From: tmahood@netcom.com (Tom Mahood)
Newsgroups: alt.alien.visitors
Subject: Groom Lake Trip Report
Summary: Groom Visit of Jan 15, 1994
Date: 18 Jan 94 02:19:46 GMT


My wife and I attended the gathering on Freedom Ridge on Saturday, January 15 
for a possible last look at the Groom facility (That Which Does Not Exist).

We camped out the night before about 15 miles north of Rachel at Queen City 
summit and had a spectacular show of military manuevers overhead.  
Afterburners, IR decoys, sonic booms, and all kinds of neat stuff.  From about 
6:30 to 8:00 pm we saw an intermittent peculiar sight.  On a bearing from our 
viewpoint that would put it in line with Groom we saw what appeared to be dual 
searchlights angling up at about a 60 degree angle.  The would rapidly jump 
from position to position  as it was sweeping around.  Other times it would be 
steady for about a second and a half then jump instantly to a radically 
different position.  To the naked eye it appeared as one beam, but when viewed 
by 7x50 binos, it resolved into two distinct parallel beams.  Don't know what 
it was, but it looked neat.  It was also seen by some of our group staying in 
Alamo that night, about 50 miles away.

Saturday, as we rolled up Groom Lake Road, we noted with delight that an 
unamed individual had marked the way with signs, even to the extent of 
identifying one of the "hidden" road sensors.  For that we slammed on the 
brakes and hopped out to take a look.  A nice little pot with government 
property (Yeah, but what part??) marked on it.  Security had pulled WAY back 
and was not to be seen (or so we thought).

After parking at the end of the road, we hiked to the top and found about 10 
others already there.  Eventually, there were over 20 spectators on Freedom 
Ridge.  Someone caught a glint out in the desert and under the barrage of a 
number of high powered scopes a white van was spotted out in the public lands 
to our east.  It was about 3 miles away and draped with camo netting, with 
telescopic tv cameras on a boom pointed right at us!!  There may have also 
been a parabolic mic under the netting.  After we spent some time gawking at 
the van instead of at Groom behind us, the guys in the van realized their 
cover was blown and packed it in.  

There was some high powered aviation press types in attendence, including Bill 
Sweetman, Jim Goodall and someone for Av Week (and I really feel stupid 
because I can't remember his name!).  There were a few other writers and 
journalists there, with some great stories to tell, involving poking at the 
security of the facility.  In any event I was very impressed by the knowledge 
these folks had.  

Frankly, the base was buttoned down tight and was a little boring.  
Entertainment was again provided by security forces when they attempted to 
sneak down in front of us and set up some sort of telescope.  It might have 
worked since the Cherokee was parked discreetly behind a rock.  Unfortunately, 
they left a door open in our line of sight!  They watched us, we watched 
them...some kind of symmetry there.  I sure hope our aircraft are better than 
the security forces that guard them.

Some tidbits from the well connected folks at the gathering:  Security has 
been provided by EG&G for about 9 months now.  Used to be Wackenhut.  They had 
orders to avoid any confrontation on that day, although they had moved a new 
tv camera in place on the line just below Freedom Ridge.  The 7 people 
arrested recently drove right by all the signs (including the deadly force 
notice!!) onto the base, right up to the guard station.  The guards were 
suprised and the people had weapons in their vehicles.  These guys earned it!!

After leaving the ridge, most of the group headed for Rachel and onto 
Tonapah.  We headed on home.  Apparently Tonapah is now "hot".  About a year 
and a half ago, security was relaxed there and many of the sensors were 
removed.  About 6 months ago, all the IR and motion detecting sensors 
returned, along with some unknown types and the place was buttoned down 
tight.  This is possibly due to the assignment of Aurora to the base or a 
possible sucessor to the Stealth fighter.

Something did occur that worries me a bit.  Several 4wd vehicles were able to 
drive all the way to the top of Freedom Ridge, no small feat.  Unfortunately, 
this involved cross country travel, something the BLM generally frowns upon.  
I'm afraid photos of this will surface at the hearing at the end of the month 
to bolster the military's case for the land acquistion.  They may point out 
that by taking over the property, such environmental "abuses" will be 
prevented (Of course, different abuses may be substituted!).I hope not, but we 
shall see.  All in all, a great time was had and many thanks to the psychospy, 
Glen Campbell for the organizing.

Tom Mahood
tmahood@netcom.com