
By now, nearly everyone in America has heard of the infamous "Area 51." This secluded, clandestine site is about as far off the beaten track as anywhere else in the country. People whisper about it in hushed tones. "Strange things are going on there," they say. "I've heard stories about flying saucers, aliens, top-secret government projects." The wild rumors and weird reports about it range from the innocuous to the terrifying. Some say it's really just a decoy to distract the public's attention from the "real" secret air base, while others claim it once house a live alien saucer pilot.
I had to find out the truth for myself.
I had to be in Las Vegas, about two hours' drive from Area 51, so I figured it was the perfect opportunity to scout out the clandestine base for myself -- to separate fact from fiction, reality from rumor. Not wanting to try to infiltrate the world's most secret (but widely known) military installation by myself, I enlisted the help of a couple of trusted colleagues.
"Darren" came to America from Poland, where he worked as an electrician after serving a stint in the Polish army as a tank commander. He volunteered to do the driving. "Miranda" is an actress and a model, but more importantly, she's an ace photographer. She'd bring the 35mm with the heavy-duty telephoto lenses, along with a small spy camera that could be slipped discreetly into her panties if need be. Finally, I'd be manning the surveillance gear and navigating, calling the shots as we made our break for the heart of Area 51.
Needless to say, the best-laid plans often run awry. This one was no exception. Darren chickened out after a desert training run near Las Vegas, and Miranda flaked before we left the hotel, saying she had to fly to Singapore for a fashion shoot. She took all her camera gear with her. Which left me holding the bag, and an empty one at that. But I was determined to at least visit the site, snap a few photos and try to get a lay of the land. It was time to improvise, modify the game plan, and execute a new strategy.
I decided to make the long drive up from Vegas on a Sunday, figuring that was the best time to catch a secret military installation with its pants down. I'd get there a few hours before sunset, take stock of the situation, gather what intelligence I could, take a few pictures with my trusty old camera, and wait for the cover of darkness to offer up the secrets of the base.
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