phantoms of the Deep South

June 25, 2016 by Matt

Our exploration of the Deep South included an enormous Navy Battleship and two famous plantations. It was certainly hard to narrow down the list of possible paranormal places we could visit while in the South, especially since Louisiana has many famed haunted plantations, all with their fair share of storied histories. But we’re fitting in as much as we can on our year long journey, and decided to spend more time at just a few places, and spent several hours exploring each one.

U.S.S. Alabama

Deep down in the belly of this beast is where I caught it…the shadow man. But let me back up to the beginning.

First of all, the ship and grounds of the U.S.S. Alabama are HUGE! The shore is littered with super cool, retired military planes, choppers, tanks, cannons, an SR-71 Blackbird and even a submarine.

Even Dobie thought the tanks were pretty cool.

Kristin decided to stay with the pups and tour all of these awesome relics while I boarded the ship. It was early on a weekday morning, so we were some of the first visitors to arrive and I was one of the few people exploring the U.S.S. Alabama.

It took about 25 minutes to descend from the top down to the bowels of the ship where the engine room is located. I wandered all throughout every level taking in the history as I snapped photos and videos. It felt a little stifling in the tight quarters but I didn’t sense any ghosts of sailors while down there.

As you can tell, the sleeping quarters for the men were very snug…

No ghosts here, just a mannequin navy man…

After an hour of exploring the ship I went back out and met up with Kristin. It wasn’t until later that evening, when I was going through the photos that I found this:

I was in this area alone. But look behind me.

Look closely in the hallway behind me…there is a shadow, and certainly not my own. And this time, it’s no mannequin. I know for damn sure that I was the only human down in this area at that time, and I certainly would have known if someone was standing in the hall right behind me. So, I don’t know what else to say other than I think I may have finally caught a dark apparition. One lurking behind me in the belly of that great big military beast parked in the coastal waters of Mobile, Alabama. If you get the opportunity to tour this ship, do it! And do it on a week day morning when no one else is around and maybe you’ll catch a shadowy visitor in your photos as well.

Oak Alley Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana

Oak Alley Plantation…a beautiful estate fabled for its iconic live oaks flanking the front and back entrances to the property.

We were all smiles upon arrival, walking in amazement under these enormous live oaks leading up to “The Big House”

This place has been in several movies and upon our arrival the view did not disappoint! We arrived at the plantation super early before it opened and lucky for us we had the place to ourselves for a little while to soak it all in.

These live oaks are more than 300 years old, and someone certainly had the foresight to know what an amazingly beautiful entrance these trees would make for Oak Alley Plantation.

There were barns, outbuildings, old slave quarters and gardens to explore. A red fox scampered by us on the lawn, greeting us upon our approach to the main house. Shortly after they opened, an employee was serving up early morning mint juleps and mint julep lemonades. According to her, ‘there is no wrong time, day or night, to sip on the medicine of the south’. We agree.

So, after roaming the grounds looking for signs of the paranormal and with medicine in hand, we entered the “Big House” on a small tour with our guide leading the way.

The wraparound porch and enormous columns are an elaborate welcome to this historic mansion.

We listened intently to the history and tragedy that took place inside these walls. Guests and employees have reported numerous strange encounters with dark shadowy figures roaming the halls, phantom people in 1800s clothing appearing and disappearing out of sight and faces looking through windows from empty rooms.

During our tour I spoke to an employee who told me she refuses to enter a particular room on the second floor. While giving a tour, she lost her voice in the room and experienced a rising sense of panic. Several others have had similar experiences mysteriously losing their voice while in the room. Interesting to say the least. So, of course, the next logical step for Kristin and I was to meander over to that room and start provoking the breath stealing specters within.

This is the room where some people mysteriously lose their voice, only to find it again once they leave…

Repeatedly we asked for them to try and quiet us while we took videos and photos. And just like that what happened next was completely expected…nothing. No unusual sights or sounds. Just a feeling of awe for how incredibly difficult it must have been to construct a mansion of such magnitude in the mosquito laden swamps of the hot, humid south with rooms so detailed and beautiful. No on-demand ghosts this time……so back to the over to the other side of the mansion we caught up with our tour.

Having finished our hour long exploration inside the sweltering “Big House” we went outside to the grounds again for one final walk around this majestic place.

We left Oak Alley with memories of a gorgeous historical place, whose former residents still seem to roam about, entertaining guests and scaring the very breath out of them. It is a bit off the beaten path, but if you are willing to make the visit, go early, not only to avoid the crowds but to avoid the heat and humidity that sets in as well.

Despite any heat or humidity, sit down, enjoy a cool drink and the majestic views at Oak Alley.

Myrtles Plantation, Francisville, Louisiana

Our second haunted southerly estate was Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana. It is regarded to many as one of America’s most haunted houses. I’ve wanted to come to this incredible place since TAPS explored it several years back and peaked my interest.

The Myrtles. Infamous for possibly being the most haunted house in America.

From objects moving, hand prints appearing on mirrors, shot gun murders, poisoning, drownings, hangings, epidemics and even possessed dolls that come alive at night, this place has ALL the makings of a Hollywood nightmare.

Like Oak Alley, Myrtles also lies on the Mighty Mississippi River, about 25 miles north of Baton Rouge, and nowhere even close to the beaten path. It lies deeeep within the Bayou country of this great state.

We arrived at dusk and took an evening tour on a weeknight. We had an awesome guide (Miss Allison) who was dressed in antebellum style attire and was extremely knowledgeable about the history of this beautiful plantation. Most tours have 30-40 people, and somehow we lucked out…we had a private tour with just one other couple.

However, before our tour even started we arrived and stepped out of the truck into a thick steaming cloud of humidity teaming with mosquitoes, lizards, birds, bats and insect noises of all sorts. Just like one would imagine the deep-south to offer up! I LOVED it as it made for the perfect setting in my opinion, although Kristin did not share in my sentiment, as she frantically slapped away mosquitoes.

It felt like a step back in time to stand outside of The Myrtles Plantation.

Together we walked around the grounds of this mossy covered jungle stopping periodically to imagine life 200 years ago. The history of Myrtles is quite long and very much worth reading up on (even if you never make the hike out to this destination).

An old well outside Myrtles Plantation…careful, don’t fall in.

However, in the four hours that we spent here we were blown away by the stories and private photos taken by guests and staff. Not to mention, our own experiences. And believe it or not, it is actually a functioning bed and breakfast and has guest rooms on the main floor and second floor (which we were unfortunately not able to enter). I would love to stay the night here since these rooms are ‘off limits to tours’ and have a tremendous amount of ghostly activity. Kristin would not.

Before dark, it doesn’t look too scary, perhaps a quite welcoming B&B, The Myrtles guests experience some interesting phenomena after dark…

Miss Allison told us about a few first-hand accounts from recent overnight B&B guests (some of whom did not complete their stay and left hurriedly in the middle of the night), as well as some of her own experiences. A few of these first-hand accounts….

Some people felt a ghostly presence tap them awake in the middle of the night and others felt their feet being grabbed while in bed. The ghosts seem to be particularly drawn to women, and a few have felt their hair being pulled and an arm put around them.

One particular guest room is full of dolls…and the overnight guests placed one of the dolls (which was rumored to be possessed) in the hallway. The couple woke in the middle of the night to find it back in the room, sitting on the husband’s chest. In yet another room there is a little girl who peeks over the edge of the bed, jumps on the bed, and tries to snuggle with guests in the bed, before disappearing.

In a downstairs guest room, a butler in a tuxedo appeared to a guest and asked if they needed anything, after responding they did not, he walked around a corner and disappeared. By the way, this bed and breakfast has no butlers. And many potential guests have called to complain that they were turned away at the gate, being told by a gatekeeper that the plantation was closed. There are no gatekeepers at Myrtles Plantation and they were never closed!

Pictures are not allowed throughout the house except in the entry way. We took pictures of the mirror here that seems to have some unexplained phenomena. Every time it is cleaned and restored, the mirror is clear of imperfections, and every time there are marks and discolorations that reappear. Some resembling claw marks as though something is trying to get out…

The mirror in the entryway of The Myrtles…even when cleaned and restored, dark marks like this continue to reappear, and if you look closely, it does look like claw marks trying to get out!

These are just a few of the stories and paranormal events that have been experienced here. And although we didn’t encounter any phantoms throughout our tour of the house, we did have two strange things happen. Both of us felt goosebumps and cold breezes on the tour at different times in different rooms. Funny enough the house has no air duct system, nor AC units. The windows were closed downstairs and the warm, humid air was the only thing surrounding the house. We’re not sure where the cold came from.

Lastly, our guide stopped in her tracks when a door behind Kristin and I started to rattle and shake while she was talking. Paranormal? We can’t say for sure, but both occurrences sure helped to cap off the exploration of the plantation in a memorable way.

After the tour was over we walked the grounds across a boardwalk bridge to an island gazebo surrounded by a pond of chirping frogs!

It was so crazy loud we could barely hear each other talking! We walked around the pond, past the little cabins, looking for Chloe, the highly active ghost of a former house slave. In addition to Chloe, we also looked for the many spirits that are said to run freely both day and night around the property grounds. We walked and listened and looked but soon it became pitch black so we decided to head to the truck and call it a night. All I can say is WOW, this place really lives up to its reputation as one of America’s most haunted houses. I would definitely come back here.

An after dark walk around The Myrtles Plantation.

All in all, the south has many mysteries and stories to be shared. Enough to fill a month’s worth of front porch rocking chair conversation sessions (with medicine in hand of course)! So grab your bug spray and your sense of adventure and high tail it down to the Bayous of the deep-south for a frightening good time, we promise you that you won’t be disappointed in the experience.

Cheers!
Matt

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Historic and Haunted Florida

June 25, 2016 by Matt

Lots of people think of sunshine and beaches when they think of Florida, and trust me, we had our fair share of fun in the sun. But, Florida also has lots of historic locales, teeming with paranormal activity. So, after the sun sets make your way from the beach to the streets and you might just run across some spirits.

The Stranahan House, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Built in 1901, this fanciful, historic house is the oldest surviving structure in Broward County and a few of the original residents seem to have survived as well.

We arrived at dusk, soon enough to appreciate the preserved architecture of this old home.

Frank and Ivy Stranahan who built the home, are both rumored to still reside here. Unfortunately, Frank met his demise after the loss of his fortune during the Great Depression, when he committed suicide by drowning himself in the river outside the house, and Ivy died in an upstairs bedroom.

The room where Ivy died. Often reported to have indents in the bed, as though someone has been sitting on it. And items in the room, including a watch, that go missing and then mysteriously reappear later.

We all used dousing rods throughout the house, and while they did seem to indicate some activity, we didn’t experience a personal encounter with Frank or Ivy, although many paranormal accounts are reported here. We did enjoy the guided haunted tour and the historic stories of this cool, riverfront home. After the house tour, we took to the waters and enjoyed a dark, legend-filled cruise along the river!

The view of the Stranahan House from a boat on the river. Perhaps the most unusual aspect of this photo is this old historic home, framed by tall modern buildings under construction with huge cranes!

Coral Castle, FL

Home to legends of aliens, elves, mystical powers and a pint sized little man (5’ tall, 100lbs). Edward Leedskalnin was a mason, a romantic and a man of vision back in the early 1900s.

Actual size of Edward compared to me 🙂 Quite a difference! And helps confirm the impressiveness that this small man built this “castle” all by himself!

With our paranormal guest investigators, Chad & Michelle (brother and sister in law), we toured this one man creation in all its glory.

Our guest investigators – Chad & Michelle…and yes, that’s a 5,000 pound, heart shaped table, and since cut flowers don’t last, it has constant blooms with this flowering tree! Edward was a romantic fellow.

Huge blocks of coquina (a type of limestone) weighing several tons were used to create the formations of this castle. Built over a span of 28 years for his lost love, Edward worked only at night and completely by himself.

There is quite the debate about how he actually managed this amazing feat. How did one man carve and move stone weighing several tons? Some people believe he used ancient knowledge of anti-gravity technology, others believe he had paranormal (aliens? Elves?) help, and some believe he used simple physics, basic tools and a whole lot of patience. Regardless, it truly is a feat to behold.

Each element of the castle was thoughtfully designed and created by Edward, many had astrological and masonic meaning.

Personally, I’d like to believe Edward was a man of knowledge and a world traveler who very well could have used the magic of sound waves discovered in his travels to assist him in his building process. In the end, doubters are going to doubt and believers are going to believe. Let’s just leave it at that.

An aerial view of the impressive Coral Castle Grounds…

St. Augustine, FL

Jails, lighthouses, fortresses, and cemeteries…this town has it all. And with the claim of being the oldest city in the U.S. it has plenty of history and hauntings. As far as kick-ass haunted ghost tours in the night go, this town is one of the best that we’ve been on and we’ve been on many. We usually like to explore paranormal locations on our own, but every now and again we sign up for a guided tour. On this trip we did both.

First, we spent all day touring the city on our own. The old lighthouse was our first stop and has been on my list since TAPS investigated it and caught all sorts of sights and sounds on film.

Construction of the St. Augustine lighthouse began in 1871, it was completed in 1874, and it stands 164 feet tall…

Supposedly, the lighthouse keeper passed away here, as well as two little girls who have been seen running up and down the 219 stairs. We saw neither. (Unless the girls blended in unnoticed with the many other children visiting with their families!)

219 stairs to the top, and not wide enough for two people to pass, so occasionally you need to wait on a landing for visitors going the opposite direction.

As an added bonus, the views from the top are absolutely priceless (unless you have vertigo or a fear or heights!)

Next was the old jail, built by a giant of a warden, who had his house constructed as an add-on to the jail. Always on the job!

This hot, humid and torturous building is believed to be rife with spirits who met their maker here. Prisoners hung from birdcage cells in the trees, piled into overpopulated prison cells, performed ball and chain labor, shackled to one another without water in the sweltering heat and built the very gallows they would later be hanged from.

The Gallows at the St. Augustine Jail…prisoners often built them for their own hanging.

This jail was a horrible place where inmates usually died long before the sentence was complete. Needless to say, when the sun goes down, the rumors of the inmates coming out of the shadows begins.

Next up…the old historic fort, Castillo de San Marcos. This grand and ginormous fortress was constructed over 23 years and completed in 1695. It’s actually the eighth fortress on the site as the previous 7 (made of wood) burned to the ground. I guess they got it right when they built it out of tiny coral shell blocks called coquina, since it’s lasted over 300 years this time around.

Castillo de San Marcos in downtown St. Augustine is a massive structure.

Sitting directly on Matanzas River, and within sight of the Atlantic Ocean, the fort was a hot spot for violence, bloodshed and massacres.

Hard to believe this historic structure overlooking such a beautiful waterway was the scene of such violence.

Unfortunately, the fort does not stay open past dusk, and for good reason, as there are steep drop offs and no railings. However, I would love to come back for an evening of exploration, with some ice cold Cigar City IPA.

It was fascinating to visit during the day, and you can imagine how treacherous it could be at night…

We capped off our time in St. Augustine, with an evening ghost tour of the old town. It has many historic buildings, courtyards and graveyards. It was a steamy, humid evening, with a slight breeze and an air of excitement.

We weaved in and out of the oldest parts of town, listening to fascinating legends…this was just one of the cemetery’s with a storied past.

There was an energy that set down on the town after the tourists left…one that had us looking over our shoulders for sounds that seemed to emanate from nowhere.

Currently a bed and breakfast, this building used to be the towns funeral home…where bodies in coffins were displayed in those very windows…not so sure I’d want to stay at this particular B&B…

We had an animated guide who shared fascinating histories and legends. All in all, St. Augustine is a uniquely thrilling town both in the heat of the day and in the dark of the night.

Next time you’re in Florida, we hope you enjoy the sunshine and the beaches, but we highly recommend checking out any of these haunted, historic sites if you get the opportunity!

Stay tuned for more paranormal adventures on our cross country road trip!

Cheers!

Matt

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Don’t Mess With (Haunted) Texas

June 25, 2016 by Matt

Unexplained paranormal lights…bloody battle zones of historic proportions…ancient and spiritual Native American lands…what do all three of these things have in common? Well, they’re all locations of our Texas paranormal adventures! While Kristin plans our year-long road trip routes and national park adventures, I make sure we fit in some paranormal adventures along the way. Perhaps you read all about why you Don’t Mess With Texas, but I’ll fill you in on why you Don’t Mess With (Haunted) Texas!

Marfa Mystery Lights, Marfa, TX

The mysterious Marfa Lights are unexplained light sources that bounce around in a distant field in West Texas. Literally in the middle of nowhere.

After driving for hours past cacti, darting jack rabbits and the ever present tumble weeds of West Texas we finally made it to Marfa about an hour before sundown. We dropped the trailer at a site just outside the tiny village of Marfa, and drove to the viewing station where the lights are best seen.

Sorry, I know, bad picture. Squint when you need to and read a little about the Marfa Mystery Lights…

After the sun dropped below the horizon and as the stars began to appear, Kristin and I stood in the chilly late winter air, virtually by ourselves. As we huddled together and watched, we saw lights begin to appear over the distant horizon and dart about. Some seemed to stand still, others traveled in a straight line, and even a few looked like they might possibly be moving backwards. After about 45 minutes of watching the lights, we came to the conclusion that it was most likely an optical illusion from a road off in the distance. Far enough where two headlights merged into one, but close enough to still be visible. Who knows, maybe they really were aliens playing a late night game of kick the can, but we still stand by our conclusions. Although…that doesn’t exactly explain away the claim of reported lights in 1883…

The Alamo, San Antonio, TX

Let’s just say it takes seven huge placards of detailed description outside of the old mission just to tell all the stories behind its long history. The Alamo has seen its fair share of tragedy to say the least. We took two different self-guided tours of the grounds and buildings. Both times it just felt sad here. Sad in a way that made us wish people could communicate and work problems out without violence, cannons, muskets, hatchets and swords.

I’ve read stories of people seeing sentinels walking the rooftops and perimeter walls around the location, so I kept a watchful eye. Aside from the overwhelming history of unnecessary bloodshed, we didn’t encounter anything paranormal while there, and our pictures didn’t show anything out of the ordinary both in the daytime and evening visits. We would highly recommend coming here if you are in the San Antonio area, just get in early in the morning before the crowds begin to assemble around this beautiful historic site.

Indian Head, Terlingua, TX

Although we covered this place in our petroglyphs blog, it absolutely warranted mentioning in our paranormal adventures. Again, we cannot stress the awesomeness of this location within Big Bend National Park. There were no maps or signs to get to the area, just word of mouth from locals.

Hiking in and around the rocks and petroglyphs, Indian Head definitely feels like a spiritual place.

I’d recommend a 4×4 vehicle to get to this mystical place as well as a whole lot of H2O to stay hydrated…it’s cold first thing in the morning, and it gets HOT fast! The entire area is located on and around a few small mountains where a supposed spirit veil has trapped evil spirits contained deep down in the sandy river bed below. Think I’m joking? Well, I’m not. And our normally fearless dogs? They were extremely uncomfortable…whining, pacing and ready to leave.

Besides the strange behavior from the dogs, all I can say is we had a strange sensation of being watched as we scrambled in and around the rocks and petroglyphs in this area. I also felt uneasy about what looked like unnatural caves several hundred feet up on the sides of sheer cliffs.

I’m standing at the base of the rocks on the right hand side, and up and to the right you can see some of the dark circular caves I mentioned. I definitely had the feeling of being “watched” while we were here.

A word of advice…don’t do anything to mess with the area, or take anything away from it, as it is a place of spiritual importance and to disrespect it would not be good. This is definitely a place of mystery and history.

Our haunted adventures continue in the South…stay tuned for more!

Cheers!
Matt

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Discover Haunted Bisbee

May 28, 2016 by Matt

Bisbee. It’s as fun as it sounds. And perhaps their website describes it best: “Bisbee is a free-spirited place with a thriving arts/music/hospitality scene, amid a remarkably well-preserved historical architectural setting.” And you know what lots of history means…lots of potential paranormal activity, and thus this historic stop is another paranormal adventure…

An initial walk through downtown Bisbee uncovered a cute town, with a cool vibe and lots of funky shops and cafes.

The Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee Arizona

The visitor’s center had interesting displays of old mining equipment and was where we suited up for our underground adventure…

Finally we get to explore a mine that’s open! Mix one part eerie, one part legit mine shafts with two parts cool as hell, add a splash of pitch dark and a sprinkle of claustrophobia with a garnish of hard hats, flashlights and waterproof raincoats and you have the perfect underground haunted cocktail.

Fully geared up we load up onto a tiny train, our guide unlocks the mine gates and takes us deep underground…

The copper mine was operational for nearly a hundred years before closing down in 1975. These days it’s open to the public for guided tours.

We went down via tiny rail cars, which pumped our anxiety high when it derailed and had to be pried back on the tracks. Our guides were calm and cool and got us back on track…literally.

The entrance to the Copper Queen Mine…that little gate gets unlocked and opened for the train to roll through…

The guides are all former mine workers, and have incredible stories about life in the mines and make the epic adventure deep underground even more authentic. Surprisingly, out of the thousands who worked the mine, only a handful had ever died there.

At our deepest, we were 700 feet under the mountain top, definitely not a place to freak out. I kept an eye and ear open for any sign of tommy knockers…our guide and Kristin both gave me skeptical looks.

Eeeek! We unload off the train and walk from here!

I’ll say the mine is to me still a “para” normal place because it’s not every day we get to see such an engineering marvel of a location. Some of the side shafts and air shafts dropped over 1,000 feet below us. It’s definitely not a tunnel system that I’d want to be wandering in without a light source…it gave absolute darkness a whole new meaning.

Experiencing the Copper Queen Mine was an exhilarating adventure.

You could easily get turned around underground. Just in case, there are signs to get you back to the surface.

We also don’t recommend it for those with even the mildest case of claustrophobia. Otherwise it’s a great adventure!

Copper Queen Hotel, Bisbee Arizona

Old school is the best word for this haunted retreat. It has been investigated by numerous paranormal groups and all believe it to be infested with the undead.

Dobie & I outside the Copper Queen Hotel…he barely tolerated a photo and insisted he didn’t want to go inside on a ghost hunt. He’s part chicken and opted for an afternoon nap instead.

First things first, Kristin and I each partook in an ice cold beer in the hotel bar before starting our way through the cozy historic lobby and up the grand staircase.

The lobby feels like a step back in time with original woodwork and antique furniture.

It’s the upper floors that are said to be the points of activity however on the second floor Kristin decided to stay while I made my way up to the third and fourth floors.

Taking numerous pictures and talking aloud into thin air I had hoped for a response from some of its residents. At one point on the fourth floor I came across a door handle that was jiggling from the inside for what seemed like an awfully long time. I couldn’t rule out human error so I won’t call it evidence of anything paranormal, but it continued to jiggle for 15-20 seconds as I watched from the hallway.

The location of the jiggling door handle…

The upper floors kind of gave me a sad feeling and teetered towards a more not-so-nice side of human behavior, at least that’s the feeling I got from it. So I headed back down after my self-guided tour and met back up with Kristin.

If walls could talk, I imagine there would be plenty of stories to behold in this history packed place of legend. After about an hour inquisitively searching the building we decided it was time to move on. So with more to see and do in the town on our agenda, we left the Copper Queen behind and off we went.

The Olive Oil Store

All I can say about this place is it’s off the radar, run by a kind man who loved to talk and is afraid of the underground space below his own shop. The building shares the same area of basement walls as the Copper Queen Hotel, though not connected. And it is packed full of energy. Not only does he feel it emanating from the building’s dark space below but guest mediums and investigators who have been down there also believe it to have a presence.

bisbee-olive-oil — Inviting and unassuming from the outside, with plenty of olive oil and balsamic options on the inside…but underneath is another story.

What’s down there? We don’t know, and neither did he. All he knew was that whatever it is hides under two steel doors at the back of his shop. While listening to his stories he also showed us pictures of the place. I kind of wanted to check it out but decided against it. Not only is it unwise to take candy from strangers, it’s probably unwise to walk into dark basements of haunted old brick buildings run by a stranger. Based on his pictures, it looks like kids from the sixties sprayed graffiti on the walls and probably played with Ouija boards. Who knows what might reside down below…as for us, we left with some tasty olive oil and spicy peanuts. Maybe one day there will be a professional paranormal investigation here.

That’s it for the paranormal Southwest…stay tuned for America’s Haunted South next….

Cheers!

Matt

Legends of the Great American Southwest

May 9, 2016 by Matt

The southwest is vast and mysterious and so are its legends! From untamed deserts to Wild West towns and historic establishments, we went in search for it all. Many of the locations we visited were places I’d had on my personal bucket list for years. So without further ado, as part of our year-long road trip, we bring you the continuation of our Paranormal Explorations in the American Southwest…

Historic Wickenburg, Arizona

About an hour northwest of Phoenix, Arizona is the little historic town of Wickenburg. It was a sunny morning when we took a self-guided tour of several locations dating back to the 1800s within the town. Its parlors, hotels and train station are all said to have encounters of unseen members of centuries past, still lurking about.

One of the most interesting landmarks is an old oak tree that grows in the middle of town and was used as a makeshift jail for nearly thirty years. The sheriff chained town trouble makers to the tree until they sobered up.

jail tree — Who needs a jail when you’ve got a perfectly good tree?

Another historic site is the town’s first rail-side hotel, which is rumored to have a few extended stay guests. We walked around and peered through its many windows but didn’t spot any historic patrons.

Audio recordings and statues of historical figures accompany the destinations of the Wickenburg self-guided tour.

All in all, Wickenburg is rich in history and spirit activity according to the locals. Worthy of a day trip on your way to or from Phoenix in our opinion.

Vulture Mine, Wickenburg, Arizona

Now just a few miles south of town through the cacti-laden desert, is the Vulture Mine. Sadly, the old mine is only open one day a week to a small number of visitors. Side note: learn from us, if you are going to come through this area, plan ahead and get there early on a Saturday for this limited access tour for seeking potential tommy knockers.

We missed the tour, but peeked into the past on our own with a stop at the grounds of Vulture Mine.

However, we did walk around the property and observed the many decaying buildings and envisioned what the mine was like back in its operational days.

One of the visible buildings amid cacti and scrub brush.

One can easily imagine the harsh lifestyle these old miners and prospectors lived in. There’s plenty to see above ground from the entrance in this ghost mining camp.

The dilapidated buildings of the old Vulture Mine as seen from the edge of the property.

And it was a good reminder for me to appreciate whatever challenges I have compared to the difficult life these miners endured. Ghosts of the mine 1. Matt & Kristin 0. This time anyway.

Sedona, AZ

This land of pine tree strewn and irregularly stacked mountain mesas should be on everyone’s bucket list simply for the beauty alone. Although, many claim that Sedona’s red rocks hold mystical and spiritual powers, and that it is even a portal to other dimensions.

Red rocks and pines as far as you can see.

People seem to come here from all over the world looking for mental and spiritual encounters. During our 8ish mile hikes we looked high and low for the supernatural.

The red rocks and jagged edges certainly do look other worldly and enchanting.

In January we encountered dry desert, wet mud, icy rocks and snowy cliffs, along with blue skies.

We walked through desert landscape, trekked up muddy and icy trails, peered off the tops of icy bridge cliffs and spun to admire 360 degree views at Devil’s Bridge and Doe Mountain. It took our breath away. Standing roughly 2,000 feet high on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by nature’s endless beauty, it finally came to me. Our incredible planet speaks to us, if we but take the time to stop and listen.

I could stand here forever on the edge and just gaze, and breathe, and be.

If some want to call it mystical, spiritual or magnetic energy, that’s fine, however I think our planet simply communicates to us through the splendor all around us. Whatever reason you seek Sedona, I know you’ll find an awe inspiring landscape and if you lend a conscious ear, you’ll hear and feel the planet speak to you.

The climb was worth the panoramic views! #destinationtreeontheroad #redrocks #sedona #arizona #doemountain #panoramicview #hikeandbehappy #wanderlust #crosscountryroadtrip #coconinonationalforest

A video posted by Destination Tree (@destinationtree) on Jan 24, 2016 at 10:06am PST

We recommend you grab a beer, find a cliff, sit down and listen to nature.

Even Lucy can’t resist admiring the epic views from the cliff tops in Sedona.

P.S. You MUST drive through Oak Creek Canyon from Sedona to Flagstaff…it’s like a mini Grand Canyon as you weave through the bottom of the canyon and ascend up to the snowy top.

Horseshoe Café, Benson, AZ

An hour’s drive East of Tucson, Arizona is a teeny tiny old railroad layover town with a deliciously haunted café called The Horseshoe Café. According to the staff, one of the previous owners is an active spirit here and often peeks out through the windows of the second floor.

The artsy exterior welcomes you to The Horseshoe Cafe, and the heaping piles of home cooked food will likely have you leaving with a to-go box!

She is said to haunt the building and can be quite temperamental. Her favorite post mortem activity is to knock glasses off counters and toss coffee ground trays right out of the machine, as well as rearrange utensils for guests. Basically she likes to make a mess for employees to clean up and they aren’t shy about sharing their experiences with you. She must have it in for just the workers because I attempted on several occasions to have her knock stuff off the table next to me. Even directly asked her to, but to no avail.

When you’re not looking for ghosts, we highly recommend you try eating the food. It’s all made from scratch and quite delicious…and the portions are enormous!

Tombstone, AZ

Ahhh, another long time ghostly bucket list destination of mine. Plus, this town is packed with history! We loved it. We first checked out the original courthouse and gallows (I say original because the entire town burned to the ground back in its prime, save for a small handful of buildings and had to be entirely rebuilt).

The Tombstone Courthouse is a must-visit museum which gives an extensive history of the town’s famous events as well as memorabilia and photographs. There’s a lot of touristy stuff in Tombstone, but this place is authentic and fascinating.

The reconstructed gallows at the Tombstone Courthouse…

On a side note, while at the courthouse we learned that there were over 60 different types of barbed wire used by ranchers. Crazy! And that there is a monumental payload of silver about 500 feet away from the town that was buried in a mineshaft by an unexpected watery cave in, never to be dugout again. Even crazier.

Bet you never knew such a variety of barbed wire existed. Neither did we. Now, we’ll never look at barbed wire the same again. Seriously!

After the courthouse we strolled through town in the early morning and walked by the OK Corral where the famous shootout took place and is a rumored hot spot for paranormal activity.

The O.K. Corral…site of the famous American Wild West gunfight. The Courthouse Museum gives a full visual depiction of the world famous gunfight between outlaw cowboys and lawmen, which shockingly only lasted about 30 seconds.

We looked and listened our way through the area, but with plenty of normal activities like construction, tour guides in their western wear, tourists and tourists shops, we agreed that what we saw was all pretty normal rather than paranormal. Still, I believe that the entire town is full of spirits. It felt entirely possible that we wandered by invisible eyes as we strolled under porches and past alleyways.

Eventually we made it to the Birdcage Theater, claimed to be the most haunted place in town.

This place is a crazy, famously haunted theater alive with ghostly activity.

There is a welcoming woman who shared that the male spirits love to play with her hair. Kristin held on to her ponytail, and we took our time exploring while also taking pictures and videos. This place is a treasure trove of theater antiquities and has an old brothel/casino below.

Looking towards the theater stage, and up at the theater boxes, there seems to be no sight of any spirits among these historical artifacts…but take a closer look and see if we missed something…

The view from the stage of the Birdcage Theater…

The basement of The Birdcage Theater was the site of the poker room and brothel…unless Kristin (or that guy with a toothy smile on the left) is a ghost , we didn’t catch anything down here either.

We experienced nothing out of the ordinary and our photos turned up nothing strange. However, it definitely feels like a place that holds more than just historical objects.

During the afternoon this town is extremely touristy (wagon rides, fudge shops, souvenirs, etc), but at night, this place takes on a whole new feeling. Talk about exhilarating! I walked the empty streets by myself and highly recommend adding this place to your own bucket list, both for a day tour and a dark night walk.

Take a step back in time and walk the streets of Tombstone at dusk…it’ll send chills down your spine.

Believe it or not, this does not conclude our paranormal adventures in Arizona…stay tuned for highlights from the old 1880’s mining town, Bisbee. And for more of our non-paranormal (but still awesome) Arizona adventures, checkout the highlights of our Desert Drifting here and take an off-road adventure with us on The Apache Trail.

Cheers!

Matt

California: Alive with Mysteries

May 7, 2016 by Matt

Our Paranormal Quest continues! As we’ve been traveling across the country on our year-long road trip, we’ve made it a point to explore some unusual and historic locations. First, we shared mysterious locations spreading from the east to west coasts and now our paranormal quest continues through California…

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, CA

Let’s see, a six acre house, complete with hidden rooms, haunted stories, staircases to nowhere, séance chamber, more windows than the empire state building and continuous construction 24/7 by an army of construction workers directed by an incredibly paranoid, pint-sized widow for nearly 40 years. What else can I say? This place has it all.

I was giddy with excitement to check off this big paranormal bucket list locale.

One can’t help but feel that this place is a beacon for the unusual. We didn’t feel uncomfortable here, although our guide said he refuses to go in the basement anymore, with or without people. Much of the house is closed to the public so it’s hard to say if there are or aren’t spirits in the dark, off-limits, mysterious parts of the house. Unfortunately no photographs were allowed. (I am curious what we may have captured in a photo that we possibly didn’t see in person). Regardless there was much to take in, even without the cameras.

We walked through the old barn full of priceless Tiffany glass that had never been installed and climbed the easy glider staircases with 2-3 inch high steps that would occupy an entire room like a maze in order to traverse to the next floor (making it easy for a small, old woman to ascend). The staircases to nowhere, windows in the floor, ceiling and walls and constant construction were all an attempt by Mrs. Winchester to keep the millions of souls killed by Winchester guns at bay.

With the shear complexity and randomness of the house, there could have been ghosts all over, though we didn’t physically spot any on this visit. Overall, this is the most bizarre mansion you’ll ever experience. Definitely check out the large expanse of meticulously maintained landscaping all around the grounds. Haunted by the gardener? Perhaps not, but worth admiring nonetheless. We recommend going early on a weekday to avoid heavy crowds.

We explored the grounds before venturing into 110 rooms of the sprawling mansion.

Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite National Park, CA

ahwahnee-wnt-415 — We were so excited to head inside we didn’t snap an exterior shot, but this NPS photo captures the winter magic of the Ahwahnee Hotel. Photo credit: Christine Loberg, www.nps.gov

Deep within the iconic Yosemite Valley, surrounded by towering pines and magnanimous granite cliff walls stands a snow covered legend. The Ahwahnee Hotel. Looking like a log cabin accented version of Stephen King’s immaculately built hotel from the movie The Shining, this place does not disappoint the senses.

In the air is the scent of dueling hardwood toasty fireplaces mixed with gourmet cooking wafting from the kitchens. Patrons with spiced wine and hot chocolate are sitting in plush chairs fireside while listening to gentle sounds of a melody being played on the baby grand piano. Could you ask for a better warm place to hunker down out of the cold falling snow? No wonder this place still has spirits that linger around.

Find a cushy chair, nab a tasty drink and soak in the warmth from the fire and the melody from the baby grand at The Ahwahnee Hotel.

We gave ourselves a personal guided tour of the hotel and weren’t shy about searching through its many floors for the rumored spirit activity. After our scenic two person ghost hunt, the only feeling we both agreed we experienced while we were there was that of a warm welcome.

An Ahwahnee selfie. No ghosts, just an amazing, historic hotel in the iconic Yosemite Valley.

If the Ahwahnee Hotel does have a few extended stay guests still around they seem to be as welcoming as the environment there. After experiencing this place I can’t say I blame them for not wanting to leave. My only regret in coming here is that we didn’t stay for the weekend. We would love to go back. If you’re going to go here, stay for a day or two so you have ample time to roam the Hotel and grounds in an attempt to meet its permanent residents.

Joshua Tree National Park

Though we covered this location in detail in another blog, I had to mention this story-worthy backdrop simply because of the energy emanating from the very ground here. What seems like a lifeless void of scrub, cacti and Joshua trees, is actually a thriving ecosystem, perfectly adapted to such a harsh environment.

On two different occasions we drove through the immense and pitch-black park in the bitterly cold pre-dawn hours to catch a glimpse of some of the best starry skies in the country (followed by unreal sunrises). BUT, what I didn’t tell Kristin is that I also wanted to catch a glimpse of one of the many UFO’s claimed to dart around and even land out here.

No starry skies on this early morning due to the cloud cover, but it did make for a spectacular sunrise with the mountain and Joshua Tree silhouettes.

As stories have it, not only have these camera-shy, flying, escape artists been seen about the park, but there’s also stories of Native American spirits that roam the area. Regardless of these supposed encounters with the paranormal that I had hoped to see, we didn’t actually happen upon any of them while there. Whether real or a product of people’s overactive imaginations, I can’t say for certain, but we can say that this park is certainly full of beauty and energy that is just beckoning you to come search for its legends.

Another spectacular sunrise from one of the many climb-able rocks in the park.

That’s it for paranormal California…if you want to see more of our non-paranormal (but still amazing) adventures in California, check out the overview and pictures here. And stay tuned for our next batch of paranormal locations in Arizona!

Cheers!

Matt

Histories, Mysteries and a Sasquatch Hunt

December 21, 2015 by Matt

Behind every intriguing location in our country, there lies a story within. From ghost towns to battle grounds, and pyramids to whispering woods. Sometimes those stories are old, real old…as in ancient. While others are still unfolding as they’re being told today. These places can be so rich with history that they don’t require a whole lot of imagination. Still, some others require us to open our minds up with the magic of believing.

So, on our trek to explore this mystery packed country, we’ve made it a point to explore the hidden truths behind some very cool paranormal places. In order from east to west, we thought we’d shed some light on some of the unusual locations we’ve explored, and I’ve added a recommendation for what you might want to do at each place if you find yourself with an extra half an hour to spare while there.

TAPS Headquarters, Warwick, RI (The Atlantic Paranormal Society)

Even though the location isn’t haunted (that we know of) it was still way-cool to visit the place where some of my heroes in the world of paranormal investigation started it all. Though I think their headquarters has moved due to the popularity, they seem to have left this original (seemingly abandoned) headquarters for posterity. If you have 30 minutes to spare, checkout the tattoo parlor next door and meet the locals who have plenty of stories to tell from while the crew worked here.

White Horse Tavern, Newport, RI

Claimed to be America’s oldest tavern, dating back to 1673, I went for a walk inside, while Kristin stayed outside on the patio with the dogs. While I was in there, I was greeted by a server who asked me if I needed anything. It was a hot day and so I asked for an iced tea, after which he then proceeded to get me one and seemingly disappeared. True story. After several minutes I didn’t want to keep Kristin waiting, so I just left. However, this tavern is high on my want-to-go-back-to list as many of the locals claim it is full of spirits. The upstairs level is legit as many workers said they refused to go up there alone!!! Did I encounter a spirit? Or just a really busy server during a non-busy afternoon? I’ll have to go back to find out… Spend 30 minutes with a cold beer at the original bar in-front of the original stone fireplace paying attention to everything around you.

That ghost never did bring me an iced tea... — That ghost never did bring me an iced tea…

Gettysburg, PA

A truly sobering place, overflowing with history and energy. One can’t help but be saddened when walking the fields and battlegrounds. Over 40,000 lives lost. I couldn’t help feeling like we were never really alone there. Not in a creepy way. But more of a crowded yet comforting way. Many people have seen, heard, and even video recorded spirits roaming these fields. I wish we had more evenings and mornings roaming the lands there. When you have thousands of people perish in some of the worst conditions imaginable, there’s going to be loads of residual energy left there. If you have 30 minutes, check out the Circular diorama room. It’s an artwork wrapped wall and presentation like you’ve never seen inside the museum that does an incredible job telling an abbreviated story of this historic place.

029 — The museum and the grounds are a must-visit destination regardless of your interest in history.

Serpent Mound, OH

It was huge! The biggest snake we’ve ever seen! Even though this one didn’t move, it sure was a moving experience to be walking around it. It’s the largest known serpent effigy in the world. From the ground it was unrecognizable, but from the air above (in this case a tower built next to it for viewing) the serpent took its shape. The real question I have is: Who was flying above Southern Ohio several thousand years ago to see it when it was created? Little known side fact: it is built on the rim of a large ancient crater.

And also peculiar is the astronomical significance of its construction – the serpent’s head points to the summer solstice sunset and the serpent coils point to the winter solstice sunrise and the equinox sunrise. With only a speculated age to go off of (from 1,000 to many thousand years old….) who were these ancient people that were capable of creating such a perfect construction, size, shape, height, and pointing to astronomical events?

The serpent from the viewing tower... — The serpent from the viewing tower…look at those tiny people on the pathway for some perspective!

Definitely worth seeing, in addition to the numerous other mounds built all around the area. Sadly, it is believed that less than 1% of all the mounds built by an ancient race are still in existence in the Midwest today. This is due largely in part to modern agriculture leveling these relics out to grow crops. What a shame. It would be nice to excavate in a way that didn’t destroy them, but allowed us to uncover more about the history, purpose and science behind these relics. Spend thirty minutes enlightening yourself with a book in the small shop there that shows in detail where all the other mounds and animal aerial shapes have been discovered in the Mid-West over our history and you will grasp just how far the reaches of this elder race was spread out.

The Ridges, Athens, OH

A massive and old lunatic asylum turned art museum on the grounds of Ohio University. This place went on and on. In the daytime we walked around it and did a little observing through the doors and up the stairwells of the off limits parts with our eyes. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get into any of the locked and off limits parts where a lot of the ghost stories originated. There are supposedly some disturbing legends that have occurred in here. We only saw artwork on the walls. Regardless this is one place at night even I admit that I wouldn’t want to be roaming around the corridors by myself if I didn’t have to. And Kristin wouldn’t be caught dead here after dusk. Fun fact, they had crocodiles in the front water fountain back in the early days when people thought that sort of thing was a good idea. Spend 30 minutes walking around the building looking inside windows and doors….you may just see someone looking back out at you.

The Ridges...not just one but several buildings, all in different states of repair and ill-repair. — The Ridges…not just one but several buildings, all in different states of repair and ill-repair.

Moonville Tunnel, OH

The ghost town of Moonville in southern Ohio is an old mining community with an abandoned railroad tunnel. With the goal of exploring the Moonville Tunnel and its supposed ghost stories, we never got the chance to see the actual tunnel. Our directions were way off. We ended up in a different part of the woods entirely. One thing’s for sure, these forests absolutely didn’t want us there. Down a winding dirt road, through a thin, poison-ivy and spider flanked trail, we made it about ¾ of a mile into the woods, when a fierce wind picked up out of nowhere. The day darkened, the trees threw down branches, sticks and leaves. We hauled ourselves out of there as fast as we could and made it back to the truck just as the rain started pouring down. If forests could talk, this one was saying GET OUT. If you make it here, get better directions than we did and spend 30 minutes taking a side tour of the old giant stone furnaces hidden in the woods where steel used to be smelted. I wouldn’t have guessed such an abandoned structure even existed.

647 — Giant furnace not too far from the Moonville Tunnel.

Cahokia Mounds, IL

Visiting a location like this only solidifies the fact that our history books are full of missing chapters. Christopher Columbus wasn’t the founder of America. In fact, this ginormous site is proof to me that chapters 1-17 are missing from what is taught to kids in American History class these days. Nobody truly knows what went on here, who built it, how it was built, when it was built, and why it was abandoned. Even the so-called “experts” admit they can only make guesses. There’s an entire museum that we nicknamed the “museum of speculation” because there is no evidence, no conclusive proof, and almost every plaque says things like, “we think”, “we believe” and essentially weaves a lot of assumptions to build a story about the lives and purpose of the mounds and the area.

It’s basically a city of pyramids of all shapes and sizes covered over by soil and trees from many centuries (or longer possibly) of abandonment. The craziest thing is its spread out over an area the size of a small city and its right under our noses. One can literally see downtown St. Louis from of top of the structures. Tell people America has massive pyramids and most of them will look at you dumbfounded and think you’re a crackpot. This is one place I would love to help excavate (though how convenient, excavations are not permitted here). So, exactly what is it we don’t want to uncover about our own history? Spend 30 minutes not in the museum but on top of one of the many pyramids trying to imagine living in this prehistoric metropolis.

042 — That’s just the first stairway to the first platform of Monks Mound. From the top you could see St. Louis and also the Woodhenge circle calendar marking sunrise on solstices and equinoxes (sound familiar?!)

think-sign — Sobering reminders along the highways of South Dakota.

South Dakota Road Markers

Little did we know that South Dakota places signs on the side of the road at the scene of every automobile accident where there was a fatality. It is a chilling reminder about how life is precious and can be taken at a moment’s notice. It was both sad and creepy as we passed hundreds of these signs and the invisible faces next to them as we crossed the state. A good reminder for everyone to pay attention while driving for sure. Spend all 30 extra minutes focusing on driving so you don’t become a roadside statistic.

Minuteman Missile Silo and Delta-01 Underground Command Center, National Historic Site

Way off the beaten path, down a dirt road, in the middle of nowhere, next to Badlands and Ranchlands, lies a small, unassuming building, behind a tall barbed wire fence. The mystery of this place however lies deep underground. After a ride in a tiny elevator down many floors, we stepped into a tunnel that led to a command center. The underground command center had a three foot thick rebar door, and was suspended in a huge hydraulic chamber designed to take a direct hit from a nuclear blast.

Completely self-sustainable with its own food, water, electricity, and “old-school” computer system…i.e. un-hackable. Maybe not “para” but this place is definitely way outside the “normal” that one would ever visit. In the room was everything needed to begin and end World War III.

1314 — Deliver a pizza, or a missile, in 30 minutes or less!

731 — The Command Center…seems pretty old-fashioned, but un-hackable, indestructible, and capable of launching a missile to start and end WWIII.

The Delta-09 missile site was just down the road in another underground chamber and the fact that we were even able to explore both of these places was awesome.

A very limited number of people are given access to it every year and it’s the only one of its kind (that still has a missile in the silo) that offers public tours. Spend 30 minutes (or at least 5 since the officers in charge of showing you around keep to a strict time table) sitting in the living quarters picturing yourself existing here day and night constantly on immediate standby to launch Armageddon.

Vore Buffalo Jump, WY

A natural rock-shaped punchbowl, so to speak, where Native American’s corralled the buffalo herds over the edge when hunting and preparing for winter. Thousands of hairy horned beasts lay down in the bottom for their final sleep. Kind of sad, but at least the beasts weren’t wasted by their hunters. Spend 30 minutes eating lunch there as it is in the middle of nowhere and makes a scenic picnic spot while viewing the vast prairies.

Devil’s Tower, WY

Even the locals and Native Americans believe this to be a beacon for the unexplained. It truly is nature’s skyscraper. One feels very small standing near it.

1368 — Standing near Devil’s Tower makes you stop and stare in awe. It’s a bit hypnotizing.

Theories abound about this place being a mecca for spirits, UFO’s, giant bears, and even portals to other dimensions, though none of which we saw while we were there. Oh, and it’s in the middle of nowhere by the way. Make sure you have a full tank of gas before going out there.

1369 — Sunset at Devil’s Tower, simply breathtaking.

On your way you will be greeted by an army of prairie dogs fearlessly checking to see what you are up to. Spend 30 minutes taking in the towering majestic structure and stop and chat with the prairie dogs on your way out.

769 — Hello, Prairie Dog! He looks like he gets enough to eat.

Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend, WA

Battery Kinzie is the concrete juggernaut that ominously watches over the coastline at Fort Worden State Park. It dares brave souls to enter in by day, and even braver ones on stormy nights. We happened to be there at dusk, as a storm rolled in.

305 — Battery Kinzie was an awesome place to explore at dusk…and it just got creepier and creepier as the storms rolled in.

The narrow hallways, heavy doors, graffiti-lined walls and abandoned munitions rooms – out of all those things it was the bloody (?) hand print on the wall that had our hair standing on end. Spend 30 minutes (or however long you think you can last) inside the walls at night in the deep dark recesses as you listen for voices of the past.

Welcome to Sasquatch Country

From Northern California to the top of Washington, we wandered the majestic forests in search of our furry giant friends. Outside of the occasional reminder (by Kristin) that I am part Sasquatch at 6’ 6”, we didn’t see any of the monsters. While in Northern California, in a random, untraveled creek bed during one of our day hikes, we did come across some tracks that were MUCH bigger than a man’s. Was it Bigfoot? I can’t prove that it was or wasn’t, but it sure was awesome to stumble upon.

515 — Look closely…it does look like a very large footprint, but hard to make any real determination…

This was the only Sasquatch we found... — This was the only Sasquatch we found…

That being said…it was on our quest deep in the woods of Wynoochee, WA (aka ground zero for Bigfoot in America), that we felt the closest to spotting one. This place was eerily beautiful and quiet, and gave us the impression that we were not alone. We walked the old logger roads for several hours when it dawned on us that strangely there wasn’t any wildlife out in these woods, not even a bird or chipmunk. I would have loved to have spent the night here, listening to the creatures communicate to each other by howls and tree knocks, but seeing as it took us several hours on winding dirt roads and old logging trails in 4×4 mode just to get there, that was as far as I could get Kristin to commit to. No chance in hell she’d spend the night here.

Bigfoot: 1
Matt & Kristin: 0

But we live to search again. Spend 30 minutes without saying a word or looking at your phone (there’s no reception out here anyway). Just listen to the woods talk while you walk under the old trees.

Gold Mining Ghost Towns of California

We had the opportunity to visit two ghost towns. Weaverville, still populated, and Shasta, very much abandoned. They were both full of history. We took a self-guided historical walk through Weaverville and imagined life here in the 1800s. One thing we know for sure: gold miners were reckless with fire, as their town burned down and was rebuilt several times.

In Shasta, you may want to watch where you step as you look for spirits of the past, as there are many more rattle snakes than specters that have since taken over management here.

915 — No ghosts or specters here, but it was fascinating to walk among the rubble left from the Gold Rush town of Shasta.

With an extra half hour, walk around the area off the beaten path and see if you can find any gold nuggets laying around on the ground. These places were loaded with it at one point and some of it was bound to be dropped while running from burning building to burning building!

Adventure Awaits

Overall, we’ve found that this country is full of awesome places just waiting to be explored – both well-known and off the beaten path. Whether for fun, for a history lesson, or for a good scare, there is always more to the story than meets the eye. Sometimes the darker, more mysterious parts are left out of the travel brochures. For good reason…perhaps. Or perhaps the other side of this truth is just too weird, disturbing, inconvenient, or just plain unknown to even mention. And of course, like the Boy Scouts, it’s always good to be prepared. Bear spray and a good IPA will usually do the trick.

788 — Bear spray? Check. Hoppy IPA? Check. Ready for adventure!

Stay tuned for more adventures as we continue our travels around the country. Cheers to adventure and the spirit of exploration!

Matt

Choice not chance determines our destiny

February 9, 2015 by Matt

Heads or Tails. Legend of the Domino Chief

Destination Tree domino — A domino thought leads to questioning a coin toss

In the wise words of Ice Cube, from the 90s cult classic, Boyz N the Hood, “Domino mutha F*&%-er!!!” Call me crazy, but whenever I hear the word “domino” that line instantly pops in my head. Well, recently I had a “domino” thought. The kind where one thought leads to another and another…until you are mentally fixated on something totally different than what initiated the original thought. While walking back to my truck the other day, I spied a coin on the ground. Despite the germ-aphobe in me, I excitedly bent down to pick it up only to realize it was a 1938 nickel. Yahoo! I gave it a quick lucky flip from my thumb in the air. Maybe not as exciting as finding a twenty dollar bill, but I was still excited to acquire this vintage chieftain collectable.

Finding this coin was the catalyst of my domino thought chain. It made me think of the act of flipping a coin. Which led to my curiosity of how many people had flipped this particular coin in it’s 77 years of service. Which led to wondering how many decisions had been made from those seemingly innocent tosses. How much history had been cast due to the decision of a nickel? How many of us leave our decision making up to a coin toss?

And this ultimately made me wonder, why do people live their life by chance…rather than by the more difficult process of choice? That’s where I landed on the final thought, ‘why toss the coin in the first place’?

I can only think of two reasons why we flip a coin to come upon an outcome for action. Either number one we really don’t care what the outcome is, which means the decision is really irrelevant and the tosser should put the coin away, decide and move on with their day. Or number two, we don’t want to be held accountable for the outcome and therefore transfer all responsibility to the coin itself. Afterall, if it was a bad call, that led to an unfavorable outcome, no sane person is going to go back and start an argument with a coin…but they might a person. In this event, the person doing the flipping probably isn’t the right person for the task and should hand the coin over to someone else who is strong enough to live with the consequences of the outcome, rather than letting the old chieftain take the blame, or get the credit.

Either way you look at it, a decision should be made by a person, not a coin. So when looking at the mental dominoes scattered all around me, my conclusion was this: In the end, there is a helluva lot of potential for us to grow more confident when making decisions as we carve a path through the history books, because the person those very books put on that coin is done growing…but you’re not. In the wise words of one of history’s great carvers, Winston Churchill, “History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.”

Domino my friends!

Cheers,

Matt

Liquid Luck…it isn’t just for Harry Potter.

January 15, 2015 by Matt

Question: Is the glass truly half empty or half full?

Answer: It doesn’t matter. Because you’re the brewer!

After brewing the first successful batch of beer this year, I have elected to name it “Liquid Luck”. Although, in the Harry Potter film, an elixir of the same name was brewed and used by Harry to aid in defeating the Dark Lord, this is not why I chose to give it the name.

As I started bottling the freshly fermented foreign extra stout, I poured myself the first bit into a glass to savor as I prepared to fill the lineup of bottles. Grabbing the glass in hand, I took a big sip when the age old question suddenly dawned on me…Is the glass now half empty, or half full?

Alone in the beer lab (aka the kitchen) and having only myself to ponder the question, it occurred to me that after 30+ years of hearing that question, I finally realized: the glass represents our life; and it’s contents represent everything IN our lives. The beer is merely a metaphor of our physical possessions, physical conditions, our failures, our triumphs, and in other words, our “luck”.

And then BOOM!!! Like a stadium light being turned on, my brain was flooded with the real answer of half empty or half full. It doesn’t matter!!! I just brewed my own luck, and I can always pour more.

Don’t focus on the glass. Focus on the ability to fill it. The ability to create for ourselves a never-empty-glass. Now I’m not the finest brewer, so I can speak from experience when I say anyone, anyone, can do it. It just takes some discipline and dedication. And literally, everyone can brew a better life for themselves, if they’re willing to get their hands wet in creating it.

Here are two questions to ask yourself:
#1) What am I proud of accomplishing this week that was a worthy challenge?
#2) What challenge will I take on next week that will have a positive impact on my life?

The glass of life is never half empty when you keep the keg of your creation full and flowing.

Happy brewing to you this year!

Cheers,

Matt

“WHAT’S NEXT??”

U.S.S. Alabama

Oak Alley Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana

Myrtles Plantation, Francisville, Louisiana

The Stranahan House, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Coral Castle, FL

St. Augustine, FL

Marfa Mystery Lights, Marfa, TX

The Alamo, San Antonio, TX

Indian Head, Terlingua, TX

The Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee Arizona

Copper Queen Hotel, Bisbee Arizona

The Olive Oil Store

Historic Wickenburg, Arizona

Vulture Mine, Wickenburg, Arizona

Sedona, AZ

Horseshoe Café, Benson, AZ

Tombstone, AZ

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, CA

Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite National Park, CA

Joshua Tree National Park

TAPS Headquarters, Warwick, RI (The Atlantic Paranormal Society)

White Horse Tavern, Newport, RI

Gettysburg, PA

Serpent Mound, OH

The Ridges, Athens, OH

Moonville Tunnel, OH

Cahokia Mounds, IL

South Dakota Road Markers

Minuteman Missile Silo and Delta-01 Underground Command Center, National Historic Site

Vore Buffalo Jump, WY

Devil’s Tower, WY

Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend, WA

Welcome to Sasquatch Country

Gold Mining Ghost Towns of California

Adventure Awaits

Heads or Tails. Legend of the Domino Chief

Question: Is the glass truly half empty or half full?

Answer: It doesn’t matter. Because you’re the brewer!

The glass of life is never half empty when you keep the keg of your creation full and flowing.

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