Deep in the desert is a notorious military base known as Area 51. Two million people said they would storm the base this past weekend on a Facebook page started back in July. The reality was quite a bit smaller — about 1,500 showed up.
The first stop for most heading out to the area was Hiko, Nevada, where the highly-anticipated party didn’t quite take off. Sean Wright, who traveled all the way from Minnesota, was not too impressed. He said, “[Its] pretty much been a flop.”
The next stop after Hiko was Rachel, a town 40 minutes farther up the extraterrestrial highway.
In Rachel, the party was a bit more alive. We spotted two men dressed in tinfoil who told us their names were Andrew and Kevyn. Kevyn said, “We’re just like the old-fashioned space men, and can’t be missed.” Andrew chimed in, “They won’t abduct us! They’ll abduct everyone else.”
And while the turnout was better in Rachel, it was still a bit of a bust. Kevyn and Andrew said they “showed up midday yesterday, and not much has been happening since then.” The parties were over by 11:00pm, and by morning almost everyone was gone. The only thing left to do was to actually go to Area 51.
Our friends told us to turn right at the black mailbox, then follow the dust cloud. The black mailbox is a place where those who believe in the extraterrestrial can leave letters, treats, or anything else for travelers from the stars.
After a desert ride, we found ourselves at a police blockade. We got out of our car and continued on foot. And while there were warning signs, an intermittent stream of visitors made their way to the gates of Area 51.
For those who didn’t make it, you missed at least one good dust devil, but no aliens.
