Category: Sasquatch

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“Talking Trees”

In 2003, my companion Alan Bunting and I were on a long 6 month camping trip in Northern California and Southern Oregon. I had been through some terrible life changing events, not to mention middle age, and decided to get away from it all for a season with an inheritance that I had just received.

We had made our way camping along the northern coast of California, and had decided to travel from Orick on Bald Hills Road through the majestic Lady Bird Johnson Redwood Groves there across to the Klamath River highway. This scenic byway is incredible, with sweeping vistas of dense fog shrouded Redwood forests and vast high grasslands. We had stopped along the way on an offshoot road we had taken because as we were driving we suddenly heard something that sounded like trees knocking together. The area off to our right was so thickly forested that we literally could not see the forest for the trees. There was no way in from the road but about one hundred feet from us we could hear distinct, hollow knocking sounds like bamboo being banged together. A few minutes later we could here the same sounds coming from below us on the left side of the road as well.

We stood and listened to these strange noises for around a half an hour and decided that they were tall thin trees off in the distance that were bumping together in the wind. ( We watched in the direction of those trees but never saw them actually moving. It just made the most logical sense at the time.)

The coastal forests of Northern California can be described as mystical by those who see them. Thick groves of Madrone, Alder, Tan Oak, And mixed conifers draped in Spanish Moss lend a magical, fairy tale like quality to the surroundings. There are dark, deep, mossy gulleys that lead off into the distance that remind me of pictures I have seen of places like the jungles in Cambodia.

That atmosphere made those sounds just a little bit spooky to me and I was not about to go off the road to investigate them even if I could. The sounds were almost water pipe like, for a lack of ability to describe them better. We stood and speculated on them in the middle of the dirt road and then got in the truck and continued on to the river highway. I stayed in as middle of the road as I could get. I commented on how eerie those knockings were a few times. I had never heard anything like it before, nor have I since.

Just recently I have been doing a lot of Bigfoot research for this book I am writing. I came across a few accounts of people doing their own looking in this area of California, and some of them mention the same “Knocking” sounds. In one account these sounds were attributed not to trees knocking together, but of some strange animal calling. That animal possibly being Bigfoot. It was strange to be reading an account of someone elses Bigfoot experience that included those same exact noises.

Where those strange and ethereal sounds the big guys talking over us across the road? Who knows. I would like to think maybe. This world is still full of mystery and wonder to those of us who seek it. Did I find Bigfoot without realizing it at the time? I’ll never know that for sure, but the next time I’m in the woods and I hear the trees talking…

posted by: Tara

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Just the Facts, Please

From Linda Jo Martin, Editor, Happy Camp News:

I notice a lot of misinformation exists about Tom Biscardi’s videostreaming project. I can understand how frustrating it must be to deal with such misunderstandings, and Tom is way too busy right now to pay them any attention whatsoever.

So I’ll reply:

At the Strange Happenings weblog Tom’s project is compared to Jill Miller’s Waiting For Bigfoot – and it is stated that “Tom Biscardi is planning on doing the same thing ” … well … it is NOT the same thing at all. And I can testify that Tom had no knowledge of the Waiting For Bigfoot project until only a few days before he arrived here in Happy Camp to launch his videostreamed expedition.

I’ll explain the differences. First of all, Jill’s project is conceived of as an art project. She has never seen Bigfoot, and has no experience researching Bigfoot. While I admire her project, it appears to be just a web cam picturing her campsite. That’s fine – and I don’t wish to detract from her art project which I find to be a very cool thing indeed. However Tom’s project is focused on a known Bigfoot habitat. He didn’t go to a random campsite hoping one might wander in by chance. He’s got his cameras focused on a spot where Bigfoot is known to have been in the very recent past on several occasions. MUCH DIFFERENT.

Tom Biscardi also has thirty-two years experience researching Bigfoot world-wide. He’s seen Bigfoot five times. This man is an expert and knows what he’s doing, what’s credible, and what isn’t. He doesn’t waste time on going to areas where Bigfoot has been spotted years in the past, hoping it might show up again. He only investigates the most recent sightings and hot on the trail, he collects evidence such as footprints, photos of bedding, scat and hair samples. So far as I know Jill Miller’s art project is not like this at all.

And the reason I know Tom wasn’t aware of Jill’s project until a few days ago — is because I told him about it myself. I was on the phone with him late one night right before he arrived back here on Aug. 4 – and I asked him if he’d seen Jill’s site and what he thought of it. He didn’t know what I was talking about and I had to give him the URL and we discussed it then. While he had nothing bad to say about her project we agreed that although there was a similarity as cameras were involved, it simply isn’t the same thing.

I won’t go into the equipment differences but will say Tom’s project is original, comprehensive, and illuminating. He introduces our town, Happy Camp, shows where recent sightings took place, and gives a broader picture of Northern California. He’s already videostreamed an investigation in another Northern California location, and since I know some of what’s planned for the next few days I can say it is going to be exciting and eye-opening. We’re talking about action and adventure, scientific information, and more. He’s not in our area right now but will be coming back.

I guess you could say that’s one more difference with our project. It isn’t stationary – focused on one campsite. We have two surveillance cameras on the local site – but also the project’s camera 3 is of filming being done in various locations not only here in Northern CA – but soon to be on location out of state at an undisclosed location as well. I will be watching the new footage along with everyone else who’s registered – with the same anticipation.

Well, I have lots of work to do today. Tara is arranging for a Great American Bigfoot Research Organization booth at the Bigfoot Jamboree this year – and we’ll also probably be in the local parade. This will be on Labor Day Weekend – just a few days from now. If you can make it – we would love to meet you so look for our booth in River Park.

Linda

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Bigfoot Expedition News

From Linda Jo Martin:

I’ve been BUSY since the Great American Bigfoot Research Organization expedition team came to town on the 4th of August to establish, kick off, and launch their videostreaming project. Somehow I was drafted to do a bit of office-tending. I also have been helping Elbert Yee with filming. I love these great cameras they’re using. High definition video – using tapes, not CD’s… they produce excellent quality videos and I noticed the Channel 5 News (from NBC in Medford) came here using a very similar camera. His video is now available for viewing on Tom Biscardi’s website: Sample Video

My job includes answering the phone, doing videostreaming, transfering the tapes to the computer and then to the internet, updating the website, and writing articles to add relevant content to the website. I’m trying to write one new article each day, but nothing I’ve written has been posted yet because it must go through an approval process.

Last night Tara had another visitation from something in the middle of the night. She’d left a bowl full of berries in her yard and that’s now gone. I’ll let her tell the details. Whatever it was didn’t go down to the creek so it didn’t show up on the video.

Yesterday I decided to offer Tara posting privileges on this weblog so I’ll be setting that up today. We are both Happy Campers (residents of Happy Camp, California) – so it is a local effort to keep people informed on what’s going on with Bigfoot research in this area.

After loading our Seiad Valley footage into the videostream we went by the Forest Service office to look at maps and to inquire about filming inside the Visitor’s Center. Then we went uphill to a wonderful campground north of Happy Camp – and when I say ‘uphill’ I mean… by the time we got there I thought we were at the top of the world. After driving around the outside of a mountain on a steep, winding, dusty dirt road for about five miles we went through the forest to a place where a large meadow spread out – enough for about 200 miners, packers, and adventurers to camp in.

Back in the 1800’s this was exactly what the area was used for – probably a place for mules to graze while men lay back and looked at the stars or joined in the legendary eternal poker game on a flat rock – a rock that has since been lost. The Forest Service has installed a campground there – appropriately named Poker Flat.

There’s much more to tell about the trip to Poker Flat, but I think I’ll leave the details for the book I’m writing. Both Tara and I are writing books about the experiences we’re going through this summer.

After leaving Poker Flat we drove to Kelly Lake and observed a bald eagle flying, swooping, hunting for fish. We heard the babies calling for food from a nest at the far side of the lake.

More later.

Linda

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