“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” - H.P. Lovecraft

It is October, the cool, colorful, earthy-scented month that leads us to the celebration of All Hallow’s Eve, Halloween, Samhain … Oct. 31 goes by many names. This is the time of year we yearn for a good scare, to pay a visit to a known haunted location or two. We want to feel those fine hairs rise up from our neck and to experience heightened senses to such a degree, a sudden sound can make us cry out, or scream! The unknown will do it every time.

Many of us in the Boothbay Region know ghosts, spirits and sprites are also among us during the other 11 months of the year. Wouldn’t it be great to find others intrigued by the supernatural and who have had these experiences? Lisa Matthews of Pedego Electric Bikes has an event for you: the second “Spooky Story Sharing & Scaring.” This Friday, Oct. 11, a campfire will be “lit” at Pedego Electric Bikes (185 Townsend Ave., Boothbay Harbor) from 6 to 8 p.m. for those with otherworldly experiences to share. Those attending will enjoy food and drink by talented chefs and bakers from East Boothbay General Store and Farm 23 as they listen to one another’s tales, a campfire, surrounded by darkness.

The first Spooky Story Sharing & Scaring was held at the bike shop in 2022. Matthews recalled about 12 people attended bringing their personal experiences to share. Subjects included UFOs, ghosts and Bigfoot; encounters in Boothbay Harbor, elsewhere in Maine and in Massachusetts, and as far away as Thailand.

“I wanted to have an event for others into the ‘unexplained,’” said Matthews. “It was so interesting. People who have had these experiences may not feel comfortable sharing them. But everyone who came was a great listener and respectful. I cannot wait for this year’s event!”

Her experiences with the paranormal began while she was in her teens in Austin. She wrote a book, “Haunted Texas Vacations,” (still available on Amazon, written over a period of 10 years. Her last name was Farwell then). And it isn’t in the least bit unusual for her to stay at reputedly haunted hotels, motels, etc. She shared one such adventure that happened at an inn in Jefferson, Texas, called The Hotel Jefferson.

“It was built in the late 1800s and had a haunted reputation,” she began. “I had visited it multiple times and nothing odd happened. When I was on my book tour for “Haunted Texas Vacations,” Texas Highways magazine contacted me. One of their writers wanted to come with me to a haunted location for an article. So I drove from Austin to Jefferson (a five-hour ride) and we checked in. The magazine writer who was in her 20s and her mom, 40s. The first night, when we returned to our room from dinner, all of the lights were on. Every single one. None of us had turned on a light. Odd. OK. We get ready for bed and fall asleep. At 2 a.m., I bolt up out of a sound sleep with no idea why I woke up. The room was dark and silent. The writer and her mom were sound asleep.

“I laid back down, on my left side facing the small table between the two beds. And then all of a sudden, it felt like someone was getting into bed with me. Behind me...I could actually sense the weight but not a body, and I could feel this electrical (tingling) feeling. I went into a panic,” Matthews said.

Want to hear the rest of the tale? Of course you do. Guess we’ll be seeing you at the event on Friday!

Mysterious Tours offers many experiences for supernatural aficionados – by ebike or foot. As the tour website states, “Whether you’re a ghost hunter or an art enthusiast, we have designed the perfect walk for you to experience the eerie and enchanting sides of our town.”

The paranormal tours in October are held Thursdays – Sundays. The Ghost Walk, 5-6:30 p.m. is taken Thursday-Saturday. For complete information about the bikes, tours, and this week’s event, visit https://pedegoelectricbikes.com and https://mysteriousharbortours.com/