1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,800 Speaker 1: In nineteen seventy two, I was running beaver traps on 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:14,199 a small creek located in Blunt County, Alabama. I worked days, 3 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:16,559 so I had to run the trap line after work, 4 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,640 which meant at twilight or in the dark. On one 5 00:00:20,679 --> 00:00:23,760 particular evening, I had completed running the line and was 6 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,440 working my way back to the car along a very 7 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:30,719 steep creek bank above me and several yards to my right, 8 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,280 I heard what I thought was an owl. The hooting 9 00:00:34,359 --> 00:00:38,079 sound continued moving parallel to me as I walked, but 10 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:43,200 it was walking and making heavy footfalls. I was unarmed 11 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,119 except for my trapping hatchet, and since it usually didn't 12 00:00:46,119 --> 00:00:48,880 take very long to run the line, I wasn't even 13 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:53,079 carrying a flashlight. The trail out was broken up with 14 00:00:53,119 --> 00:00:55,799 small openings in the timber, so I figured I could 15 00:00:55,799 --> 00:00:58,560 get a look at whatever this thing was. So when 16 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,600 I reached the first opening, I turned around to face 17 00:01:01,679 --> 00:01:04,840 the creature, and I walked backwards across the opening, peering 18 00:01:04,879 --> 00:01:09,359 through the trees trying to see what it was. I 19 00:01:09,359 --> 00:01:13,079 couldn't see anything, but the hooting continued as it moved 20 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,040 around the perimeter of the opening and reached the other 21 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:20,239 side about the same time. That I did. Trying hard 22 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,200 not to panic. I continued to walk backwards to the 23 00:01:23,239 --> 00:01:26,680 next opening, which was much larger. Actually it was a 24 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:30,239 hay field, Knowing it could not get closer to me 25 00:01:30,359 --> 00:01:33,519 without coming out into view, I was confident I was 26 00:01:33,519 --> 00:01:37,799 about to find out what this thing was. No such luck. 27 00:01:38,359 --> 00:01:40,680 Whatever it was came to the edge of the field 28 00:01:40,719 --> 00:01:44,439 and continued its vocalizations until I was out of range 29 00:01:44,439 --> 00:01:48,000 of hearing it. Knowing I had to return there the 30 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,840 next evening. I got a large flashlight and an old 31 00:01:50,879 --> 00:01:56,319 military rifle, a Swedish Schmidt Ruben in seven point five millimeter, 32 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,400 but I never saw or heard it again. Story is 33 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,640 one hundred percent true and is only one of several 34 00:02:03,719 --> 00:02:09,199 encounters I've had over the years. The next encounter was 35 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:13,159 in the summer of nineteen seventy four in Blunt County, Alabama. 36 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,639 My cousin and I worked the night shift at different 37 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,719 companies and had plans for a weekend camp out. We 38 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,439 chose the creek that I had been trapping beaver on 39 00:02:23,599 --> 00:02:26,759 the previous winter because of the abundance of beaver that 40 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,199 we had planned to hunt. We got a late start 41 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,120 that Friday night, and it was way after dark. Getting 42 00:02:33,159 --> 00:02:36,240 into the woods, we had to push through the cane 43 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:38,520 break to get up to the spot where we planned 44 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,879 to camp and get set up, and we got there 45 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:46,479 about eleven PM. Everything was great except for the mosquitoes 46 00:02:46,719 --> 00:02:52,520 that's an Alabama staple until about two am. Something was 47 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,280 throwing rocks into the creek just out of the glow 48 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,039 of the campfire. We both had twenty two rifles, but 49 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,000 my cousin had tried to get me to bring my 50 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:05,360 forty four magnum carban I had declined because it was heavy. 51 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,840 We decided that we wanted to find out what was 52 00:03:08,879 --> 00:03:12,680 stowing these rocks. So with only the flashlight and we 53 00:03:12,719 --> 00:03:15,360 started moving towards the spot near where the splash of 54 00:03:15,479 --> 00:03:19,000 rocks had come from. We came up on an old 55 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,719 brush pile when a very deep, menacing growl directed at 56 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,560 us came from just the other side of the brush pile. 57 00:03:26,479 --> 00:03:29,000 I stopped and turned to say something to my cousin, 58 00:03:29,159 --> 00:03:32,080 but he was already halfway back to the campfire with 59 00:03:32,199 --> 00:03:34,879 the only light we had, leaving me alone in the 60 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,479 dark with whatever it was there. Well, I made it 61 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,319 back to the fire as quickly as I could. Now 62 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,639 I asked my cousin why he left me in the dark. 63 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,319 And all he would say is, we should have brought 64 00:03:46,319 --> 00:03:48,680 a forty four. I told you, we should have brought 65 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:52,840 the forty four. The remainder of that very long night 66 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,000 was uneventful, but we decided not to press our luck, 67 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,960 and we packed up and we left at first light. 68 00:04:00,719 --> 00:04:03,360 And here's my third encounter that I had with an 69 00:04:03,439 --> 00:04:08,599 unknown creature. In the fall of nineteen seventy four, I 70 00:04:08,639 --> 00:04:11,759 had just bought a brand new Remington seven hundred bolt 71 00:04:11,879 --> 00:04:16,560 rifle in thirty six caliber. The deer season had just 72 00:04:16,639 --> 00:04:19,439 opened in Blunt County, and I was anxious to try 73 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,800 out my new deer rifle. I got an old high 74 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,319 school chum to go hunting with me, but he wasn't 75 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:30,399 interested in deer. He carried a twenty two automatic rifle. 76 00:04:30,519 --> 00:04:34,560 Arriving at our hunting area, we split up. He sat 77 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:36,680 down on the top of a ridge to watch for 78 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,920 squirrels while I took to a shallow haller known to 79 00:04:39,959 --> 00:04:43,279 be a betting area for deer. I found a few 80 00:04:43,319 --> 00:04:46,240 beds in tree rubs by bucks, so I knew I 81 00:04:46,319 --> 00:04:50,519 was in the right spot. Just as in the previous encounter, 82 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:52,839 I heard walking up on the other side of the 83 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,759 ridge that my friend was on with me in between. 84 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,160 I listened a bit until it started hooting or whooping. 85 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,279 I headed back to where my friend was seated, and 86 00:05:03,319 --> 00:05:07,120 it kept pace with me, very reminiscent of a previous encounter. 87 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,720 I joined my friend and we sat there silently, and 88 00:05:11,759 --> 00:05:14,920 then whatever it was started down into the haller and 89 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:20,639 coming straight towards us without acknowledging the critter. I asked 90 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:22,519 my friend if he was ready to go, and he 91 00:05:22,639 --> 00:05:26,680 nodded in the affirmative. We headed for his car that 92 00:05:26,879 --> 00:05:29,240 was parked across the old dirt road as the critter 93 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,879 began closing the distance faster than we were comfortable with. 94 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,240 We still had not said anything to each other about 95 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:40,720 being followed until we got into his car, and then 96 00:05:40,759 --> 00:05:44,759 I said, did you hear that? All he said was yep. 97 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,920 We never spoke of it again, and since that time 98 00:05:48,959 --> 00:05:51,879 we have camped in the same area without incident, at 99 00:05:51,959 --> 00:05:55,040 least not from any wild animal. There was this car 100 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:59,600 load of drunks one night. Though I have been trying 101 00:05:59,639 --> 00:06:03,319 to hold back lafing about that forty four coment should 102 00:06:03,319 --> 00:06:04,959 have brought the forty four. We should have brought the 103 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,439 forty four, because that's what I would have been saying, 104 00:06:07,439 --> 00:06:10,279 why didn't you bring your damn big hand cannon, boy? 105 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,279 But these are great encounters, you know. I think there's 106 00:06:14,319 --> 00:06:18,680 a lot of bigfoot activity in Alabama, especially North Alabama 107 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:22,560 up in those hills in the in the mountains. It's 108 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,160 a beautiful part of the state. They have great fishing 109 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:29,000 and deer hunting. Man Alabama's an awesome place to deer 110 00:06:29,079 --> 00:06:32,399 hunt and really hunt anything. You got lake wise and 111 00:06:32,439 --> 00:06:36,000 you got gunners will in the Tennessee River and big bass. 112 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,199 I know several guys that live in that area and 113 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,160 that's all they do. They crappie fish and they bass fish, 114 00:06:41,199 --> 00:06:44,240 and they deer hunt and they work as a sideline. 115 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,240 You know, that's where them Alabama boys are. But this 116 00:06:47,439 --> 00:06:50,639 was a great story, Jimmy, Jimmy Ray, I really appreciate 117 00:06:50,759 --> 00:06:55,759 you sending it, and I know everyone enjoyed it. Thanks buddy. 118 00:06:57,959 --> 00:07:02,600 It was around September or October nineteen seventy. My battalion 119 00:07:02,639 --> 00:07:05,839 had been activated to go to Vietnam and we were 120 00:07:05,879 --> 00:07:09,759 doing some intense training to get ready. The training was 121 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:14,639 taking place in heavily forested areas of Fort Jackson, South Carolina. 122 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,959 It was dark that night, and my platoon was on 123 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,839 the left flank of the main body, and we were 124 00:07:20,879 --> 00:07:24,600 moving to attack and capture the aggressor force opposing us. 125 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:27,680 I was a PFC at the time, and I was 126 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:31,600 a squad leader. Orders came down from my squad to 127 00:07:31,639 --> 00:07:35,079 move up and scout ahead of the main body. We 128 00:07:35,079 --> 00:07:38,519 were moving from tree to tree slowly and as quietly 129 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:42,759 as possible. I moved ahead to this really large tree 130 00:07:42,759 --> 00:07:45,959 and I got down to a prone position and I listened. 131 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,399 All I could hear was silence. There were no bugs, 132 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:53,199 no frogs, nothing. I put my hand down to push 133 00:07:53,279 --> 00:07:57,480 up to my feet, and all hell broke loose. What 134 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:01,199 I had put my hand down on was a bogger's foot. 135 00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:04,120 He roared so loudly I couldn't hear for the next 136 00:08:04,199 --> 00:08:08,360 fifteen minutes. I shot up and I backed up, shouting 137 00:08:08,399 --> 00:08:10,600 for the rest of the squad to retreat, all the 138 00:08:10,639 --> 00:08:15,480 while firing my M sixteen. Don't worry, they weren't live rounds, 139 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:19,439 they were blanks. With all the noise in my entire 140 00:08:19,519 --> 00:08:23,199 platoon racing towards me, the bogger took off, crashing through 141 00:08:23,199 --> 00:08:27,680 the woods. After everything had quieted down, you could see 142 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,720 the destruction it had made getting the hell out of there. 143 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,399 Later after, a bunch of guys all dressed in black 144 00:08:34,519 --> 00:08:38,000 showed up, asking a lot of questions, taking some measurements, 145 00:08:38,039 --> 00:08:40,879 and who knows what else. I found out that the 146 00:08:40,919 --> 00:08:44,600 bugger was eight foot eleven inches tall, and they said 147 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:49,200 it weighed around nine hundred to one thousand pounds. Looking back, 148 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,440 I don't think it was there to hurt anyone, and 149 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:57,720 it was just curious. I prefer to remain anonymous because 150 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,639 there are a lot of people who think anyone who 151 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:03,840 Club aims to believe is crazy. I believe there's something 152 00:09:03,879 --> 00:09:07,440 to the stories people have reported from all over the world. 153 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,799 I am a seventy one year old native of northeast Texas. 154 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,960 I live in a rural area where I have hunted 155 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,480 deer and fished most of my life. My son and 156 00:09:18,519 --> 00:09:20,919 I fish in various lakes as often as we have 157 00:09:21,039 --> 00:09:25,679 the opportunity to do so. In October of twenty and sixteen, 158 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,720 we were off on one of our fishing expeditions to 159 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:33,080 a lake in North Lamar County. The park called Lamar 160 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:36,200 Point was located across the part of the lake just 161 00:09:36,399 --> 00:09:38,679 north of the boat ramp where we plan to put 162 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:42,000 in to fish, and there's a community near there by 163 00:09:42,039 --> 00:09:46,279 the same name. We arrived that afternoon and set up 164 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,200 our tents with the intent of doing a little fishing 165 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:53,519 and having some good conversation. I was also looking forward 166 00:09:53,519 --> 00:09:56,399 to the cooking, because my son has become quite a 167 00:09:56,399 --> 00:09:59,720 good outdoor cook with both the grill and the Dutch oven. 168 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:02,519 So we ate a good meal and we talked for 169 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,679 a while and enjoyed the peace and quiet of nature 170 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,240 and watch the sun go down before deciding to turn 171 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,399 in for the night. There were a few people in 172 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,320 the RVs not far from us, who I imagine we're 173 00:10:15,399 --> 00:10:19,799 doing the same. At three am, I was awakened by 174 00:10:19,799 --> 00:10:23,039 a loud sound. It was a yell of a large 175 00:10:23,159 --> 00:10:26,279 animal that went on for what felt like I solid 176 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,960 three minutes or more. I thought it would never stop. 177 00:10:30,519 --> 00:10:33,159 The sound stirred up a pack of cootes who joined 178 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,960 in and yipped and howled back at it. But this 179 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:40,240 sound was much louder. There is some government land just 180 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:42,919 east of Lamar Point, and this seemed to be where 181 00:10:42,919 --> 00:10:46,879 the sound was coming from. The water between where the 182 00:10:46,919 --> 00:10:50,960 sound was originating and us was half a mile I 183 00:10:51,039 --> 00:10:53,879 was thinking, if this thing stops yelling and comes this way, 184 00:10:54,279 --> 00:10:56,879 that water isn't nearly wide enough to keep it away 185 00:10:56,919 --> 00:11:00,399 from us. A lot of thoughts went through my mind 186 00:11:00,639 --> 00:11:04,480 during the eternity. That was a single call, but I 187 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,200 just stayed still and silent, and my son did the same. 188 00:11:09,399 --> 00:11:12,000 I knew he'd heard it. It would have been impossible 189 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,919 not to. I'm sure the people in the RV's heard 190 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:19,279 it too. Anyone within a fairly large radius would have 191 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:23,240 had to hear that thing. It was that loud. Since 192 00:11:23,279 --> 00:11:26,039 my son had apparently decided not to get up, I 193 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:30,080 decided to fall suit. By six am, I hadn't slept 194 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,360 and decided it was time for a cup of coffee. 195 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:35,559 I was heating up the water when he came out 196 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:37,320 of his tent and looked at me for a few 197 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:41,360 seconds before saying, did you hear that last night? Yes? 198 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:44,799 I answered, what the heck was it? He had never 199 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,919 spoken on the subject before. We'd never even thought or 200 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:52,399 talked about anything like this, Dad, my son said, after 201 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:56,159 giving it thought for a moment, that was mister Bigfoot. 202 00:11:57,039 --> 00:11:59,480 I didn't doubt it. I did not see it, nor 203 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:04,039 do I want to. As to the question, do they exist. 204 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,559 If you had heard what we heard that night, you 205 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:11,440 would never question its existence again. My son had lived 206 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,039 in Lamar Point for a few years prior to this, 207 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:16,960 though he has since moved from there. I had never 208 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:21,320 heard one before, but he had. Well that's my bigfoot story, 209 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,639 and I hope I never have another one to tell. 210 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:31,039 In nineteen seventy nine, I went backpacking with my girlfriend, 211 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:35,120 my two children, my brother and his two children. The 212 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,639 children were all between eight and twelve years old. We 213 00:12:38,759 --> 00:12:42,919 hiked into Oregon's Three Sisters Wilderness Area, heading for the 214 00:12:43,039 --> 00:12:47,000 Mink Lake Basin. We were two thirds of the way 215 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:50,279 to the main lake, walking down the Mountain Ridge pathway 216 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:53,799 when I spotted movement to my left, one hundred feet away. 217 00:12:54,799 --> 00:12:56,639 It could have been a bear, but it looked more 218 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,679 like a bigfoot to me. It was nine to ten 219 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,480 feet tall, and it stood there watching us for the 220 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:06,080 longest time. I tried to push the thought of big 221 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,480 foot out of my head to keep fear from taking 222 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,720 over and turning into panic, but it was difficult to 223 00:13:11,759 --> 00:13:15,360 imagine a bear standing and watching us for so long 224 00:13:15,519 --> 00:13:20,240 without going down on all fours at some point. Fortunately, 225 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:22,480 by the time we got to Mink lake. I had 226 00:13:22,519 --> 00:13:25,399 buried my fears and was ready to have a good time. 227 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,399 So we found a nice camp spot at the end 228 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,080 of the peninsula near the lake, and for the next 229 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,000 three days we all had the time of our lives. 230 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,240 On the third night, we were all sitting around the 231 00:13:37,279 --> 00:13:41,000 camp fire roasting winters and marshmallows, when at ten point 232 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:45,399 thirty we heard something that sounded by pedal walking past 233 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,200 our campsite. It was like the giant from Jack and 234 00:13:49,279 --> 00:13:54,000 the Beanstalk. I bet it weighed eight hundred pounds. We 235 00:13:54,039 --> 00:13:56,960 could hear it pass by us, walk down the trail 236 00:13:57,039 --> 00:14:00,519 of good distance, turn around, and then walk back past 237 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,000 our camp Not only could we hear it, but we 238 00:14:04,039 --> 00:14:07,240 could also see it moving in the trees. It was 239 00:14:07,279 --> 00:14:09,759 too dark to make out any detail, but we could 240 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:14,759 make out its form, and it was enormous. The children 241 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:18,120 started getting scared, so my brother suggested that we all 242 00:14:18,159 --> 00:14:22,320 go to bed. We climbed into our tents, somehow finding 243 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:28,240 security and being inside. My brother, however, elected to stay outside. 244 00:14:28,559 --> 00:14:31,360 He's never been afraid of anything, and he wanted to 245 00:14:31,399 --> 00:14:35,080 sleep alone out under the stars. Well. That worried me 246 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,159 a little bit, but what could I say. Somehow, We 247 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,320 managed to fall asleep, and the next morning we awoke 248 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:46,240 to the sound of hundreds of pigeons in the trees overhead. 249 00:14:47,159 --> 00:14:50,480 We'd never seen a sight like it before. We spent 250 00:14:50,559 --> 00:14:54,240 the morning being entertained by them and feeding them. It 251 00:14:54,279 --> 00:14:56,960 was a nice diversion that took our minds off the 252 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:01,600 previous night. Eventually, our interest in the birds waned and 253 00:15:01,639 --> 00:15:04,480 we headed down to play in the water. The whole 254 00:15:04,559 --> 00:15:08,840 day was great. Later, my brother came over to me 255 00:15:08,879 --> 00:15:11,039 and said, why don't we pack up and hike out 256 00:15:11,039 --> 00:15:14,240 this evening and find another place to camp for tomorrow. 257 00:15:15,279 --> 00:15:17,320 I agreed, but I couldn't help but wonder if he 258 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,879 had seen or experienced something that he wasn't sharing with me. 259 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,000 We all packed our bags and started walking across the 260 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,960 mountain ridge towards our car. In my haste to get 261 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,200 everything packed, I had put all the flashlights in the 262 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:36,360 bottoms of the backpacks. Now the sun was setting and 263 00:15:36,399 --> 00:15:39,919 we still had thirteen miles to go. To help us 264 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:42,679 move faster, my brother decided to take one of the 265 00:15:42,759 --> 00:15:46,600 children's packs and hike out and then come back for another. 266 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,759 He'd be able to move faster carrying two packs than 267 00:15:50,799 --> 00:15:54,240 any of the kids could carry one, and without a pack, 268 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:56,919 that child would be able to move faster and we'd 269 00:15:56,919 --> 00:16:01,200 all get back to the car sooner. With just me, 270 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:05,159 my girlfriend and the four kids, we continued on our way. 271 00:16:06,039 --> 00:16:08,000 We were two and a half miles from the car 272 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,440 when we started hearing noises on the trail behind us. 273 00:16:12,399 --> 00:16:16,600 We were heading towards the mountain switchbacks. Whatever was following 274 00:16:16,639 --> 00:16:20,679 us was only fifty feet back. The footfalls and the 275 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:24,080 heavy breathing left no doubt in my mind a bigfoot 276 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,759 was tracking us. What was I going to do with 277 00:16:27,799 --> 00:16:31,159 my girlfriend and four children hiking through the woods alone 278 00:16:31,159 --> 00:16:34,679 in complete darkness. We were all so scared that we 279 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,480 didn't want to stop and unload the backpacks to find 280 00:16:37,519 --> 00:16:41,799 our flashlights. With every step, the fear increased to the 281 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:46,039 point that it was almost tangible. Our hearts were racing 282 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,799 and anxiety was setting in. I had to do something 283 00:16:50,039 --> 00:16:53,080 or we would all be lost. I was afraid that 284 00:16:53,159 --> 00:16:56,399 this giant being, this bigfoot, might grab one of the 285 00:16:56,519 --> 00:16:59,720 children and dash off into the night, and we'd never 286 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,679 see them again. I put my daughter in front of 287 00:17:03,679 --> 00:17:06,440 me and one of the boys behind me, then my 288 00:17:06,559 --> 00:17:09,400 girlfriend with the other two boys in front of her, 289 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,119 and we continued down the trail, and every now and 290 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:16,359 then we switched the kids around, much to their dislike, 291 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:20,680 and we kept going. The whole thing was very intense. 292 00:17:22,839 --> 00:17:26,079 To help alleviate the children's fear and keep moving, we 293 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,720 started singing the snow white song, High Hoe, High Hoe. 294 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:35,119 That beast was right behind us the whole way. Thump, thump, thump. 295 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:37,920 What was I doing? I must have been out of 296 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,160 my mind. We got to the start of the first 297 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,000 switchback and we're headed for the second when we heard 298 00:17:44,039 --> 00:17:46,559 the creature run down the side of the mountain to 299 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,240 wait on the trail ahead of us. Our hearts were 300 00:17:50,279 --> 00:17:53,319 pounding in our ears and we were visibly shaking as 301 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:56,880 we passed by where we could see its form outlined 302 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:01,759 in the darkness. We passed it and began our way 303 00:18:01,799 --> 00:18:05,680 down the next switchback. Just like before, it fell in 304 00:18:05,799 --> 00:18:09,839 right behind us. Minutes later, it ran down the mountain 305 00:18:09,839 --> 00:18:12,920 again to wait for us. At the next switchback, we 306 00:18:13,039 --> 00:18:17,839 had to pass it again. It was terrifying seeing this 307 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:21,160 massive black object in the night, standing just up the 308 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:24,759 bank from us, watching us as we marched along singing. 309 00:18:26,759 --> 00:18:29,599 There were a lot more switchbacks ahead, and that thing 310 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:31,920 followed us in this manner for two and a half 311 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,920 miles until my brother finally showed up to take another backpack. 312 00:18:37,079 --> 00:18:39,799 By then the children were scared out of their minds 313 00:18:39,839 --> 00:18:43,880 and exhausted. We finally made it to the car. We 314 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,039 loaded up the children in the backpacks as quickly as 315 00:18:47,079 --> 00:18:50,559 we could. I had just finished telling my brother what 316 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,839 had followed us when we heard it again. It was 317 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,160 standing behind a fir tree on the edge of the 318 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,440 trail near the clearing. It was watching us at the 319 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:04,480 car again. My brother is brave and he's never afraid 320 00:19:04,559 --> 00:19:07,039 of anything, and he said, follow me. We're going to 321 00:19:07,079 --> 00:19:10,519 find out what the heck this thing really is. My 322 00:19:10,559 --> 00:19:13,880 brother picked up two rocks that filled his hands. He 323 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,119 told me to grab some two and I picked up 324 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:19,960 two big ones and we stood there listening for a minute. 325 00:19:20,079 --> 00:19:22,680 We could hear it over behind the fir tree, and 326 00:19:22,759 --> 00:19:25,519 my brother threw a rock at it and it let 327 00:19:25,559 --> 00:19:28,559 out a groan. Then he threw another one and it 328 00:19:28,599 --> 00:19:32,680 groaned again, and then he threw another, and another and another, 329 00:19:33,559 --> 00:19:35,920 and finally we ran out of rocks, and I said, 330 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,440 what are we going to do now? He looked at 331 00:19:38,519 --> 00:19:42,759 me and he yelled, run. We both took off. We 332 00:19:42,839 --> 00:19:45,119 ran over and jumped in the car as fast as 333 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:49,039 we could. Seconds later, our tires were throwing dart and 334 00:19:49,079 --> 00:19:53,319 gravel as we fishtailed for a good hundred feet. In 335 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,039 my rear view mirror, I saw the outline of the 336 00:19:56,079 --> 00:20:00,039 creature stepping out into the parking one We never I 337 00:20:00,079 --> 00:20:04,920 went back to that place again. That bigfoot or sasquatch 338 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,440 could have killed any of us at any time. Instead, 339 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,160 it just followed us out of the woods to safety. 340 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,920 I wonder if that was its real purpose all along. 341 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,359 Was it protecting us as we traveled in the dark. 342 00:20:19,039 --> 00:20:21,160 Was there something out there that would have hurt us 343 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,839 if it hadn't been there. Now, I'm sorry that we 344 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:28,240 threw rocks, but at the time it made perfect sense.