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Orion
| | Posted on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 7:00 am: | 
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Well, they call this an open forum for any discussion so I'm gotta digress from radio for a bit. Alsworld, you're gonna love Washington state and although it's a bit colder than Florida the beauty of the state will make up for it. I got a humble Suzuki GS500 before last Summer and after breaking it in with about a thousand miles I got a hot foot to take a ride across the country. It was so hot here in NY I decided I had enough and rather than go west via the southern states I hugged the north through the Dakotas and sometimes jumping into Canada along the way. I had the bike packed to the hilt-it looked like a mule during the gold rush. (scenery wise the trip was a bore until I got past Illinois). Anyway, day by day you really notice how the whole look of the country changes. Eventually, I get to the Rockies and I'm blown away by the views but it occurs to me my butt just can't take many more miles on this seat before I find out what hemmhoroids. I find a descent hotel located near a few attractions located on my map and park it for a few days while a I have a custom Gel seat made by Corbin overnighted to the address. New seat, no problem, I'm off again two days later. I pass Montana and eventually I'm in Washington State checking out the Pacific from it's ciffs. Awesome. Anyway, on the way back I break from a main thoroughfare to a winding two lane highway; for many miles, I mean a long time, I think only two vehicles passed me going the other way: logging trucks. Trees were immense and the forest very dense. It gave the feeling you were cruising through a canyon of green and I guess I was. Although it was mid-day and a blue sky I hadn't felt a ray of sun for almost two hours. When you look at a map of the state and you see a huge chunk of it with nothing but a lone road or two going through it: that's where I was. I keep going until I get to a point where the roadway is blocked and there's a sign that says something about looging trucks only. So what do I do now? At this point I turn around and fortunately there was a ONE lane paved road that forked off about a mile or so before(the only other road option for the hours I spent on this thing). Not on my map, I just take it anyway. I can't stand the idea of backtracking so many miles and since I'm jsut enjoying what the road brings me I take this one laner. I'm getting deeper and deeper into this northwestern jungle I'm actually getting creeped out. I wouldn't be unreasonable if I said I was possibly the only human for a hundred miles. I got a big gas tank on the bike and on the highway I can go on forever so I'm not worried about that, it's just the isolation. I pick up the pace when a rare opportunity of straight road presents itself and the disadvantage of an open face helmet becomes apparent. Big bugs, gnats, whatever, everything is mutant size here, starts hitting me like a firing squad. As I cursed one that splatted my left goggle another smacked into my teeth. Just before I can slow down, something, fat, heavy and juicy splats on my adam's apple. At this point I went from getting infuriated to wanting to burst out in laughter at the ridiculous situation I'm in. It turns out that the straight away road was due to a swampy type lake to my left and that would explain the bug concentration. Fed up, I find a small natural clearing a little ways further nad pull my bike right up into it, then a little further where there was a nice flat area carpeted with pine needles. A little brook with water trickled nearby and I think I should camp here for the night. I get off, clean a half pound of insects of the bike and start unpacking. Up goes a small tent, a safe fire, all the luxuries of home but downsized. After I eat I hit the hay.
Okay, this sounds pretty sedate so far until I wake up really early in the morning feeling cold. I underestimated the temp drop. I went to sleep early so I figured I might as well get up while the area is still gray and dark but not quite night. I unzip the bug barrier and climb out feeling well rested and waste no time tossing in a few twigs and starting another small fire so I can eat. Once the fire is going I put on a pot of water and wait. Things are getting a little brighter to the point where I don't really need a flashlight to see things. I here one of those Loons "looning" from that nearby marsh. I'm jsut about to go check to see if the water is hot enough when I smell this STENCH! I mean, not like a skunk. While that's bad, this was worse. Skunk was bad but being on the road I'd smell skunk daily. This smell was aweful and it was everywhere. I can best describe it as the smell of having your nose firmly stuck in moist with one nostril while the other firmly planted within the carcass of a festering dead animal. "Is that me??" was my first thought, couldn't imagine what else it could have been. After all, a stench like this doesn't come to you, you happen upon it. Well, it wasn't me. I thought also that a dead animal just out of view of camp must have rippened overnight and suddenly by coincidence taken this moment to burst open with all those rotting gases(they do that) I walked around a bit but I was unable to fix a location on it, like I said, it was everywhere. Now that there was no way I was going to eat while this was in the air I lit up a cigarette, put on some insect repellant and even thought of putting halves of a cigarette up my nose like they do during wars when surrounded by rot. I didn't go that far and just waited, hoping it would pass. Now for the next phase..
As soon as I get seated to wait for the air to clear I get this feeling like I'm actually being watched. Ok, now this isn't just some paranoid feeling like one feels when they're about to do something they shouldn't and don't want anyone to see. I was at one moment, although greatly bothered by this "stink" calm as anything and quite at peace - then the next moment it felt like eyes were burning a hole through me from somewhere. Like the smell I couldn't sense an origin but it was very strange. Imagine your reaction being in my place, knowing you were very much alone and isolated and an egg were to hit you "splat". Well, the speed and fervor that you would take jumping up to see who did it was me reacting to this spying intrusion. I'm no fan of the paranormal but it's like there was some freaky telepathic, sixth sense, ESP.. whatever, going on here. I wish I could explain this better but it was almost evil and I really felt like something that wanted to(and I know I sound like a little kid saying this) eat me! Now I'm definitely paranoid, I jet for the tent while spinning around like a top so I don't buy it on my way there which was about fifteen feet. I grab my 38. S&W 5 shot, somehow feeling positive this "thing" is going to present itself just as I pull my head from the tent. Nothing. I'm loaded yet still not feeling very confident. I had a good mind to hop on the bike and tear a gully back to the road while blasting in the air but I kept sane and would rather get killed than leave all my awesome gear there  An odd thing occured to me after the whole experience is that I never felt it may have been a person, a wolf or a Grizzly. I don't know why but my feeling was that it was something completely unfamiliar. I know what you're thinking reader, and what you've been thinking. Like I said in the title: true story or I'm nuts.
With the gun in my hand I find my eye's drawn to where the pine clearing abruptly ends in a very dense tangle or ferns, bushes, and small trees about 8 feet high with branches and leaves so concentrated you can't tell which leaf and branch belongs to who. I think I see something like a very big wide tree stump somewhere just in that thicket. Ever see a tall man at a circus, I mean not just a big guy but one that makes your jaw drop. Well this "stump" isn't a stump after all and as soon as it moves, just a little, it's uniformly dark brown shape defined itself despite seeing only scattered bits of it through the greenery. Despite the gun I was more terrified than Ned Beaty in "Deliverance". Wow, the flood of things that went through my head! Things like "MAN, THAT'S A BIGFOOT!" With the adrenaline pumping I thought many thoughts, worst of all the idea that it was only 25 feet from me. I thought that even though I never killed anything bigger than a rat and didn't even enjoy doing it, that if I pump all my shots into it and kill it I'd be famous, rich and least importantly, that nobody would think I was making this up! I also thought that if the bullets wouldn't kill him, it would charge out of that thicket and rip me in half, maybe rape me LOL and I'd be the first Sasquatch victim only to be found months later, ID'd by dental records, a victim of a "bear" attack. At any rate, while this went through my head as I held the gun towards it, it just stood there. I wished in a way that I could see it better, I wanted to see more but somehow dreaded the fact that THAT meant it would have to reveal itself and come closer. After about five long minutes of me frozen the thing breaks this "stalemate" and I hear the dreaded crunching of a BIG FOOT making a move. Well, I guess someone had to eventually but I'd still be there to this day if he didn't lol. Anyway, this giant moves really slowly out from the thicket toward me. Not far, just enough to clear that jungle he was hiding in to show me maybe a good 90% of himself. It was like watching a very dark and narrow garbage truck back out of the woods, really big and tall, outrageously ominous. I almost forgot to look at his feet through all this. This is at around twenty feet, now keep in mind, and there is no question at all, this was no guy in a monkey suit. The stink, the eerie feeling and finally the look of it. Now you readers will never know without a shadow of a doubt if this is true but now when I hear people debating Bigfoot on TV I smile because I know something few do, that he exists. Wow, I didn't plan on getting so into telling about this but this tale just can't be a quickie. Anyway, yeah, his feet: they were big I guess but it was a big scruff of hair. As if he were using a few longhaired meduim sized dogs for slippers but it was not inconsistent in any way with his huge body. His hair seemed at my distance very coarse and long like that of a horse's tail and mane. His basic layout was similar in a way to a human around 8 feet tall and not in any way like a gorilla with short legs, pot belly, etc;.. He seemed rather barrel chested and looked extremely powerful. I don't think there is a human alive, freak or not, on this earth that could match the mass of this thing both in height
and width. The fatest man in the world may be a tad wider sure, but never as tall. The tallest man may be a tad taller, but never as wide. This creature had a huge yet athletic looking body. Really had to be seen to understand. The hands were draped in the aforementioned long hair which seemed to cover the hands completely but some movement suggested that the fingers really weren't hairy but that the long hair from the backside of the hand merely rested over them. The hair was as I've said, a dark brownish type, taking on a lighter somewhat reddish hue on the shoulders, tops of feet and head. The best part was the face. While I would LIKE to say it was a gentle looking beast, it wasn't. I can describe the face but it was the feeling you got from the look of the face that was disturbing. As I keep saying, I can't really explain why I feel some things here. For an analogy, consider peoples faces. You look at a face and immediately you think: that guy looks mean, that guy looks, gullible, stupid, nerdy, smart, crazy..(without knowing either of them, who's drink would you rather knock over in a bar? A Sylvestor Stallone lookalike or a Tom Hanks? Point made.) And what makes that face? No one knows. It's not the curve of the cheek or the length of the bridge of the nose. You just can't put your finger on it can you? Naturally, I'm not talking about expressions, just the naturally resting face and the persona it eminates. This one was calculating, intelligent and well, just evil. Getting into the geometry of it would only sound sensless, but it was a cross between a gorilla and a human IN A VERY VAGUE WAY. Undeniably male.. another feature tough to explain. It had a bigger forehead than a gorilla, more like a man's, yet around the mouth it was more like an ape's. I'm sure there were ears but they didn't protrude enough to show definition. It's eyes were deep black, without a doubt the most disturbing feature of all. It's odd the way we can sense when one it looking, even at a distance either at you or someone standing right next to you because although they may be a distance away you can still pick up whether or not the pupils are aimed at you. Not here, they were like black pits with no whites or pupils to indicate their fix. You just sensed that "eye to eye" look and knew the instant he was looking at something else. We've seen all types of animals in books, zoos and TV but this was all it's own. Don't laugh,I'm serious, but I'd say not even Earthly. Way too many bizarre things were going on here between me and this thing to say this was just some allusive animal, it was way beyond that and the fact they can never really find a skeleton of one or just outright get proof doesn't surprise me. Trust me if you were there you would understand that there is more than any can imagine behind the origins of this thing. Anyway, it's chest was as wide as a 32' inch TV set. I'm looking at one right now and I think it's a fitting example. If you've got a 27' set in front of you consider that its quite a great deal bigger than that, not just a mere 5 inches. Of course the hair made him appear bigger but the thing under all that hair was a behemouth. Legs longer than arms similar to human scale. The bottom of the torso, up through to the shoulders was rather "V" shaped like a body builder to give a familiar example, BUT, in an unmistakable way it was different. Just more exagerated, like a body building freak the world's never seen. Hey, remember the guy Bugs Bunny wrestled in that cartoon, vaguely like that. Describing this is very tough and I feel like I could never really paint it the way I saw it. "Words can't describe". Much of the face seemed hairless except from what would "flop" down from the outer regions surrounding it. Make no mistake, This would never belong in a Zoo, and if it did it wouldn't be mistaken for a "type" of ape by even the most ignorant zoo-goer. It was like I said, ominous and bizarre looking and I dare say smarter than Einstein. You think I'm reaching here but I can't stress enough the oddity of the encounter. I almost shifted from fear of a violent physical attack to this thing whipping out a technologically advanced phaser. Draw your own conclusions, Me? To this day I don't know what to think and I saw it. Even creepier, it saw me. Studied me. Perhaps even violated my mind. Whatever people seem to think about this "legend", I hardly got the impression it was a shy peaceful creature. I'm fairly certain now that when you hear a story about "ooh, yah, and there it sat very shy, hiding whilst feasting on eating berries and plants. A solitary allusive creature that is rare in the wilderness" Baloney! These are the embellishing storytellers spinning a tale about what they THINK bigfoot probably must be. It was NOT shy, NOT afraid yet it was slightly interested in me. It even took it's black stare from me casually once to look around and then abruptly behind himself(moving only his head nearly 180 degrees too! That was freaky too! The major point here is that he turned away from me for a good ten seconds then casually turned back to me. Not a sign of some frightened harmless bigfoot. This only took a matter of minutes, this whole visual part of it but near the end of it my gun was sort of resting low at my hip. He seemed to look either always at me or casually at the gun like he knew what it was but wasn't concerned with what I could do with it.(More evidence this was no man) I really truly got to the point in my mind that I thought it would start to say something.
In the end, He turned, never getting closer than that final twenty feet and started walking. It's posture surprisingly upright, it moved like a man but very casually it seemed. He seemed ot take note of the tent, bike, fireplace. He never even looked back at me as he just seemed to disolve back into the woods. One last funny thing though which seemed inconsistent with the courage of this thing: Before he went from the clearing back into the thick brush he paused as if taking a precaution, then entered into the greenery. Sure, I had a chance to plug him in the back and get that fame and fortune I was talking about but somehow I just knew I'd end up dead if I tried it. I am dying to know what was really behind all this.
I was pretty wild-eyed after he disappeared you know. Looking over my shoulder thinking stupid thoughts of getting ambushed, even abducted by a UFO or something. SO WOULD YOU if you saw this and felt whatever weirdness went on. By the way, I don't do drugs, didn't pick any harmless mushrooms in the forest, hadn't been to any bars where someone could have slipped me a "mickey". No mental problems in the family tree.. Nothing. Believe me, I thought of anything to both validate AND invalidate the whole experience. It happened, simple as that. And yeah, I had a camera, never unpacked it from the bike and yanking it out during the episode was not an option. I don't think I would have dared flashbulb that thing anyway as I constantly felt an inch from doom when he was there. I should mention I'm 6'2, 200lbs and NOT easily frightened by anything. This thing would have humbled a seasoned Marine platoon. Anyway, like a nervous jackrabbit, I made a real slop out of collecting and stuffing my gear together, mostly with one hand as I tried to keep the gun in one of them whenever possible. I broke down the tent so carelessly I broke a pole but I didn't even care. I burned myself on the globe of a small propane lantern which was turned down low throughout the night and nearly packed it away while it was burning! Good thing it burnt me! Well, I packed my "Mule" up and got out of there fast. I was bothered all the way back to New York. I had frequent bad headaches for two months after the episodes. By now one would think I had nightmares too. Oddly, never. Dreams yes, strange ones, very vivid. I can't get into what they were all about but those that are sincerely curious can ask if they want to know. I will say that they don't involve UFO abductions, examinations or sexual stuff lol, but they raise some eerie questions. I just don't want to come off sounding any more looney as this whole thing does. Whatever it was, it shouldn't be confronted, caged, killed, studied. Stay away from it is what I say. If that's a Sasquatch/Yetti/Bigfoot or whatever they call it, it's bad news and there's alot behind that thing we just maybe better off not kowing. Who knows. Just remember that behind every myth there is always a kernal of truth. This is alot more than a kernal. So Alsworld, hehe.. I saw your post about moving to Washington State. It's beautiful as you probably already know jsut steer clear of those back roads Sorry folks, a long write indeed wasn't it. I do have occupational experience writing in fiction, true, but this is a true even I told about. Whheeew.. time to go now, fingers tired! |
Bluesman
| | Posted on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 11:32 am: |
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Run a spell check, grammar check and this one's ready for your publisher. ;) |
Dx431
| | Posted on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 2:06 pm: |
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I smell a movie of the week! hehehe |
Orion
| | Posted on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 2:36 pm: |
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Hehe, I know Bluesman, I never checked over the typos and there are A LOT of mistakes. A pity, I'm looking and wishing I could clear up a lot of it. Call it a real rough draft of an account I guess. I actually have a polished version but it's considerably longer and more in depth. It's just a little too long to post here and I don't think the Forum would want me taking up too much bandwidth/memory, or whatever the case is. I appreciate them putting it through though - I really didn't think it would have been as long as it was. Sometimes there's just isn't a short version of something that weird. One correction I'd like to state here is that it smelled like a combination of "moist 'DIRT' and ...." |
Rob5mike
| | Posted on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 6:50 pm: |
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I am Impressed Orion! I was born in Port Angeles,Wa.in 1962 and lived there until 1983.I have backpacked,camped,fished,hunted and rode motorcycles all over the north west part of the state(Olympic mountains)I have spent weeks in the mountains and have never seen or smelled a Bigfoot,but its cool to hear the stories and you never know it might be true (I guess it is to you)and your right people from the east do not know how big and unpopulated it is out west and what its like to drive for hours on a two lane road and see nothing.I enjoyed your story and would like to know where you were,I go back home to see my parents every couple of years and who knows I might go to that area and do some camping.
Mike |
Orion
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 4:54 am: |
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Hey Mike,
Well, I wish I could be specific but I can only ballpark it. There is a route 20 going east which branches to route 21 going south.. hmm, you'd know the layout better than me. I think if you drive like a lost tourist on Rt.21 for a while and take a few wrong roads you'll be in the ballpark. A broader way of putting it would be south of route 20, around the Okanowgan and Ferry county borders, somewhere off route 21. Now, if you've got a really detailed map with topographical details on it, look for a really minor road(very detailed map!)that is at least paved as of a year ago and I think 5-10 miles in on that if you can detect two things: a small marshland and a section that looks straighter than the rest for about a mile you will be getting very warm. Now, if you investigate the area look for a clearing and think like a biker IF you can drive up into it easily with the bike there is a little pine clearing just nearby a tiny bit further in. You can drive the bike into it. (just going over this in my head I bet you can find it!) Now, look for a circle of small rocks for a fire and there will be a little brook nearby it. A lot of pine needles must have fallen since then but I'm sure the stones are still possible and I assume the brook hasn't dried out. That's the spot! Now everything about this area seemed to say "natural clearing" I didn't see a single sign that anyone had ever been there. People always leave something. Plus, by the time you get to this place you're going to feel so desolate that you'd bet everything that you are the first person to stand in the spot since I was there. Going there should have it's rewards as I left behind a Leatherman Deluxe and a gold anodized Mag-Lite (2AA size). If you've got the guts to go there you deserve them
Seriously, there is no way I'd personally go back and I definitely wouldn't camp there alone. But, if I heard the tale above I would most definitely jump on the opportunity to check it out. Now, obviously you may want to check this out due to what I wrote. Knowing that, it would be silly for you to go without a video camera or something just in case this thing crosses your path. Imagine what a shame if you went, saw it and had only words to bring back. Borrow one if possible, or better yet LOL, buy one from a reputable store, take good care of it, use it and then return it in brand new condition. I know, shame on me, but this is for Bigfoot you know. Hehe, a peice of me wants to tell you not to go looking for it but it's too facinating a thing to pass up. Gotta say again though, it really happened and it's not made up. But, as it goes, a fact needs to be substantiated through material proof. Who knows, that thing might be around there all the time and I just blew it for him. If you see him though you won't like it, I can guarantee that at least. |
Crafter
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 9:03 am: |
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I enjoyed it too, As a hunter and a oregon resident I can relate to the vast empty roads. I do quite abit of off road travel in my truck and have been to places were nobody has been in years. I have had the feelings of being watched but usually turns out to be a animal. But let me share something with you of what I do know, that smell that you smelt almost like a alcohol and burns the nose I have smelt it before and seen the figure. I havnt ever told no one but my wife about it. Its doesnt scare me but Im more cautious
I no longer carry a 223, I like the 45-70 now. Not that I would shoot one but sure makes you feel safer.
P.S. Next time just leave the tent, the poles cost as much as a new tent! LOL! Take care, crafter.. |
Simrik
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 8:44 am: |
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HEY ORION
DONT WORRY ABOUT THE DISCLAIMRES.i would love to read the polished version.
i to had an experience like that only it was hear in australia.i used to do a lot of hunting ,but after my little escapade i never ever went back.whilst walking though the bush late one afternoon looking for a bunny i had just shot.just ahead of me was a clearing and beyond that was the tree line.
i was just about to bend down and pick the bunny up when the trees almost directly in front of me started to rustle.no-where else along the tree line were the trees moving.there was no distinct smell that i sensed ,i thoght ,maybe a kangaroo or a water buffelow,that is until i heard this unearthly sound.
unlike you guys i did'nt hang around.not only did i leave the bunny there but at the speed i took off i stepped out of my joggers.and trust me pal ,(i aint goin back to get em)
i'm sure if i ever went back though i would'nt have to much trouble finding the right spot .i'd just have to follow the fence line until i come across me undies. thats right they were to smelly to wear in my 4x4, get the drift |
Alsworld
| | Posted on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 9:51 am: |
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Orion,
that was an incredible story! Thanks for sharing it. I've been in some remote areas camping but not like the one you mentioned. There is still lots in this world to be discovered and Bigfoot is one of them. Maybe it's good?
At least there are no obvious attack stories (like bears and cougars), just much curiosity of what has come into his/her territory. I think it's good you did not shoot it.
You are an excellent writer for sure!
Maybe I'm glad my motorcycle has a smaller gas tank .
Alsworld |
Orion
| | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 12:58 pm: |
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Alsworld
Thanks for the flowers Alsworld. And yeah, that 5.5 gallon gas tank really goes far and can get me in trouble. I envy you the move to Washington, most beautiful state I've been to yet. I live in a concrete jungle (Brooklyn) and wasn't meant for it- greatly prefer mountains and greenery. It's good to move to a place that's still got a bit of mystery to it also. Safe trip and move Alsworld. Enjoy those open roads and always keep an eye out! |
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