Scugog's Ghost Rider
Posted by: Juicepig
N 44° 09.246 W 078° 52.573
17T E 669832 N 4891181
Has been the topic of newspaper articles and tv reports, as well as many other paranormal investigations, but the ghost rider rides on.
Waymark Code: WM1A8G
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 03/12/2007
Views: 156
This section of the "Ghost Road" as the locals call it, has brought tourists interested in the paranormal to a place that would not normally see much activity. Start in the North on Demera road and head south. The road is officially named ghost road although there are no signs marking it (they get stolen almost immediately).
The story behind the ghost rider is varied, and changes with the times. The most common story about the ghost rider is that it is a motorcyclist that died in an accident along the road (although there have been no deaths of that nature along this road), or that the driver was trying to escape an angry lovers father, or that the rider drove a snowmobile. Older variations include a farmer that was shot in 1838 in the area, holding a lantern, and a native on a warpath holding a torch.
As far as ghost appearances go, you can practically set your watch by this one. It can be seen up to 275 nights a year, generally between the hours of 2300h and 0200h. The apparition can appear anywhere from one to ten times a night along the strech of road.
The headlight appears to be pure white, not unlike a standard HMI light. It does not throw a beam, and the purity and quality of the light seems to be unaffected by rain, snow, or fog. Local Authorities have tried various methods and theories, including shutting down highway 35 on the other side of the lake to lessen the likelyhood of reflection off the water, but they have not been successful.
Getting close to the lights can be difficult as told by this first hand experience: "A friend went hunting one night in a 1971 Chevrolet Nova packing a 396cid V-8 racing engine; this car had quarter-mile numbers that would turn the NHRA green with envy. Upon sighting the ghost, he slammed the car into gear. At 140 mph, he still couldn't get close enough to the ghost to get a good look at it. However, one night I was up with a car-load of friends. After about an hour, another car-load of spectators gave up, and left by driving south towards ground zero. When they reached the stop sign at the t-intersection, the ghost appeared right in front of them. Judging by the panic of brake lights, reverse-lights, and the spinning of tires, these people must have gotten a really good look. Unfortuantely, they didn't stick around to answer my questions... "
For those sceptics, an in-depth debunking can be
read here