Hi Richard,

I finally had a semi-qualified 'ghost experience' (if you want to call it that) and I was a little curious by it (although I still think the jury is out since it could easily be nothing at all...).

Here's my story. Recently I was in Colorado and had interest in going to the Stanley Hotel. It wasn't my original destination, but knowing that it was the site of Stephen King's 'The Shining' gave me an inclination to visit it being so close. All I knew of the hotel is that they supposedly filmed 'The Shining' there (which as it turns out was not the case). Anyway, I went there with this intention of seeing the hotel of one of my favorite horror flicks.

Anyway, as I pulled into the hotel I was a little bit confused as to where to park. The visitors section looked like it should be in the front of the hotel, but the signs said go to the back. I expected to swing around to the front, but found out that this was a no-go and then I assumed that we must enter from the back lot.

Got out of the car and started to walk up the stairs. At that point, I just didn't think this was the right way. It was somewhat windy of a day, but not too windy. As I was just about to approach the door to the hotel, the wind (I guess anyway) popped the door open just as I was about to grab it (I didn't see the door pop open any other time). A little surprised, but I grabbed the handle and opened it (with that feeling that I just shouldn't be entering from the rear entrance like this). Just as I did, I heard a large dog right behind me (like a German Shepherd) bark like crazy. That scarred me because I just knew this was the wrong entrance. I turned quickly in a bit of a scare only to see that this cardboard box was being blown on the brick sidewalk and making what sounded like a loud barking dog noise. I was a little flustered at that. Just as I was walking in, I wondered to myself if this might be labeled a 'haunted hotel' and thought 'cool'.

After walking around the hotel I realized it wasn't the same hotel as that in 'The Shining' and was a little disappointed (it was called the Overlook Hotel in the movie). After this I found that the hotel conducted ghost walk-throughs of the hotel and I asked the reason. They said the hotel is acclaimed as the most haunted hotel in America. So, I thought, what the heck, I signed up.

Came back later that afternoon and did the Ghost tour. Nothing unusual happened until I got to the room on the 4th floor where they said they had the most psychic phenomena (i.e., the one that all the looney psychics wanted to stay in). As I walked past the room, I received a rather modest static shock on both of my toes at the same time. Not much of a ghostly experience, but that's it for this hotel.

Until the next day when I was back in Denver. We were lost driving around at night trying to find a gas station in Denver. Got way sidetracked into the wrong area of Denver, and had to find a place to turn around. I turned left into a parking lot, and the name of the complex was Overlook Apartments (instead of Overlook Hotel).

Anyway, not very convincing I must add. But, after the experience I thought it was the closest thing I've ever experienced to a ghostly encounter. If ghosts exist, it seems like they could do better than that. But, a little of that and I am glad such things don't happen.