Return to Groom and other tales

[FredT]

This August I (and we one one day) I had some time to kill before we spotted so I circumnavigated the NTS, Nellis Range and the like. It had been over 20 years since I had spent any meaningful time poking around this legendary base. Sadly the Black Mailbox is no more and I rated one, ONLY One cammo dude when I went down the Groom Lake Road. Nice to see they have upgraded from the Jeep Cherokee to Ford Raptors. Also I had picked up several trucks leaving the Tonopah Test Range, and they stayed with me past Rachel and when I turned off to see the Cammo Dudes they kept going.

[theshadowknows]

That's so badass! I'd love to see more photos of the current goings on when you have time.

[quintessentone]

Is that the next gen tic tac on the truck flatbed?

[EXETER]

Is that the next gen tic tac on the truck flatbed?

It’s not a flatbed.  That’s a gravel hauling truck.

[Zaphod58]

It’s not a flatbed.  That’s a gravel hauling truck.

The Tonopah Test Range has a ton of construction going on. Just the few daylight hours we were in the area saw probably 18-20 of these trucks, all in groups ranging from 2 to 6, heading in and out.

[ProfessorMeThis]

You brought back some memories for me, for sure.

I'd read about Area 51 and was quite fascinated about the place.  I hoped to visit someday.

1996 found us driving on the Extraterrestrial Highway.  Of course, my first thought was that, if the State of Nevada was going to name a highway like this it most certainly could not lead to anything "secret".

Then I came to Rachel and, of course, the Little A'Le'Inn.  Bought a few trinkets and some reading material and then thought, again, this is not what I expected about a secret government location.

Found the black mailbox.  Yes, it was really there and it was black.  I know, after awhile, the rancher who it  belonged to, painted it white and reinforced it, including a padlock.  Now, that too is gone??  Anyway, started down the road.  When we started noticing the detection devices in the sage brush our thoughts turned a little more serious about where we were. 

Then we saw the border.  The signs at that time still contained the 'DEADLY FORCE HAS BEEN AUTHOURIZED' warnings.  Up on the hill to the right was the white Jeep Cherokee.  It looked like there were two passengers but they didn't move.  I had one more thought that this was all a little over the top.  It could be a Jeep Cherokee parked there, empty, or with dummies.  Then the passenger door opened and a man with binoculars looking right at me appeared.  I knew then it was real.

The signs also said 'NO PHOTOGRAPHY'.  I hid my camera down the side of our vehicle and snapped a few photos of the signs.  I was a little scared that they were going to confiscate my camera, but they didn't.  We turned around and headed back.

I understand now the signs have been replaced with less threatening words.  I even heard that, due to the "Storm Area 51" event, a gate has been built across the road although not always closed.

I'd like to visit again but not sure I'll be able to.  I decided then, and still believe, that all the UFO/Alien marketing in the area is something the Air Force/CIA/Government folks are really okay with.  It takes the emphasis away from what they are really hiding there.

Going back to 1974, a friend of mine graduated college and landed a job with EGG in Las Vegas.  I helped him move and then visited 6 months later.  I asked him how his job was going and what kind of work he was doing.  He told me he couldn't tell me and even if he could, I wouldn't believe him.  He did mention that he flew to work each day from Vegas.  I believe he was working on stealth aircraft radar, trying to build a radar system that could see the latest stealth aircraft.  He has never told me.

[lookstwice]

Thanks for this thread.  It's a trip I want to take one of these days.  I need to stop putting it off.  A friend of mine has actually been inside.  He had a career in the air force and then a second career in the FAA.  He's well traveled to say the least, even two trips to Antarctica.  He hasn't shared any secrets with me though and I guess I can't blame him.

[ProfessorMeThis]

After reading/posting I got curious about the Black Mailbox.  

Updates according to DreamlandResort:
The newly installed white reinforced mailbox disappeared in August 2014
A new green mailbox was installed by the residents of Rachel in November 2024
Last month it too disappeared

The disappearance of the white mailbox is due to the rancher
The disappearance of the green mailbox (and a few others that were installed by 'visitors') is without explanation (tongue-in-cheek)

I'm quite sure it was just stolen by tourists but who knows.........

[ProfessorMeThis]

This was just posted at the Dreamland Resort site