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Ever met a ghost on your travels?

With Halloween approaching, I thought this might be an interesting question, especially since they've been running shows on the Travel Channel about grand haunted hotels and inns. Interviews with former guests at places like the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO, and The Myrtles Plantation outside St. Francisville, LA tell of encounters chilling, charming, or sublime. And of course, they've also mentioned other nifty haunts where tourists are likely to congregate, like the Moss Beach Distillery in Northern California, the Artist's House in Key West, and locations throughtout St. Augustine, Charleston, and New Orleans! So... have you ever met a ghost while traveling? I've personally never encountered one while abroad, but at the hotel where I work there is a haunted room, and there are also many rooms that have an annoying habit of deadbolting themselves from the inside, much to the consternation of the front desk staff and guests who just want to get into their rooms and aren't in the mood for that. Who can blame them? Plus, just up the road in Asheville is the famous Grove Park Inn, whose nightclub has been the site of so much activity that security refuses to police it after closing, and where children especially report seeing, speaking with, and even playing with the "Pink Lady". Who's got a good ghost story?

I met Christopher Walken once while travelling. That was kind of spooky. Does that count?

I aint afraid of no ghost. I aint afraid of no ghost.

Years ago a buddy and I were traveling in the north Ga. mtns and got lost. Sometime after midnight the car ended up in the ditch and we were isolated, lost somewhere on a dirt road. Luckily a full, crisp moon was out so we started walking and after a few miles we heard a vehicle coming our way. What a eerie sight to see dim lights approaching in the still of the night along a deserted road. The truck stopped, an older man stepped out and approached us. His breath came out in misty puffs. I was somewhat scared, I'm sure my buddy was too. All he said was "what cha doin?" We explained what happened, he said no one could get us out till morning. He did say there was an old fish camp nearby that we could probably sleep at. We hopped in the back of the truck and he took us to the place. Led us straight to the room, it was open and told us to stay there; someone would come by in the morning. I asked his name and he said "Henry Holcombe". We thanked him and said good night. We both remarked what a strange man and being that we were extremely tired went straight to bed. Room was very small with concrete floor, but thankfully a couple of very nice patchwork quilts. During the night I was awakened by a noise. Noise continued for a few minutes and stopped. All I remember was heavy breathing and crunching of leaves. Fell back asleep and awoke in early morn mist. The cabin had a screened porch and there was a small table. On the table was a thermos of coffee and some fresh biscuits wrapped up in cloth in a basket! My buddy was standing behind me and we both stood dumbfounded. Oh well we drank the coffee and ate the biscuits! Soon the proprietor came by. We explained what happened, he said thank you for the money we put in overnight box! I told him that we didn't put any money there that a man named Henry Holcombe led us straight to this room and someone would come in morning! Proprietor stood dumbfounded. He stated to chuckle kind of nervous like and then stated that Henry Holcombe had been DEAD FOR 13 YEARS!!! All we could do was swallow real hard, thank the man and high tail it out of there!! We found a tow truck, got a car and the whole way back to Altanta was a conversation I will never, ever forget! Date that this happened: OCTOBER 31,1975

WOW, ramjet - I totally believe this happened to you!!!

Henry Holcombe a.k.a. Casper the FRIENDLY ghost. What a great story! Thanks for sharing!

does meeting Elvis on I81 count??????????

Ramjet, that was an awesome story. It was great! Thanks for sharing, now tell us the truth did that really happen???

Spooky: I THOUGHT I saw a turnip truck drive away! Did you JUST fall off?!?!?

WELL!!! I have seen these kind of stories on Unsolved Mysteries, and Ghost Stores before. It could have really happened!!! (I must run and get on the turnip truck before it leaves without me!!) Have a great weekend.

Yes, my family stayed in a haunted B&B outside of Boston this summer. The owners are good friends of my cousin, who we were visiting. The wners even give you the newspaper articles about it. The deal is that in the 19th Century the house was owned by an Abolitionist who ran the local underground railroad, spiriting slaves to Canada. There were hiding places all over the older parts of the house (false doors and floors,etc.), the ghost is allegedly a middle aged slave woman, black, who was released when the owners found and opened a box of old papers found in the attic. She responds harshly to immature behavior, especially children. The owners said that when the marshalls came and searched the house, a noisy child would give the whole family away, so the mother had to sternly keep them quiet. If found, everyone was hanged, including the house owner and family. The first night I stayed in the haunted room with my 11 year old son, who wanted to see the ghost. Like a boy, he kept daring the ghost to come out--"I ain't scared of no ghost!" The second night he asked to stay in the other room, my wife returning to mine. He said at night, someone touched his cheek. For real. The owner swears the ghost saved her daughter from a near fatal eating disorder when the girl was a teenager. Me, I don't mess with ghosts, having encountered one once as a young man.

Johnlw, how did you encounter a ghost as a young man?

Great thread. I have had no experiences myself, but fact or fiction, it's still fun to read. Millie, I laughed out loud when I read yours!

My Mother lived in a Senior's apartment complex, in a not so great area, and one evening took her laundry to a nearby laundromat. She was alone in the facility when she noticed a man had come into the building and was looking at her in a way that made goosebumps appear all over her body. She felt she needed to leave but his body blocked her path to the door. Just then the door opened and a large man entered the establishment with one towel in his hand. He sat and read as he washed the ONE towel and then dried the one towel

continued I have always felt this was my Mom's guardian angel...it gave her time to finish her laundry and leave.

I think that anybody who believes in ghosts will believe anything. Too goofy.

My lady friend, Mrs. Muir, lives with a ghost!

To curios, to answer your question.. When I was about 20 years old a friend and I rented an apartment near the DC line in Maryland. We went to the U. of Md. This was about 1968. The guy who sublet it to me was a diplomat's son. His Dad had been kidnapped by terrorists in S. America. He was going home to be with his family. Several days later, as I woke up I heard a voice as clear as a bell say "Good morning." No one was there. I said "I'm not him, he is not here." On the news that morning, the young man's father had been executed. I swear it was him. That is all I ever heard.

Well, I believe in ghosts, but I don't believe in ef v!

ramjet: You tell a great story! I loved it. I don't believe it, but I loved it. Thanks for the ghost story. Also, thanks Austin for starting this thread.