Ope, Whatchya Think?

Episode 15- Madman Mike’s Time Machine: The Missouri Vortex

The hosts drink, joke, and dive into the strange true story of Mike Markham — a Missouri man who claimed to build a time machine using a Jacob’s Ladder and stolen transformers, called into Coast to Coast AM, disappeared for two years, and reappeared in Ohio holding a mysterious device.The episode mixes skepticism, conspiracy chatter, and humor as the crew recounts Markham’s arrest, the blackout his experiments caused, Art Bell interviews, and theories linking the case to other time-travel legends.

Episode 14- The King of Beaver Island: Murder, Metal Plates, and a Tin Crown

Four tipsy hosts and one special guest unpack the strange true story of James Strang: a 19th‑century Mormon convert who claimed to have discovered metal plates, proclaimed himself King of Beaver Island, held a tin‑crowned coronation, and led a theocratic community.
The episode covers Strang’s rise, conflicts with local fishermen over land and polygamy, his assassination in 1856, the forced exile of his followers, and the mysterious fate of the plates — all told with rambunctious banter and dark humor.

Episode 13- Drunk at Aztalan Part 2: Rock Lake’s Hidden Pyramids and ‘Rocky’

In this rambunctious two‑part episode the hosts dig into Wisconsin’s Aztalan mounds, exploring connections to Cahokia, reports of underwater and underground pyramid‑like structures at Rock Lake, and local sightings of a 20‑foot serpent nicknamed “Rocky.”
Between spirited banter and drinks, they touch on ancient trade (copper from Keweenaw), strange lake lore, possible explanations (logs, otters, gators), and why these Midwestern mysteries still capture imaginations.

Episode 12- Drunk at Aztalan Part 1: Mounds, Shells, & Mississippian Mysteries

On this rambunctious episode of Ope, What You Think?, the hosts — drunk and irreverent — visit Aztalan, Wisconsin to explore its mysterious mounds, burial finds, and surprising Gulf Coast shell artifacts.
They discuss mound types, a young woman’s wrapped burial with shell belts, connections to the Mississippian culture and Cahokia, and theories about ancient trade and cultural links — all mixed with humor, drinking, and outtakes.
This is the first part of a planned multi-episode deep dive into Aztalan’s archaeology, history, and strange connections.

Episode 11- Eagle River UFO: The Day Aliens Served Breakfast

On this episode the hosts, over beers and banter, examine the 1961 Eagle River, Wisconsin sighting where farmer Joe Simonton said three Italian-looking humanoids emerged from a shiny craft, asked for water, and gave him four strange, tasteless pancakes.The U.S. Air Force investigated the report for Project Blue Book, confiscated the pancakes (now reportedly at Wright-Patterson), found only earthly ingredients but no salt, and left the case officially unexplained. The hosts mix humor and skepticism as they debate whether it was extraterrestrial, a prank, or something else.

Interview 4- Tomahawk Man‑Bat: The Night Two Gargoyles Took Flight

In this special cigar-and-beer episode recorded live from the Pecatonica clubhouse, Tom Quinn recounts a chilling Tomahawk, Wisconsin sighting: two large winged humanoids fought above a riverside concert, sending crowds into a panic and one swooping low enough to brush the hosts before rocketing skyward.
Josh, Tyler, and Isaac discuss local cryptid lore, media silence, similar Great Lakes sightings like Mothman and the Hodag, and debate whether these creatures are biological, dimensional, or being covered up.

Episode 10- Half-Ton from the Sky: The 1977 Council Bluffs Melt

In December 1977 a glowing red object descended over a park in Council Bluffs, Iowa, igniting a grass fire and leaving behind a heavy, cooling slab of unusual metal that formed blue crystals as it solidified.Firefighters and police recovered the half-ton alloy, which was later analyzed by researchers including Jacques Vallée and Dr. Gary Nolan; mass spectrometry showed a purified mix of metals not easily explained by natural meteors or conventional debris.The episode explores the eyewitness accounts, scientific testing, and competing theories — from satellite or military debris to exotic explanations like jettisoned material from an unknown craft — and why the case remains debated today.

Interview 3- The Boys Talk About UFOs

Four friends on a beer-fueled Midwest podcast trade wild UFO and strange-light stories — from a grandma spotting a classic silver flying saucer to mysterious hillsides lit with no source and orange orbs streaking into the sky.The episode mixes humor, family memories, and conspiracy banter as they debate extraterrestrial, extra-dimensional, and metaphysical explanations while sharing local legends and personal encounters.

Episode 9- The Van Meter Visitor: Iowa’s Glowing-Horned Pterosaur Mystery

In 1903 the small town of Van Meter, Iowa, was terrorized by reports of a nine-foot, winged creature with leathery wings and a glowing horn that landed on rooftops, broke into buildings, emitted a foul stench, and resisted gunfire. Locals formed a posse, tracked the beast to an abandoned mine, and sealed the entrance after the sightings continued for several nights.The episode examines contemporary newspaper reports and eyewitness accounts, discusses possible explanations—from a surviving pterosaur or giant bat to mass hysteria or moonshine-fueled panic—and describes how Van Meter has embraced the legend with annual events and visitor signs today.

Episode 8- Haunted Freighter: The Ghosts of the William A. Irvin

On this episode the hosts banter over snacks and drinks before diving into Duluth, Minnesota’s moored freighter the SS William A. Irvin. They explore the ship’s history as a flagship of U.S. Steel, a fatal 1964 boiler-room explosion, and local reports of shadowy figures, chains, and a ghostly child.The crew debates natural explanations versus the paranormal, describes haunted-ship tours at Canal Park, and invites listeners to visit and judge the eerie atmosphere for themselves.