So, I’ve shown a bunch of strange and obscure cryptids this month. At least, they were obscure to me. That got me thinking about how people might know about one cryptid and take it as common knowledge. Yet, nobody knows about them outside of the region or experience circle.
For example, Long Island has the Montauk Monster, which was a strange body that washed up onshore. Probably a rotting animal, but it stirred a lot of conspiracies. We also have TONS of ghosts to the point where abandoned asylums need to be watched by police around this time of year because people try to go in and see the specters. We’ve got the Amityville House on Long Island too, but people know that one.
All that being said, I want to know what’s the creepy cryptid of your area. The one that you don’t think a lot of people know about or is simply a local legend. Share and teach us about the eerie lore you’ve just come to accept.
First teaser after Quest of the Brokenhearted went live for 99 cents. So, exciting. While this isn’t Kira’s first battle in the story, this is the first official champion that she faces. I had a lot of fun writing the scene and it set the stage for all the others being difficult challenges that required a lot of thinking on ones feet. Both for me and Kira since I never had a clear idea of how to beat these guys.
That thing definitely looks scary. Also, it’s really big and in the open, which makes one wonder how it’s a mystery. Where did this thing come from?
First, let’s go over what it looks like. Clearly, the Slide-Rock Bolter is huge, especially the head and mouth. Yet, it has tiny eyes. The tail is split and hooked, which it uses to grip onto the top of a slanted mountain. Even though it’s found on land, it resembles a giant fish or eel. Not sure what in the area could have inspired the lore, but what it does is rather frightening.
The Slide-Rock Bolter comes from lumberjack lore in the 19th and 20th century. It is specifically found in the Colorado mountains around slanted mountains, which it uses as perches. After hooking onto a steep slope, it would wait for a few days. Then, it would let go and slide towards another mountain where it would latch on to get ready to go again. It’s mouth would be left open to release a slick grease, which made it build up speed and go even faster with each second. With it’s mouth open, the Slide-Rock Bolter would devour everything in its path from people to trees.
A story talks about a park ranger who found a way to kill the Slide-Rock Bolter messing with his area. He set up a fake tourist filled with explosives and put them in a spot that the creature would notice. The monster took the bait and blew up along with half the buildings of the nearby town of Rico. This place was known for mining, which could mean that the creature was blamed for a mine explosion.
That’s actually why the Slide-Rock Bolter might have appeared in legends too. During the time it appeared in lore, more people were starting to move into the Rocky Mountain regions and explore. Tourists would go missing and it was easier to blame a mysterious beast than anything else, especially if there was a high number. You also had avalanches and mudslides that occurred, which is why the Slide-Rock Bolter goes down steep slopes and takes out everything. If people weren’t there to see the event, but only find the aftermath, they might think it’s a monster.
Can you think of any other natural disasters that are blamed on legendary beasts?
Well, it is October and black cats tend to be popular as familiars and sinister omens. Not sure why that superstition sticks around since I’ve heard orange cats are much more demonic in nature. Anyway, I’m not going to pass up a chance to post funny pictures of cute animals. Enjoy these guys crossing your path.
Next 3 weeks are only 4 days of work/school each. Think I genuinely need it because this one was full on crazy. Everyone was off and I ended most days . . . Look, I know I fell asleep because I woke up in my pajamas with my CPAP mask on. How I got there and when isn’t important at this point.
As far as progress goes, I got all of the December posts done and began added stuff to January. This is easy since it’s a bunch of old posts that did well over the years. I want to do this and start 2025 off with more editing time. Darwin & the Demon Game saw a little progress this week, but only part of a chapter. Almost got more done, but evening appointments took longer and exhausted me quicker than expected. Seems I know a lot of people who suddenly become active after 7:30 PM too, so my phone blew up a few times with things I couldn’t ignore without being rude. At least I have this weekend to get through 1-2 chapters.
My slow progress on editing has me thinking about my own mind too. When I edit, I’m really taking my time and absorbing all of the words to make sure I like how they fit together. I go back for information too. So, it takes me about 1.5 hours to get through 5 pages, especially since I take mental breaks. Brain fog and fatigue is still an issue, which might be a life-long thing. This results in me needing a full day to get an entire 16-18 page chapter done. I’m sunk if I have any appointments or events that suck up most of a morning or afternoon. That’s been the biggest issue this year because it seems my non-parenting weekends are seen as fair game for others. Some I don’t mind, but others need to learn boundaries or accept that I don’t mind be left behind. Alone time helps me recoup my energy and sanity.
This bombardment has also resulted in me getting my sense of progress and victory from a different source:
Pokemon Go
Sure, I’m 44, but this game has probably saved my sanity and sense of self-worth. It’s become a small flicker of relaxing, success, goals, and father/son time during what really is the worst year of my life. So, I try to go out after editing in the morning and catch a bunch before grabbing lunch. I edit again for a bit and go out to catch before dinner. This weekend might be a little more Pokemon than editing because I have an appointment this morning AND there’s an event. I basically have until 10 am on Monday to catch 574 ghost types and 875 dark types. They’re out for Halloween and they aren’t that common outside of the second half of October. If I hit these numbers, I’ll get the platinum medals, which will help me catch stronger Pokemon and level up later.
All of that probably went over people’s head because it’s game stuff. I’m sure at least one person is considering unfollowing me since I’m sounding like I’m giving up writing to play a ‘silly game’. The reality is that I’ve been so battered by things this year that I can only write and edit in blips. My creativity shifts mostly to anxiety spiraling about how things are still not going well and how it can get worse. All of the positive energy in the world can’t help when one is trapped in a messy situation that is eroding their sense of self-worth and confidence. Editing was supposed to help here and it was until certain changes happened and things got worse. Now, I can only edit every other weekend or days off when I don’t have my son. Not going to sacrifice what little one-on-one time I get with him to work on my own stuff, so I’m limited.
Next week is Halloween, so it’s going to be primarily getting to Thursday. I might get a little editing in on Thursday night after my son goes with his mom. Don’t have any thoughts on what I can watch that is Halloween-related. I’m not a horror movie fan and will only have maybe 3 hours since I have to wake up early on Friday. Eh, I’ll figure something out since it’s more important to rest and edit. Maybe I’ll get lucky and finish 3 chapters by next weekend.
Goals of the week:
Catch tons of ghost and dark type Pokemon.
Spend time with son after weekend.
Take son trick-or-treating on Halloween.
Edit some of Darwin & the Demon Game
Work on more January posts during the parenting days.
Puzzle time if too stressed.
Test out thermal gloves with phone screen friendly fingertips.
Found in New York, this creature was first spotted in the 1960’s. Two children saw it first, but all those afterwards were adults. All of them encountered the Kinderhook Blob while walking in the woods. So, what did people see?
Well, the name pretty much suits this creature. It is found in the woods of Kinderhook, New York and it’s a blob. It is white and floats through the area like a ghost, but doesn’t seem to be considered one. It has no features, so people can’t tell if it’s staring outside of a ‘feeling’. Some say that even though it floats, it still makes noise as if it’s stomping on the ground. It might make a creepy whistling noise as well.
That’s pretty much where the information ends. I found this one interesting only because it was somewhat consistent in description, but no other stories. A white blob floats through the woods and chases people or makes them so scared that they go running away without a second thought. It really makes me think of ghosts, but it’s called the Kinderhook blob instead of the Kinderhook ghost. Maybe I just missed that name when looking around.
So, what do you think about this kind of creature?
