Going home tomorrow

Before I start, if you see ads on my blog, they are unsolicited and I don't know how to get rid of them so try and ignore them.

I spent the entire day walking around Boston.  I walked about 3 miles across the bridge to the USS Constitution and took a ferry back.  I'm toured out.   It was a nice day because I didn't get flipped off once today,  Oooo...I just heard thunder.  Hope I get out OK tomorrow.   Going to bed now so I can get up at 4:30 to fly out by 8:00.  See everyone in a day or two

Napanoch, NY to Boston Massachusetts

I decided to just get to Boston, turn in the rental car and settle in until Thursday morning when I fly back home.  When I got to Boston, the driving nightmare began.  Because my sister will freak out, I'm not going to tell her that I almost drove into someone else's lane on the freeway.  He hit his horn so loud and for so long, you would have thought I pissed him off or something.  What a jerk!!  I feel free once again.  Tomorrow, I'm going to take a subway to downtown Boston and do some touring. 

I'm still in the process of listening to the audio from my fright night at the Shanley Hotel in Napanoch, NY.  While driving today, I did listen to 5 hours of me sleeping.  The owner of the Inn said that I'll probably pick up a bunch of paranormal activity.  Is snoring paranormal??   I still have 6 hours of audio to listen to.     . 

When I was in Reading Pennsylvania at the Overlook Mansion, you can not believe the huge breakfast they served me.  I told the owner that I would love to take some of the meal with me as I couldn't finish it...could you???

I was able to pick up a female voice in my room in the middle of the night but I couldn't understand what she said.  She probably said "Quit spending your money on box wine and ghost equipment and a get a life!"

These are some of the things I learned on this trip:

a)  Drive the speed limit and don't let the person behind you dictate your actions. Even if he flashes his lights and gets so close behind you that you can't see him flashing his lights but you can see him flipping you off.

b)  Throw your Tom Tom  away (the first one ever made that I bought refurbished") and get something invented in the 2000's.  I've decided it wants to kill me.

c)  If you go through the wrong ticket toll booth at the turnpike and don't take a ticket, it will cost you $21.15 even if you only go 3 miles.

d)  If you accidently drop all of your cash ($35) in the parking lot at McDonalds, don't bother going back to look for it.

e)  People are really nice no matter what state you're in except people on the freeway in Boston.

f)  People will charge a lot of extra money if you ask if their hotel is haunted and if they know you want a really haunted room.

g)  People don't seem amazed or give a damn that they live next door to a building that was built almost 400 years ago and that a President slept there. 

h)  Egg foo Young tastes terrible on the East Coast.

i)  There is a McDonalds at almost every exit with free Wi-Fi and all you have to do is buy a diet Pepsi and you can literally set up an office in their dining room.

I'm going to sign off and will do one more post tomorrow night.  It will be either really boring with a travel log type format or very interesting if I find something paranormal when I go and visit the gravesite of Paul Revere. 

Hi Everyone. I'm alive

I arrived at the Shanley Hotel in Napanoch, New York. They have had so many ghost investigations here, they have a wall of fame in the dining room with autographed pictures of some of the best known ghost investigators.  The owners and I chatted for some time then began a 4 hour ghost investigation.   Not sure if we caught anything yet.  I have to listen to the audio on the way to my next destination.  I'm going to buy some new ghost hunting equipment before I leave.  He has an entire retail section in the spooky foyer.  (I know....sucker!)   I'll do a proper blog this evening when I arrive wherever. 
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Here is an interesting 1 minute and 17 second video from youtube about the hotel.  Also, at the end, there is a great video of a ghost cat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU9cs0bsCBU

Middletown Virginia to Reading Pennsylvania

I had an interesting travel day.   Every time I saw a brown "historic attraction" sign on the freeway I felt like I had better go and see what all the fuss was about.  Just FYI, I would make a great contestant on Jeopardy now.  I've learned so much history in the last 10 days.  I went to a graveyard today that had veterans from the American Revolution in the 1770s and the Civil War.  I didn't use any of my ghost hunting equipment in respect for these soldiers.  It was a rather sobering experience.

I did manage to land the best B & B ever.  The Overlook Mansion in Reading PA.  My room has a 12 foot door, an original 1873 claw foot tub and marble sink.  Here are some pictures on facebook:

 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.407938522552357.103611.181665295179682&type=3

This Manor and the room I am staying in were featured on "My Ghost Story Caught on Camera" last season.  After watching that episode, I wrote down the name of the Inn and made sure that I made a visit  Tonight I will put out all of the stops and investigate until I die of boredom.

Last night I did get a little action.  So far, for the first 10 days of my trip, my electromagnetic field detector has been relatively quiet.  It just sits there saying "Hey sucker...I cost you $50 and I'm worthless!"   Well, I was sitting in the dining room and after about 10 minutes, I asked if there was a little boy in the room and it started going crazy.  It actually responded to several direct questions.  Not sure what it means but it's about damn time!!

Roanoke Virginia to Middletown Virginia

Because I stayed in a generic hotel last night, I don't have any interesting experiences to share relative to ghost hunting.  Actually, it was kind of nice just watching TV and going to bed normally for just one night without the fear (or pleasure) of being accosted. 

Having said that, I was looking through some of the pictures in my camera from previous investigations that I forgot about.   In January, I did an investigation at the Pasadena Playhouse with the guys from "Ghost Hunters".  I was up in the balcony by myself and I took this picture.  Here are two pictures with orbs.  I don't put much stock in "orbs" but check out my second one. Both were shot with a "full spectrum" camera.

This is not an unusual photo.  I've taken many photos with lots of "orbs" so I didn't pay much attention to this one.  Check out this next one.  I did a close up so you can see what I see.

 

I swear I didn't do any Photoshop magic.  I'm not that good.   Does it look like a face?  I'll let you guys decide.

I spent a few hours in Lexington Virginia touring Stonewall Jackson's house and the cemetery where he was buried.  I whipped out my EMF detector and audio device and did my due diligence but to no avail.   I'm staying at the Wayside Inn in Middletown, Virginia.  The Ghost Hunters have investigated this inn.  It is the longest running inn in the US since around 1750 or so.  Here is a painting of the place done in the 1800s.  Just like a puzzle picture.  She basically guaranteed that I would experience activity tonight but we've all heard that before.  

Greensboro No Carolina to Roanoke Virginia

The first thing I want to tell you is that I may have debunked the YouTube Video from my last post.  They put an orange on the dresser and were able to video it moving on its own.  I happened to have a ball with me.  I put a flashlight behind the ball and set up my camera.  I started asking the ghost of room 37 to move the ball and, lo and behold, within 2 minutes, it moved just like the You Tube video.  At first I was startled.  The problem is that the top of the dresser is sloped in such a way that there were few spots you could put the ball where it wouldn't move in one direction or the other.  On my second attempt, I was only able to find one spot where it would stay put.

This begs the question "why did it take two minutes for the ball to move the first time".  Perhaps a truck drove by or the building shook just enough to force the ball to move.  I would have loved to just show you my video and claim that I, too, have experienced paranormal activity but...a)  the video quality was so dark, it was difficult to see what was happening and....b)  a truck probably did drive by. 

I did have a minor experience.  I was listening to the audio portion of my "investigation" at the Biltmore and heard some old fashion music.  I didn't think much of it at the time.  I just assumed that someone had some old 78 records on in the next room (That's so common).  When I was checking out, the guy at the desk asked me if I had any paranormal experiences.  I said no.  He asked me if I heard any "parlor" music.   He said that one of the paranormal claims is picking up old fashioned music on audio that they don't hear at the time of recording.    Perhaps this was a minor success?

Today, I  had a wonderful lunch with some friends from Visalia, CA in Greensboro, NC.  His grandson and granddaughter were graduating and the whole family flew to NC to attend the graduation.  After lunch, I headed North.  I have 6 days to get back to Boston for my flight back on Thursday.  I only drove 2 hours before  I got tired.  Am I getting old or what?   With Friday afternoon Memorial Day traffic, I decided to stay at the Roanoke Hotel in Roanoke Virginia.

Pretty cool, huh!  I like the fake moon at the top!  I just didn't have the time today to scope out a legitimate haunted location for tonight.  This place looks like it could qualify for "spook central" however.  I had a wonderful dinner with my new friend Susanne and her partner who played bass with the jazz group who were playing in the "uber-expensive" restaurant.  Perfect night!!

Tomorrow I will be traveling to Middletown, Virginia to stay at another B & B that is, of course, haunted.  We'll see. 

Biltmore Hotel video - Post #2 of #2 today

I found this video on You Tube.  This is the room I'm staying in,  I'm going to try this experiment as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSbNIfqmBsE&list=WL0FEF7DA682121FD9

Harrisonburg to Greensboro North Carolina

Well, I listened to a couple of hours of audio from last night at my 1700's B & B called "Inn at the Side of the Road".  Here is a nice picture.  They kept the light on in the dungeon.

Even though I had the joint to myself for a couple of hours, I didn't have the guts to go down to the basement which is off limits to guests (except me, of course )  I did stick my recorder out and asked a couple of goofy questions but there was nothing.  This morning, the owner asked me if I picked up any disembodied voices.  I said that I hadn't and he was surprised.  Evidently, the last ghost hunters who stayed in my room picked up a lot of activity.  Thus the theme of my blog "do I scare ghosts away?"

Just so that you know that I am not becoming disillusioned, I have changed my tactic just a bit.  Instead of B & Bs, I'm staying in haunted hotels.  They are cheaper and there are a lot of them in this neck of the woods.  I found "The Biltmore" in Greensboro, North Carolina and they made no bones about the fact that a gentleman by the name of Phillip is haunting room 337.  He's a fondler as well. (Hallelujah!!  I scored)  He likes the laaadies!   As it turns out, they had the room available for me so here I sit, with my ghost equipment at the ready, talking nonsense into an audio recorder, waiting for a sign.....a fondle.....any damn thing!  Here's a picture of the hotel:

Tomorrow, I'm going to make my way back to Boston.  It's about 1200 miles the way I'm going (back roads).  Because Memorial Day Weekend is coming up, I may have problems getting a room but I have a nice back seat. 

Bethany Beach, Delaware to Harrisonburg, Virginia

I had an interesting day today.  I set my Tom Tom  to take me from Delaware to Harrisonburg, Virginia to stay in an old B & B built in the 1700s.  I felt it was incumbent upon my navigational device to route me around Washington DC to ease any potential stress on my drive.  As it was, it routed me directly onto Constitution Avenue, Washington DC. I was sitting in traffic in front of the Washington Monument which was covered in scaffolding.  I almost didn't recognize it. 

This was not necessarily a bad thing.  Washington DC today was actually quite beautiful.  I drove past many of the "Zeus-like" buildings.  It was awe-inspiring!!  The part that made me want to slash my wrist  was when I got on the freeway to get out of DC.  Bottle neck traffic everywhere you looked.  My navigational device decided to play fun tricks on me and just make up places for me to go.  I actually did three major loops through DC until I ended up on the correct freeway.  At this point, you simply have to take a deep breath and enjoy the pretty freeway graffiti art.  It took me 6 hours to go 250 miles. 

I'm at the "By the Side of The Road" Bed and Breakfast which is featured in "Haunted Inns of the Southeast" book.  Their claim-to-haunted-fame is that, while they were renovating, a ghost grabbed the owners hand while he was turning off the light in the basement.  (I think the ghost kissed his hand)

I am the only one in the 4 story building right now.  The owner lives on the 4th floor but they are at a party right now so I can perform my intrusive investigation into the other living quarters.  My cool ghost  equipment is  "on call" just in case.  Take a look at what I have available:

I will be traveling to Winston/Salem North Carolina tomorrow.  This guy at a restaurant tonight told me about a super haunted B & B I should try so I'm going to call them tomorrow and see if I can get in.   I'll let you know if I experience anything paranormal tonight.  

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Fairfield Pennsylvania to Bethany Beach, Delaware

Today was boring but last night was pretty cool.  I had this 10,000 sq. foot old B & B, built in 1757 all to myself.   The building creaked and snapped a lot.  I'm surprised I wasn't scared.

I did have something happen that I can't explain.  In the 1700s and 1800s, they had a wishing well in the courtyard.  Sometime in the 1800s they added a tavern, eliminating the courtyard and the wishing well.  Since then, people have stuck pennies anywhere and everywhere.  There are pennies stuck in every nook and cranny and on every shelf.  Any place you can put a coin.  They even have them stuck in the rock walls.  I picked one up and looked at it and it was dated 1962.  A coin collector would be in heaven.

I was sitting in the Eisenhower Dining room on my computer for two hours.  About an hour in, I let out a huge belch.  I know... not real attractive but when you're alone, all bets are off.  As soon as I let loose, a penny came flying at me from the wall about 6 feet away.  This did freak me out a bit so I was forced to have a glass of wine.  I apologized for my unladylike behavior and no more coins were hurled at me.  Nothing further happened last night.

Tonight I am staying at the Addy Sea B & B in Bethany Beach, Delaware.  It's right on the Atlantic Ocean and there are 3 other couples staying here.  I got 50% off because the "season" doesn't start until tomorrow.   I'll wait until midnight and creep around after everyone is asleep.  Tomorrow I am heading for Virginia.  Greensboro, NC is as far South that I will travel before heading back up to Boston.

View from my room



From New Hope PA to Fairfield (just outside of Gettysburg) PA

Another great day.  I only had a 150 mile drive to my next haunted B & B so I had lots of time to kill.  I took a tour of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.  It has been featured on Ghost Hunters as one of the most haunted locations in America.  Here's a picture I stole from the internet and one I took myself:

 

Lots of loud school children running around which precluded me from gathering any voices from the dead.  Al Capone was an inmate and was given the royal treatment.  Look at a regular inmates cell and look at his:

I really wanted to stay at this super scary place in Reading PA but they never returned my call so I headed for my old standby...Gettysburg.  I pretty much scored tonight.  I was able to procure the Fairfield Inn in Fairfield, PA.  Built in 1757, it has 10,000 square feet.  It has had such notables as Patrick Henry (give me liberty or give me death).  I'm staying in his room.  During the Civil War, the Confederates General used this Inn as his headquarters.  This was also an underground railroad where slaves were hidden until they could be sent to safety.   Eisenhower has stayed here several times.  Here's the good news...I have the place to myself.  Even the owner is too scared to stay here.   I have already looked in all of the empty rooms and in all of their drawers and cabinets of course.  I can't sleep unless I'm aware of where everything is including all of their personal belongings.   I'll bet you can't wait until I'm a guest in your home.

I've already started "ghost hunting" as it were.  I purchased brand new super headphones at Walmart tonight.  I don't want to miss any faint messages from the dead. (like I've missed for the past 4 years)   I'm getting crazy high readings on my Electromagnetic Field Detector tonight.  Not sure why. 

Torrington Connecticut to New Hope Pennsylvania

Last night, I did a two hour ghost investigation at the Yankee Pedlar Inn in Torrington.  I pulled out all of the stops....using my finest "ghost detecting" equipment.  I even fell asleep and left my audio device on all night just in case one of the many little "Caspers" they claim roam the hotel wanted to say a little something for the cameras.  The electromagnetic field detectors and my .99 cent iphone ghost hunting app didn't register a single blip.  I did listen to my tape recorder which was set to "sound activation".  I saw that, even though I was asleep, it registered 5 hours of sound.  Could this be the holy grail?   5 hours of spirits talking non-stop while I slept restfully?   What I got to listen to was 5 hours of snoring!  (lady-like snoring, of course)  Foiled again!  Here is a picture of the "Haunted Hotel"

So I packed up my crap and high tailed it out of there.  I was one hour late for the continental breakfast and when I asked the lady if they had any coffee, she said "NOOOOOO!!" (in a witch-like voice)  As I skulked away I sang "You're a mean one, Mrs. Grinch" under my breath.

I had all day to get to my next stop in New Hope, Pennsylvania.  I must have stopped at 5 McDonalds.  I was trying to get to New Hope without going near New York City.   They had a train derailment and traffic is a huge huge mess.  I saw this sign that said "West Point" and always wanted to see it.  It was everything I imagined   My friend, Jerry Hayton, graduated from there so I texted him a bunch of pictures.  Amazing.

 

 

 

 

I made it to New Hope Pennsylvania and what a wonderful town.  I told the lady when I made the reservation to give me a really haunted room.  At first, they booked me in the loft but when I got there, I asked her if the loft was really haunted.  She said she had something even more "haunted-er" for me.  She put me in "Room 1"  (sounds so ominous!)  which is the most hauntedest ever.  (said like a valley girl).   Here is a picture of this Bed and Breakfast, The Wedgewood Inn:

The claim is that a 12 year old girl has appeared.  This house was part of the underground railroad and hid slaves for transportation North.  So, I have all of my gear out and will put out the lights and try, once and for all, to fulfill my duty and catch a damn ghost!

 

 

Cape Cod to Newport Rhode Island to Torrington Connecticut

I'm crest-fallen to say that the Ghost of Christmas Past did not make his appearance last night.  I was not hassled or fondled as promised.  I left in a huff and didn't leave a tip.  As my great grandfather used to say..."What-Evs".

I actually did have something odd happen yesterday.  On my way into Plymouth I spotted a cemetery up ahead and slammed on my brakes with a screeeeech.  I pulled in and started driving through what ended up being a huge graveyard.  Most of the people were born in the 1700s and died in the 1800s. I was the only person in the entire cemetery.  I whipped out my audio device and started asking really intelligent paranormal questions like "How are you?"   "Are you still here?"  "Do you want to talk to me".  All of a sudden, I hear this voice say "I'm over here!".  The voice sounded just like Ted Kennedy.    I threw my recorder in my pocket, started whistling real casual-like and started walking over to where I heard the voice but realized I was alone.  There was no one else in the cemetery.   I actually caught it on my recorder but it was faint. 

Today I made it over to Newport, Rhode Island.  I drove down Bellevue Avenue, also known as "Avenue of the Mansions".  Unbelievable.  Here are two homes I saw:

 

My ultimate goal was to see the Carey Mansion I mentioned earlier where they shot Dark Shadows with Johnny Depp.  That was near at the end of Bellevue.

 

There was heavy greenery and several of these signs surrounding the property:

 

The good new is that this sign doesn't apply to me.  I'm......well.....special!  Yea!  I'm sure they don't mean me.   I was actually able to conveniently find a spot where all of the greenery was mysteriously missing and I got off a few covert shots.  I was suppose to be there this evening doing an investigation.  I'm really disappointed but I'll do it next year.

 

 



I drove from there to Torrington, Connecticut where I am now in the "most haunted" room at the Yankee Peddler's Inn.  It was built in 1871 and there is suppose to be a nice lady ghost in my room making sure all my needs are being met.  If she gets me a box of wine, I'll leave a nice tip.

Plymouth, Mass.and Cape Cod

What an interesting day.  I was headed for Newport, Rhode Island to look at that huge castle and try and break in and I noticed that Plymouth was sort of on the way.   I called LIzzy Bordon's B & B and they wanted to charge me $250 to sleep in Lizzy's room.  Nice try Miss "Gouge-Me-Because-You-Think-You're-Haunted-And-You-Think-I'll-Pay-Which-I-Usually-would"!  I'll call you back on a week night when you'll be begging me to stay there for much cheaper!!  So I toured Plymouth, took pictures of the rock and went to the Pilgrim Museum to look at cool stuff from 1620. 

I told the docent that Stephen Hopkins, who came over on the Mayflower, was my 12th great grandfather.  I really believed what I was telling her because some relative on Ancestry.com said so.  She recommended that I go to the Public Library in Plymouth.  They had a huge section just on descendants from the Mayflower.  Well, as it turns out, I'm not related and Sarah Palin is no longer my 12th cousin. (She is related to Stephen Hopkins).  I was so disappointed. 

I was able to get a reservation for a haunted bed and breakfast in Dennis Port, Cape Cod, MA.  He said that, although the ghost does not like him, he loves woman.  He will try and grab and fondle me.  I told him I'd pay double but just for tonight.   I wonder if the ghost will be disenchanted when he hears me snore 

I hauled all of my ghost equipment in so that I can conduct a proper investigation.  I'm the only one staying here so I won't have any interference.  I'm in the "Lighthouse" Suite.  Next to my room are stairs that are really "Winchester Mystery House" looking.  I asked him if I could go up to those rooms and take pictures.  He said that he prefer I didn't as the steps are dangerous.  Naturally, as soon as the coast is clear, I will be checking out the rooms upstairs.    I'll post more after my "ghost hunt".

Arrived in Boston

I made it.  It was a long travel day.  It took me about 3 hours to get into my hotel room once I landed.  Long lines at Budget Car Rental and a 45 minute drive to my hotel which was 5 minutes away.  Even though my Tom Tom was giving me pretty decent directions, I kept pulling over  because traffic was real scary.   I'm staying at a real cool extended stay hotel in Winthorpe.  On the plane, I watched "Dark Shadows" with Johnny Depp.  The movie took place at the manor that I'm going to visit tomorrow.  (great movie). 

Three Days before my trip

I've decided to do a very very low key blog this time.  I'm only going to share the blog address with my closest family and friends, my Rotary club and my 387 facebook friends.  This way, I create a more intimate setting and can really be myself.   

The reason I chose this particular date for my adventure was because I was going to do a ghost investigation at Seaview Manor in Newport, Rhode Island with the guys from "Ghost Hunters" on TV.  (see picture)  This is the same location that they shot "Dark Shadows" with Johnny Depp recently.  Anyway.....I received an email last week saying that, because of a TV production snaffoo (sp),they had to change the date to August.   I'm still going to drive over and look at this joint and try to sneak in (like break a window in the backyard and spend the night in the dungeon.  I better bring my wine!