The Horror Express #14 – Sasquatch

Welcome to the 14th episode of the Horror Express. In this program Jason and I talk about a large pest infestation called Sasquatch. Also, the Conductor joins us and introduces a creepy old time radio story that he says answers the question of Bigfoot. If that was not enough we have lots of questions and comments from you guys! So please join us for this train ride into the unknown.

Click here to play this episode.

Topic – Sasquatch

Bigfoot is an ape-human type creature that many believe lives mostly in forests in the Pacific Northwest region of the North American continent. He is also often referred to as Sasquatch. He is often described as a large and hairy, resembling a half-man, half-ape creature in folklore and myths. Many of those who have reported seeing Bigfoot describe him with large eyes, a low-set forehead, large brow-ridge, and having enormous footprints. He is believed to be upwards of 500 pounds and anywhere from 6 to 8 feet tall. He is also reported to be rather smelly, and he is mainly nocturnal.

Allusive Bigfoot Comes to the Podcast

This is going to be a banner week here at Ron’s Amazing Stories. We have a new installment of the Horror express, and topic this time is, Bigfoot. If you have never heard of the beast? I will give you the quick rundown:

Bigfoot is an ape-human type creature that many believe lives mostly in forests in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. He goes by many names such as Sasquatch. He is often described as being large, hairy, and resembling a half-man-half-ape creature in folklore and myths. Many of those who have reported seeing Bigfoot describe him with large eyes, a low-set forehead, large brow-ridge, and having enormous footprints. He is believed to be upwards of 500 pounds and anywhere from 6 to 8 feet tall. He is also reported to be rather smelly, and he is mainly nocturnal.

Bigfoot Facts:

The Bigfoot mystery has existed for hundreds of years in different countries around the world.
Bigfoot is the most famous of the cryptids. Early Native Americans believed that Sasquatch was a spiritual creature
Russia, France and Germany have all placed Bigfoot on the endangered species list.
Most believe that David Thompson was the first to discover Sasquatch in 1811 when he found a set of his footprints.
Bigfoot has many nicknames including Jacko, Jingera, Monkey Man, Old Skunky Bill, Rugaru, Tree Men, Wendigo, Wigidokowok, and Yeti (its Himalayan cousin). There are many others.
The first person to capture footage of Bigfoot was Roger Patterson. While there are people that believe that his footage is fake. Many acclaimed scientists have come around and now say that this is real evidence of an Ape-Like creature.
There have been too many eyewitness accounts of Bigfoot sightings for researchers to dismiss the possibility of it’s existence. Many of the eyewitnesses are credible people, not those looking to gain fame, fortune or attention. However, to this date there is no DNA evidence to prove that Sasquatch exists.

This Week’s Podcast:

On the podcast this week we have a new episode of the Horror Express. The topic this time is Bigfoot. We also have a handpicked OTR story by the Conductor himself. You can listen to this podcast this Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on TuneIn Radio or listen on your radio Saturday night at 6pm Eastern time. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

The Calendar:

January 05 – The Seventh Victim – (RAS #271)
January 12 – To The Future – (RAS #272)
January 19 – Tunnel Under the World – (RAS #273)
January 26 – The Horror Express #14
February 02 – Western Round Up – (RAS #274)

RAS #273 – Tunnel Under The World

As promised we tunnel under the world to produce another science fiction week here at Ron’s Amazing Stories. On today’s program it is all about Frederik Pohl. We have two short stories by him titled, Tunnel Under the World and Pythias. We also have a reading of his very first published work, that he wrote in 1937. It is a poem called, Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna. So, please click the link and be dazzled!

Our OTR Story – Tunnel Under the World

On the morning of June 15th, Guy Burckhardt woke up screaming!

That is how our OTR story begins today. It is classic tale which first was published under the title, The Tunnel Under the World, in Galaxy Science Fiction magazine, January of 1955. Its author was none other than Frederik Pohl. One of history’s greatest science fiction authors. The story itself is a Groundhog Day meets The Truman Show meets The Matrix. One thing is for sure is that all of it leads to one mind-bending plot. The tale comes from the series X-Minus One and is called the Tunnel Under the World. It was taken from the Hugo winning short-story by Frederik Pohl. It first aired on April 14, 1956.

True or False with Frederik Pohl

We begin yet another Science Fiction week, and this time we focus on Frederik Pohl. Pohl has done just about everything that it is possible in the field of science fiction. But, has he done everything that I am about to tell you? It is time for another round of True or False and this time we focus on sci-fi fan, poet, critic, literary agent, teacher, editor and, of course writer, Frederik George Pohl Jr.

Q1 – We start with a Frederik Pohl Truth?

True – Frederik Pohl was an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning more than seventy-five years. His first published work was in 1937 with a poem titled, Elegy to a Dead Satellite: Luna. His last full novel called, All the Lives He Lead, was published in 2011. He did not stop there however, and continued writing until 2013.

Q2 – Despite his amazing career Pohl was never inducted into Science Fiction Hall of Fame?

False – Come on now we are talking about one of the most amazing writers in history. He was inducted by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1998. He was put in its third round of inductees of two dead and two living writers. He was one of live ones. For the record Pohl has won or been nominated for just every writer’s award possible. His wins are too numerous to list here.

Q3 – Despite Pohl’s view of the future he never had much to do with modern technology?

False – The guy was amazing! Pohl won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 2010, for his blog, “The Way the Future Blogs“. He was true science fiction fanatic! If you are interest you can still read his blogs today.

Q4 – Pohl loved to Teach and to Lecture?

True – Apart from the field of science fiction, he is a noted lecturer and teacher in the area of future studies. He also collaborated with Isaac Asimov on the text, The Last Theorem in 2008, which Sir Arthur C. Clarke calls “perhaps the most important book either of its authors has produced.”

Q5 – Frederik Pohl was a member of the U.S. State Department?

False – However, he did travel to lecture on behalf of the State Department in places such as Singapore, New Zealand and most of the countries of both Eastern and Western Europe.

Q6 – Frederik Pohl is alive and well today?

False – No matter how much we wish it was true, Pohl passed quietly in a hospital September 2, 2013. Leaving us a legacy that could quite possibly never be matched. He was 93 and still working on the projects he so dearly loved. He was survived by his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Anne Hull, who is a past president of the Science Fiction Research Association and a noted scholar in the field in her own right.

This Week’s Podcast:

On week #3 of science fiction week we have not one, but two stories written by the great Frederik Pohl. Both are amazing and both won awards for the prolific writer. We will of course full out the show with lots of other fun stuff. You can listen to this podcast this Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on TuneIn Radio or listen on your radio Friday night at 8pm Eastern time. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

The Calendar:

January 05 – The Seventh Victim – (RAS #271)
January 12 – To The Future – (RAS #272)
January 19 – Pohl Stories – (RAS #273)
January 26 – The Horror Express #14
February 02 – (RAS #274)

RAS #272 – To The Future

Did you hear the word? To The Future we go! Ron’s Amazing Stories is doing another science fiction week! Yep, another episode chalked full of great stories from the future. We have a freaky story a listener from Nevada sent in who says he will never return to New Mexico, then we will hear a story about a couple who escape the future by going into the past, and we end it with an instructional piece on the pitfalls of greater than light speed. So relax, grab a drink and press that play button!

Our OTR Story – To The Future By Ray Bradbury

Our OTR story comes to us from Dimension X, which was effective series in showing of what could be done with science fiction on the radio. Our story was written by Ray Bradbury and is titled, Into the Future. It tells of dark time coming, and what would happen if the people then used advanced technology to escape to the now. It first aired on May 27, 1950.

The Horror Express Update

Jason and I have got everything ready for Horror Express #14. The topic this time will be Bigfoot! We have the studio booked for January 20th, 2017 and the podcast should release the week after. We are excited about the show and hope you guys are as well.