...Has Anyone Ever Really Stopped at, "THE THING?"

[MAX Burner]

OK, for decades we've been seeing those billboard advertisements across the southwest from California to TX, maybe even further, that show a weird image of what appears almost alien - and in huge capital letters, "VISIT THE THING?"....   Or, only 974 miles to "THE THING?"...  whatever.

Traveling back from the Q a few weeks ago, it was just me and the two knuckleheads in the back.  We were eastbound on I-10 between Willcox and Benson, near Dragoon - with nothing better to do, we pulled in to the "All New THING Museum" for grins.

So, has anyone, except me, actually stopped at "THE THING" to check it out?

Just curious...

[topgun2]

Can I assume that you (nor anyone else) is going to give us a hint as to what to expect at this place? 😬

[MAX Burner]

1 minute ago, topgun2 said:

Can I assume that you (nor anyone else is going to give us a hint as to what to expect at this place? 😬

Of course you can, Bill!  HA!  😆

[jd1923]

On 2/20/2024 at 8:47 AM, MAX Burner said:

...So, has anyone, except me, actually stopped at "THE THING" to check it out? Just curious...

I think it's just you Art!

(Given "the two knuckleheads" stayed outside.) I sometimes call ours "butthead" and Chris says, "That's not nice." I've driven by that stretch of I-10 some twenty times...

[johnwen]

We did.....on the way to the Q this year.  26 years ago we and the inlaws stopped there and the only one to visit was my late father in law. Since we poked fun at him he wouldn't divulge any details so we had to take a look for ourselves this year.  I can only say one thing...."now we know"  

John

[SeaDawg]

So, @johnwen, was it worth the stop? In your opinion?

No "spoiler alerts" nor secrets divulged? 😀

[Mike and Carol]

12 hours ago, johnwen said:

I can only say one thing...."now we know"  

We’ve driven by “The Thing” probably 20 or 30 times over the years, the latest on our way to Quartzsite last month.  I always say that we need to stop sometime.  Maybe it’s best we don’t and keep it a mystery?  Mike

[johnwen]

11 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

So, @johnwen, was it worth the stop? In your opinion?

No "spoiler alerts" nor secrets divulged? 😀

Was definitely worth it to us mostly because of my Father-in Law...I could see him smiling at us :)

If you go, make sure to read the literature posted on the walls along the way!!!

John

[ScubaRx]

We've passed that place dozens of times over the past 50 or so years. We've stopped there a time or two but never actually ventured into the back to see "The Thing".

For all those folks that say they hate the desert and rarely travel West of the Mississippi River, you're never even gonna have the chance to know...

[Jason Foster]

Makes me think back to my childhood:

If I had seen a sign that said "The Thing", no one could have kept me away.  I'm always looking for weird cool places like that.