|
|

My Trip To The Area 51 Borderlands
Is Any Of It True? Does Anything Really Exist Out There In The Desert? I Find Out - First Hand
On July 8 of 1999, I went on an outing. Leaving Las Vegas (where our family was staying for a portion of our vacation this summer) at approximately 7:30AM, we traveled northbound on United States Highway 93 for about an hour. The road then forked.
This famous intersection of Highway 93, and Highway 375 has been photographed many times by visitors to the area. This is due to the fact that in 1996, Governor Bob Miller of the State of Nevada, and the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation renamed Highway 375 to the Nevada State "Extraterrestrial Highway." Done to promote the opening of the movie "Independence Day," this name was appropriately chosen, because the stretch of barren land that it runs through is located alongside the Nevada Test Site, and the GROOM LAKE military testing range; which has become famous with allegations of test flights of top secret aircraft, and of captured alien spacecraft. The photograph of the highway, to the left, was taken standing in the center of the entranceway to the Extraterrestrial Highway. For more photographs of the Extraterrestrial Highway, road signs, and views of the area, please go to my AREA 51 PHOTOGRAPHS page.
After driving down the Extraterrestrial Highway for just over one half an hour, we passed the famous Groom Lake Road. This "road" is nothing more than a nine-mile long gravel path, leading off through the mountain range surrounding Groom Dry Lake, and into the restricted Nevada Test Site. Just beyond Groom Lake Road, is the "Black Mailbox." The Black Mailbox, however, is white. The original, black, mailbox was removed in 1994 by it's owner, a local rancher - Steve Medlin. It was then replaced by the current, white, mailbox; but retains its original name. The Black Mailbox has become a mile-marker, and point of reference for all Area 51 watchers. There have been numerous reports of seeing strange activity in the skies, above this landmark alongside the Extraterrestrial Highway. Many visitors to the area come at night to watch for UFO activity in the area, and this may be why there were tents lined up alongside this site in Nevada while we were there.
After our visit to the Black Mailbox, got back on the Extraterrestrial Highway and drove north-west for about twenty miles. We then approached Rachel, Nevada - with an elevation of 4970 feet above sea level - the only town on the Highway. This town also boasts being the only place to eat, get gas, or sleep in a bed for fifty miles in any given direction (except for maybe the nearby AREA 51 BASE, of course). Within the town of Rachel, there is surprisingly a lot going on. We decided to make a journey to the local bar, the "Little A'Le'Inn."
Run by Pat and Joe Travis, the Little A'Le'Inn is a great place to stop off for lunch - or to spend a night. My father and I both had the famous "Alien Burger" that is much talked about by everyone who visits. While waiting for the food, to be prepared in the back, we were invited to get up and look around. The walls were covered with pictures of UFO's and the AREA 51 BASE. There were also news articles, clippings, and posters all over. As we ate, co-owner Joe Travis spoke loudly about new world order, and his belief that the currency in the National Trust is fraudulent and fake. I was unhappy to see the pool table in the bar covered in space pens being packaged and sorted - for I was looking forward to a good game of snooker with one of the locals. However, I was glad to see the gift shop up and running. Selling everything from mugs and t-shirts to books, photographs and models, every tourist was sure to be satisfied.
Following our meal at the Little A'Le'Inn, we got back on the Extraterrestrial Highway and drove approximately one-quarter of a mile back to a yellow trailer known as the "Area 51 Research Center," founded in 1993 by Glenn Campbell upon his eviction from the Little
A'Le'Inn. As I walked up the steps to the entrance, a pickup truck pulled up out front of the Research Center, and a man got out assuring me that he would unlock the door, so that I could enter. This man was Rachel resident Don Day; the Rachel office manager of the Area 51 Research Center. The Research Center's free service website, at www.ufomind.com has built itself up to be the world's largest paranormal website. Selling only books and other Area 51 related items (both online and in the office in Rachel) to support itself, all of the revenue made by the Research Center is put into funding the ongoing project undertakings. Such inquiry is concerned as much with the nature of humanity as with any aliens or military projects in the area, and all over the world.
After purchasing a few items from the Area 51 Research Center, we could not help wondering where all of the famous "warning signs" to the base were located. If we did not already know that we were located right next to a government-owned Nevada Test Site the size of the state of Connecticut, we sure would not have found out by accident. No more than twenty miles away, the worlds most secret (non-existent) base lay. What was keeping people from just wandering inside the classified territory? We were about to find out
We asked the manager of the Area 51 Research Center how we could get to the border of the facility in the middle of the desert. He was quick to tell us that there was a dirt road, no farther than one-half of a mile from where we stood, that led to the border of the government-owned land. He told us of a virtually unknown guard station at the end of this dirt road, keeping all unauthorized personnel off of the premises. We thanked Mr. Day, and were excitedly on our way.
We drove back up the Extraterrestrial Highway for about one-half of a mile (as Mr. Day instructed) and noticed the very well hidden pathway to the base. We made a sharp right-hand turn onto the sandy gravel road, and headed toward the mountain range surrounding Groom Dry Lake. After driving about nine miles, and for twenty minutes, we finally approached the very well hidden (and security monitored) guard station set up to protect the base.
With security cameras pointed directly at us, and with one of the "CAMMO-DUDE" GUARDS OF AREA 51 keeping a close watch from within the booth, I jumped out of the car, and SNAPPED SOME PHOTOGRAPHS , while my father made a U-turn on the wide gravel road. Both my father and I, could not help finding it very interesting to note that as the dirt path crosses over beyond the security gate, it becomes a paved road. We did notice that the loosely compacted dirt road leading up to this guard facility put of an enormous trail of dust behind our car. This trail can be easily spotted by a "CAMMO-DUDE" GUARD or by the security operated cameras mounted on top of the booth. This, however, was not surprising, because we are sure that once one passes through the above top-secret security clearance to the "non-existent" base, they are free to drive as quickly as they wish within the secure Test Site deserts of Nevada.
After driving back down the dirt road, and once again riding on the Extraterrestrial Highway, we said goodbye to Rachel, and to the GROOM DRY LAKE BASE.
<--- Go Back To My Home Page
� 1997-2006 E-Mail Me Here!
This page hosted by
Get your own Free Home Page
|