Bigfoot Collectors Club – “The Cole Hollow Road Monster”
Episode Date: November 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This special episode of the Bigfoot Collectors Club is a true celebration—hosts Michael McMillian and Riley Bray mark the podcast’s 8th anniversary with tales of monsters, high strangeness, and party games. With no guest this week, the duo reminisce about eight years of paranormal inquiry, discuss current UFO and cryptid news, and dive deep into the legend of Illinois’ Cole Hollow Road Monster (aka "Kohomo"). The episode ends on a playful note with a creative cryptid guessing game.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Clubhouse Birthday Bash & Podcast Reflections (04:15–06:10)

• Celebrating Eight Years: The hosts share surprise and gratitude at the show’s longevity.
  • “Can you believe it? Our podcast is an eighth grader now... Happy birthday, Bigfoot Collectors Club.” (04:36–04:57, Michael)
• Community Growth: New listeners and Discord members are welcomed; merch and Patreon updates shared.
• Tone: Reflective, humorous, slightly self-deprecating; camaraderie abounds.

2. Paranormal News Round-Up (06:32–20:12)

a) John Williams Scores Spielberg’s UFO Movie (06:32–12:22)

• Announcement: Iconic composer John Williams will return, at age 93, to score Spielberg's still-untitled, UFO-themed film due in 2026.
• Film & Music Nostalgia: Discussion drifts to favorite Williams scores—Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, and E.T.
  • "John Williams was a pop star in the 80s… kids knew Madonna... and then they knew John Williams." (10:06–10:41, Michael)
• Spielberg’s Alien Output: ET and Close Encounters considered "the favorites"; brief debate on Super 8.
• Memorable Moment: Both revel in anticipation for another Spielberg UFO adventure.

b) UFO Flashes & 1950s Nuclear Test Correlations (12:22–20:12)

• New Study: Swedish and U.S. researchers analyze archive photos from 1949–57; find mysterious flashes of light over U.S. nuclear test sites, before satellites existed.
  • “They were 68% more likely to occur the day after a nuclear weapons test than on days without.” (18:14–19:13, Michael)
• Skepticism & Theories: Hosts question if nuclear detonations’ atmospheric effects can cause such phenomena, or if extraterrestrials might indeed be monitoring us.
  • “Buddy, we got to get out our magnifying glasses and take a closer look.” (20:50–20:55, Michael)

3. Club Scout of the Week & Non-Toxic Vibes (21:12–22:29)

• 5-Star Review Shout-Out: The “Club Scout of the Week” segment returns; the review praises the show’s “refreshingly non-toxic masculinity and light-hearted take on the supernatural.”
• Notable Banter: Jokes about default wi-fi names and helping parents with tech.

4. Where in the World is Bigfoot? – The European Edition (22:29–33:10)

• International Sightings: Use of the Bigfoot Mapping Project reveals European cryptid encounters:
  • Netherlands: Sighting of both adult and juvenile Bigfoot near Rotterdam with associated “wood knocks” (23:12–24:59).
  • Sweden: Dash-cam photo allegedly captures bipedal figure near Hamra National Park (26:02–27:16).
  • England: Reports include a “felt presence” during a blood red moon (28:06–29:04), and a 2021 Isle of Man encounter where a motorcyclist is nearly grabbed by a “beast” (29:39–33:10).
• Tone: Playful skepticism, appreciation for the romantic “vibe” of European monsters.
• Memorable Quote: “At the end of the day, we are just hominid shaped blobs. Yeah, me especially lately.” (27:36–27:49, Michael)

5. High Strangeness Feature: The Cole Hollow Road Monster ("Kohomo") (34:22–58:00)

The Legend Unfurled

• 1972 Illinois, Summer of Monsters: Local teen Randall "Randy" Emmert reports to a radio station that a white-haired, foul-smelling Bigfoot-type creature is inhabiting the Coal Hollow Road area.
• Description: 8–9 ft tall, whitish-gray hair, “cross between an ape and a caveman”, three-toed tracks, a putrid odor ("wet dog mixed with rotten eggs").
  • “My friend had a friend... He saw something white and hairy standing there, staring at him.” (35:47–35:56, Michael as Randy)
• The Hysteria Blooms: Multiple witnesses claim encounters; "posses" of up to 100 armed locals comb the woods. The sheriff is skeptical.
• Cross-State Coincidence: Simultaneous sightings of "Momo" in Missouri; 1970s monster fever runs wild.
  • Timestamps:
    • Initial story and Randy’s spotlight: 34:22–38:15
    • Monster posse & sheriff commentary: 44:48–45:53

Hoax Revealed?

• Reporter Returns: Decades later, Bartels tracks down Randy, who admits via email that it began as a prank—kids with a white sheet, an easily spooked friend, and some embellishment for a call-in radio show.
  • “Okay, this was a hoax played by some friends of mine and myself on another friend… We never saw a monster or a Bigfoot.” (51:32–53:27, Michael reading Randy’s email)
• Legacy & Ambiguity:
  • Despite the confession, witnesses' later claims and intense community response suggest a blend of mass hysteria, tall tales, and perhaps the unknown.
  • Bartels reflects on how the legend endures in town lore.
  • “Randy, you really misled everybody. But I, you know what I say... Viva Kohomo.” (57:45–58:01, Michael)
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “The flowers grow with the weeds, you know.” (56:16, Riley)

6. Anniversary Party Game – “What's In The Box?” (Cryptid Edition) (61:11–74:26)

• Game Format: Riley is presented with five “mystery presents,” each representing a cryptid or paranormal phenomenon, and must guess what’s inside via clues (weight, smell, peek, etc.).
  • “What do you want to do—lift it, shake it, smell it, touch it, or see it?” (62:21, Michael)
• Sample Clues & Reveals:
  • Black box: Light, pale blue light, chains—answer: Ghost.
  • Blue box: Splashy, slippery, too dark to see—answer: Nessie.
  • Red box: Sweet but stinky, furry—answer: Albatwitch (surprise!).
  • Rainbow box: Moonshine smell, green glow, metal clang—answer: Kentucky Goblin.
  • Pinstripe box: Impossible to lift, sounds like sand, high view needed—answer: Nazca Lines.
• Score: Riley scores 4 out of 5, awarded with a “B+” (upgraded to A- for party spirit).
• Memorable Banter: “Finally, after eight years, you discovered that I’m the troll bridge you get to cross.” (73:03, Michael)

7. Plugs & Wrap-Up (74:28–78:18)

• Clubhouse Content: Push for listeners to join BCC Clubhouse, check out their Kansas ghost investigation videos on YouTube, and listen to Michael’s guest episode on "Sage Based Wisdom".
• Riley’s Project: Riley promotes his music/sound-art site (peacedrone.net), including a new instrument tuner.
• Final Words: The episode closes with gratitude and love for listeners, reminders to join for bonus content, and celebratory well-wishes for the show’s birthday.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On John Williams’ legacy:
  “John Williams was a pop star in the 80s… and they knew his songs like he was massive.” (10:06–10:41, Michael)

• On cryptid culture in the 1970s:
  “Just Bigfoot and monsters were in the lexicon then, like aliens are now.” (56:51–57:12, Riley)

• On community folklore:
  “I think the community in itself pulled together to try to figure out what the Cole Hollow monster was about...It became part of our history.” (49:31–49:49, Michael quoting Robert Cole)

• On mass hysteria and belief:
  “What did his friend see that first night? ... Mass hysteria, or is there actually a monster up there?” (54:07–54:41, Michael)

• On monster wave connections:
  “Plus we got all this going on with Momo at the same time and UFO lights... Is there some kind of weird hairy monster, UFO wave?” (55:08–55:27, Michael)

• On identity & podcasting: “At the end of the day, we are just hominid shaped blobs. Yeah, me especially lately.” (27:36–27:49, Michael)

• Anniversary Toast:
  “Happy anniversary, baby. Happy anniversary. Happy birthday podcast. Love you guys.” (78:11–78:14, Michael & Riley)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Podcast reflection & birthday: 04:15–06:10
• News (Spielberg/UFO and 1950s study): 06:32–20:12
• European Bigfoot Sightings: 22:29–33:10
• Cole Hollow Road Monster story: 34:22–58:01
  • Hoax revelation & cultural legacy: 51:32–58:01
• “What’s in the Box?” cryptid game: 61:11–74:26
• Plugs & closing words: 74:28–78:18

Overall Tone & Takeaways

This episode is both a love letter to long-time fans and an accessible deep-dive for newcomers. Michael and Riley’s banter is humorous, heartfelt, and slyly insightful—mixing bold skepticism with genuine wonder. The Cole Hollow Monster story masterfully encapsulates why legends persist, how belief and hoax intermingle, and why high strangeness continues to fascinate. The playful birthday games and warm community shout-outs make this a standout episode for anyone drawn to stories of monsters—real, legendary, or somewhere in between.