Two years....

You know, time flies! A week ago today, we celebrated SIM’s two-year anniversary. Looking back over the last two years, at all the investigations we have been on, all the work we have done, all the amazing roadtrips and adventures - it is wondrous. We have experienced crazy happenings, laughed a lot (ok I giggle a lot...), but most of all? We LOVE what we do, and our team? We enjoy being together and the beauty of it is that we all work well together. All of us. I feel quite honored to have all members of this awesome group as teammates and friends. I thought it might be fun to write about some of the most memorable experiences I’ve had on this wild ride the last two years, so here we go!

Stasius was our first and still remains one of the most amazing investigations we have done. We did two investigations, two weeks apart in March of 2010 at the old vacant Stasius.

I knew the ghost lady I had felt and seen at Stasius when Jerry worked there was there, I could feel her. I started shooting photos, and was lucky enough to shoot a photograph of the her.xIn addition to that eerie photo, we also captured one crazy EVP directed at Jerry, a Class A EVP.

The foot bridge at Nicollet Island is another place that abounds with the supernatural. Jerry and Kacie both visibly saw the ghost peeking at us over the end of the bridge, and we caught this on film as well. Look to the left at the end of the bridge to see the ghost peeking at us;  In the second photo?

The ghost had dissapeared. Totally amazing.

In the Fall of our first year we investigated a very large rural property in northern Minnesota. The property was located way back in the woods and featured a road no longer used that is called “Murder Road”. It was a fascinating investigation, and the ghosts were there. It has become our favorite place to investigate, and we returned in the fall of 2011 to another awesome investigation.  That first time though, it was a weekend like no other. There were five of us on that trip, Jerry, Mae, George, Katie and me. We rented a cabin online that turned out to be a good example of where not to stay. It was a total nightmare and when it came time for bed? We turned back the covers and discovered mouse poison, acorns, and of course turds. Oh, and one of the beds was broken. ICK. We weren’t going to stay there so at midnight we had Kacie (who had graciously offered to stay at home and care for our animals) on the phone, searching online for a different place for us to stay. Unfortunately for us, it was also a big hockey weekend in Bemidji, and we could find only ONE room available for all of us. Yep, all five of us stuffed into one room at the Super 8 Motel in Bemidji. CRAZY? Oh ya, it made for a weekend none of us will ever forget ;)

The next time the SIM Crew hit the road was a year ago, in April of 2011. We had been asked to lead ghost hunts for a public event at a beautiful resort north of Brainerd (sorry, the name of the resort is confidential now that they have our evidence that it is haunted, they don’t want the word out there). That weekend was one of the outrageous weekends we have had. The big cabin they put us in was, well, haunted, just like the buildings where we lead the ghost hunts.

My experiences were, well, quite shocking to say the least,  oh and a little frightening. The second night of investigations, Jerry’s group was headed to a room that I had the key for. I started down a long, dark haunted hallway key in hand, and low and behold I felt something begging me to look to my left. I did, and there it was. An apparition looking at me, it seemed like it was coming out of the room door. I believe it was trying to scare me, and I hate to say it, but it was quite successful. I jumped the moment I saw it, and then turned and quickly walked away – not acceptable behavior for a ghost hunter I know. As I hurried down the hallway I called Jerry on the Walkie, well everyone who had a walkie heard the conversation, the excitement in my voice, the terror, and the phrase I ultimately said at the end. This ghost chased me down the hallway, though I could no longer see it, I felt him every step of the way. I encountered one of the participants in the event at the end of the hallway who saw how rattled I was. This is when I muttered the infamous phrase, “I’m a ghost hunter and I got scared” LOL. Yep, I was scared. Not something that usually happens to me, but this time? Well, to be honest I was TERRIFIED. The ghosts weren’t done with me yet, late that night while I was alone in the cabin, I opened the bathroom door to a shadow figure. There right in front of me. I watched it while it disappeared, and by this time? I was quite out of the mood for ghosts, and I said “obviously you are not finished with me, but I am finished with you” and walked out into the living room, and switched on the TV. I would LOVE to go back there, but the ownership has declined further investigations or events. Sigh.

Last fall we held a ghost hunting event along with another paranormal group, TCGASP. We invited some of our most ardent followers along and made the hour-long trek to Faribault. The area we investigated was actually the former Faribault State Hospital grounds, and the farming area where they taught their patients agricultural skills. After we investigated the farming area, we went down the road to the site of the old hospital. We had astonishing experiences here. As Jerry, Gina and I were watching shadow figures move in the trees, I felt something on my left so I looked to find a man standing there with a blue shirt on. It was a ghost, and he was as clear as Jerry was standing on my other side. It’s not often that we see full apparitions, and when we do it is quite the experience. Of course the apparition was visible only for mere seconds, but Jerry saw him too. Others in our group, including Mae and Kacie, went for a walk around the woods, and all who were on that hike felt like they were caught up in some kind of vortex. They couldn’t find their way back to us and couldn’t hear us at all, though we could see and hear them clearly.

Out of the numerous investigations we have been on, this handful of experiences are the most exciting. Seeing a ghost face to face? Well, many ghost hunters investigate for years without actually seeing one. Am I lucky? Maybe, or it could be because of my heightened sensitivity to otherworldly beings. I hope to have many more.

We have many adventures planned for this year, in addition to ghosts we are expanding in a new and very different direction; we will be searching for Sasquatch. Yep, you read that right....Bigfoot.  It has come to our attention from quite reliable sources that Sasquatch has been seen in the remote forests and woodlands of northern Minnesota in the borderlands.  Why Sasquatch?  Well, we are after all, Supernatural Investigators and Bigfoot is, well, in the supernatural realm. The journey continues.....

Alban Eiler

The days are becoming longer, nights shorter; soon the time of light and dark will be equal.  Known in the Celtic world as Alban Eiler, today we know it as the Vernal Equinox.  It is said that during this time, the veil between the worlds of the living and dead begins to thin; it is now easier for spirits and ghosts to make themselves known to us.  It is believed that the veil is at it's thinnest the beginning of May; the Celts celebrated this time of year in a festival known as Beltane.

As a paranormal investigator, I have experienced great paranormal activity during this time of year.  The SIM Crew’s first foray into the world of ghost hunting happened in Mid-March, and then we reinvestigated that same building at the end of March; both dates were close to the Spring Equinox and we experience a lot of activity and captured loads of evidence. Last year we did an event at Cragun’s in Northern Minnesota the beginning of April, and yes, we not only captured a lot of evidence, I was chased down the hall by a ghost that I had visibly seen.

Coincidence? I think not. SIM has a vault of evidence that we have obtained all year round, but the Fall and Spring have seen the most activity. This year? In addition to investigations that are scheduled, I will be on the lookout for paranormal activity at every turn, watching for shadow figures and wondering if the chill is from the cold or a spirit passing through. I challenge you to do the same. Take note of shadows that seem to move about; pay attention to those shivers, and do let me know if you experience any otherworldly happenings. You might be surprised at what you find when you just take a peek.

Looking back at 2011...a ghost hunter's stories

It's difficult to believe 2011 has come and gone, it was an awesome year for me as a ghost hunter, and I enjoyed some unimaginable experiences.  The SIM Crew investigated a lot of properties in 2011, we had a few road trips, and well, let me say that what we do?  It is well, CRAZY.  I've always been aware of ghosts around me, but now?  After doing this thing called ghost hunting for a couple years  I have become super sensitive to the supernatural.  This much greater sensitivity is a lot to take in, so much so that at times I feel not really scared by all of spirits near us, but I do feel like they are pressing in. 

Looking back over the year I know why I have been exhausted, in the last few months of 2011 we were insanely busy with investigations, data analysis, and reveals.  As SIM grows by leaps and bounds, our founding members (including me) are busier and busier.  Here we are at the beginning of January, and our calendar is FULL for this first month of the new year.  FULL.  To the brim.  We have investigations, reveals, and clearings on the schedule, but I thought before immersing myself in this new year, a look back at my supernatural experiences in 2011 is something that I thought would be fun, so here we go.

In April the SIM Crew was asked to be a part of an event called "Northern Frights" at a resort in the Brainerd lakes area.  Our crew was to lead two ghost hunts for people who wanted to experience a paranormal investigation.  A part of this resort is very old and haunted, and I truly mean HAUNTED.  The resort put us up in a large cabin in the old section of the resort, and well, there was definately someone from the other side there.  We experienced dresser drawers opening by themselves, shadow figures, and I was awakened several times by phantom footsteps in the night. 

The ghost hunts centered around several rooms and a very long hallway that was they claimed, haunted.  It was.  During one of the investigations, as I walked down that hallway alone in the dark to bring a room key to my husband who was leading a different group, I had the feeling that something/someone was looking at me.  I turned to my left towards one of the closed and locked room doors and I saw to see the apparition of a ghost , it was reaching towards me.  Eye opening to say the least, I did scream (not a good thing for a ghost hunter) but hey, I was both surprised and well, yes, a little scared.  Instead of facing this ghost head on what did I do?  I quickly turned and kept walking, faster now, knowing that this ghost was following me all the way down the hall.  I could feel him and I knew he wasn't a "nice" ghost.  The hairs on my neck were standing up and I had to get away from him. 

I am painfully aware that this is not how I am supposed to act.  In fact, I know that I will be forever ribbed by my fellow teammates for saying “I’m a ghost hunter and I got scared”.  Ok, so it wasn’t quite the thing to say over the walkie especially in light of the fact that we were leading this ghost hunt.  Whatever.  Sometimes it just happens ;)   Was I scared?  Maybe.  But more so I think I was unnerved by the event, I certainly didn’t expect to be chased by a ghost, that is my job, you know?  I am usually the unflappable investigator, and so I can imagine that the ghost that got one over on me?  Well, I’m pretty sure he certainly got a good chuckle.

While on a road trip for two investigations in International Falls, MN on Memorial day weekend, we came across information from reliable sources that Bigfoot had been spotted in the area; Yep, Sasquach had been seen by several people more than once – in MINNESOTA.  Crazy business I know, but of course I asked the person where he had this experience.   Since we are “supernatural” investigators, we took a trip out to the place where this mythical creature was seen. We didn’t see Bigfoot, but we did not investigate, we only had a few hours in the middle of the day, probably not the time when they roam around. I am definitely excited about this claim and others I have heard since, and we do plan on going back at some point this year, to do a Bigfoot investigation. Broadening our scope a little is a GOOD THING ;)

In August we were called to a home where I was sure that the paranormal activity happening was evil. Pure evil. I said I wouldn’t go, hey it’s not what I signed up for. However, I am not one to be left behind, and so when the crew gathered to do the investigation? Well, I went along too. It was in this home that I was felt up by a ghost. Not something I would want to happen again. We had split the team into two groups, and as my group was investigating near the end of our time there, I felt the cold unseen touch of an otherworldly being. It began at my ankle and proceeded up my leg stopping at my butt. OK WEIRDNESS. ICK. Then, it left me and proceeded to our other investigator, Ally, and felt her shoulder down her chest. I called it a dirty ghost YUK. While we investigated another part of the house I again felt the touch on my ankle, but it stopped mid-calf. Why? I have no idea, but I was HAPPY to get out of that house.

In October we returned to a very large remote private property in northern Minnesota, a place that has a lot of paranormal activity. I had a few personal experiences, but when sifting through audio and video, I heard a lot of low growling, and it wasn’t any of us. One of the evp’s also had a chilling kind of scream. At the reveal this audio was played for the owners. They told us it was a cougar on those tapes. A cougar. Prowling the property while we were investigating – how fun is that? Wish I would’ve known, I would have LOVED to see him or her face to face. I know….I’m crazy ;)  We will return to this area again next fall and this time? We are going to do a proverbial 12-hour LOCK DOWN, Ghost Adventure-style; it will be amazing I’m positive ;)  Below is the few second video shot there of me doing a classic Aaron (from Ghost Adventures) "Dude" hahaha!

Just for fun in November the SIM Crew joined forces with another group in the Minneapolis area, TCGASP, and invited a few of our supporters to come along to Walcott Mills for an investigation. Only two standing buildings left, the Mills burned down in the late 1800’s. During a preliminary trip there in September with two members of TCGASP, we caught some evp’s (hey, we always have equipment along ;) After investigating the property we decided to head up the road a little and investigate the site of the old Faribault hospital which housed and cared for handicapped folks. Well, I know this place was a horrific, and from what we’ve read, the conditions were deplorable. But this location? Haunted. We observed several shadow figures moving among the trees, and feeling like someone was next to me I looked to my left to I saw a guy wearing a blue shirt; he was standing about 5 feet away. He was just one of many ghosts we saw that on that spot, but that one was so vivid and close. Several of our non-investigator friends saw these ghosts as well, and were astounded by this experience. We will return to this place I have no doubt, and of course, we will bring everyone along once again. Hey, the more the merrier don’t you think?

Not all of my experiences happen during investigations.  The most memorable took place on a chilly evening in October. As I was driving into our driveway, suddenly a figure loomed in front of the car. I slammed on the brakes, only to get out and find absolutely NOTHING there. Now there was indeed a person in front of the car, I saw it, and I know without a doubt it was a ghost/spirit.  It was during the thinning of the veil, and I did experience a lot of shadow figures moving around at night, but this one was the most prevalent.

In the coming weeks, whenever I have a few moments to spare, I will be writing posts about each of our investigations, and I will also include some evidence, right here at seeking ghosts, the stories!  Check back soon for more tales from this paranormal investigator.