Episode 203: The Vanishing Hitchhiker

Continue the conversation on our Discord!: https://discord.gg/NpjsaB7uQe

You're driving down a dark road late at night. A hitchhiker climbs into your car, rides for a few miles… and then vanishes without a sound.

This chilling tale is one of the most famous in paranormal folklore: The Phantom Hitchhiker. From ghostly travelers on forgotten highways to spirits replaying their final ride, the legend has haunted drivers for generations.

In this episode of Bob After Dark, we explore the origins of this eerie story, its global variations, and why it continues to capture our imagination. Just be careful next time you see someone thumbing a ride in your headlights.

References:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/vanishing-hitchhiker-urban-legend https://multoghost.wordpress.com/2024/07/26/revisiting-the-vanishing-hitchhiker/

This week we visit modern lore and look at the SCP Foundation. This week we read 3 file cases known as SCP-217, SCP-425, and SCP-119. One is a virus that turns any object into a clock, another is a microwave that seems to bend time, and a television that broadcasts infinity.

Bob is home from Gen Con! He brings back stories of mead trading, gaming, and of course speaking. Bob hosted two seminars this past weekend. One was on some of the stranger stories he experienced. The second was how to implement the paranormal in a RPG. Also on this episode we talk about the history of the Ouija Board, and the early days of the Spiritualism movement.

Wow, it's hard to believe this is the 200th time a Bob After Dark episode description has been written. We have a lot of viewer call ins: from a Big Foot sighting, to White Cemetery on Cuba Road in Barrington Illinois, to the Whispers Estate in Indiana, and even a special call from Count Dracula himself! We also tell the tale of the Squonk. A strange cryptid who cries because it's so ugly. Also, a couple gets married at Big Foot festival in West Virginia, mosquito sized drones, and haunted boots! Thanks for 200 episodes!

Ever hear of Logan Webb? Well, you may know his work as an animator. He's worked on Sonic Prime, and Strawberry Shortcake. Well, now Logan is branching out and working on an animated feature about Big Foot being recruited to get back an alien that escaped from Area 51. So, a cryptidcentric feature film! Bob and Count are excited to speak to him about his kickstarter for the trailer found here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lunaticfringetrailer/lunatic-fringe-proof-of-concept-trailer

Also featured in this episode is the Whitney House. A haunted upscale mansion in Detroit that was once home to a family of tragedy but is now an upscale restaurant. The mansion was also a place to treat tuberculosis cases.

According to the Cryptid Wiki, "The Grafton Monster is described as being seven to nine feet tall, four feet wide and having white seal-like skin. The monster also possesses no discernible head, The Grafton Monsters head was rested in the middle of his chest. The Grafton Monster has a very deep bellow, being heard for miles." So, is this walking wall real? Or just one big hoax? If you're a fan of Fallout 76, this one is for you!

According to the Encyclopedia of Crytpids, "The sasabonsam or asanbosam is a vampire-like creature in the folklore of Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo.[1] A sighting is reputed to have occured in 1918 or 1928, making it a true cryptid, specifically a flying humanoid. Sculptures of the sasabonsam depict it as a humanoid creature with a bearded human face, long hair, a pair of horns or pointed ears, a skinny body with protruding ribs, short forelimbs connected to "a pair of thin membranes resembling a bat's wings," and long, twisted legs." In West Africa, they tell tales of one of the most terrifying vampire stories out there. We also talk about Illinois Big Foot sightings, A haunted museum and bar that serves in-mates last meals, and the Grafton Monster Festival!

Long necked possibly vampiric yokai.