Lurk Podcast

Recently I have delved into a new genre: podcasting. I, along with my friend Tim, have started a new paranormal podcast called Lurk.  We launches April 2, 2021 and will be producing weekly hour - hour and a half long episodes that will be released each Friday.   

Our plan is to share topics about various creepy/paranormal things such as ghosts, cryptids, aliens/UFOs and a little bit of true crime. Basically we want to share anything that might give you the creeps and keep you up at night.  In addition, we plan on also sharing information on ghost hunting techniques and possibly some actual on site investigations.  

While it seems like the paranormal podcasting genre is saturated, we think we offer something new.  We're trying to cover topics that not everyone is talking about (though we do plan to hit on some popular ones like Mothman and Skinwalker Ranch), and we're offering some personal experiences, photos and EVPs from investigations when we can. 

As far as background on the hosts of the podcast, I have been investigating the paranormal for 30 years now though my interest in the topic has been life long.  I started Gettysburg Ghosts Paranormal Investigations in the late 90's and traveled to many different locations searching for paranormal evidence. I've managed the former Gettysburg Ghosts website and currently mange this blog and the Gettysburg Ghosts Paranormal Investigations group on Facebook. Outside of the paranormal, I have experience in investigations as an in house investigator for a private investigation firm. I also have a love for learning and research in general. 

My cohost Tim has always had an interest in the paranormal.  He loves topics that make you think outside the box and question the status quo. While he hasn't been involved in investigations (yet), Tim did grow up in a haunted house in West Virginia, and has spent time researching many different paranormal topics  (He is definitely more informed about alien/UFO topics than I).  Tim is a personal trainer by trade, and this gives him some insight on different aspects of some of the topics we cover (you ever wonder about the muscles Mothman would need to support those wings?)

Together I think we make a pretty good pair.  Our 2 decade age difference and differing backgrounds offers the opportunity for eye opening (and humorous) conversations.

So give us a listen and see what you think.  And let us know what you think! We're just getting started and learning as we go and welcome all constructive criticism. Also, you can find us and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Podcast Addict, Deezer and many more. You can also find us at www.lurkpodcast.com 

Talk to you later Lurkers!

What's Going On

 

So apparently, I've neglected blogging on this particular blog for quite some time.  Blogger let me know it's been more than 24 months (because they're shutting it down if I don't do something).  So I was torn.  Do I want to continue to blog about the paranormal?  Or do I want to just walk away?

Long ago when I started on my paranormal journey, not many people were involved or interested in the topic.  Now entire cable channels are being over run with paranormal shows.  The History Channel has more shows about UFO's, Skinwalkers, lost treasure and aliens than it does about actual history.  The Travel Channel seems to only want to promote those areas that are haunted.  You walk into any historical town and there are ghost tours on every street corner. Heck, sometimes there are 2-3 in the same block! While many might be thrilled with how mainstream the paranormal has become, I am not.

I began my  research into the paranormal because I wanted to learn if ghosts, aliens and cryptids were real.  I spent time researching paranormal investigators and techniques.  I learned about developing technology.  I educated myself about film cameras and then digital cameras and how different conditions could produce different results.  I attended paranormal conventions, met with other serious paranormal investigators and shared theories and ideas.  I was gung-ho.  I was having the time of my life. 

Unfortunately over the years, life started getting in the way of investigating.  Trips to the battlefield became few and far between.  Plans to attend the annual Mothman Festival never quite came to fruition.  Bigfoot was in no danger of having me spot him out in the woods.  I rarely find the time to look up to catch a glimpse of the night sky oddities.

But a busy life and an increase in the commercialism weren't the only things that kept me away from investigations.  I have a group on social media (really the catch words here are social media which more often than not ends up being the devil).  In the beginning, the group was small and pleasant with a lot of benign discussion.  Unfortunately, as many have probably witnessed in many groups, the larger it grew, the more more problems it started having.  I began spending quite a bit of time needing to police adults.  I made a list of rules.  They were ignored.  So then I changed settings so that I have to approve posts prior to them being posted, and still, people ignore the set rules.  Recently, I had to post again about adults behaving like, well, adults. That is to say, being respectful and polite.  I shouldn't have to parent grown ups.  Quite honestly, I'm on the verge of deleting the entire group.   

And it isn't just the rude and disrespectful people driving me over the edge (though certainly that's enough to do it).  In today's world of the paranormal, TV programs and tour groups have led people to believe that every odd thing that shows up in a photograph must be paranormal.  This reminds me of a scene in The X-Files season 10 episode 1 where someone tells Fox Mulder that like him he is a true believer and Mulder says, "I only want to believe. Actual proof has been strangely hard to come by."  

True evidence of the paranormal is few and far between.  Orbs are no longer considered good evidence by serious paranormal researchers.  I've said it many times- you can only prove something in this field by first disproving every logical explanation (and even then it really isn't "proof").  Everything shows up like an orb in a photo: rain, snow, high humidity moisture droplets, bugs, dust, pollen, reflections, lens flare and pixels in a digital image not filling in.  Your breath in cool outdoor temperatures photographs just like ectoplasmic vapor.  Hair strands and camera straps become vortexes.  Photos taken in low light situations with swirling lights are considered paranormal, though with a little education one learns that streaking and swirling lights are the effect of a slowed shutter speed due to low light. I could go on, but you get my drift.

The problem here is that people don't want you to explain that their photo isn't paranormal. What they really want is for you to lie to them.  They don't want to think that the photo they just took that shows nothing more than a sun dog couldn't possibly be a ghost.  I just want to ask, if ghosts are so prevalent that there are all these thousands of positive paranormal photos, why haven't we proven their existence? Lying to people and coddling them so they don't have their paranormal hopes squashed isn't a good researching practice.  If people want to be taken seriously and want their "evidence" taken seriously, then they need to accept that true evidence is hard to come by.

So here I am, facing a mid life question about something that has been a life long passion.  And to bring up another X-Files season 10 Mulder quote, "I'm thinking maybe it's time to put away childish things- the sasquatches, the mothmen and jackalopes." So what do I do? 

After some serious thinking, I have decided to continue on with paranormal research. A large part of that decision stems from my 6 year old grandson who has taken a serious interest in the paranormal (he actually watched a Ghost Hunters marathon to learn how to use equipment before we went on the Battlefield for a quick hunt).  He reminded me about one of the big reasons I became involved and started all the websites, blogs and Facebook groups- I want to help those interested in the topic of the paranormal learn and find quality information. So I'm going to continue doing things my way, and there will be some changes in order to get stuff back to where I want it to be.  

After all, The Truth is Out There. 

(The X-Files quote 1 from Season 10 Episode 1: My Struggle, The X-Files quote 2 from Season 10 Episode 3: Scully and Mulder Meet the Were-Monster.... no I'm not that big of an X-Files nerd, I just wanted to make sure I gave proper credit- though I knew the quotes so...)

Haunted Appalachian Trail: Maryland Cryptids

The Maryland section of the Appalachian Trail is probably one of the most paranormally active, if not the most paranormally active section of the entire Trail.A large part of that is that Maryland doesn't have just your typical ghosts, it also boasts 4 different cryptids along its 40 mile section.

Snallygaster

The name Snallygaster comes from the German Schnelle Geist or "fast ghost" that was associated with slamming doors and the toppling of light weight objects.  It's thought that it migrated here with the Germans in the 1730's.  Unlike the ghost, the Snallygaster is a large creature that is part reptile and part bird.  It has a large metallic beak lined with razor sharp teeth and vise like alligator jaws.  Its tail is like that of a lizard, its body scaly and its legs short and tipped with talon sharp hooked claws.  It has large wings with a spread of 25 feet. Some descriptions include octopus like tentacles and poisonous breath.  The Snallygaster flies over South Mountain looking for prey, and once it finds a victim, it shrieks and screams as it swoops in to grab its dinner.  It's said that the screech of the Snallygaster sounds similar to a train whistle.  In the area where the Snallygaster roamed, there were reports of dogs, livestock and even children going missing.  Outrunning the monster was the only way to prevent being devoured if it had you in its sights, but you could prevent the Snallygaster from coming near your property with the use of a 7 pointed star.  Many barns in the area still have them painted on their sides.
In February 1909, there was a report that the Snallygaster grabbed a man, bit his jugular, drained his blood and dumped his body off the hillside.  In fact, the Snallygaster's reign of terror was so great that Theodore Roosevelt considered postponing a highly publicized African safari to go to Maryland and hunt the Snallygaster.  However, he decided to just stick with the African safari. 
I came across some information that suggested in the 1980's, Maryland added the Snallygaster to its Endangered  Species List.  A check of the current Endangered Species List did not turn up any mention of the beast.  So next time your out camping or hiking the area of South Mountain and you hear that train whistle, ask yourself  "Was that really a train whistle?"

Snarly Yow

The Snarly Yow might be more ghost than cryptid, but I'm still including it in this list.    It's described as a large black dog with grotesque red mouth, large fangs and a howl like a werewolf.  Its appearance is similar to a Hell hound, but unlike the Hell hound, the Snarly Yow hasn't foretold anyone's imminent death.  The Snarly yow roams the area around South Mountain chasing cars and scaring hikers by jumping out of bushes.  Many years ago, an expert huntsman came across the Snarly Yow.  He took aim and shot at the animal but the bullets passed directly through. 

Dwayyo

The Dwayyo is a creature that is described as being between 7 and 9 feet tall, hairy, similar to a wolf but with the arms, stance and stature of a man.  Its hair is bristly and it has a large bushy tail.  Many accounts mention hearing screams from the creature.  Chickens and cattle have been found dead in the areas where the Dwayyo has been seen and dogs refuse to hunt the beast and hide when they sense its presence.  There was an account of a girl who was driving to a friend's house who saw the Dwayyo.  As she drove through the woods she felt as though something was watching her and she saw something running through the trees.  As she slowed her car, a dog like creature ran out into the road on 2 legs.  It had large fangs and lunged at the car.  The girl sped away.  A nearby farmer claimed to see what he described as a 9 foot dog creature.  There was also a report from a man who used the alias "John Becker".  He said he went outside to investigate a strange noise and saw something coming at him as big as a bear but it had a long bushy tail and growled like a wolf or dog in anger.  The creature stood on hind legs and attacked him.  Becker fought the creature until it ran into the woods.  He did call the State Police and file a report under the alias.  Several hunters have also reported seeing a strange creature, and 2 men out spotlighting deer also had an encounter.  They said they saw a 6 foot tall creature that was inclined forward as it moved.  The head was large and had a profile like that of a wolf.  Its body was covered in brown or brindle fur and the lower half of the body had a striped pattern.  It's forelegs were slimmer and held in front and the back legs were think and muscular like a kangaroo's. Two park rangers also described seeing a large hairy bipedal creature in the area.  So what is roaming South Mountain?  Is it a werewolf like some have said or something akin to a hexenwulf- a person able to transform into a wolf like beast by using a magical talisman like a wolf hide belt or an amulet given to them by another person (often received by making deals with the devil).  Whatever it is, I would prefer not to encounter it or hear its awful screams.

Bigfoot

Bigfoot doesn't really need any introduction.  Most people know the basic Bigfoot description.  But many people don't realize that Bigfoot doesn't just live in Oregon and Washington.  Bigfoot has also been sighted often on the East Coast.  In fact, there is some speculation that Bigfoot uses the Appalachian Mountains as a migration route.  There have been a few sightings of Bigfoot like creatures in the South Mountain area.

So, if you're out and about on the Appalachian Trail in Maryland, keep your eyes peeled for something out of place.  There's no telling what kind of beast you might stumble upon.