I am always very skeptical when it comes to these crazy conspiracy theories. When I hear about something unusual, I start my own research to find a rational explanation based on scientific facts. I will never understand how people may believe in anything on the Internet, published often without any reliable source of information. But our visit in Death Valley made me realize something.

Reptilians? UFO? Global Illuminati conspiration? It is definitely not my cup of tea. Somehow I feel that authors of these crazy conspiracy theories don’t care much about “revealing the truth to the society”, but more about making money on mind-opening books or speaking at the conferences for the chosen ones. Maybe conspiracy theories are easy to sell topic, which aims at distracting people from more important problems? I don’t know. However, I was always wondering why 99% of these theories originate in the States. What makes 4% of Americans believe that Obama is actually a big lizard coming from the planet Alpha Draconis?

ON THE ROAD TO DEATH VALLEY

It started innocently. Before turning to Death Valley, we saw a huge green building with Area 51 sign. Suddenly I realized how close to the infamous Area 51 we are. This place is a top-secret US government base, in pop culture considered to be involved in research on UFO, autopsy of aliens and probably every crazy conspiracy theories ever made up. In fact, the whole area is the most heavily guarded place in the USA, which makes speculations even more intense. We decided to make a short stop here – maybe we will get to know interesting stuff? Unfortunately, it is just an ordinary shop, the only link to Area 51 is a pink alien floating miserably under the ceiling. I went out disappointed.

Tip: Find out more how our West Coast road trip itinerary looked like and how to rent a car in the US!

SPOOKY DESERT

After visiting Death Valley, we hit the road again to get to Ridgecrest, where we decided to spend the night.

Time flies, more and more kilometers behind us. After a while we realized that we were completely alone in the middle of nowhere – nobody was following us, nobody was driving in the opposite direction. Just us and desert surrounded by the mountains. GPS signal and cell phone coverage were lost, radio stopped playing. Far, far away, we noticed old trailer with lights turned on. Who could live in such isolated place? In my mind, I started watching, again and again, all the scenes from such a remarkable horror The Hills Have Eyes. It reminded me about these creepy mutants hunting for tourists, which got the flat tire… Mutants became mutants as a result of nuclear testing… Wait, where the US tested their nuke? In this nearby desert in Nevada, right? Well, we are screwed… 

Suddenly another car loomed from the darkness. Very slowly. Unexpectedly, it pulled over and turned off the lights. We were coming closer and closer, feeling a bit uncomfortable. When we were just a few meters from this car, the driver suddenly turned on full beam and the only thing I was able to shout was: “Get down, he’s gonna shoot!” and…

Of course, nothing happened.

I am still wondering if the second driver got the same paranoia as me.

FIRST CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE THIRD KIND

We felt very insecure for next few kilometers. We passed through the first human settlement in 100 km – Trona, but the way it looked didn’t make us less anxious at all. The first thing you see is a huge plant, working to its fullest in the middle of the night. Apparently, we were not the only ones who thought Trona looks like from the outer-space, as Planet of Apes and Star Trek were shot nearby.

At some point, I started wondering, if maybe they had begun shooting new Star Trek movie, cause I saw a very fast-moving object in the sky. In a second, the other one joined. And the third one. Fourth. In the end, I counted eight of them. They were moving an incredible pace, changing directions freely and taking on different formations.

Shit, Area 51 is so close. It has to be UFO. Dark night, no one around… they gonna kidnap us and implant chip in our brains. We sped up, hoping to get to our motel in Ridgecrest soon. It may not be a good idea after all; considering our adventures, there were probably attractions waiting for us like in this Hostel movie.

We arrived at last, opened the car doors. Getting out slowly, hearing an extreme noise. Flying objects are lower and closer – they must have noticed us! I was standing still in anticipation of this stream of light, taking us onboard to say hi to the aliens. Meanwhile….

The first object had just landed in front of us. Yeah, apparently across the street, 100 m from our motel, there is the biggest US Navy R&D center in the States. And these flying objects turned out to be fighter aircrafts (they are so freakin’ fast!). Maybe they were even testing something new? Who knows, but in the past i.a. Tomahawk missiles were invented here…?

To calm down, we decided to watch sweet, relaxing Forrest Gump on the TV.I will never watch a horror movie again!

USA AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES

I think that thanks to these experiences, I am one step closer to understand why crazy conspiracy theories are so extremely popular in the States. This is a huge country, where sometimes the only traces of human are mailboxes standing next to the road, and sometimes if you are lucky enough to spot it – the run-down (haunted, I bet) trailer in the distance. There is no radio or cell phone coverage. This creates an atmosphere of remoteness and isolation. Plenty of top-secret or restricted military areas also have an influence on society’s imagination.

If we are exposed to lack of contact with civilization, when we suddenly see something which we don’t expect to see, it will make us look for a supernatural explanation, because it seems as probable as the down-to-earth, normal one. I assume, Hollywood movies also have great influence on our inner fear of creepy creatures and made us less prone to crazy conspiracy theories.

In the middle of a dark desert, even freakish cannibal mutants don’t seem to be totally unreal.

Do you know any crazy conspiracy theories? For more our adventures in the US, click here!

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