The SIM Crew turns 3!

This week Supernatural Investigators of Minnesota Turns 3! The SIM Crew began with our very first paranormal investigation at the vacant Stasius bar in northeast Minneapolis. In the past Jerry and Mae worked at Stasius for a lengthy amount of time and knew that several ghosts called the big building home. On that very first investigation, we came up with unbelievable evidence; the photo of the female ghost we had all seen over the years at Stasius, and some incredible EVPs.

 

 In the three years we've been a group, we  have done an amzaing number of paranormal investigations; we have amassed much evidence of ghosts in the form of evp’s, photos, and video, and we have experienced many unbelievable events.

In 2012 the SIM Crew branched out into other areas of the supernatural. We organized and traveled to far northern Minnesota where we went on a Bigfoot Expedition near the border of the US and Canada. We held a “Bigfoot Conversation” townhall event in International Falls, and on our expedition we did find some ginormous footprints that we believe came from Sasquatch. The prints lead down to the creek and beyond, but we could not follow them as the weather turned foul and we had to abandon our search. Another expedition is planned for this year, and we all have our fingers crossed that this time? We will come across Bigfoot, face to face ;)

 

What’s ahead? The SIM Crew will be holding several town hall events in locations throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, where we hope people with stories to tell us will and tell us about their experiences with ghosts, bigfoot, UFO’s, and whatever other supernatural subjects that may come up. In October Bigfoot townhall, several people regaled us with quite amazing stories, not just about Bigfoot but about their encounters with UFO’s. Our own Jerry grew up in Bemidji and had his own UFO experience, and that makes us wonder, what is it about northern Minnesota that attracts the supernatural? We HOPE to find out :)

Happy New Year!

The final hours of 2012 are upon us, and so the time has come to look back at this year's most memorable supernatural investigations I have been a part of. There have been many, and exciting as they have been they have also been at times, well, just a little harrowing. Yep, I have been scared this year on a few occasions. This? Isn’t the norm for me mainly because I have been experiencing ghosts all my life. But I believe that as I travel on this paranormal journey with my crewmates, we become even more sensitive to otherworldly beings, and not just those of us who have enjoyed this ability all our lives, but our other crewmates crew who have not; the ghosts in turn flock to us because they realize we are aware of their presence.

We began 2012 with an investigation at Stanley’s Bar, a place well known to us and one that we have deemed haunted. We held an event there in March to reveal our findings. The event was well attended, and the evidence we captured at this location is first class. Our very first investigation was in this building when it was vacant, before it became Stanley’s. The photo below is of the ghost from that very first investigation. Also below is the video of our flashlight being moved by unseen beings.

One of the saddest stories I have ever heard as a ghost hunter, is the story of a little dog who went missing on a hobby farm, just south of the Cities. This little dog froze to death in an empty in ground pool on the property, the owner felt that something paranormal was involved in the dog’s death, as the family had experienced several supernatural events and they were scared. After investigating the property, I believe that it is haunted - though we captured no evidence that night. The pool area seemed especially dark to me, many, many claw marks were clearly visible from the little dog fighting for her life, trying to get out of the pool. I was drawn to it and I do feel that something unseen had a part of the death of the little dog. A little push by a malevolent spirit? Unknown. Our investigation was inconclusive, but I know that that place? Haunted.

In September the Crew went on the road to northern Minnesota for a large investigation of an enormous historical property. This was our third investigation of this place, and we were not disappointed. Once again the evidence captured is first class. There is one place on this property that I am continually drawn to; a place that is, well, a little dark. This year we captured some evp’s there that are bone chilling. A female voice saying “don’t hurt me” as well as other evidence that will be available on our website in the near future.

In October we once again hit the road and traveled the Minnesota/Canada Borderland in search of Bigfoot. Expanding our horizon to include other paranormal phenomena, this? Was very exciting for me. We first heard stories in the spring of 2011 while on investigations in International Falls. We thought by going in early October it would be cool, but clear. Mother Nature had other ideas, and it was down right cold, windy, snowy and at times sleet fell from the sky. Nonetheless, the expedition was a success just the same. We found some foot prints that we believe are not human; Sasquatch? Maybe. We had to end our expedition early due to the inclement weather. We have planned another Sasquatch expedition for the summer of 2013, and my fingers are crossed that this time we will find more evidence, and maybe even catch a glimpse of this elusive creature.

My focus for the coming year I think will be Sasquatch, in addition to ghost hunting of course. Intriguing and exciting, this is what I am interested in investigating. I will be contacting other groups here in Minnesota dedicated to Bigfoot research in the hopes of learning about these amazing bipedal. In addition, at the Bigfoot town hall event we held in International Falls the weekend of our Bigfoot expedition, we heard stories about UFO’s as well. The experiences of the people who chatted with me were, well astounding. These folks are well educated, average people, and after spending time with them and listening to their accounts, I believe they did experience something unexplainable and out of the ordinary, without a doubt.

So 2012 for this paranormal investigator? Exciting and Amazing.

2013? Will be interesting and exciting, I have no doubt.

Bigfoot...in the Northwoods

Two weeks week ago, I along with the rest of the SIM Crew journeyed to the far reaches of northern Minnesota to go on a Bigfoot expedition. In Minnesota? Yes, a year ago last spring we came across compelling evidence suggesting that Sasquatch was alive and well in MINNESOTA. Who'd have thought? In my world Bigfoot hung out in the Pacific Northwest. But we had eyewitness accounts, from a solid source that this creature did indeed inhabit parts of extreme northern Minnesota.


In May of 2011 we were in International Falls, Minnesota for two investigations, a fabulous coffee shop and a private residence there. While chatting with a friend who lives in the area, he told us about his experiences with Bigfoot. In the Nrthwoods. The glimmer of a Bigfoot expedition began to tickle my brain. Excited? Oh ya, and so, me being me, I questioned and questioned our source until he told us everything he possibly could and we all were left with an inkling to search for Bigfoot. I have always followed the stories about Sasquatch, and so this information was very exciting.

The SIM Crew is busy, and we all have day jobs, and so we sort of pushed Bigfoot to the back of our minds, until this past spring. Two of my crewmates, Mae and George often go to International Falls, this is Mae’s hometown; when they were up there over Memorial Day they and our eyewitness, went out into the woods and put up a trail cam, and heard, unknown animal noises. They told us it sounded like the sounds that the Bigfoot hunters on TV say Bigfoot makes. Well, after this? We all knew we had to go in search of Sasquatch, and thus we planned our expedition for the first weekend of October.

We felt we would be early enough to miss snow and cold, but Mother Nature? Laughed. On the drive up to the border the snow fell at a good clip and the winds howled. In the midst of that crazy weather though, we were privileged to spot numerous Bald Eagles on the drive up, BEAUTIFUL, and astounding; I had never seen so many of these majestic, gorgeous birds of prey in Minnesota. It seemed like they were watching over us as they were there, in many spots all the way to the Border.

The weather was bad, but we weren't to be deterred and once there we made trek into the great forest to find Bigfoot. Our guide on our adventure was our eyewitness, who was excited to show us where he had seen Sasquatch on numerous occassions. He took us to the locations where he had seen the creature, and we spent time at each place. The Northwoods are beautiful, and it was easy to spend time out in the wild, even in the inclement weather.

Our first location was in the thick woods. There was a path to begin, but just a few feet into the trees it ended and we had to bungle our way through the thick vegetation. The trek was difficult, not only were branches reaching out to keep us back, the terrain was uneven as well, all making our first foray into the search for Bigfoot quite tricky. We didn’t see or hear anything for our time here so we moved to the second location.

In the second location it was easier to maneuver, and we hiked along, our ears listening intently for any abnormal sound, our eyes searching the trees for movement. We finally came upon the Rainey River, which separates the US from Canada. We stopped there and looked across the water at Ontario. Though a separate country, it sure didn’t look any different than our own. After a time we trekked back to our vehicles and proceeded on to the third and final destination.  

  

I guess you might say we saved the best for last, as it was in this place we found huge footprints, from Sasquatch? We have no idea, and we tried shooting photos, see the one below, but the light was not optimal and what we saw so clearly with out eyes, is difficult to see in the photo.

 The strides were large and followed along side a creek, now dry from our unusually dry summer. The site was beautiful; a clearing made by the creek, which headed south. In place of water, the creek bed was overgrown with beautiful long grasses that swayed back and forth in the wind. We followed the prints as far as we could, but as with our first location, this terrain was uneven and difficult to traverse. We were losing light, and the weather had turned once again, and sleet began to fall. For safety reasons, we decided to complete our expedition and head back the 30 or so miles back to International Falls.

Though I knew we had to go, I didn’t want to leave this place. I stared out into the long grasses of the twisting and meandering creek and wondered if Bigfoot was there. Was he watching us? Or maybe he had passed this way hours before or even days before. I wanted to follow that creek, but it was not in the cards for this trip. Jerry was calling me and so with one last look at that beautiful place I turned back with a sigh, wishing that I could just have another hour or so. I wanted to look Bigfoot in the eyes. I wanted to see one, I knew they were near, I could feel it. We were so close, but yet so far.

We planned a community meeting I titled “the Bigfoot Conversation” in International Falls for the next day at the very same coffee shop we had investigated before. We were live on the radio during this event, and as we had hoped, many locals came to the coffee shop and told us their experiences with Sasquatch. The stories came from folks who were normal, and well educated. These weren’t people who would tell tales, or fanatics. These were honest, hard working people. And their stories? AMAZING. I chatted with a man for quite some time who told me stories of not only Bigfoot, but of UFO’s as well, but that? Is for another blog.

Is Sasquatch real? In my mind he is as real as you and I, and I want to meet him or her. I want to look into their eyes and what? I don’t know, maybe give them a hug? Oh that’s such a Stephie thing to do, but really, I want to see them. Our eyewitness told us he saw what appeared to be a family of them; so we know that they hang out in groups sometimes. I think this journey has whetted the SIM Crew’s appetite; there will definitely be another Bigfoot Expedition in the Borderland wilderness, and hopefully we will experience a SASQUATCH.

  

Jerry and I, searching for Bigfoot.