Trail Tales 94: P***y Poltergeists, Dirtbag Dads & Wholesome Hauntings

Summary

National Park After Dark — Trail Tales 94:

"P***y Poltergeists, Dirtbag Dads & Wholesome Hauntings"

Release Date: May 21, 2026
Hosts: Danielle & Cassie

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Overview

Episode 94 of Trail Tales delivers another lively (and at times hilarious, at others very touching) collection of listener-submitted stories. This week, Danielle and Cassie read tales ranging from near-disaster in the sand dunes, paranormal encounters that are both wholesome and seriously weird, to family blunders and animal run-ins. As always, the hosts bring humor, warmth, and a healthy respect for both the beauty and the unpredictability of wild places—and the adventures (or misadventures) we humans find in them.

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Key Segments & Discussions

[00:51] – An Odd Occurrence in the Dunes

Story by Listener: Katherine (Houston, TX)

• Setting: Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado, July 4, 2024
• Katherine and her son Freddy (age 10 at the time) go sand sledding. Freddy's sled crashes, causing a head wound that starts bleeding heavily, far from help.
• Miraculously, a young man appears out of nowhere—despite them being on a deserted stretch of the dunes—gives them an unopened water bottle, helps them clean up the wound, and assists the pair back to their car. He speaks minimal English, says his name is Uriel, and then suddenly disappears in the shower area.
• Later, Katherine learns "Uriel" is the name of an archangel associated with guidance and wisdom. She expresses a deep sense that some kind of divine intervention occurred.

Notable Quote:

“He hands the second sled back to me and we keep walking towards the parking lot… I turn to thank him for the water, for the help, for the company, and for the distraction. He was truly a lifesaver. He made me feel so safe and calm. I turned to tell him all of this and he is gone. I mean gone gone.” —Katherine [09:06]

Hosts’ Reaction:
Danielle and Cassie both express total belief in the universe “sending us angels” in all forms.

“I think that the universe sends us angels all the time and they come in all different forms. And I think that you certainly got an angel that day.” – Danielle [09:45]

[13:10] – Dirtbag Dad Animal Encounter Two For One

Story by Listener: Sam

• Family is at her parents’ house when her dad tries to smoke a skunk out from under the shed using a "smoke bomb," which leads to the shed catching fire.
• Everyone's reaction is classic modern chaos: her dad insists he's got it; her husband is “probably asking ChatGPT what to do”; her sister films a TikTok while ignoring pleas to call 911.
• The fire department eventually arrives (20 minutes after advised), only to find the skunk long gone—but the shed, and several gallons of gasoline, destroyed.

Quote:

“Eric was looking at his phone, probably asking chatgpt how to deal with the fire. And Katie was filming a f*cking TikTok. She’s 32, by the way.” – Sam [15:37]

Hosts’ Reaction:

• Cassie cracks up at the TikTok aspect and the panicked use of AI for real emergencies.

“Stop filming a video. Stop asking chatgpt or whatever for advice—for life advice!” – Cassie [17:04]

• Leads to a side discussion about the confusion around AI, ChatGPT vs "Chad," and Elon Musk’s Grok.

[30:30] – Asked and Answered: Wholesome Haunting

Story by Listener: Jelena

• Jelena cared for her mother before her passing, who jokingly promised to "haunt" her.
• After several playful but odd electrical glitches at her house—including a broken TV turning on by itself—Jelena asks her mother for a sign: specifically, to send “three pink things together.”
• Visiting her favorite hot springs retreat, Jelena finds exactly three pink flowers at her cabin—something she has never seen there before or since.

Quote:

“There at the foot of the steps to my specific cabin and my cabin only were three pink flowers in a group together. I have never seen pink flowers at this retreat in all the years I have been going there... I’m sure this was my mom saying hi.” – Jelena [23:46]

Hosts’ Reaction:

• Both hosts adore the “wholesome haunting.”

“It’s just such a nice wholesome haunting. And that’s really all we want.” – Danielle [24:09]

[25:17] – The Poltergeist (aka P***y Poltergeist)

Story by Listener: "Lenny"

• Teenage thrill seekers bring a Ouija board to a cemetery at midnight.
• Afterward, every female participant suffers a bizarre run of misfortunes: one splits her labia in a biking accident (requiring 15 stitches), another gets a painful cyst, a third is hospitalized with a UTI, another has a severe yeast infection, and one has a pregnancy scare. Only the friend who refused to enter the cemetery—Mahala—remains unharmed.
• Group dubs this string of bad luck “the p***y poltergeist.”

Notable Exchange:

“This poltergeist is coming for the... you weren’t kidding. I thought this might be about cats, but it is not.” – Cassie [29:25]
“New fear unlocked, but it is. This is not a wholesome haunting.” – Danielle [30:19]

[33:37] – A Family Tale of Dogs, Trees, and a Grave Mistake

Story by Listener: Isabel

• Multigenerational story about Isabel’s grandpa, a “lifelong farmer” and dog lover.
• After a tornado throws a dog six miles (it survives!), the tale shifts to Isabel’s now-husband accidentally chainsawing a cedar tree—unbeknownst to him, a marker for decades of her grandpa’s beloved dogs’ graves—during his first farm visit.
• Mortification ensues, but grandpa forgives. Story remains family legend, and Isabel’s love of animals and conservation stems from her grandpa.

Quote:

“Cue absolute silence. Now, to be fair, this was not clearly marked... Still, in that moment, it clearly was a big deal... That’s the tree all my dogs are buried under, he said.” – Isabel [36:20, 37:59]

Hosts’ Reaction:

• Danielle sympathizes:

“I just can’t get your sweet little 5'1" grandpa... just like drooped and sad after seeing that. That hurts my heart.” – Danielle [40:24]

[41:08] – Maybe It Isn’t the Time to Ask Google

Story by Listener: Rhianna

• Rhianna (16 at the time) is hiking in Northern California with her aunt and uncle, gets startled by a bear on the trail. Instead of remembering safety instructions, she whips out her phone and tries to Google what to do—forgetting there’s no signal in the middle of the woods.
• The bear leaves on its own, but the family resolves never to speak of “the bear incident” again.

Quote:

“Maybe Googling what to do when you see a bear is not the best time when you’re actively seeing a bear.” – Rhianna [44:07]

Hosts’ Reaction:

• The hosts see a theme: “Between... I bet you know what to do now, though.” [45:01]
• Advice: If you’re not face-to-face with a bear, Google it now.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On cosmic perspective:

“There are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on planet Earth.” – Danielle [12:31] (attributing to Neil deGrasse Tyson)

• On supernatural sign-offs:

“What is the angel equivalent to Ya got haunted? Maybe you got guided?” – Katherine [09:06]

• On boundaries with the paranormal:

"I've been at plenty of cemeteries at night, but sans Ouija board." – Cassie [26:09]

• On family TikTok fire response:

"Call the fire department. Stop filming a video. Stop asking ChatGPT or whatever for advice." – Cassie [17:04]

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Recurring Themes

• Supernatural intervention: From guardian-angel Uriel in the dunes to Jelena's playful ghost-mom, the episode balances genuine chills with uplifting moments.
• Family chaos & generational tales: Whether it’s burning down the shed or accidentally chainsawing a canine grave, family is at the heart of much of the hilarity and the heartstrings.
• Nature’s unpredictability (and unequipped humans): Both in light-hearted and serious stories, the hosts emphasize how unpredictable—even everyday—wild places can be.
• Healthy skepticism and comedic relief: The hosts never let the mood get too heavy, peppering the most intense stories with laughter, well-timed jokes, and a sense of camaraderie.

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Episode Structure / Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Story | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:51 | Odd Occurrence in the Dunes (Katherine & Freddy) | | 13:10 | Dirtbag Dad Fire Story (Sam) | | 30:30 | Asked & Answered — Wholesome Haunting (Jelena) | | 25:17 | The Poltergeist (Lenny) | | 33:37 | Family Tale—Dogs, Trees, and Grave Mistakes (Isabel) | | 41:08 | Maybe It Isn’t the Time to Ask Google (Rhianna) | | 45:41 | Teasers for Bonus Stories & Wrap-up |

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains the show’s signature mix of spooky, sincere, irreverent, and heartfelt. Danielle and Cassie riff off each other with the ease of old friends—equal parts big-sister advice, campfire laughter, and genuine empathy for listeners’ joys and misadventures.

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Takeaways for Listeners

• Ask for signs, but be ready for answers—from the universe, from the past, and from beyond.
• Never bring a Ouija board to a cemetery (seriously).
• Don’t try to Google bear safety when staring down an actual bear.
• Always check for grave markers before cutting down a tree on someone’s property!
• Family, friends, and the mysteries of the wild are a recipe for stories you’ll carry (and laugh about) for years.

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Next week’s content teasers: “Jeffrey the Cobbler Killer of Cade’s Cove” and “I found my doppelganger in the haunted courthouse on Route 66” [45:41]

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In sum:
Episode 94 is a wild, weird, and wonderful sampler of what National Park After Dark does best—spinning tales of wilderness (mis)adventures, cosmic coincidence, and community, all while reminding us that life (and the afterlife) is full of surprises. Enjoy the view—but watch your back!

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to National Park After Dark. My name is Danielle.

[A]

I'm Cassie. And we're here for another Trail Tales.

[B]

Here we go. Mine first one is so long. So I feel like I should just get into it.

[A]

Let's do it.

[B]

Why keep the people waiting? You know what I mean?

[A]

I'm done waiting. I need to know.

[B]

I've had about enough sitting here. It's. Yeah.

[A]

Okay, hold on for this whole 10 seconds. I've had enough. Get into the story and I don't

[B]

even know where it is.

[A]

Hurry up.

[B]

Oh, my God. Cut. What you feel is necessary.

[A]

With that, it all stays in.

[B]

My first story is titled An Odd Occurrence in the Dunes. What kind of dunes do you think? Take your bet. Great sand dunes or Indiana Dunes?

[A]

Indiana dunes.

[B]

All right, let's see. Hey, y'.

[A]

All.

[B]

My name is Catherine and I'm 44 and living in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. Love the podcast so much and have been enjoying following your journeys and adventures over the last few years. I often stockpile episodes until I finally say, okay, I need my girls. Then I binge all the episodes I've built up, and it's always exactly the dose of history, education, and humor that I need to. I am so happy for all you two have accomplished for the example you set for other young women out there, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for you both.

[A]

That's so nice.

[B]

Did she just call us young women?

[A]

Am I young?

[B]

Okay. Every summer, my son Freddie, now 12, but 10 when the story takes place, and I go to Colorado for a week together.

[A]

I was wrong. But that's okay. I'm excited for Colorado.

[B]

It has been just him and I for the last 11 years, so we are very close and love going on adventures together. During our annual trip, we do all the typical summertime Colorado stuff. Hiking, horseback riding, river rafting, soaking in the hot springs, and so forth. We stay in our family cabin in the San Juan Mountains, not far from Great Sand Dunes National Park. As Freddy got older, he started to beg me to rent one of the either sleds or sandboards they offer at the entry to the park. First, we rented the sandboards. To say the least, neither of us were successful with those. The next year, July 4, 2024 to be exact, we rented the sleds. I feel like the sleds were harder, were they not? When we did them, did I do the sled? Because we got the boards and then the other. Some of the other travelers we were with got the sleds and I feel like they were harder to move around.

[A]

And, yeah, sandboarding's hard, too, though, and there's nothing really that holds your feet in place. It was. Yeah, yeah, it was tough.

[B]

The man that rented the sleds to us gave us very clear safety instructions, namely to keep the nose of the sled up. That is, hold onto the straps provided while leaning our bodies back when riding. This prevents the nose of the sled from dipping down into the sand, which could cause the rider to lurch forward and lose control of the sled. In the off chance that did happen, the man advised us to bail out as fast as possible, distancing ourselves from the sled. Yeah, yeah, got it. Thanks, we say as we excitedly load up the truck. We pull in at the dunes, and off we go, lugging the heavy sleds through the parking lot, across the small creek at the base of the dunes, across the seemingly endless flat stretch, and up the first group of dunes. When I say heavy, these things are solid wood. They seem to be about double the thickness of a snowboard. We are also hot because we have learned from past treks on the dunes that if it's a windy day, you want to have long layers on to cover your skin. That sand can sting. Freddy's got a thin hoodie on, and I brought a breathable shirt. Freddy wanted to get away from the crowds in the middle of the dunes, so we venture off to the far right side where there was no one around. I'm talking not a single soul other than us. No one where we are about one quarter of the way up the dunes and no one above us or below us, empty. We find a nice, fairly steep slope, and I go down first to test it out. Everything goes smoothly. I'm not going at a quick pace by any means, but I get carried steadily down without having to readjust the sled too much. Once I reached the bottom, I carried my sled out of the way, clearing the path for Freddy to make his descent with his lighter weight, he zips down at full speed, and I am happy that it is actually working for him. Just as I am about ready to celebrate his awesome run with him. The nose of his sled wedges into the sand, and the rear of the board pops up behind him. It all happens way too fast for him to recall the advice to bail out as fast as possible, and the edge of the sled lands right on top of his head. I'm already rushing over to him and can see the blood spurting out of his head. I'M trying to stay calm and think about how we can keep sand from getting into the wound, how I can carry both sleds all the way back to the truck where the nearest hospital is, how I'm going to do all of this on my own and so forth. I know there's a clinic about 30 minutes away, but the closest ER is about 45 minutes away and this is only once we start driving we still have to trek all the way back to the truck. With it being 4th of July, I didn't know what to expect either. Right when I reach Freddy, a young man appears about 15ft away out of nowhere. I am telling y' all there has been no one around this entire time. He is by himself and is carrying one normal 16 ounce unopened water bottle and is wearing a black long sleeve shirt and black jeans. Without saying anything, he hands me his water bottle and I immediately rinse the sand and blood off of Freddy's head. After I do this, we carefully remove Freddy's outer layer to avoid getting more sand in the wound and I have him apply pressure to his head with it. The young man grabs one of the sleds, I grab the other and we all walk back up and over the dunes, across the long stretch and over the small creek. The whole time we are walking the young man is looking all around us as though he is lost and is trying to orient himself. We had been making small talk the entire time. He is about my height, 5 6, looks to be Hispanic, Mexican and Native American, between 15 and 17 years old and speaks very little English. I speak a little Spanish so we got by. I asked if he was alone and he said he was not, that his family is there and points to the top of the dunes but I see no one the way he is pointing. I ask where he is from. He asks me if Texas is near Mexico and I say yes, that they share a border. He says he is from around there somewhere. I'm not sure what to make of all of this. Did he just come over the border and doesn't want to let me know he isn't from the us? Where is his family? Why is he looking all around? Why wasn't his water bottle open if he had been all the way at the top of the dunes, why didn't he know where he was from? How did he appear out of nowhere right when I needed somebody? He hands the second sled back to me and we keep walking towards the parking lot. Between the creek and the parking lot there is a small area with Showers out in the open so people can wash their feet and things off before getting back into their vehicles. We all walk into the shower area, making our way towards the parking lot. Before stepping into the parking lot, I turn to thank him for the water, for the help, for the company, and for the distraction. He was truly a lifesaver. He made me feel so safe and calm. I turned to tell him all of this and he is gone. I mean gone gone. He handed me the sled, was right behind us and then had disappeared. I took about a minute to look for him before we had to continue onto the truck. We ended up going all the way to the er. The bleeding had stopped, he had no symptoms of a concussion and I felt as though it was safe to spend the time getting there. The ER was empty and we were seen right away. They felt like he was okay and didn't need a single staple or stitch. They gave us some packs of gauze, told us we should cancel the horseback riding for the next day, and sent us on our way. Once we got back to the cabin and were able to sit in process, I was finally able to reflect on the entire experience. That's when I remembered that the young man had a really interesting name. He said his name was Uriel. The name sounded almost biblical, so I decided to google it. It turns out that Uriel is the name of an archangel. He is the angel of wisdom, prophecy and illumination. He is believed to help people find divine guidance, solve problems, and let go of destructive emotions like fear or anger. According to NPAD law, we know there is no such thing as a coincidence. And that's when it really hit me and I felt the true weight of what happened. The unlikelihood of him coming out of nowhere, the unopened water bottle we used to wash away the blood and sand, his help and calmness as he led us to safety, and his name. I truly feel like an angel was sent to guide us in our time of need. What is the angel equivalent to Ya got haunted? Maybe you got guided? What do y' all think? Was Uriel an angel? The rest of the trip went smoothly and though we have since returned to the Great Sand Dunes without further incident, we are always scanning sand, enjoying the view and watching our backs in case we might spot our angel again. Thank you for all you do to bring light to the stories of national parks and beyond. Thank you for the levity and the heart with which you share those stories, events and tales. And thank you so much for sharing ours. All our love, Katherine and Freddie.

[A]

I think that the universe sends us angels all the time and they come in all different forms. And I think that you certainly got an angel that day that helped you get out of a sticky situation.

[B]

Mm, I loved that one.

[A]

Yeah, that's a good one. And I could picture the whole thing because we have also been sandboarding, sledding in the sand dunes. And we also know it's. Even though the sand dunes, it doesn't look like you're venturing that far from the parking lot because you can see it. It takes so long. And walking through sand is really difficult. It's just makes everything so much harder. So even when you feel like you're close, it takes so much longer than you think once you're out there.

[B]

Yeah, it's very disorienting and it can be deceptive as far as how far, because you're always like, oh, I want to go one more dune, or just it's right over there.

[A]

And then you just suddenly you're so far away and you can't sandboard back because you. Sandboarding is hard. And there's also like a long, flat stretch as well. At dsw, we ask the important questions, like what shoes are you going to wear? Whether you're prepping for wedding season, festival season, or just planning the ultimate vacay, the right shoes can make or break an rsvp. So own the moment. You, you've got big plans, and we've got just the shoes at the perfect price, of course. Get ready to get ready with designer shoe warehouse. Head to your DSW store or DSW.com today and let us surprise you. Monday.

[B]

AI agents took over my work and I absolutely love it.

[A]

Chasing deadlines, writing status reports, updating stakeholders.

[B]

Agents handle the daily grind.

[A]

Now they live inside Monday.com so they

[B]

see the full picture.

[A]

My work, my team, the whole company. And I don't have to worry about the data.

[B]

It's safe.

[A]

Which means I'm free to focus on the big stuff.

[B]

Knowing everything runs smoothly in the background.

[A]

It's completely shifted the way we work. Create your own AI agent in minutes

[B]

on Monday dot com. You know, every time I think of the sand dunes, Great Sand Dunes National Park, I think of my favorite fact.

[A]

What's your favorite fact?

[B]

I will tell you right now. So I'm pretty sure I heard this from Neil Degrasse Tyson. I'm not sure if he is the original creator of this fact. I don't know. He's really smart. Can you create if you discover something? He didn't discover it. Never mind so he's definitely. I heard it from his mouth though.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I trust him a lot. So there are more, according to Neil DeGrasse Tyson. So if it's wrong, don't get mad at me. You know who to go for. There are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on planet Earth.

[A]

Interesting. How many Titanics is that?

[B]

I don't even. Don't get me started. I don't know. I can't take this shit right now.

[A]

Now that would be my favorite fact.

[B]

You figure it out and tell me.

[A]

We'll get back to you on that one. Okay.

[B]

That's my favorite fact.

[A]

Interesting.

[B]

The universe is really cool.

[A]

The universe is cool. It's nice to be here.

[B]

Yep. Sometimes.

[A]

Occasionally. Anyway, we'll get into my next story which is titled Dirtbag Dad Animal Encounter Two for one. Hi Danielle and Cassie. I recently listened to the Trail Tales episode where you requested Dirtbag dad and Animal Encounter stories and I have a wonderful two fer for you. It doesn't really have anything to do with the outdoors, but I hope it makes you laugh. Last year, my husband Eric, my sister Katie and her two young kids were staying at my parents house. We were planning on going to our cousin's wedding the next day. At some point that evening, Katie made an offhand comment that the basement smelled like skunk. And after my dad heard that, he disappeared outside for a second. He came back in and said there had been a skunk living under the shed next to the house, but he had just put a smoke bomb under the shed to smoke it out. We didn't think anything of it and continued on with our evening. That was a mistake. Dad, Katie, Eric and I settled in to watch TV and my mom took the boys upstairs for bed. After a few minutes my sister said, does it smell like smoke in here? Dad said, well, yeah, it was a smoke bomb and got up and went outside. So funny already. Like a smoke bomb. You're smoking weed, you're smoking the ganja, dad. Okay, we figured out. We figured he was just going out to smoke and thought nothing of it. A few minutes later the cable went out. Dad was still outside. And at this point I am concerned. I went outside into the backyard and there were flames shooting out the door of the shed. Oh my God. He actually wasn't. He actually.

[B]

I thought he was also partaking. Yeah, in the devil's lettuce, but I guess not.

[A]

Dad had all of his fire extinguishers on the ground next to him trying to put the fire out and Flailing. I yelled at him to call the fire department and he said very calmly, nah, I've got it. There were flames violently shooting out of the shed and he was out of fire extinguishers. He clearly didn't have it. I ran around the house and dragged the giant hose around to start trying to put the fire out. And at this point, my husband and sister had both made their way outside. What were they doing, you might ask? Eric was looking at his phone, probably asking chatgpt how to deal with the fire. And Katie was filming a fucking TikTok. She's 32, by the way. I screamed, call the fucking fire department. And started hosing down the fire. Everyone ignored me. Gotta get your TikTok video. The hose was a good idea because we got the fire mostly out. At that point, my dad started dragging all of his destroyed stuff out of the shed that included several gallons of gasoline, fertilizer, my nephew's destroyed toys, and his brand new lawnmower, which is featured in the attached video. Katie sent one of her videos to a friend whose husband is a fire chief in the nearby city. The friend told her that she should have called the fire department 20 minutes ago. So my husband finally called the fire chief, who knows, Both my dad and Katie showed up and says, wow, this is a lot worse than I thought it was going to be. After the fire department pulled up the floor of the shed to make sure the fire was out, we didn't find a skunk. So I guess the smoke bomb worked. Question mark. Yeah, I don't think a skunk is going to hang out. Either way, everyone was unharmed, the house is still standing, and we had a good story for the wedding the next day. Feel free to use our names. Everyone in the story deserves to be shamed. I've attached one of my sister's videos and a picture of all the gasoline for your viewing pleasure. Feel free to share. Sam.

[B]

Ah, we get the TikTok too. Amazing.

[A]

Hell yeah, we're here for it. That's so funny.

[B]

Ah, that is.

[A]

Call the fire department. Stop filming a video.

[B]

Stop asking chat GBT or whatever.

[A]

For advice? Yeah, for life advice.

[B]

For so long, I thought people were saying. I didn't know what chat GBT was for a little while when it first came on the scene. And for some reason I kept thinking people were saying, Chad. Like, I'm gonna ask Chad. I'm like, what the is this?

[A]

You're the one who told me what chat gbt was.

[B]

What? I figured out it wasn't a person named Chad. Or something.

[A]

You knew someone who was using it and you mentioned it and I was like, what are you talking about? What even is that? And then you had to explain it to me and I was like, oh. And then shortly after AI like blew up.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. And now there's like a new thing that I actually just saw last night. This is so timely for the first time. I think it's very similar. I did zero background research, clearly, but I'm pretty sure it's very similar to ChatGPT. Maybe some sort of competitor, but I think it's called Grok or Gronk or something.

[A]

Yeah, it's Elon Musk's thing.

[B]

Okay, well, I didn't know. Like, I was researching stuff and it came up as a result, almost like tucked in with different articles and web pages.

[A]

Oh, like the Google. Like you Google something and then it

[B]

pops up as it looks like an article. I'm like, what the heck is grok? Like, what is this from? Because I need to know the source.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I see that it's from Grok and I'm like, what the fuck is Grok? Like, oh my God, it's AI.

[A]

Yeah. I have a big gripe with Google. When you Google something and an AI response comes up at first to summarize whatever you were googling and there's like a 50, 50 chance it's true.

[B]

Well, it's because they pull. It pulls from multiple different sources that may be legit and also not legit and then makes it one answer that might be partially true but also false. Yeah, it's very misleading. I hate it. Anyway, that reminds me, the same person that you just mentioned about them using ChatGPT and that's how I figured it out. Yeah, that same person used to always relating to the story you just told something that pisses me off so bad that they do all the time and it's just like an annoying. It's really not that deep, but it really annoys me. Anytime we're driving and there is the smell of a skunk. I mean, we're in New England. I feel like you smell them a lot driving through the backwoods and back roads and things. They're always like, smells like weed. It's like, are we 15 years old? Like, to make a point of that and like stop mid conversation to say

[A]

that it's like, it's not, but it's not.

[B]

And even if it was, okay, like, what am I supposed to say to that?

[A]

Anyhow, this is reminding me of like, this is, I think a little bit more common. But whenever you drive past a farm and someone in the cow, someone in the car is always like, ah, cows, yeah.

[B]

And everyone's like, oh yeah, cow, yeah.

[A]

Anyway, that's what it's that's the energy it's giving.

[B]

Okay, my second story is titled Asked and Answered. Hi Danielle and Cassie. My name is Jelena. Obligatory opening line about how f and awesome you two are and how I love npad. I've been wondering when the right time would be to share this trail tale and this month's newsletter mention of Ian's birthday told me that this is the right time. Okay, so this was from April then? Because ian's birthday is April 13th. Danielle, a thank you as well as your own sharing about asking for signs is what made this story possible. My mom died eight years ago after I spent a year caring for her. She was hilarious. My best friend, and there's just too much to say about how awesome she was is to even try to summarize. She also promised she would haunt me. A woman after my own heart About a year or so ago, some weird things started happening at my house. I live alone. The power would flicker. Okay, I live in the hills. It happens, I thought. Then my laptop started losing time. The clock would show a time 15 minutes earlier than it actually was, or two hours earlier. I would reset the clock, but it would keep happening and only happened when I was at home. Then one day the TV turned on without me turning it on. What made that extra weird? Well, that particular TV was broken. It had stopped working months before. Out of the blue. Would not turn on with the remote or manually no matter what I did. Even when I tried plugging it into a different outlet. So when one day all of a sudden this TV turned on out of the blue, I was like what the actual fuck? And I had this feeling because all of those things felt playful and not scary. I had a feeling it was my mom playing with me from wherever she is. So Danielle, I remembered you saying that if you want to sign, ask for it directly and specifically. So I did. Mom, if this is you, I want to see three pink things all together at the same time very soon. My mom loved the color pink. 90% of my wardrobe is black and there is nothing pink in my household. I went about the rest of my week and the three pink things requests fell out of my mind. About a week after this, I headed up to one of my favorite spots in the world. An off the grid hot springs retreat I rent a cabin at a couple of times A year. I've been going to this property for over 15 years, and I've been there dozens of times. I know the property very well. This trip I was staying in cabin eight, which is all the way at the rear far end of the property, which meant I had to walk the entire length of the retreat to get to the cabin. As I walked up to the cabin, I stopped dead in my tracks. There at the foot of the steps to my specific cabin and my cabin only were three pink flowers in a group together. I have never seen pink flowers at this retreat in all the years I have been going there. Purple flowers, yellow flowers, all sorts of other things growing. Yes, but never pink. I walked back to my car to grab the last of my things and paid attention as I walked through the property again. There were no pink flowers anywhere else on this entire property.

[A]

And.

[B]

And I've been there multiple times since this happened. I've never again seen a single pink flower. I'm sure this was my mom saying hi. I'm sure my mom was haunting me playfully in my house, just as she had promised she would. So thank you, Danielle, for teaching me how to enjoy the view and to ask for what you want from the people you love, wherever they may be.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

It's just such a nice, wholesome haunting. And that's really all we want.

[A]

That's the only one I will accept. And just have such a wholesome haunts. Yeah. And to have it from someone that's so important to you is just really special too.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I resonate with that. If I die, I would totally haunt you for sure.

[B]

You wouldn't send me pink flowers? I wouldn't ask. Okay, let me specify. I wouldn't ask for pink flowers.

[A]

I would send them anyway because I like pink.

[B]

I know. We'll come up with a. We got to come up with a plan. You know how you estate plan and things like we have plans for our business if, like, something is to happen.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Or at least we are hunting about that. We need haunting plans.

[A]

Yeah, that's a good idea.

[B]

But we can't talk about it on air because then, like, we can't. It has to be private and personal so that when it does happen, or if. Sorry, if it happens, no one else will know. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. We'll figure it out. Yeah. Yeah. All right, well, moving on. My story is titled the Poltergeist.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Is this gonna be a cat or.

[A]

Or something else?

[B]

Something.

[A]

Either way, I'm here for it. Okay. Starts off strong, says names were changed. In this story, you can call me Lenny. I grew up just outside Detroit in the early 2000s, when abandoned buildings were basically our playground. My friends and I were adventurous. Beers at sunset on rooftops, urban exploring to scare our suburban boyfriends. Always looking for a cheap thrill. One night, bored, we brought a Ouija board into an old cemetery just after midnight. Candles, a blanket, tarot cards, the whole setup. Our friend Mahala refused to enter the cemetery.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

That would be you correct choice. I'm like, I'm not doing this. Do not bring me in a cemetery at night with a Ouija board.

[B]

I've been at plenty of cemeteries at night, but sans Ouija board.

[A]

Yeah, none of that.

[B]

I've never even touched a Ouija board.

[A]

I have. What? But I was a child. I didn't know. I didn't know any better.

[B]

All right.

[A]

She does not mess with anything paranormal. Mahala stayed in the car, doors locked, engine running, on the phone with her stupid boyfriend.

[B]

That would be you. Be like, ow.

[A]

I just love the added stupid part. Oh, they're doing something that's making me uncomfortable inside. Nothing much happened. We messed around with the Ouija board and argued over who was moving it. Then a loud branch snapped behind us. We all jumped. The energy changed instantly. And we were all commenting on how badly we had to pee. Back to the car we went. The next day, the pussy poltergeist started. Vivian was first. She slipped getting onto her dad's tall bicycle and came down hard on the crossbars, splitting her labia open with a 1 inch garlic. Gosh.

[B]

Oh, it's that.

[A]

Okay, I take it back. I am not down for this. Okay. Insane. There was blood everywhere. She needed over 15 stitches and could not go swimming for weeks.

[B]

Oh, God, that's a hard fall.

[A]

That's like, worse than giving birth.

[B]

That. Okay, take that back immediately. You're gonna. I don't want your head on a spice floor.

[A]

I mean, the stitches. The stitches. Okay.

[B]

I don't know. Yeah. What's that thing called? Where they from your.

[A]

Oh, when you tear all the way.

[B]

Yeah. Sometimes they just cut it.

[A]

What do you mean, just cut it?

[B]

Sometimes they do that and leave because they're like, you're gonna tear and it's gonna be an easier.

[A]

Oh, you mean before they give birth?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

God, that.

[B]

I don't know much about childbirth, but from what I do know, I know

[A]

we need to get out of. We need to get out of the ancient times. Yeah. Yeah. It's horrific what they do to women. And we need to study women's health a little bit better. Anyway, two days later, it was my turn. I developed a massive Bartholin cyst that was on the verge of rupturing. Painful enough to need a procedure and stitches to fix it. That same day, Audra had a severe UTI that sent her to the hospital. Then Georgia had a pregnancy scare. Again. You're ruthless to your friends, by the way. Again.

[B]

You don't have to say the again part was unnecessary.

[A]

Or the stupid boyfriend. It's just so funny. Then it was Jess's turn. She got a yeast infection so bad that she had to postpone losing her virginity to her Macedonian boyfriend before he moved back overseas. You're just dropping the tea. I see why all the names were changed.

[B]

She had to postpone her virginity.

[A]

That's.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Serious. I mean, you don't schedule virginity with a yeast infection.

[B]

This poltergeist is coming for the.

[A]

You weren't kidding. I thought this might be about cats, but it is not. Same week, same part of the body. Every one of us who went into that cemetery. Except we. Mahala, the only one who stayed in the car. The only one who refused to enter the cemetery. She was completely fine. Maybe it was a coincidence. No, it wasn't. Maybe it was bad luck. Or just a string of unfortunate medical issues that can impact teenage girls. But we still firmly believe it was the pussy poltergeist.

[B]

It's like Final Destination for your vaginas.

[A]

Yeah. I'm in pain just thinking about it.

[B]

That guy. That first.

[A]

And that's why you set the tone,

[B]

and that's why you don't bring rewards to cemeteries.

[A]

This is what you conjure up.

[B]

I didn't consider this as a possibility.

[A]

I know. New fear unlocked, but it is.

[B]

This is not a wholesome haunting.

[A]

No, this is the opposite.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This is actually one of the worst I've ever heard.

[B]

Okay, moving on. I don't want anything. And that's why I'll never play with a Ouija board.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

She deserves to.

[A]

Let's get this energy out of here. Because we can't summon.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This to any of our listeners or ourselves.

[B]

Yeah. Okay, moving on.

[A]

Everybody stay safe. This episode is sponsored by Better Help. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. And I think it's such an important reminder that whatever you're going through, you don't have to go through it alone. Life can feel really overwhelming sometimes, Especially when things pile up all at once and you're trying to carry everything by yourself. I think a lot of us try to convince ourselves we should have the answers or know how to handle everything on our own. But honestly, nobody does. Something I've been trying to get better at is actually talking through things instead of just sitting with the stress in my own head. Whether it's work, travel, deadlines, or just the general weight of life, it can really help to have someone there to listen and help you process things in a different way. Therapy can be a really valuable space for that support. BetterHelp has over 30,000 therapists and has served more than 6 million people globally. They'll match you with a therapist based on a short questionnaire and if you ever feel like it's not the right fit, you can switch therapists at any time. And I think Mental Health Awareness Month is a good opportunity to check in with yourself. Honestly, if you've been feeling anxious, overwhelmed, stuck or unsure lately, you're definitely not alone in that. You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10 off at betterhelp.com NPAD that's better. H-E-L-P.com NPAD I don't know about you, but I like keeping my money where I can actually see it. Unfortunately, traditional big wireless carriers seem to like keeping my money too. Between high monthly bills, random fees, and those free perks that somehow cost more, it really adds up. That's why I love Mint Mobile. It's built to fix exactly that. Mint Mobile offers premium wireless plans starting at just 15 bucks a month. So if you're used to paying 60 cents, 70, even $80 a month with big carriers, you could be saving a serious amount of money every single month. All plans come with high speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. You can bring your own phone and number, activate an ESIM in minutes and start saving immediately. No long term contracts, no hassle. Ditch overpriced wireless and get three months of premium wireless service from Mint Mobile for 15 bucks a month. If I were switching carriers right now, this is exactly what I'd choose. If you like your money, Mint Mob is for you. Shop [e-mail] npad that's mintmobile.com npad upfront payment of $45 for three months. 5 gigabyte plan required equivalent to $15 per month. New customer offer for first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details.

[B]

My last story is titled A Family Tale of Dogs, Trees and one Very Unfortunate first impression. Hi Cassie and Danielle, first off, I love the podcast. You are both fantastic.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

I've gotten a little behind lately, so I've been playing catch up and I recently listened to a trail tale episode that had dog psychics and family lore. It immediately reminded me of a story from my own family that felt oddly on brand. It's not exactly a trail tale, but it is a multi generation story involving dogs, the outdoors, and one moment that still haunts my husband to this very day.

[A]

We're all about the haunts today, and

[B]

it all starts with my grandpa. He was a lifelong farmer with a deep love for the outdoors, especially trees and dogs. Border collies in particular were his thing. Over the years, he raised and rescued more dogs than I could ever count. They weren't just animals to him, they were everything. One of the stories he told me goes back to the 1960s. A tornado hit the farm and my grandpa rushed to get all of the dogs to safety. He managed to get every single one inside except for one. The tornado tore through, ripping part of the roof off of a shed and taking the missing dog with it. About an hour later, while he was assessing the damage, my grandpa got a phone call. The dog had been found alive, completely fine, just very confused as it had landed over six miles away on the

[A]

edge of town, was picked up and by this tornado. Tornado. And thrown six miles.

[B]

The hands of God. Yes.

[A]

That's the ultimate. Like surviving the. Yeah, Yeeted six miles. Not the cow spinning, but a little. Poor dog. That's so sweet. Border collie. No, Lassie. No, that's a collie.

[B]

Oh, are they? No, I'm thinking of something else. I'm thinking of like a black and white dog that herds sheep.

[A]

Also a collie.

[B]

Are they then not the same thing? They're different.

[A]

There's like the border collies and then the other collies.

[B]

What is Lassie? A collie. You're right.

[A]

Yeah. I think there's different types of collies. Yes.

[B]

It doesn't matter. Okay. He went and picked it up and the dog went on to live a long, happy life. But I've always wondered what that dog would have said to a psychic. Probably something along the lines of, I went to Oz and back. Do not recommend. Fast forward a few days. Imagine you're a dog psychic and you're like, I have no idea what this is. It's like, you won't believe this, but I'm seeing a tornado. Did this dog survive a tornado like this dog? No.

[A]

You can fly.

[B]

Talking to the real deal.

[A]

You know what I mean, yeah, that's how you test them.

[B]

Fast forward a few decades to the first time my now husband met my grandpa. We were out at the farm with my sister, clearing invasive cedar trees in the pasture and working on the garden. It was also the first time my husband met my soul dog, Sandy, who had come from my grandpa's last litter. My grandpa had kept Sandy for me for two years until I graduated college. At this point, my grandpa was still living on the farm. Though his health wasn't great, he had become more emotional and sentimental over time. So there we are, deep in chainsaw mode, clearing. Did I mention invasive cedars near the garden? My Grandpa is about 5:1 and my husband is 6:6. This is their very first day meeting. I point to a cedar tree near the garden and with full confidence tell my husband, cut that bitch down. He starts cutting from across the yard. My grandpa suddenly yells, no, no, no, no, no. Don't cut that tree down. Too late. The tree comes down quickly. My husband turns off the chainsaw, turns around and sees my grandpa standing there, head drooped, visibly emotional. That's the tree all my dogs are buried under, he said. Cue absolute silence. Now, to be fair, this was not clearly marked. We have had hundreds of dogs over the years, and they are buried all over the farm. I knew one was buried somewhere near the garden, but I had no idea it was near that tree. Also worth noting, the dog buried there had passed about 10 years earlier and wasn't even one of my grandpa's personal dogs. It was my sister and my dog. Still, in that moment, it clearly was a big deal. My sister is trying not to laugh while comforting my grandpa. Meanwhile, my poor husband, who had literally just met my family that day, was completely mortified. He couldn't believe I had told him to cut down a tree that turned out to be a dog's grave marker. Yeah, that. It's like, have you heard the thing? It's like, you're right. It's not my fault. It's your fault. You told me to do this. And the whole time, Sandy is just watching this unfold, watching his future dad unknowingly cut down the resting place of one of his ancestors. Honestly, I would pay good money to hear what Sandy was thinking in that moment. I guess I'm gonna have to get a dog psychic. My grandpa has since passed away, and every time we go back home, Sandy still runs straight into his bedroom to look for him.

[A]

Oh, God, this story is so sad.

[B]

Like, all of absolutely wrecks me every time. Thankfully, my grandpa Like, I don't want to hear this again. Actually, looking back now, the story has become one of those things that we laugh about. Constant My grandpa ended up loving my husband. It gets told far and wide, mostly just to tease him. At the time though, he was convinced he had completely ruined his chances with my family in under five minutes. For the record, I fully take the blame. I was the one who told him to cut the tree down. More than anything, this whole story reminds me how much my grandpa shaped who I am. He gave me my love of dogs, the outdoors, and conservation. He was always ahead of his time when it came to sustainable and conservation focused agriculture, and that's influenced my entire path in agriculture today. He may not have visited any national parks in his 86 years of life, but he had a deep respect for nature and all living things. He was always rescuing animals, caring for the land and making sure the farm would be better for the next generation. And of course, he made sure we were never short on dogs. Thank you for all the work you do on the podcast. I hope you enjoyed the slightly chaotic family tale. I've attached a picture of my husband and grandpa about a year after the story, as well as a picture of my dad with Sandy and Willow. Enjoy the view, but make sure you check the tree before you cut it down. It might just be a grave marker. Isabel, I had a happy ending.

[A]

It did. But I just can't get your sweet little five foot one grandpa's. I don't even know what he looks like, but I see him just like drooped and sad after seeing that. Like he wasn't. He didn't get there in time to say not to cut it. And that hurts my heart.

[B]

Yeah, it does hurt.

[A]

I hope. I wonder if you guys planted another tree there.

[B]

I feel like that would have been a detail they would have included if they did. So if you didn't, maybe that's a good idea to do like in memory. Like maybe for your grandpa's like, birthday or celebration of him in some way. Just a thought.

[A]

Just a thought. We're not here just knowing this very, very limited story. Here is our advice on your replant

[B]

an invasive cedar tree.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Is what we're trying to say.

[A]

And that's conservation. We're just kidding. Okay, my next story is titled maybe It Isn't the Time to Ask Google. Hey ladies. Thank you for this amazing podcast and keeping us all informed and educated about our national parks. You have accompanied me to work for a while now and I have gained a deeper appreciation for nature since listening to your podcast. Keep up the great work. I wanted to start this off by saying I am fully aware of the flak I am going to receive from this story as it is not my finest moment. I was recently telling my mom about how so many people misidentify a mountain lion and she agreed that people should be informed about these animals and what they look like in order to stay safe and prevent unnecessary panic. This brings me to a memory I and two others on this trip have hidden away for years. In 2023, me and my uncle and aunt were on our first hike of the year. We had decided to become more outdoorsy and decided to hike this trail in Northern California. The whole drive there, 16 year old me was giddy with excitement for this hike as it would be my first moderate hike that wasn't as well known. As we got to the trailhead, we had to stop the car as the potholes in the road were too deep for us to drive through, so we ended up walking about half a mile to get to the actual trail. As we were approaching the actual trail, we saw camp trailers parked nearby that were weirding us out because they looked like they had been living there. It was as if the universe was telling us to turn around. Now everyone's guard was up and being young and oblivious, I shouted what if we see a bear? And while I was quickly reassured that we wouldn't see one, it only raised my uncle and aunt's worries. The trail was supposed to take us roughly a couple hours and loop us right back to the car. About halfway through, our tensions had eased and we were thoroughly enjoying the heck out of this beautiful trail. We were nearing the last quarter of the trail and all seemed fine with me in front of the group. We had been staring in awe at the tall trees. When I swept my eyes to the path in front of me, it took me a second to understand what I was looking at. A big dog. My brain thought first. Nope. Bear. I shouted and pointed ahead. Before I even knew what was happening. My aunt and uncle both looked ahead as we all stood frozen staring at this brown bear who was also frozen. Now here is where my lack of awareness and common sense stepped in. Instead of following any instructions I had heard in school or on class camping trips, I instead pulled out my phone and googled what do you do when you see a bear? Mind you, we were in middle school. This is like linking all back to the chatgpt. What do I do for a fire? Mind you, we were all in the middle of the woods So I didn't exactly have service. We all waited patiently for my phone to load.

[B]

That's not the problem. That's not what it's like. Mind you, I didn't have service. So silly. But that's not the problem.

[A]

Just like this visual is so funny. It's like we could. It's like we all waited patiently for my phone to load. It's like. It's just. There's a bear, so you're both staring at each other. It's like. Please hold.

[B]

Where is this taking place again?

[A]

It's in Northern California. Okay, so it must have been a black bear.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They're waiting for a few seconds, but within seconds of me looking up what to do, the bear made its way off the trail and down the embankment. We continued our hike on high alert and safely made it back to our car. More of the story. Maybe. Googling what to do when you see a bear is not the best time when you're actively seeing a bear. We have not spoken about this incident since that car trip home. Rhianna.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah, between. I bet you know what to do now, though.

[B]

I would hope. Did it ever load?

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

Google it now.

[A]

Just Google it now. Everyone who is not in front of a bear right now. If you are not sure what to do, now's the time. You're safe. You're with friends. We're not judging. This is a safe place. Unless you're listening to this and there's a bear in front of you.

[B]

Right. Which then you're too. I'm judging you. Okay, great. Well, we each have another bonus story for you. Or a bonus story. Not another. We only have one each. Mine is titled Jeffrey the Cobbler Killer of Cade's Cove.

[A]

Oh, shit.

[B]

Sounds dangerous.

[A]

Mine is I found my doppelganger in the haunted courthouse on Route 66.

[B]

God, I was on one when I was putting this together, however long ago. I feel proud of myself. Yeah, I'm intrigued by all of these.

[A]

Yeah, me too. Great job.

[B]

Not to say I'm never intrigued. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

It's just a fun the way they've come together with all the hauntings and signs and googling and chatgpt. It all kind of came together in this one.

[B]

Coming together.

[A]

Yeah. And if you would like to close the loop on this full circle and find out what happens next, join our subscriptions on Patreon or on Apple subscriptions. You can hang out with us there.

[B]

Alrighty. And everyone else, we will see you next week in the meantime, enjoy the

[A]

view, but watch your back. Bye bye. Thanks for joining us for another episode. We hope you learned something new and have another location to put on your list. If you want more MPAD content, make sure to follow along with our adventures on all socials at National Park After Dark.

[B]

For more stories just like this one with the added bonus of exclusive content, you can join us on Patreon or Apple Subscriptions. If you prefer to watch our episodes, head over to our YouTube channel. And if you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe on your favorite listening platform.

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

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