Message posted by n01_b4_flash (Member since 01/29/2012) on May 29, 2024 at 7:01:09 PST:
Hello Ellie, Since I started to read your post I have a smile on my face because it reminds me my beginnings with Area 51/Groom Lake interest/hobby. I'm close to your age, although, I'm 28 at the moment and visited NTTR four times already. Before my first visit I had somewhat similar doubts as yours but I found local people to be friendly and helpful and I was fortunate to experience this many times, for example, when my rented car broke in the last day of my first visit, hotel staff acted very profesionally to me and help as much as could for me to be able to get my flight back to Europe where I live. They made me sure they will take car of a rented car of mine to the time a renting company will be there to take it.(the car was unable to drive due to mechanical fault) Although four visits is nowehere close to amount of time the original interceptors and spotters did in the past, I was already able to gain basic knowledge and experience about the place and its character. That said, I'm happy that I'm able to visit all those places I dreamed of and soon I'm gonna visit the area again for my next expedition. Rachel, Tikaboo Peak, Brainwash Butte, Powerlines and others were always spots on the map of World I wanted to visit since I started to investigate Area 51, which for me began in 2010, when my father told me about the place. As for how much that places are occupied today, as Joerg already admitted, if there are five cars on the parking lot of "The Little Aleinn" that means they are busy. Nowadays, most of the time you will meet there people who just passed on their way to their destinations that are unconnected to entire Area 51 subject. Personally, I have never met any other spotter or investigator in the Aleinn and I used to visit the restaurant on every visit to buy some snacks or food. To day today, I've climbed Tikaboo Peak three times and I have never met any person on the trail or at the top of the Peak, so from my experience you are to spent your time there alone, most of the time. Same with Brainwash Butte. The magic thing with that region of World, for me, is that I feel like where to belong and this is the only place in the World that gives me so much positive emotions. Due to remotness of the place I feel my soul takes its best possible moments, times and fun. I have to say I just love to see that beautiful desert. Original of the species, exactly like Bono and remaining members of U2 music band used to sing in their song... If you seem to think you won't feel nostalgia, I'm positive that's not what will happen especially if you used to watch old TV documentaries and programmes on the subject. You will be able to face it on your own and feel the atmosphere of that mysterious place. What's more, if you decide to camp in the cover of night where beside the obvious snacks which are military installations and aircraft you will experience outstanding dark-blue sky with a plenty of falling stars. Make notes and count, my highest score is 10 falling stars at the top of Tikaboo during one single night. Beautiful and romantic in its entirity. But... make sure to not forget about your safety there. It's wild long desert and this cannot be forgotten. You can face there with obvious advertisies for that specific climate, like high temperatures, sometimes no phone coverage, dry air or... wild animals etc. I cannot confirm it as a fact but there was a rumour that there is a mountain lion greasing around or in a Tikaboo Peak area. I have never seen it myself although I saw another creature - a big Varanus - it was not in the Tikaboo area but close enough - I happen to meet this guy on my climb/hike to the Pahranagat School "P" sign during my first expedition. This is another note: beside spotting at or near military bases, there are plenty of other activities you can do out there, like climbing or hiking mountains that will give you opportunity to see Nevada landscape and surrounding areas. On my wish list there are still plenty of places that I'm going to visit and I'm definitely looking forward to it! If you haven't had a chance to see my postings or data here on the website, you are welcome to take a look. I hope you will find articles and trip reports interesting and they will make you even more curious to visit the area on your own as there is multitude of things to see and investigate. You won't be disappointed, that desert is very special place. Kind regards,
Michał "n01_b4_flash" Rokita
In Reply to: Area 51 Still Worth Visiting? & Some 90s Nostalgia posted by Ellie on May 28, 2024 at 18:01:46 PST:
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