A Mother’s Terrifying Encounter Near Bagby Hot Springs, Oregon

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So if you want to be smart with your wallet, your career choices, and meetings with your colleagues and at dinner parties, listen to Big Technology Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. This is Mike Buolo of Lexicon Valley. And I'm Bob Garfield. Are you one of those people who sometimes uses words? Do you communicate or acquire information with, you know, language? Hey, us too! So join us on Lexicon Valley to tru over the history, culture, and many mysteries of English. Plus some wisecracks. Find us on one of those apps where people listen to podcasts. You're listening to Big Foot Society, and I'm Jeremiah Byron. In this show, we go beyond the campfire stories to bring you firsthand encounters from people who say they've seen something impossible, from backwoods, trails, and remote mountain haulers to quiet farms and crowded highways. Stories come from everywhere, and each one leaves us with more questions than answers. These are the voices of the people who've lived it to settle in, because today you'll hear another account that just might change the way you see the woods forever. So stay with us. All right, Big Foot Society. I've got the privilege of talking to Vanessa today. Vanessa is an individual I got connected to, I believe, over on the TikTok platform. She's from out there in Lincoln City, Oregon. But today we're going to be talking about an experience that Vanessa had in a place in Oregon that sounds like she will never be going back to again. If I've gotten the story good so far. But Vanessa, welcome to the show. How are you doing today? I'm well. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Absolutely. This area of Mount Hood National Forest, there's a lot of ground in this area. And of course, it's one of the areas we hear the most about on the show, to be honest, just because there's so much activity in this area. So now I'm excited to hear what your account was. And I know that you haven't really been able to share this account with a lot of people, correct? Yes, that's correct. That's great. So, Vanessa, I'm going to make sure that you have the time to share what you've come to the show to share today. So feel free to take us back to that time. What was going on? Why were you in that area to begin with and things like that? So I took my son and his friends camping and at that time he was nine years old. And so they were both nine and I decided to take him camping and the plan was to go to Bagby because we heard about the hot springs just reopening. We had originally, we moved here from Colorado and we moved to Vancouver, Washington at that time and I just thought how cool would it be to go to the hot springs? We went out there and we got lost and this would have been in May of last year, so May of 2025 when I took them out there. I've never been around Mount Hood National Forest. That was the furthest I've ever been in Oregon at that time. And that's, I guess that's how it started, but we got lost. There was, the GPS lost the signal location and we were trying to follow signs and we ended up camping. We just parked at a spot because there was a river below us and I just thought, okay, I'm going to stop and we're going to park here and we'll just camp here. And so I know I was near Bagby, Oregon, but the actual location, I don't know because we were lost. Something I will point out real quick to listeners. Bagby Hot Springs has come up on the show before. It is a super active area. This is down by the Bigfoot Highway, which goes from Estacada to Detroit. I know we've heard about this area on episode 718 with Jeff Rohn, an individual who has been there a few times. There's feelings of being watched and found 15 inch tracks after hearing pretty much a voice inside that urged him to visit that area. So a lot of really weird stuff that happens in the Bagby Hot Springs. There's other reports out there as well, but Vanessa, what happened to you guys when you were in this area then? So when we got there, I mean, things were as normal as they can be for having two, you know, nine-year-old kids. It was just a normal camping experience until the nightfall hit. At dusk, I don't know if they're called nightingales or nightbirds, but we kept hearing these birds come down. So for me, this is significant because I birdwatch. And the boys started freaking out because they thought it sounded like a bear. I'm like, it's not a bear because these were birds. So by nightfall, you know, we're in our campgrounds and we're in bed on the air mattress. And then about, I mean, I think it was probably 1.30 or 1 o'clock in the morning because I do remember looking at my phone and my son, he had to go to the bathroom, but he didn't want to walk out of the camp alone. So I walked out with him and I started getting the fire going while he did his business. And then, I mean, once the fire started going, we both looked up and there was no sound. At that time, I had explained it, at that time there was no sound that we looked up and we could see something walking and my son started freaking out saying, that's a bear. I'm like, that's not a bear. And then we heard these, it sounded like a woodpecker. That's the only way I know how to describe it because I know it wasn't a woodpecker at that time of night, but there was like these echoes and they were, it just echoed through the trees and you could hear these knocks on the wood. And it sounded to me, my first thought was woodpecker. But, you know, the same part of myself says, no, there's not woodpeckers. They don't come out at night. And we're watching this figure like he's walking across the camp. And that's because the fire starts going and it's not a bear because it's, I don't know, I had a bit at least seven feet tall and we just grabbed each other's arms. I mean, literally just grabbed each other's arms and we went back into tents. His friend was still sleeping and we just huddled up in the tent. And that next morning we left and I still cannot make sense of it. And that's when I actually discovered what Bigfoot was or the Abominable Snowman because we were researching it because we know what we saw. But there's no way to describe it, especially the knocks to the wood because I've never heard of anything like that. Wow, that is extremely intense. I have a few thoughts right off the bat. I'm trying to control my emotions with it because it's like it happened yesterday and I will never go back there. To point out though this is that it's not that we were scared. Like I didn't feel threatened or something was trying to hurt us. I'm scared because I don't know what it was. I can't identify it. And that's scary. Oh yeah, absolutely. It would be interesting if you were to find a copy of the Oregon Bigfoot Highway book and using the maps in there you might be able to figure out kind of the area. I mean because you're by Bagby but there's so many other weird things down there by Bagby. I mean there's Skookum Lake which is where a gentleman named Henry Franzoni had a lot of Bigfoot activity. So that's north of there and then even north of there is Fish Creek where I believe that Hunter was found after he went missing. So that whole area and that just happened recently this last year. But a few questions about the encounters. So the tree knocks that you heard. Do you remember if or the woodpecker type sounds that you heard with the echoing right? Was there a pattern to them at all? Yes. Yes. I mean that's what my first instinct was to say that's a woodpecker because it sounded like three pecks. So three knocks I guess. It just tap tap tap. But I can't explain it because it feels like it echoed through all the trees. And that's what I mean it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. And that's when my son came back to me and we're looking and then we see a figure. So at this point I researched a lot more sense then and I don't know what's true or what's not. And that's where your channel on TikTok really caught my attention because it's like somebody's able to explain maybe what I just went through. Because again to me it feels like it was yesterday. So the patterns of it it sounded like a woodpecker knocking or somebody knocking on the wood and it was fast. It was three knocks. And then it echoed and just echoed throughout the whole forest. Did it sound like there was more let's let's so let's assume maybe that it was it was what you saw that could have been making the sounds of the knocks right. Was did it sound like there was more if we're saying three knocks would be a group of knocks. Did it sound like it was just coming from one area or were they coming from multiple areas around the camp. Well so that's what it's still to this day confusing for me because initially you could hear it like I'm putting myself in that position. I could hear it from my right ear did the knocks but the way that it echoed around the forest I couldn't tell if it was coming from another direction. You know there's nothing in sight. I mean all we have with stars and our little camp there was nothing in sight. So it's almost like the forest was playing tricks on my head. I know that sounds crazy but but to me initially when it happened I would say it was coming from my right hand side. I mean I could hear it through my right ear. You know the three taps and I'm sitting here at my kitchen table so I'm going to do it but it was so fast. And like it's out of woodpecker but then it just echoed throughout the forest so I didn't know if it was something else was knocking back or if it was an echo. And that that that disillusion is extremely terrifying when you don't know what's going on. Right and also keeping in mind that you said this is between 1 to 1.30 a.m. in the morning correct. Yes sir. Also you're in an area where from what I've gotten so far you GPS doesn't work and you don't have cellular service right. No. Yep there's none. Gotcha and you're an adult that is in charge of you say a few nine year olds. Yeah I have my son he was nine and he brought his friends and he was he's he at that time he was also nine. They're 10 years old now. Wow that's that's a lot. And I mean what I'd be thinking is okay I don't know really where we are and how are we going to get out of here. And then all of a sudden you start to see something walking around the camp. Now how far away from you guys was it when it was walking across the camp. Less than 100 feet because we're in that camp so and I could tell you how I got there because you brought up esticada. And that that that rings a bell because that's the way we went we were coming from Vancouver Washington and we went. I didn't even know the names of the roads but we drove through esticada because that's where the maps was telling me to go. And then we went through esticada and I hit Mount Hood National Force and then bag these springs. There's a sign there like sweet so I took a right. I took a right on that street and then that's when the GPS signal was lost. And I didn't have it downloaded on my map so we just kept trying to follow the signs and I must have missed a turn somewhere. And I mean I had to because we didn't make it to Bagby and the boys were tired like we're just going to stop the camp. So I know I know I could have been less than 25 miles away from Bagby. Based on what my map was saying I'm trying to figure that out that I'm a female so I'm not good at math. So I just want to put in a little side thing for a minute to really urge people. This is what I do if I go anywhere is I have the in Google Maps or whatever you use you can download the maps area to your phone. In case you lose GPS you can still know where you are. I do it all the time. I didn't get that. I would from here on out you'll probably be doing it when you go out because a lot of these areas I mean you're so far out like you guys are really lucky that you were able to even get back to where where you had gone out of you know. And I absolutely agree and that's actually a whole other story because that next morning and it wasn't right when the sun came up so six or seven o'clock in the morning. We left. I mean I packed everything I had everything in the car because I was I wasn't scared that something was going to hurt us because I figured whatever we saw if it was going to hurt us it would have happened. I didn't know and I yeah I had two children with me and we packed up and we left and so the funny part to the after story is getting lost on the way home. Before we get out of the campsite area maybe ask you a little bit more so 100 feet is about the length of a basketball court does that sound accurate. Yes. Okay. Yes. So were you able to see any details that you remember about what you were looking at. It looked like a bear standing and running on its legs on a time like it wasn't running on all fours it was it that's what that was my first thought that that's a bear. But then you know your rational you have to battle the rational side of that because I know bears don't run on their hind hind legs like that. And it was at least I mean I don't I have an X I think six at five so that's how I'm going to judge this. Okay. But this was taller than him and he's running and it's running and my son saw it and the other child he was sleepy but my son saw it and we just held hands and we ran right back into our tent and we're just both think like what the frick was that what is going on. And he fell back asleep but I mean I didn't coming I there's no way I did but I didn't if that makes sense. Yeah I was gonna. That's what I saw. Yeah. So. I couldn't. Okay. Fall back to sleep. Because sometimes it kind of goes either way sometimes witnesses if they go back in their tent just they go to sleep immediately but then the other time the other times you're just so amped up and it sound like so were you up for hours then trying to go to sleep or how did that work. Yeah I was trying I was making sure that my son got back to sleep I was rubbing his back and I'm like it was fine I'm sure it was just a bear. And then we're both trying we're bouncing thoughts off each other like well what was that. I got him back to sleep he didn't sleep well but I tried I mean I tried to go back to sleep but no I didn't I was just thinking how quick I could pack up the campground and what time I could do it at that was my plan is how am I going to get us out of here because I don't know where I'm at. I just knew that if we were in the car we'd be okay. Yeah exactly. So now now I for me for me I was one of those people that was able to just fall asleep because that yeah that didn't happen I was just trying to plan out escape we didn't even eat breakfast that morning I packed this up and we left and I'll never go back. Nothing helped me that we're not supposed to be there. Yeah. So based on what you had seen was it a certain color that you could tell or was it covered in here or could you see skin any details like that. I could to me now that's a tricky part because I don't know if my mind's playing tricks on me so it was definitely hairy because my first instinct when I saw it was that's a bear and then the rational thought comes in now it's not a bear because bears don't run on their high legs that far. I mean in a hundred feet to me it's not that far it's so there was a main street like I don't remember the name of the road. But I pulled over on this main street and he was on the other side. You know so I would think right now like you said like a basketball court it had been about a hundred yards for me and a hundred feet for me. But to me it looked it looked like a tan color brown and this is based off because it was pitch dark and it got the fire going. So the fire you know you have the illumination from the fire in the shadows and that but then there was the moonlight and it was a perfectly clear light. We saw all the stars. So to me that's why I'm guessing the color and I had hair because I thought it was a bear. Exactly. So you were in an actual campground then. No I mean no it was I call it because it was our campground like we made our own campground we just pulled over on the side of the road so that wasn't a designated campground. But we built our rocks and you know around you know made our fire it was our campground so that's I'm calling it a campground. But no there was yeah it was just off the side of a road for I happen to get lost on and I wish I could take sure the name of the road I can't but I do know I came from and there's all these signs for Bagby and I we just missed it somehow and just stopped. So you're just on the side of a forest road it sounds like. Yes. Oh wow. In the middle of the forest. It was beautiful. When when you had turned onto that road for Bagby do you remember if there was like a fork in the road and you had to take a certain a certain direction on that fork. It's actually funny you say that because yes so the person who told me about that the explain this to me what you're going to probably lose GPS signal download your map and I didn't do that I should have. That he's like there's a fork in the road and he told me to take the right to the fork in the road and I believe that's what I took. But that's where I got lost. We were ran and that's where the story goes later that next day we ran into a park ranger. And the park ranger is the one who's coming. Oh you missed your turn. But either way I was like we're going home. Like we're leaving. Got it got it. So I got us back to ask the Kada. Yeah. Okay I'm thinking that because I'm trying to follow along on the map at the same time it looks like you there's a there's a fork in the road where then you take that right and you go down to Bagby. You keep taking the 46 road and it actually goes through a few campgrounds on the way but I'm guessing that's probably where you were headed down because if you go to the left and that takes you around down to Detroit eventually. So that's my guess. Okay yeah I mean I know I took a right at the fork in the road and then I think if I remember to get to Bagby once you take that right at the fork you have to make a left somewhere to get to Bagby. That we we just kept going and when you said the 46 that is that's the road that we were on. Okay. Now that you said that I mean that's where we were at because I remember the signs when we were leaving. Gotcha. So when you were watching the we're saying it was a big foot running across your campsite how far did you see it run for? It was probably less than 10 seconds. And so I know how this sounds that's why I don't tell the story. And to add on to that distance wise what would you estimate that it was able to run in 10 seconds? It was faster than a cheetah I mean it was that quick. I mean that's and that's I still to this day it's been a year and I still battle what I actually saw you know because the mind plays tricks on you. But all I can go back is to that gut instinct and that it moves faster than a cheetah. I mean it was gone. It was there and then it was gone and we both saw it. I just I just wish I just I don't ever tell the story because it just sounds insane but it's it's real. So I totally get that and I am I understand you know you tell the story and it makes you feel a little weird. But the crazy thing is is that when you do something like I do where I've talked to people for like four or five years it's like you hear stuff like this every single day all across the world which is wild. Why don't you feel so crazy anymore? It's wild yeah. Something is definitely out there and it is just outside the grip of us understanding what is going on. So here's another question for you when you're in this this makeshift campsite. And so you probably left really quick but I'm wondering did you notice anything out of the ordinary or or scuffle marks or what looked like footprints or you're just like I'm out of here as quick as I can. So and then I'm going to be completely honest and this is going to sound crazy. First off no I didn't look we didn't look for any of that. The other child who was with us I mean he didn't know about it but Michael my son Michael and he and I were like we're gone we're leaving. And so I'm packing up in the morning but what was and I know this I know how this sounds. But the cooler was open and I camped I mean I'm from Colorado I've camped I mean I know the etiquette of camping you keep your cooler closed you keep your coolers. You keep food away you clean up there's no trace right that you've ever been there. But the cooler was open and we have apples in the cooler and the apples gone and I know how this sounds. And this is where I feel like I'm actually going crazy because the apples were there because the boys didn't want to eat them. Hi this is Alex Kanchrewitz I'm the host of Big Technology podcast a long time reporter and an on air contributor to CNBC. And if you're like me you're trying to figure out how artificial intelligence is changing the business world and our lives. So each week on Big Technology I bring on key actors from companies building AI tech and outsiders trying to influence it. Asking where this is all going they come from places like Nvidia Microsoft Amazon and plenty more. So if you want to be smart with your wallet your career choices and meetings with your colleagues and at dinner parties. Listen to Big Technology podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Every day the world gets a little weirder and a lot more awesome. 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But the apples were gone and I'm not crazy. I wasn't drinking. I mean everything was it was a normal night camping with two young kids. But the apples were gone and there's nobody that will ever condense me that I'm wrong on that. I feel crazy even saying this to you. I think that's one of the most important details that you could have given because as you found in your research like so many research that's so important. So if you have researchers out there or habituators people that have Bigfoot on their property they're putting apples out and that's like the common food that they are able to. And that's what I read. Yeah exactly. And what else was in the cooler? I have a steak in the cooler and I had eggs and then we have spring cheese and then ice of course. And everything else is in place but we have three apples. Yeah so to be fair to this conversation so we have three apples because that's what's going to make the boys for breakfast. You know they've never had my apple peanut butter you know campfire thing. But there was still one apple in there but there was two gone. And that's I just I'm about ready to cry right now because I know how insane that sounds. It sounds like you're trying to pitch a story and I'm not like this happened. No that I mean. So okay a few things. So I want to say a few things based on just that which are really important. If it was a bear there's no way that bear would have not left the steak and just taken apples and left one of the apples right. And then the other thing is that I mean you hear of that happening and other other things where it's like they're leaving one for you guys. You know there's kind of like a sharing type thing there. I've heard that before. So this is an incredible account. That's interesting. That's intriguing. And it was real and I just I'm nervous right now and I talk fast and I apologize to you and your listeners but thank you so much for hearing my story because this was real like it was it was freaking insane. Absolutely. I know what I saw and I know what was missing and I just couldn't wait to get out of there. However I have to say this again and again I never felt threatened. I never felt like we were in danger and like something was going to hurt us. I was scared because I didn't know what I saw. I couldn't make sense of what I saw. 100% I can't imagine. I've never gone through anything specifically like that where there's a visual something that's got to be incredible. Was there any video or audio recorded at all during this time when you're in the campsite? No. Gotcha. No. Yeah. No. I kicked myself from that and everybody they asked me oh prove it. Well why didn't you record it? But it happened everything happened so quick that it 1.30 in the morning when your child's going to the bathroom in the middle of nowhere and I'm trying to restart the fire. That's the last thing in my mind is where's my phone? I got it recorded. I wasn't even thinking about that and honestly I'm glad I didn't record it because I don't know how to explain it but my memories is because it was real to me it was real to my son and we don't need a recording. I mean we'll always have this embedded in our heads. Yeah 100% you never have to feel like you have to prove this to anyone. You're going to unfortunately you're going to run into that. You didn't ask to be there in that situation. That's why I stopped telling the story. You know you didn't ask to be there and deal with this. I mean you are a person who survived this with your family and now you have to it's in your mind probably daily going over it. Yeah. Especially moving to Lincoln City. Yeah. And I tell my mother this. My mother's like well because there's gear on the beach here and that blows my mind and my mother she will because again I'm from Colorado so the Obama snowman I mean whatever I mean I've done all this research but that's what's from Colorado and I've seen one of your tip talk clips that was talking about fairies and all that living in the forest and that's how I describe Oregon to my mom. But it's real. I'm like Oregon is that's where the fairies live. That's where Bigfoot lives. That's where the gnomes live. You know but Colorado that's mountain woods. You know it's to meet there's mountains and then there's forests and Oregon and Washington that's forest. And there's things out there that I can't explain and I don't even know why I'm doing this with you right now because I feel like I'm talking crazy. But it was real. Like it was real. It happened. Lincoln City is such an intense area. I have a map on my website which is Bigfootsocietypodcast.com and it shows the people I've talked to out there and there are just the wildest things that have been reported in places like Rose Lodge and Otis and Lincoln City itself. I mean it's some crazy country out there. But my neighbors swear all of the neighbors. I just moved here in November and I'll never leave. I mean I love it here but my neighbor swear Bigfoot's real. Yeah he's real. He just he likes the apples. That's what they're telling me. Like okay. Oh yeah you gotta pass on. I don't share my story so I'm just. It's just nuts. That night in that morning are there any other details that are in your mind where you're like it would feel really crazy for me to share that experience or is the apple the apple pretty much the wildest detail do you think? Yeah the apples are by far the wildest detail. And I got I'm trying not to cry right now because I know how I sound because that's just insane like who goes through a cooler like and there's so many plausible explanations to that I probably left it open right. I mean and that's what goes through my head. I mean daily it goes through my head. I probably left the cooler open but there's the steak there the eggs are there and if it's a bear the bear is going to go for the steak. You know I mean that's what they're going to get and it's not like I'm trying not to cry because I just sound crazy because in my sense whatever if they think it's real it's not like they're just going to run through a camp and still two apples. But there's two apples gone and there's there's thousands of explanations for that. There's two kids I have right. I'm in charge of two kids and they could have messed with it and they were playing with fire and you know being boys. So there's thousands of different things that that can make this possible but I'm not crazy right. I'm not crazy and I'm going through my head. Not at all. Yeah so but there's two apples gone and there's one left. So it's interesting to me that you're telling me well Bigfoot will leave an offering. I mean I don't know how you just said it but you said it. So maybe you lost this one. I mean I don't know. I know with that that I didn't hear anything to the campgrounds. I know that my son and I were there and he had to go to the bathroom and I think it was about one or one three in the morning because I did look at my phone. The phone was in the tent and I went out there and like I'm going to get the fire back going right because it was cold and he goes to the bathroom and then both of us. I mean we hear these knocks and what is that my son what is that like it's got to be a woodpecker but it's echoing through the forest. And so at that point I'm trying to decide if it's an echo or if it's knocking through the forest like at this point in my life I have no idea any knowledge with Bigfoot like there's no. I mean I've heard of him. I've seen Harry and Henderson and Harry and Henderson was a great movie but I don't understand what all of this means. Oh exactly and I think that's part of why I mean I'm talking for myself why I am so drawn to it. One of the reasons is because we don't we don't understand it and there's no easy way to get all the info and we have to put it together ourselves. So the next day. You're wanting to get out of there but then it sounds like you have quite a time to even get back to civilization. Hello. Vanessa are you there. Okay. I lost you. I'm sorry. Hey that's alright. I know the cellular service is crazy out there and we're about to have a crazy lunar eclipse so. But I know the blood moon and I'm excited. It is wild. So I'm going to what I was asking you was so the next day you're like let's get out of here you pack up but it sounds like you have quite the time trying to even get back to civilization. Correct. Yes correct. Because we didn't know where we were so are you asking me to pick up from there. Yeah absolutely. Okay so we left and then we're packing up in the morning and the friends like what's going on like we're leaving. And then in the Michael my son he's he's telling a friend all about what we saw and then they're going you know they're being boys. And talk about it I didn't even pack up the tent right like I literally just pulled gravel and the Tansen throwing it in the car and like figured out you guys have to sit with yourself. I had a car I don't have a truck so I have a little Saturn. And that's how quick I packed up like we're going home. But then we saw these and we're leaving. You said the 46 so I know I went out and I took a left on the street and that's the 46 so we're going left on the 46. And I'm just driving I'm trying to just find something where I can grasp you know get cell phone services grasp for me at. And then we saw sign for bagby I'm like we're going to go to that sorry. We're going to go to the back be like we're going like and like we're going to see these waterfalls and then that was like the determination and I was crazy mama mode at that point because like this is what. We're doing but then we still got lost because they had a bunch of roads closed and we ran into actually he's sitting right here at say this Michael do you remember the Australian couple. He's nodding yes so they're and they were so nice there's this Australian couple who were they pulled us over like hey do you know we're back the organism I know but we're trying to find it too. So we start it was really funny because we're following these people and then we ran into some park rangers and they kept telling us the roads are closed you can't go there. You have to go all back to us to Kate and they were giving us directions and then when he said it came like that's the town that's the town that we drove through. And so he gave us other directions to go back to bagby but we hit us to Kate and we left I mean I brought us back home at that time again I was in Vancouver Washington. I'm sorry I didn't mean to cut you're good as I said before I had everything and I would I would kind of be the same way I'd be like hey I got. Yeah it was. Figure it out. But that once and we were following this Australian couple you know because they were so excited to see back be and we're like we're just going to follow them because they were determined to go. And we just kind of followed them on the way out. And we stopped at the gas station that's the Kate and then I drove home to Vancouver because by that time I had self service and yeah I have my maps and I will never I tell you I'll never go camping again without downloading my maps. I wish I haven't downloaded because when I can get you an exact location but. It was real. I'm just there's no one to take that experience for me. Yeah that that area that you're in is so intense and I mean I've interviewed the guy who has spent Joe Beeler who spent years and years researching Bigfoot on the area and he's like man if you're going to go in this area you need to have a full tank of gas every time you got to have extra tire with you the maps like you got to be prepared for the worst when you go into these areas in Oregon or Washington in case something happens and. I mean thankfully you guys got out of there. I know that. Yeah exactly. Yeah and you know what like here's my take on all of it. I mean I don't know if this is a closing or not but my take and this is because it's been a year. My take on all of this is that if Bigfoot's real or not nobody can ever convince me I didn't see what I saw and nobody can ever convince my son that he didn't see what he saw. However. I don't think that Bigfoot's out to hurt anybody. If he's full a couple of apples fine. I just I if he was out to hurt somebody we wouldn't have been here to tell the story and I just trying not to cry I'm sorry. But because it was real like it was real and nobody will ever convince me otherwise and I sound crazy. So I feel ridiculous right now talking to you about it and you're going to share this with other people who listen and I just feel insane but I'm not. You are not. I'd say I can tell you 100% you are not crazy. You are just a person that needs to be heard. And this is the right area where people can be heard and where people can share and not have to worry about being made fun of and thank you so much Vanessa for. Coming to this show and trusting us enough with your story to share what you guys experienced and I hope that you are able to continue to find more answers as you go along. Yeah. Yeah, I hope I am too. And if not then I'm honestly I mean this I'm okay with that. I will never go back to Mount Hood National Forest. And it's not because I'm scared of something is going to hurt me. It's because I'm scared of what I don't understand. And I just I truly believe that there's a part of this world. I mean no different than the deep ocean right there's things that we are just not supposed to know. And maybe that's what big foot is but it's real like it's real. I saw him. I don't care how quick it was. Other people tell me like we saw him and I'm spending a year analyzing this and it doesn't matter. I guess it just doesn't matter because we walked out okay. Wow. And it's just a story to tell but this is the first time I've ever been able to tell the story with just with a little bit more ease. I'm a little emotional myself. I don't know what's going on but this is a wild one. But Vanessa thank you so much. I think this is a great place to end our conversation. But if there's thank you for coming on. If there's anything that you ever have questions about feel free to reach out and I will try to help the best I can with that as well. Thank you. Yes sir. Well thank you for having me on and I hope you have a fantastic afternoon. Have you ever heard all the accounts of big foot activity around Oak Ridge, Oregon and you think to yourself man I would love to get out in those woods and experience it for myself. Well guess what this year you can. If this is interesting to you stay tuned because it's pretty cool. Sasquatch Summer Fest is coming up July 10th through the 11th 2026. It's going to be even better than the previous year's reason number one. I'll be one of the speakers. It's going to be wild. I'll probably I'll say this. There may be stuff you haven't heard anywhere else because let's just say sometimes it's a well you just got to be there. We'll leave it that more about looking for big foot in the Oak Ridge woods. Now check this out. You may know Jason Kenzie from his documentary series searching for Sasquatch. Well this year you can not only go to the festival but you can also sign up for a track deep in the wild forest outside of Oak Ridge with Jason Kenzie to the big foot spots to look for big foot. There's only eight spots to sign up for this and yes this will also be filmed for the next chapter in his documentary series which is searching for Sasquatch. This is a once in a lifetime deal. It's just trust it's going to be a wild wild experience to get a ticket head on over to Sasquatch Summer Fest calm and listeners can use the code B. S. P. Like big foot society podcast in order to get a two day pass for the price of a one day pass. So thanks to Priscilla for giving me that code so that you guys can can get a little a little help with the cost there. Appreciate that Priscilla. I hope to see you at the booth in Oak Ridge this year. We can talk about your encounter was able to talk to so many people last year and the year before it is an incredible time. You're not going to want to miss it and I'll see you there. Before we wrap this episode I want to say something directly to a very specific group of listeners. If you're in the military any branch or forces and if you've seen something that no one can explain or if your National Park Ranger or forestry worker who's been told to stay quiet. If you're a pilot who's seen something strange down on the ground or if you're with the FBI a federal agency or working intelligence and you stumbled upon something you're not allowed to talk about. And if you're a firefighter paramedic or search and rescue responder who's heard screams or found tracks that didn't make sense. If you're in the logging industry on a remote oil field or a trucker with government contracts and you've had something happen that you've never told a soul. And if you're a biologist a wildlife specialist or a field researcher under contract who has found evidence you're not allowed to report. If you're a pastor a missionary or someone on a spiritual retreat and you saw something that shook your faith. Or if you work in the shadows CIA NSA or anything with clearance and you've seen what the public hasn't. Then I want to talk to you. Even if it's anonymous. You can reach me at Bigfoot Society at gmail.com. The world needs to hear what you've been forced to carry alone. And you're not alone. You've got the story. We've got the mic. See you in the woods. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Bigfoot Society podcast. Every encounter we share reminds us that the world is bigger and stranger than we think. And that the truth is often hiding just beyond the tree line. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe to the channel on YouTube. Hit the bell so you don't miss the next episode and share this with a friend who's into mysteries, monsters or the unexplained. And if you're listening to us on Spotify or Apple podcast, please follow the show there and leave us a five star positive review because all of that helps more people discover the show. And remember if you or someone you know has had a Bigfoot sighting, please I'd love to hear from you. So email me at BigfootSociety at gmail.com and let's start the conversation. If you haven't gotten a chance yet, check out our membership community over at www.BigfootSocietyPodcast.com. And that's where you can hear tomorrow's episode today early and ad free and members only episodes every week. Also, it's a place to connect with other people that are into the Bigfoot subject as much as you are. Thanks again for following along with the Bigfoot Society. Until next time, keep your eyes open, trust your gut and never stop asking what else might be out there and see you in the woods.