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Southwest UFO Tours

Okay, so we met Travis Walton last night and I think I pissed him off. I guess it was my innate skeptic aura that I was putting off or something but he would rarely even look my direction during his presentation. Then I posed the question at the end, "During your travels to UFO conferences and such, have you met any other abductees or contactees who you 1. Thought were valid accounts, and 2. Did you compare notes with those valid abductees to see if there were some similarities and such with your own experience?" Unfortunately Travis started replying to my question before I got it out all the way, and he started saying that he doesn't listen, nor judge, other peoples experiences. He mis-interpreted my question, I believe, and I think that it pissed him off what he thought I was asking. Also, when he was answering the question he wouldn't even look at me, he was looking at the guy next to me.

It was odd since truthfully I believe Travis' account but for whatever reason he didn't take too well to my question. Then when we were walking out I mentioned that he gave a good presentation as he walked past me. He didn't even acknowledge that I was there, LOL. Oh well. On to the next day of the tour....Meteor Crater then Sedona.

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While we are talking about locations of various types, does anyone have any feelings about Bridgeport, CA on Hwy 395? Just checking.....

Hate to be a buzz kill, but I stayed there for a couple of days (bodie victorian hotel) some time ago while exploring Bodie and I did not hear, see, or feel anything out of the ordinary but then it was only a weekend. Maybe the ghost was on vacation as well
 
Hey, Jeff. How was the meteor crater? I've seen it a number of times, and always pop in (not literally)when i'm in Arizona. What's the date it was thought to have hit, about 20,000 years ago? The native Americans in the area must have fallen on their knees when that sucker hit, in sheer abject terror. I've wondered how that whole huge crater came to be privately owned, looks like the government would have come to acquire it. Huge crater, and it used to be even deeper. How's the tour been going? I'd sure appreciate as detailed a rundown as you'd care to share of the whole tour when it's done and you've had a chance to unwind after getting home. Meanwhile, I'd enjoy any impressions you have. I'm living the tour vicariously. Thanks, Jeff. Kim
 
That is, if there were humans in the area! Wonder from how far away that impact could have been seen and heard. Kim
 
Okay......so I'm back and trying to catch up.

First-things-first. I COMPLETELY missed the opportunity to meet Chris O'Brien by NO fault of his own. Chris did call me and left me a voicemail but due to really crappy cellphone reception in the southwest I did not GET the actual voicemail until after I was out of Sedona. Also because of the crappy reception my Missed Calls app on my phone didn't even register that Chris had called (even though the voicemail proves it, obviously), and when he provided me with his phone number to call him back the voicemail cut in and out so I couldn't get all the digits. Chris, if you're reading this, I sincerely apologize for not connecting, dude, and hope we'll get a second chance in the future.

Kim - as far as Meteor Crater it was pretty impressive though, as my wife would say, "Just a big hole in the ground." Estimated time of impact according to the information throughout the museum and by our tour is that the meteor hit about 50,000 years ago, a time in which human beings were not believed to be in the area at all (it's estimated Asian-based humans migrated along the glacier ice-bridge around Alaska about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago). Since it's creation the crater has filled in an estimated 150 feet through natural process.

More later. I'm working on updating my blog with all the information but for the last two days I've just been organizing photographs, doling out souvenirs, and catching up on 2 weeks worth of work. Over all I can say this; it was a tour/trip that is probably once in a lifetime for me so I relished every bit of it. When my blog is updated I'll post another link.
 
Interesting already, Jeff! Keep it coming, and you're covering things in a fine style. Very enjoyable reading, and full of the very details I was interested in. I'm all ears. Maybe when done, it just might serve a dual purpose as satisfying one of the possible assignments in one of your college classes, a writing or English class toward your degree. Looks like an A plus to me. Even if I'd never explored the area before, your writing would make me visualize the setting, etc. I love travelogues, and have considered a tour myself. As you've already alluded you're going to, keep up the good, the bad, and the ugly (so to speak) of the tour. Even when you are a bit critical, you have a knack already making it funny. Kim
 
Thanks Boomerang! We did actually take in the Goddard exhibit while we were there. It was pretty fascinating going through the replica of his workshop.

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G'morning all. I've updated my UFO blog and am working on some more, today. Take a gander if interested....it's about the Grand Canyon so not too much of a UFO link but I'm working on the next day now, which is where we visit Kingman, AZ and hear about the supposed crash(es) there in the early 1950's.

Click here.
 
Shall look. The Grand Canyon is such a beautiful and iconic landmark. I've not yet had the pleasure of seeing it. I have visited Kings Canyon, near Sequoia National Park, which hold the distinction of being the deepest canyon in North America - utterly stunning. The United States really has some of the best scenery in the whole world without a doubt. The Grand Canyon is a most worthy treasure amongst the natural treasures of the U.S.

Looking forward to hearing about those 50's crashes?
 
Howdy all! I've updated my blog once more. It details my visit to Kingman, AZ where Harry Drew gave us a fascinating presentation and tour of the Kingman 1950's crashes, and took is out to one of the suspected crash sites. I'm not saying I believe what is said to have occurred in Kingman in the early '50's, but this was a really fun stop for the trip. Harry was a very good host.

Click here, and enjoy!
 
Okay, so we met Travis Walton last night and I think I pissed him off. I guess it was my innate skeptic aura that I was putting off or something but he would rarely even look my direction during his presentation. Then I posed the question at the end, "During your travels to UFO conferences and such, have you met any other abductees or contactees who you 1. Thought were valid accounts, and 2. Did you compare notes with those valid abductees to see if there were some similarities and such with your own experience?" Unfortunately Travis started replying to my question before I got it out all the way, and he started saying that he doesn't listen, nor judge, other peoples experiences. He mis-interpreted my question, I believe, and I think that it pissed him off what he thought I was asking. Also, when he was answering the question he wouldn't even look at me, he was looking at the guy next to me.

It was odd since truthfully I believe Travis' account but for whatever reason he didn't take too well to my question. Then when we were walking out I mentioned that he gave a good presentation as he walked past me. He didn't even acknowledge that I was there, LOL. Oh well. On to the next day of the tour....Meteor Crater then Sedona.

Sent from my Galaxy Tab 8.9 using Tapatalk 2


I get the impression Travis is a man who was thrust into the limelight unexpectedly and having received quite a hard time about his own account, he is loathe to 'dis' anyone else's. He may well have picked up your meaning wrong. He has always come across as a very polite and kind man.
Did you see him on 'UFO Chasers'? He was visibly bothered just thinking about going to the scene of the incident and as night began to fall, he upped and left! I do not think he was faking that, so we have a man who most certainly thinks he was aboard a spaceship and due to the additional testimony of 6 men, I quite strongly come down on the side of thinking this did indeed happen to him.
 
Hey, Jeff. How was the meteor crater? I've seen it a number of times, and always pop in (not literally)when i'm in Arizona. What's the date it was thought to have hit, about 20,000 years ago? The native Americans in the area must have fallen on their knees when that sucker hit, in sheer abject terror. I've wondered how that whole huge crater came to be privately owned, looks like the government would have come to acquire it. Huge crater, and it used to be even deeper. How's the tour been going? I'd sure appreciate as detailed a rundown as you'd care to share of the whole tour when it's done and you've had a chance to unwind after getting home. Meanwhile, I'd enjoy any impressions you have. I'm living the tour vicariously. Thanks, Jeff. Kim

For those interested in the big crater, the USI website has a brief article on the Barringer Meteroite Crater.

UFO tours are an interesting aspect of ufology culture. If I had the time and money I'd go all over the world and try them all ... well most of them. The ones where you get in a jeep in the jungle with some shady looking guys carrying automatic weapons I'd probably avoid because those are the ones where the aliens abduct you and only return you if you pay a healthy ransom ( ohh ... sorry I meant UFO abduction rescue fee ).
 
I get the impression Travis is a man who was thrust into the limelight unexpectedly and having received quite a hard time about his own account, he is loathe to 'dis' anyone else's. He may well have picked up your meaning wrong. He has always come across as a very polite and kind man.
Did you see him on 'UFO Chasers'? He was visibly bothered just thinking about going to the scene of the incident and as night began to fall, he upped and left! I do not think he was faking that, so we have a man who most certainly thinks he was aboard a spaceship and due to the additional testimony of 6 men, I quite strongly come down on the side of thinking this did indeed happen to him.

I completely agree with you, Gogg. The intentions behind my question concerned a common thread, or if people who had similar experiences could determine common elements that may pose some kind of an answer or clue as to what was going on. I don't believe Travis realized that was my point. If I ever meet the man again I'm planning on apologizing and clarifying the question.
 
For those interested in the big crater, the USI website has a brief article on the Barringer Meteroite Crater.

UFO tours are an interesting aspect of ufology culture. If I had the time and money I'd go all over the world and try them all ... well most of them. The ones where you get in a jeep in the jungle with some shady looking guys carrying automatic weapons I'd probably avoid because those are the ones where the aliens abduct you and only return you if you pay a healthy ransom ( ohh ... sorry I meant UFO abduction rescue fee ).

When I started looking into UFO tours I specifically wanted to go to the American Southwest, myself. I came across the ad for Top Secret Tours in an Open Minds magazine, I think, and checked it out. Then I scoured the 'Net to find a competitor since I like to shop around for the best deal. Every link I found on UFO websites for tours in the Southwest brought me back to Top Secret. It was like this was the only tour offered for that region, and may very well be, still.

Not to tout the tour too much, but the guide, Tony Cisneros (sp?), was very courteous and knowledgeable about the places we went to. Tony's mom and dad had the tour company before passing it on to him. Most of the tours their company conducted were WWII tours in Germany and throughout the rest of Europe. I was fascinated by that, especially by the stories of WWII vets signing up for Tony's tours and going over to Germany to "relive" or reconnect with their experiences there during the war. It's very therapeutic for them, and just listening to some of the stories of the vets Tony had taken over there my heart went out to them. The bottom line is that Tony knows how to do a good tour. He was friendly, polite, thorough, and very knowledgeable. He's starting to branch out on several other tours here in the 'States, I think because he has a wife and new kid so wants to stay closer to home. Some of the tours he's offering now are Bigfoot tours, Area51 tours, and custom UFO tours, too. I highly recommend checking out his site (www.topsecrettours.com) if you're interested.

The Barringer Crater was impressive. We had fun, there, but unfortunately they don't let you trek down into the bottom of the crater, as they had previously in the past, due to safety concerns. One of the things that struck me about the environment around the crater was how vast and open it was. It was a wasteland around the crater...almost as if putting a hole in the ground was something to do to change the scene. The UFO link around the crater wasn't too clear but it was still a fun and educational stop.
 
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