Sasquatch Summer

By Clyde Lewis From Unknown Magazine, Winter 2000 It is the summer of Sasquatch. With over 19 alleged sightings during the year of 2000, it is time to demand that Bigfoot need not be associated with Elvis sightings and weird theories that sound like rejected plots from the "Six Million Dollar Man." Yeti, Momo, Skunk Ape, Almas, Yowie, Sasquatch, Bigfoot, whatever the name you call it, is making its presence known throughout the Northwest. Mystery Anthropoids, or Hominoid ape like creatures that roam the forests of the world have been down played by scientists and are usually treated as tall tales concocted by drunk hunters who mistake large bears for a more strange albeit odorous being that may or may not belong on this planet. People take for granted that all species have been identified and so the idea of a great ape species living in North America is an absurdity until the "body of evidence" is exposed to the world. Even if it was exposed, the reality of such a creature could be as mundane as an endangered ape or gorilla that somehow found a way to cross continents and remain elusive from hunters and investigators, only to show up unexpectedly and witnessed by deep woods campers. The whole idea of new and mysterious species being discovered and categorized is academic to serious researchers who realize that even in recent history animals that were once thought of as products of mythology have suddenly appeared and have been categorized by scientists. Now that the proof of their existence can be caged up and put on display in a public zoo or laboratory it is common place. The difficulty in capturing an undeniable picture, video, or even hair or scat samples of the Bigfoot has caused a number of people to dismiss outright the possibility of such a creature existing. However eyewitness testimony continues to pour in and recently the sightings of such a creature have increased. Native American Indian tribes have talked about these creatures for centuries. White settlers have recorded their presence as well and the stories have continued throughout history. Even Teddy Roosevelt claimed to have seen one. It wasn't until the 1970's when interest was sparked by several documentaries that were produced about the creature and where a grainy 16 mm film was showcased purporting absolute evidence of what appears to be a Female Sasquatch walking into the forest. This famous piece of footage in known as the Patterson Gimlin film. Reports began coming in from all over the country about sightings of a creature that was between 6 1/2 to 8 feet tall, hirsute with large feet, glowing eyes and producing a horrible smell of sulfur or rotten eggs. The combination of glowing eyes and terrible smell were similar to other crypto creatures that had been reported in other parts of the country, namely the Flatwoods monster, the Skunk Ape, Mothman and most recently the Chupacabra of Puerto Rico. There have been researchers who claim that the smell is similar to human body odor. It has also been said that the odor is like a dead animal. These stories continued and later would end up in tabloids posted all over the country lessening its importance in the consensus reality journalists would ignore data from credible witnesses and most samples of stool and hair would go unreported in field studies because of the fear of ridicule. The Bigfoot creature still, has that tabloid edge to him and he is always the topic of tall tales when all are snug in their sleeping bags listening to fireside ghost stories on family camping trips. In the year 2000 it seems that Bigfoot has decided to come out of hiding and many people are catching a glimpse at the fabled creature. What this means is uncertain however the testimony as of late is remarkable and deserves mention. An Oregon Psychologist believes that he saw Bigfoot and confirms what we have heard from similar reports of the beast, that he stinks! Dr. Matthew Johnson, a psychologist was hiking July 1 2000 with his wife Rochelle, and children 9 year old Levi, 7 year old Hannah and 4 year old Michah, when he saw what he reported to be Bigfoot. The creature fit the template of the big hairy stinky beast that has been written about in tabloid stories, scientific journals and Hollywood movies for decades. After speaking with Dr. Johnson on the phone it is evident that this is no tabloid story nor is it a story of an opportunist. Johnson clearly saw something and sent me his report of the incident. After reading it I was thrust into an investigation of a creature that I had once written off as a fable. The following story is in his own words and was sent to Ground Zero for this report:
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