UFO's, Paranormal, Conspiracies and so much more!

Man, this subject could fit in any of about a dozen or more sub-forums on this site, so I just picked General. If someone wants to move it...that's fine.

All this talk about the end of ATS, and a couple posts in particular, made me think of something / remember something.

Way back in the early to late 80's I used to head out of the house late at night and get in my truck to head up the mountain which was behind our house. It was a 20 minute drive across the desolate high desert of western Wyoming, and then up a steep and treacherous switch-back trail to the top of White Mountain. Overall, the trip would take about 40-45 minutes, but there was a specific purpose in mind every time.

Once on top you could see all the city lights far below, but otherwise you were completely alone. There were no street lights, just a wide open high mesa, with just yourself and the occasional resident wild horses. Soon enough it was time to turn on the radio. The band was always AM, and the target was a couple different stations. If you were a little early it was always fun to see if you could catch a little AM 640 KFI radio out of Los Angeles or AM 890 WLS out of Chicago. These two radio icons were notorious for being two of the very few select radio stations ever to be granted 50,000 Watt "clear channel" omni directional broadcasting licenses. Sometimes you could pick one up, but not the other. Other times both would come in so clear it was like they were right next door. You kind of felt like you tuned into the rest of the world for a moment when you got one. A pulse on the outside world. But these were just time-fillers for the real reason I would go up there.

The real goal going up on the mountain was to tune into to AM 720 KWDN out of Las Vegas. It started out as the "West Coast AM" show, but quickly changed over to the famed "Coast to Coast AM" with Art Bell. The show didn't start until 2am local time and went on until 7am, but you'd usually lose the signal before then except in the winter. Coast to Coast AM had it all. One night it would be UFO's, the next it would be about places like Area 51, and the night after that, the paranormal, or near-death experiences. Some shows would be about conspiracies associated with fantastic cures for major diseases, or hidden treasures...or just about anything you could think of.

I can remember as I tuned in the show, alone on the top of that mountain late at night, I felt like some kind of a secret agent or something who was getting some distant and secret corner of the world exposed to me and a select few others to see. It was cool. The solitude and the information provided was almost haunting in a way. Then there was Art Bell, the host who could make even the most out-there topic seem believable and credible. Bell could make you re-evaluate your position on a topic, and this was one of the things which was so cool about the show. It always made you think. And, as the hours wore on, the signal slowly drifted away in the night until it became to faint to hear. I always remember being disappointed when that happened, that I had been cut off from the only place I knew of which shared information like that. I would have to wait until the next time I could find the time to make the trip back there to listen in again. Would it be tomorrow, the day after or even a couple weeks? I didn't know, but I knew however long it was I'd have to wait until then to get dialed into that mysterious world.

As the last lightbulb here on ATS flickers, just prior to being extinguished forever, I feel that same sense of disappointment. Where will I go to get those distant and mysterious parts of the world exposed? Where will I go to get such a variety of topics, no two ever the same, a new rabbit hole to go down for a few hours? I don't know, honestly. I just know that as the ATS signal fades off into the ether I feel similarly disappointed.

When and where will we get to tune in next?

It's kind of like that feeling when you finish are really good book. You were riveted to every word on every page, and as the plot weaved and evolved you only became more interested. And then suddenly you were on the last page of the epilogue. And as you closed the book you sat there and pondered the journey. You wished it wasn't over, the story just had to go on, but the reality was it wouldn't go on. That was the end. And then there was nothing. Just the memory of something which enriched your life.

And when the sequel came out (if one did), it was never quite the same as the original. It might have been good, but it never captivated you the same way.

Oh, some could pull off a sequel; Robert Ludlum was one, but when his ghost writers showed up at the end they could never carry the torch as ably with things like the Bourne series. Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour were some others, but those guys were cut from rare cloth.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Your post made me nostalgic for times not of my own.

I honestly wish that I had an answer to your question, please be sure to let the rest of us know if you somehow figure it out.

All the best for now, my Brother,

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

It seems most of ATS is under the impression that the site will not be bought out and will in fact go by the wayside Do we know if the Owners will give us a heads up or will we just try to log on one day and it will be 404'd? I'd love an opportunity to try to reconnect with my ATS fam one last time before anything like that happens. This place has become my "2nd home" away from home! I love my ATS family!

a reply to: FamCore

Well, I'd say you probably should start getting addresses, and/or websites they frequent along with their alias's there, sooner rather than later from the sounds of it.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

It's kind of like that feeling when you finish are really good book. You were riveted to every word on every page, and as the plot weaved and evolved you only became more interested. And then suddenly you were on the last page of the epilogue. And as you closed the book you sat there and pondered the journey. You wished it wasn't over, the story just had to go on, but the reality was it wouldn't go on. That was the end. And then there was nothing. Just the memory of something which enriched your life.

THIS is exactly how it feels. An 11 year book for me.

Feeling very lost as to where to go to from here.

I second what Famcore said. I hope we are told when.

I’m going to be giving up my identity in PM’s before the end.

No way I cannot maintain contact with some here.

I hear ya. When I first landed on ATS I couldn’t believe the entertainment goldmine I had found. It was like the old newspapers News Of The Weird had an interactive website that was always on, all the time.
I remember someone had plans they had got from a grandfather or something to build a ufo. People were arguing the propulsion dynamic plans like it was borderline “could be real”. And I’ve been stuck here since, checking the live stream a couple times a day.
But! Like Roland, he gets sent back in to do it all again in the end..
I’ll see you at the Tower!
Or beach, whatevs..

Times were like that in the UK when CB radio made an appearance. Unregulated, you could talk to someone half way round the world (someway by the signal being bounced of the ionosphere or something) the amazement was palpable.
The the authorities decided to legalise it and reduced the pick up area to a few miles. Someone on here will explain the reason for this, like wave bands or something I don't know about.

Where rests Merlin now that Camelot has fallen, faded, and is but remembered as ‘twas but a Dream?

Having lived at least a part of my life as what might have long ago been suspected of “High Strangeness” and/or Witchery, I find, quite by happenstance, that the solitude of my “Crystal Cave” has soothed and provides me with succor.

Odd, I had not realized the source and nature of my equanimity during these crisis times until just this moment! I have known for some time (2, maybe 3 years?) that the world no longer required my attention; the time of “spells and incantations” was past, now all that was left was to step back, observe, and advise those Nobles who might seek such advice.

So when the Dragon’s fire scourged the land, and the treasure houses began to burn, I was curious, but grateful, to be already well forgotten in the cool comfort and solitude of my place under the mountain.

History repeats, and it seems, we All have our parts to play in the Legends those who follow us will tell.

Long Live Wolfman Jack!

a reply to: crayzeed
From my memories of news reports at the time- CB radio was American in origin with a dedicated waveband in its home country. The problem with its introduction in the UK was that no waveband had been dedicated, and people were using frequencies which interfered with other equipment. That's why it had to be regulated.