Storming Area 51

Area 51

No one would have believed that on the 20th September Area 51 was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences far greater than our own... 

If you recognised that passage, I salute you. *Cough* The War of the Worlds  *Cough*

Alien Research Centre

Area 51, one of the US government's best kept secrets until 2013 where they officially announced its existence, is infamous for alien conspiracy theories and futuristic technologies galore. The speculation that "life is out there and we have made contact with it" became famous back in the late 1980's when Bob Lazar, an engineer, reported that he had witnessed, and worked on, what he believed to be U.F.O's whilst working at a base near Area 51.

With all these conspiracies, and the power of social media, a "Storming of Area 51" soon circulated the internet in early 2019, with which vast amounts of people all over the world were on board with. This was due to happen on the 20th September 2019. And it did happen, although people did not "storm" the military base, people certainly turned up and festivities happened in the local areas.

When I was travelling the south west of the United States in August, my road trip girls and I decided we would venture out into the middle of Nevada and search for the formidable military base. We were a mixed bag of excitement and worry. Were we going to find it? Imagine if we saw any aliens? What if we got caught by the government? ... Nevertheless, we persisted. 

Here are some of my favourite alien moments from the road trip:

E.T. Fresh Jerky

E.T. Fresh Jerky Mural

Our first stop along the route was  E.T. Fresh Jerky, a small store that sold "alien" styled food,
among other amenities. If you plan to do the road trip I'd suggest you stop here and visit the mural outside that they have created, it's pretty cool and depicts comical scenes featuring extraterrestrial life.
When we arrived there was a gentleman who was touching up the artwork using spray paint. A good first stop and photo opportunity for any alien-fanatic.

Extraterrestrial Highway

Extraterrestrial Highway

Just opposite the E.T. Fresh Jerky store, the road you take will begin your journey through all things alien and science fiction: the Extraterrestrial Highway. The sign is another must-see stop along the way. Now bombarded with thousands of stickers and graffiti the Extraterrestrial Highway marks the beginning of a grand adventure. Warning: make sure your car has a full tank of petrol as the next nearest town, once you leave here, with a gas station is Tonopah (150 miles away). There is a gas station in Ash Springs, before the E.T. Fresh Jerky store, so it isn't too late to turn back. 

Inside the Alien Research Centre

Alien Research Centre

Just a little way down past the sign you won't miss the Alien Research Centre. Seriously, you won't miss it, it has a giant alien statue connected to it's exterior (see above)! This is the holy grail place to grab all your alien souvenirs. Take your time here the owners are super lovely to chat to and are keen to know how far you have travelled to get there. Have a wander around the shop and you'll find more than Area 51 related merchandise; I'm talking Star Wars, The X-Files and more! They even have an old Extraterrestrial Highway sign on the wall that visitors have signed around it! 

The Black Mailbox

Area 51 Mailbox

Now I won't explain how to get to Area 51 itself, I'll leave that for you to research. But it's pretty nerve-wracking driving to the famous signs, and also very exciting to finally arrive at them. I'll warn you you will be watched the entire drive up. However, hooray if you made it to the Area 51! Next stop is the Black Mailbox. Situated just at the side of the road, you could miss it if you're not looking. There is plenty of room to pull over and park and take in the surrounding areas, the long drive ahead, and of course the Mailbox. Again covered in stickers from all over the world and more than likely graffiti'd with names, take a look inside and see what others have left; sometimes there are letters, foreign currency, food and more. Leave a little something too if you dare. 

Little A'Le'Inn, Rachel

After leaving the Black Mailbox you'll make the long drive to Rachel, one straight-ish road that leads through the desert and mountains beyond. Take in the scenery, it's very picturesque. Soon you'll arrive at the Rachel, Nevada sign (pay attention to what it says). A lot of people who believe in aliens and abductions live around here. And although we didn't get time to stop and look around The A'Le'Inn is also situated here. You'll notice the U.F.O hanging from the back of a tow truck just outside. 

The A'Le'Inn

Rachel, Nevada.
Population: Human Yes. Alien 

The road trip was so much fun and would recommend any alien enthusiasts to take the same trip. My only advice would be to make sure you have enough daylight to get from Ash Springs to Tonopah. There are a lot of farmlands in the area and free-roaming animals - mostly cows, cattle, and deer so be aware of the time of day that you choose to drive. Once you reach Tonopah that concludes the end of the mysterious road trip and trust me you'll want to do it all again.

Enjoy x