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The
truth is out there,
and its at Rachel, Nevada?
Little AleInn complete with flying saucer and Hollywood
ID4 Time Capsule
Road
trip to Nevadas Area 51
By
Jack W. Peters
Rachel, Nevada,
September 2001 About 150 miles north of Las Vegas is UFO Central for
thousands of curious info seekers. Why Rachel? It is the nearest outpost
of civilization to the countrys most mysterious and top secret Nellis
Air Force Base, and the infamous Area 51 and S-4.
The Little
AleInn is a tourist trap that doubles as an information center, restaurant,
bar, casino, library, motel, and of course, gift shop. This place is
a perfect mix of cheesy and cool. There is a sign on the roof that directs
flying saucers to park themselves, and a sign on the door that welcomes
earthlings. The guest book is testimony that visitor come from all over
the world for a Alien Burger, and a chance to come away with learning
a little more about one of the most intriguing parts of the country.
The real lucky may get a chance to see strange lights in the sky. Could
it be the latest in secret military technology, or a test flight of a
recovered saucer?
Sharon who
is a waitress there has lived in the area for 18 years. If you want
to see a UFO bad enough, youll see one. She explains that anything
that cannot be identified is a UFO, most being some type of secret military
aircraft. I know some Ive seen are ETs because of the flight pattern.
I dont think anything we have can move that fast. She remembers the
last known UFO was seen on Memorial Day weekend.
 
The
only aliens we saw were at lunch. The bartender got into the act while
a family from some place I cant pronounce was nice enough to pose for
a picture
Why is the
place so cool? Well you get there by traveling on the Extraterrestrial
Highway 375. And what other part of the country can you see roadside
cattle signs with pictures of flying saucers? The Nevada Commission on
Tourism plays up the mystery of the area as much as anyone. But lets
face it, this is the testing area for top secret stealth fighters. It
is also the place of Hanger 18, allegedly the place where crashed aliens
and their spacecraft are kept. Anything like crashed aliens and flying
saucers there now? If they told us, they would have to kill us, right?
Dirt
road to the last checkpoint of Nellis Air Force Base and the highly
secured
Area 51, that hides behind these Joshua tree covered hills.
After lunch,
it was time to have a look for ourselves. The only place the base can
actually be viewed is from Tilaboo Peak, 26 miles away. From that distance,
the distance hangers look like any other air base, and the privilege of
this viewpoint requires a hour drive on a dirt road, and over an hour
hike up to the peak. We decided to check out the last checkpoint to the
base down Groom Lake Road. The turn off is on the ET Highway 375, 19.8
miles southeast of Rachel. Off to the right is the bases famous black
mailbox, which is now painted white. The dusty dirt road proceeds about
four miles south until you reach a corral on the left, and a water tank
on the right. The road splits three ways. Take the center road less
than a mile until it intercepts into Groom Lake Road. Another eight miles
south is the warning signs at the boundary line. This last public access
point is the beginning of the highly secured 13 mile security buffer to
the Groom Lake base.
The Joshua treed desert landscape was beautiful,
our Rover liked it too.
The scenery
is beautiful, with the rugged desert landscape and Joshua trees everywhere.
But in the tranquil desert wilderness, you get the feeling youre being
watched
that is because you are. Tripod mounted cameras and sensors can
be seen along the road that notifys the military security (known as Cammo
Dudes), that someone is there. They drive white Jeep Cherokees and champagne
colored Ford pickups. The boundary line is clearly marked on the roadway
with warning signs that state official government language like, Deadly
Force Authorized.
 
Upon our
arrival, we spotted military personnel in a Ford truck less than 30 yards
away. After seeing the warning signs, including the one about no photography,
I didnt bother to ask if I could take their picture. For those foolish
enough to cross the boundary, or irritate security, they will go home
a little lighter after being relieved of cash and optical gear. The first
offense for trespassing is a $600 fine and an escort to the county line.
Im not sure if you get a second chance? When we were there, the military
was on the highest Delta level of alert. Testing security, or taunting
the guards would be a bad idea, considering 5.56mm holes would ruin the
rest of your vacation.
The area
is maybe more hype than actually much to see. It is still very intriguing,
being one of our countrys most secretive places. Theres simply something
fun about the place as being just a little surreal in an X-Files
kind of way. I have to admit, it was one of the most interesting places
I had ever visited.
Independence Day
The Little
AleInn is full of interesting sights, one happens to be this time capsule
placed there by Twentieth Century Fox as a tribute to the movie Independence
Day. Below is the actual inscription.
In
the eighteenth day of April, A.D. 1996
Twentieth
Century Fox hereby dedicates this time capsule and beacon for
visitors from distant
stars to the State of Nevada and the Extraterrestrial Highway.
This
time capsule will serve as a beacon to be opened in the year A.D. 2050,
by which time interplanetary
travelers shall be regular guests of our planet earth.
Governor
Bob Miller of the State of Nevada
Twentieth
Century Fox Film Corporation
The
filmmakers and cast of INDEPENDENCE DAY
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