Route 66 part two
FRIENDS OF FOLKLORE
ch. 3
Route 66 part two
Last time, we talked about the ghosts of America's main street. Everything from haunted hotels to eerie stretches of road, it seems spirits still travel across the states. But much more has happened on route 66.
Stories of ghostly hitchhikers to UFOs to unexplainable phenomenon, route 66 might just be the most unnatural road in the world.
One story comes to mind of a trucker driving from St. Louis to Texas. Well on the road in the middle of the day, the sky which was sunny and cloudless suddenly became dark and cloudy and green lightning errupted around him. In front of his car, A strange white light appeared and would not leave, causing particles of light to fly past him as though he was flying at lightspeed in a Star Wars movie. And then, at the speed of which it began, it vanished. What he thought was 15 minutes of this event turned out to be three hours.
Which brings us to the bizarre phenomenon of the stretching out or slowing down of time. Reports have come in of drivers experiencing Timeslips, seemingly covering large distances within minutes. Whether it be trances, supernatural phenomenon, or even UFOs, hundreds of drivers have brought stories of Timeslips, whether the slowing down of time or the speeding up of time, into the spotlight.
A road that splinters off Route 66 is Route 666, now known as US 491. Remote, desolate, and very dusty, route 666 has earned a reputation of being the Devil's highway. Not named for the number of the beast, route 666 is the designated number of that particular stretch of road, Being the sixth branch of Route 66. With the stark desolation, foreboding and isolating landscapes, fear cannot help but seep into you like a dagger slowly plunged into a heart. High numbers of accidents and road fatalities occurred on that stretch of road, far out stretching what was considered normal Particularly along the New Mexico stretch. It was named one of the 20 most dangerous highways in America. Monotonous scenery and a hypnotizing Affect that comes with it may have had great influence on already tired drivers. Along with the accidents and death, a large number of engine troubles, overheating and flat tires have been Reported. Freak accidents and electrical malfunctions that require a garage immediately have also occurred.
Strange occurrences outside of car troubles have played on this stretch of road. There is a story of A mysterious black sedan that allegedly prowls the highway. Many reports are eerily similar. The driver will be driving along the highway and be attacked by a potent feeling of unimaginable terror upon sunset. As soon as the sun sinks below the horizon, the driver will notice a pair of headlights moving rapidly closer and closer. gaining speed will do no good, changing lanes will do no good, the phantom vehicle no matter how hard the driver tries to run away from it will always be in the rear view mirror. When the black sedan arrives into the vicinity of the car, well... no one has been able to nail down a proper explanation. From story to story what happens next differs greatly. Some say the Sedan will stay parallel to the victim for a time before speeding into the night. sometimes it will honk and rev engine to intimidate. sometimes it will try to make the victims car swerve off the road. Some have even said that it has crashed into them from behind. No damage happens to the sedan but the victims car returns home with some pretty nasty bruises.
Sometimes the black sedan comes from the other direction, playing chicken with the victim. With no signs of slowing or stopping, the victims car is forced off the road. When the driver tries to see who drives the sedan, reports have come in of seeing no one at the wheel, hunched over figures, or the windows all being tinted black. Many witnesses have said that after their experience with the sedan, the mysterious vehicle vanished without a trace. This also brings to mind a demon semi truck. Reports have come in about a truck going down the highway at unnatural speeds, seeming to target other cars and even those who are in the shoulder. Legends of Utah say that the truck is possessed by a spirit with a grudge against the living.
Ghostly hitchhikers along route 66 and Route 666 have also been reported. One example is a young girl dressed all in white who is said to pose as a hitchhiker in the middle of an uninhabited stretch of the highway. Concerned motorists stop and ask the girl if she needs assistance and when they do, she vanishes without a trace.
The most dangerous report, out of all of these reports and sightings, is the hell hound. Packs of demon dogs reportedly own the wilderness around Route 66 and route 666. They have been reported to run at unnatural speeds keeping pace with vehicles. Their claws and fangs are sharp and powerful enough to shred tires and metal. More intense reports come in about these dogs smashing through car windows in an attempt to kill the people inside. Some have even said that they hit these beasts only to see the creature run off completely uninjured.
Route 66 runs through a few sacred Native American sites including two mountains known as the Ute Mountain and a dead volcano named Shiprock. According to native American legends, evil medicine men with the ability to turn into animals haunt that stretch of road and those mountains. Often referred to as Skinwalkers, these spirits have habit of running in front of oncoming cars and even entering the cars themselves. Think how unnerving it would be for a wolf or coyote to somehow appear in your car only to turn into a human form and then vanish. According to other legends, the Skinwalker is attempting to steal the soul of those who die because of their antics.
we've talked about supernatural occurrences and unexplained phenomenon but the most terrifying events are the ones we have no idea about. Abandoned cars are a frequent discovery along route 666. These cars, usually in great condition, have been found abandoned with no sign of the original owners and no sign of what happened. And what's worse is that in some cases no car has ever been found at all, The only evidence of the disappearance being the concern of the friends and loved ones when the victim fails to come home.
In 2003, the other states affected by route 666 joined Arizona, which renamed it US 191 in 1992, in changing the name to US 491. With this name change, caused by public outcry and negative affects on local economy, the road was also heavily repaired and improvement projects to appease Native American tribes in the area Were put into affect. The construction projects, the rechristening of the highway, and even Native American ceremonies, coincided with each other in the attempt to cleanse the highway. The stories and reports have diminished significantly since then.
I hope you enjoyed part two of Route 66, as stated in the previous articles, please email if you have any questions or stories you would like to share. Remember you can email me at friendsoffolklore@gmail.com! remember also to stay safe while driving. more drunk driving accidents, accidents from lack of sleep, and other such accidents have occurred more than an accident caused by a hell hound.
