Leaving St. Louis

POST NUMBER THREE OF THREE TODAY.  I had the Lemp Mansion to myself for about an hour today,  The three ladies I had to share the bathroom with left at 10:00 and the staff didn't get there until 11:00.  I was alone, with full access, in the most haunted house in America and did I hear or see a ghost???  Of course not!!.   I am hoping that with the change of pace, checking into the Ramada tonight, I might open a closet door and Casper will be there to greet ne,  Here are some pictures I took from my car when leaving St. Louis,.  I do not recommend taking pictures while driving.  It is not a skill I have perfected yet.

McDonald's Golden Arches

A bunch of cool houses in the neighborhood

 j

I just love these style of homes and they were absolutely everywhere

I think these are a french style.  All the street names are French

One last picture.  I have more if you want to see then

finally an internet connection

POST TWO OF THREE TODAY
Part of the problem with a good internet connection is that I'm checking into these 150 year old homes/bed and breakfast Inns that barely have electricity let alone high speed internet.  I decided to take a day off from ghost hunting and checked myself into a "ghost-free" Ramada Inn in Urbana, Illinois (near Champaine).  It's so generic it makes me smile.  Not that I'm tired of being pestered by ghosts because that just hasn't been the case.  I did have a fabuous time at the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis however.  If you just look at the pictures, you would say that this is "spook central".  I'm going to share more photos than usual so you get an idea.  Absolutely amazing!  The Lemp Mansion, by the way, is purported to be the most haunted mansion in America.  You can google it or here is a website:  (turn down your volume because the music on this website is annoying)    http://www.lempmansion.com/history.html 

My first view of the Lemp Mansion as I drove up *going through a very scary neighborhood)

the beautiful willow tree just out front.  How appropriate

the Adam's family lives across the street



My "huge" suite and king size bed,  I had to share the bathroom with some other guests



Free stuff you don't have to pay for.,  They just give this to you, like shampoo and conditioner

view from my window

taken from second floor,  There was another floor above me but the cleaning lady was up there and I didn't want to "seem" snoopy

spooky hallway,  You would have to be there to appreciate the spook factor

I had no internet yesterday

I left St. Louis this morning around 11:00 and am heading to Chicago.  I got as far as Champaign, Illinois and stopped into this Starbucks to let you know that as soon as I find a hotel, I will post some pictures and tell you about the Lemp Manion,  I think it's about 4:00.  I should be checked in by 4:00 your time.

Day 8 enroute to St. Louis

I'm leaving in an hour to go to St. Louis to visit a wonderful friend I haven't seen in years:  Trey Springer.  I may not have time to post this evening but will certainly post first thing Thursday morning.  I will be staying at the Lemp Mansion which is purported to be the most haunted home in Amerioca.  Wish me Luck

Lemp Mansion, St. Louis, Missouri

Getting to Indiana

 

Here is my second post today.  Getting to rural Indiana today fron Berea Kentucky was a trip.  (hippie slang)  I drove through Lexington and Louieville.  I got off the freeway in both cities and purposely turned off my GPS and got lost.  I wanted to see what the old downtown looked like and what the "bad side of town" looked like. (that's where I always seem to end up)  Here are some pictures.  First stop....Lexington Kentucky. 

My little summer cottage



Old Downtown Government Building



I know, I know...why Gloria?..but this cemetary is very very old.  Some of it's "inhabitants" were born in the mid 1700s.  Henry Clay is buried here.  I think he invented playdoh 

Then I drove to Louieville which is right on the border to Indiana.  What a totally cool place.

Louieville Slugger Museum

Thomas Edison's house (in a bad neighborhood)

cool downtown

Day Seven

Well, I didn't think life could get any better.  I'm out of that silly "dry county" and found a little gem of an Inn in rural Indiana.  I didn't see or hear any ghosts last night.  I was all packed and getting ready to leave feeling pretty disappointed and read on the internet that the ghosts had been seen in the basement.  How dare they.  I marched right over to the elevator and jabbed repeatedly at "B" but it is apparently closed to snoopy, offensive ghost hunters from California.  The Story Inn, where I'm staying tonight, is 45 minutes from civilization  and is renowned for being the best preserved example of a 19th century small town in the American Midwest. The town IS the inn.




My room is upstairs in back

 

Private bathroomn

The people are wonderful, the food was incredible (gourmet cook) and I have the entire top floor to myself to look in drawers and closets marked "private".  What is my problem.    I had a great day getting here.  I will work on my second post now.

Day Six - Berea Kentucky (Snobville USA)

I  drove most of the day and found my way to Berea Kentucky.  All I can say is WOW.   Of course I called this morning and asked for their most haunted room which they assured me would be on the 3rd floor.  I am now sitting in room #312.  So far, the only spooky thing I've witnessed is the snooty front desk ladies.  This Inn is right across the street from Berea College.  I am surrounded by beautiful brick colonial dorms and class buildings.  Breathtaking.  I even went to the college bookstore and bought a Berea College T shirt so I would fit right in.   Not working!!!  They can see right through me.  This is also a dry County and I'm too embarrassed to ask where I can find a decent County around here that sells liquor.  It just isn't proper.  They already think I'm a goober because I opened an unmarked closet door in the lobby right in front of them thinking it was the stairway (at least that's what I told them.  I just wanted to see what was behind the door).  They rolled their eyes and said "the stairway is raaaat behaaand you darlin'" (in that phoney Kentucky accent).  I'm going to my room and do some serious all night ghost hunting so there!!


My snooty cool haunted hotel

  

Day Five

I've had a wonderful day.  When I woke up this morning, I knew that my next stop was only 30 miles away and I had to find something to do all day.  Boone, North Carolina is a major college town (Appalachian State College) and their old downtown is a throwback to 1969 Haight Ashbury.  Little coffee shops selling beads and Tie Dyed shirts, gift shops that sell 1969 vintage clothing and T shirts with Janice Joplin while listening to the Doors and Big Brother and the Holding Company piped into the streets.  I sat in this cute coffee shop reading their local area newspaper, the Watauga Democrat.  Did you know that March is Frozen Food Month?  They also publish the local sheriff's report.  Here are some exerpts:  a man was arrested after an officer reputedly found him dancing in the road wearing only underwear and boots.a woman reported that someone had scratched her door at home and a man was arrested for second degree trespassing.  I spent most of the day at Mystery Hill.  and Doc Rock's Gem Mine.  I didn't spend much time in the Mystery House because I got instantly naseous.  It sits on a strange vortex and gravity as we know it is all screwed up.  This is suppose to be fun,  I took this picture of the tour guide but I had get out. Never felt anything like it.

                   

Next door was Doc Rock's Gem Mine. They purchase mine ore from local North Carolina gem mines by the ton and resell it by the shovel full..  I purchased a big bucket full for $25 and spent the next 3 hours "mining" for gems.  I found emeralds, quartz, garnet and, the find of the day, some sapphire and ruby.  They had not seen any rubies for a month.  There was enough to make a sapphire and a ruby ring which will be delivered in 3 weeks. 



Found all of these gems (except samples in the cases) in one huge bucket of ore.  Emeralds on the left but not enough content to warrant the cost of cutting it out.



Tonight I'm staying at the Prospect Hill B & B in Mountain City Tennessee.  Supposedly haunted.  As soon as the owner's go to sleep, I'm going to start my investigation.  I'll let you know tomorrow if I catch any evidence.

Day Four

I tried to sleep in based on the fact that I didn't get to bed until after 3:00.  One issue....11:00 check out.    So, I'm on the road and having trouble concentrating so I stop at a Starbucks in Wytheville, VA.   The good news is that this is a cross road town.  I can continue on Highway 81 to Knoxville or travel South,   I spend the next hour trying to find another haunted B & B or hotel... anything.   I think I hit the jackpot.  the Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.  the price is right and the "spook quotient" appears sufficient based on internet findings.  The drive was absolutely beautiful.  I took 321 South through the Cherokee National Forest over the Blue Ridge Mountains.  I needed gas so I pulled up to this rusty, dusty, "can't-take-a-debit-card-at-the-pump" 1950's Thomas-Kincaide-gone-bad looking  biker gas station. (you get the picture)  It was the only one open for miles.   There were about 25 Harley's parked outside the "general store".   I initially pulled up to an ancient pump that said "Kerosene".  It looked just like a gas pump.  I asked the hairy, leather clad big stomached individual if this was all they had. (Evidently the real pumps were just around the other side of the store.  Like I'm suppose to know that??)  He and all 25 of his buddies probably got a nice leather-chapped belly laugh at my expense on that one.  Anywhooo.. I checked into the Inn in Blow Rock and must say this is one of the prettiest towns I've seen in a while  It looks very much like an upscale quaint downtown like  Los Gatos.   The hotel is old and under major remodel.  There is a wing that is unoccupied (they say) and, for rude, snoopy guests like myself, it is completely open for inspection.   I tried to sneak down the old creaky hallways but  the noise from the floor was deafening.   The inn is situated directly on top of the Eastern Continental divide and I am convinced that the hallway is the epicenter.  I have taken over 150 pictures and tried some audio with my recorder,.  Again...NOTHING.  what a surprise.   If you believe everything you read on the internet, I should have seen several ghosts at this place.  I shall not get discouraged.  Tonight I'll stay at Prospect Hill Inn in Mountain City, Tennessee.  Suppose to be spook central.  

Day three



Well, I left Richmond enroute to Radford, VA for this most awaited event.  As I told you earlier in the blog, Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes from TV's Ghost Hunters put on a very nice event at St Albans Sanitorium in Radford. 


Only one of the buildings we investigated

It started with a very long line to get autographs, purchase photos, books, tee shirt etc then meet and shake hands with Jason and Grant, John Zaffis and Dave Tango's father.  


Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes fron Ghost Hunters on SciFi

Then we had a lecture on ghost hunting; then the best part.  They split us up into 5 groups of 20  (too many people).  We got to spend one hour with each of the guests above in  complete darkness in a really scary part of the building (which was enormous) and one hour with some nerd who invents ghost hunting equipment.   The event ended at 2:00 in the monring.  Ok.  something is wrong with me.   I go to the most haunted place on earth, according to their marketing material, spend 5 hours investigating the scariest looking places you can ever imagine in darkness and I see and hear NOTHING.  Some people are getting their hair tugged at, hearing voices behind then and getting touched (in my dreams)For instance, here is a picture I took with my full spectrum camera.  I was in total darkness so I had no idea what I was shooting at. Imagine the numbing fear that coarsed my being when I saw this image when the camera flashed.  

St

You can't run because, as I said, you are in complete darkness.  Here are some other lovely images I captured.

Boyfriend goes crazy and puts fist through wall

This last one reminded me of my kitchen remodel.   I am still going over the audio and I do hear a lot of whispering but, if you are in a room with 19 other people, statistically, what are the chances that the whispering is paranormnal??? A ghost could have been standing next to me whispering sweet nothings in my ear and I will never know this.  I did, however, get to interact one-on-one with Jason and Grant which gave me the thrill of my life.  I acted really cool, you know, like I talk to TV stars every day.  (yeah right)   Back to reality, everyone left and I couldn't remember where I parked my car.  Finally found it and got lost going back to the hotel.  Whew!! back in ny comfort zone.  Can't wait to see what haunted hotel I stay in tomorrow.  

Day 2 - Part 2: Fredericksburg, VA to Richmond VA

 

Another Post for today.  So much to tell,   I arrived in Richmond this afternoon.  I found this "haunted bed and breakfast" online the night before called Linden Row Inn.  It looked creepy enough online to book a room immediately.  It was built in 1816 but the land was originally used as a garden.  In 1811, Elizabeth Poe, a traveling actress died leaving two orphaned children.  Mr. & Mrs Allan raised Edgar Poe and gave him Allan for his middle name.  You guessed it.. Edgar Allan Poe.  Mr. Allan lived here with his business partner.  Edgar would play in the gardens and named them "The Enchanted Garden" (mentioned in Poe's poem "to Helen")  I met this guy who was in town for a trade show and we went to an "establishment" (gay bar)  a block away and I had the safest, best time ever. 

My room at the bottom in the spooky corner



My new friend that promised to protect me

Courtyard outside my spooky room.  Previous playground for Edgar Allan Poe

Day 2: Washington DC to Fredericksburg, Virginia

Great day.  I decided to head down to Richmond Virginia.  Stopped at Fredericksburg to  see one of the many civil war battlefields.                                                                              

Reminds me of Gettysburg

Near the back of the battlefield, I came upon this old "plantationy-looking" house which was abandoned.  I crept up to get a peek inside like  a good trespassing felon would do.  It was pretty creepy.  If it had been dark, even I would have had some reservations.  Here are some pictures outside and through a window,

Creepy

OK....let's have a look through those windows

I 

Lots of old guys must have lived here.  What a bunch of slobs! 

I've arrived!!!

Washington DC Dullus Airport

All of those exclamation points reference my surprise that I even made it.   First of all, I drove to LA a day early so I wouldn't have to get up early to get to the airport.  I slept in like I had all the time in the world, got in my car and proceeded to get totally lost.  The "Park and Fly" facility was only 4.6 miles away but I ended up 10 miles East.  I almost sold my Tom Tom to this dude outside a liquor store.  Evidently, if you input the incorrect city, it actually takes you to the incorrect city.  Oh well, I obviously made my flight.  Oh.  I did have to endure one of those full body scans.....yuch!!   You put your feet in these squares and put your arms up.  I'm thinking it's suppose to take maybe 2 seconds to take a picture but they made me stand there 15 seconds.  Perverts!!  I bet they use my photo in their industry magazine issue of "Hot Body Scans Monthly"   We touched down in DC, (nice airport - see pics)

I hopped a shuttle to Budget Rent a Car.  So much luggage, so little time.   I got myself a little Ford Focus,  I hopped in, ready to roll but couldn't figure out "where-in-the-wide-world-of-sports" the lights or trunk lever were  I actually went back in and had some guy standing in line come out and show me.   I told him that the Ford was so alien compared to the Mercedes I usually drive  (liar liar pants on fire)

Flying out tomorrow

Just checked into a Day's Inn in "Lawndale" near LAX.  I wanted something cheap with a king size bed so I could unpack and totally reorganize.  My check-in luggage weighs quite a bit over 50 pounds because of all that stupid electronic ghost hunting equipment that I love so very much.  However, no way am I going to pay the additional $50....hmmm.  OK.  I don't need this extra change of clothes....I don't need all this make up.  Who cares if I look frightening.  That's the point of this trip anyway, isn't it?. As long as I look hot for the two guys from Ghost Hunters.  OK.  I'm donating all the "excess" clothing to the guy sleeping in the alley ten feet from my window.  I can also ditch my "shake weight" exercise thingy.  It weighs 5 pounds and is embarrassing to use.

Sir....would you like my robe and five blouses....they weight too much and I need more room for my ghost equipment

Oh..too bad....I'll miss this

The envy of everyone on my block. "The well-equipped Ghost Hunter"

To be honest, I am not a trained ghost hunter.  I didn't think that one needed any training in this area.  You just go to a dark alley or a haunted house, bust out your cool equipment, ask the spirits to talk with you and show themselves and presto....just like on TV, within one hour, you have photographic proof as well as electronic voices speaking to you on command.   Here is a picture of all of the equipment I purchased at "Ghost Stop" and on EBay.  Because I have all this stuff, I must be a professional.

Ten days before I leave

In 10 days, I will be boarding a plane headed for Washington DC.  I've told all of my conservative friends that I'm going there to visit our Nation's Capital, tour the Smithsonian and look in awe at the monuments and the White House.   Well, that's a big fat lie.   I'm going to conduct a paranormal investigation with the people from the TV show, "Ghost Hunters".  They will be investigating the St. Alban's Sanitorium in Radford Virginia on Friday the 18th, and for a mere $225, I, Joe-Ghost-Hunter-Wannabee" can join in the hunt.   After that, I'll have 14 days to get back to DC so I'm going to make a giant loop and try and stay at a different haunted location each night.  I'm bringing lots of ghost hunting equipment which I purchased online.  I know....what a dork.  Who cares.