On a clear night along the Appalachian Trail, you might expect to hear the wind through the trees, the crunch of your boots on gravel, maybe the call of a whip-poor-will in the distance.
But for over two centuries, hikers, settlers, and locals have reported something else: strange creatures lurking just beyond the campfire glow.

From apple-snatching tricksters in Pennsylvania to headless hulks in West Virginia, the Appalachian Mountains are alive with legends of monsters that refuse to be forgotten.

This week, we dive deep into the cryptid lore of Appalachia. You’ll hear about:

• The mischievous Albatwitch, stealing apples along the Susquehanna.

• The terrifying Flatwoods Monster (“Braxie”), glowing-eyed and hooded in red.

• The ghostly White Thangs, pale cousins of Bigfoot.

• The stinking, swamp-stalking Skunk Apes of the southern Appalachians.

• Ole Slewfoot, the three-legged bear-beast of Balsam Mountain.

• Pukwudgies, magical tricksters of Wampanoag legend.

• The Loveland Frogmen, bipedal frogs on the edge of Ohio.

• The vampire-like Appalachian Chupacabra.

• Raven Mockers, shape-shifting omens of death that feast on human hearts.

• The mist-born Smoke Wolves, red-eyed predators that vanish into fog.

• Wampus Cats, half-woman, half-beast curses from Cherokee legend.

• The dragonlike Snallygaster, feared by early German settlers.

• The lumbering, headless Grafton Monster of West Virginia.

• And of course… the legendary Mothman, Appalachia’s most infamous omen.

We’ll explore:

• Eyewitness encounters that still haunt people decades later.

• How folklore blends with tragedy, history, and cultural memory.

• Why so many cryptid sightings cluster along the Appalachian Trail.

• And what these stories say about our deepest fears of the dark woods.

Join us as we trek into the shadows and unravel the monsters of the Appalachian Trail — creatures as strange, mysterious, and enduring as the mountains themselves.

Stay strange. Be Rad.
Got a cryptid story? We’d love to hear it — send us your experience (anonymous is fine).

CONNECT WITH US:

📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.

🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: ⁠⁠thatwouldberadpodcast.com⁠

⁠⁠⁠✉️ Email: ⁠⁠thatwouldberadpod@gmail.com⁠⁠

SHOW INFO:

Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler Bence

Recorded At: Midnight Radio Studios

Sound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)

Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern Society

RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:

🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at ⁠⁠patreon.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠

☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at ⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠

🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at ⁠⁠thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com

On the night of February 19th, 1994, 31-year-old Gloria Ramirez was rushed into Riverside General Hospital in California. She was weak, disoriented, and fighting for her life. But within minutes, something happened that no one in that ER could have prepared for: doctors and nurses began collapsing one by one. In total, 23 medical staff were poisoned simply by being in the same room — five of them hospitalized.

What happened to Gloria Ramirez? Why did her body seem to emit toxic fumes? And how did a young mother battling cancer become forever known as “The Toxic Woman of Riverside”?

This week, we dive deep into one of the strangest medical mysteries of the 20th century. From the eerie details of the ER that night, to the official investigations, to bizarre theories involving chemical reactions, cursed bodies, and even folklore parallels — this story blurs the line between science, legend, and the unexplained.

We’ll also explore:

• Mass hysteria and other “psychogenic illness” outbreaks.

• The history of cursed or “toxic” humans (Typhoid Mary, the Radium Girls, Alexander Litvinenko).

• Folklore of the evil eye and “cursed touch.”

• Connections to UFO cases and toxic-contact encounters.

• And how tragedy becomes myth when science fails to give us answers.

Join us as we unravel the haunting case of Gloria Ramirez — and why her story still resonates almost 30 years later.

🕯️ Stay strange. Stay rad.

Got a story like this? We’d love to hear it—send us your experience (anonymous is fine).

CONNECT WITH US:

📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.

🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: ⁠thatwouldberadpodcast.com

⁠✉️ Email: ⁠thatwouldberadpod@gmail.com⁠

SHOW INFO:

Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler Bence

Recorded At: Midnight Radio Studios

Sound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)

Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern Society

RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:

🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at ⁠patreon.com/thatwouldberad⁠

☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at ⁠buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad⁠

🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at ⁠thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com

This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re heading into the heart of a real-life catastrophe and the enduring mystery it birthed: The Butterfly People of Joplin, Missouri.
On May 22, 2011, an EF5 tornado tore through Joplin—one of the deadliest and costliest in U.S. history. In the storm’s wake, survivors (especially children) began telling eerily similar stories: glowing, winged figures who shielded them from debris, guided them to safety, and then vanished.
From roadside rescues and ditch-side miracles to a teenager who later found butterflies drawn to her like a living halo, we unpack the most compelling accounts—plus the city’s response, including the Butterfly Effect: Dreams Take Flight mural that turned grief into symbol and story.

We dig into everything from firsthand narratives and angel folklore to deeper frameworks like the Third Man Factor (the “mysterious helper” reported by mountaineers and disaster survivors), and we trace parallels in other crises and legends.
And at the end, Woody and Tyler lay out their theories—are these guardian angels, trauma-born protectors of the mind, something paranormal… or a combination that says as much about us as it does about the unknown?

Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or just fascinated by how humans find meaning in the unexplainable, this episode blends chills, heart, and hope in classic RAD fashion.
So dim the lights, listen for the wind, and join us as we step into the storm—and the stories that refuse to let go.

Mentioned in this episode:
– The 2011 Joplin EF5 tornado (context & timeline)– Children’s “butterfly people” encounters: car flips, ditch shelters, open-field protection– The Morgan family “green rug” mystery & the brown-haired figure– The church basement rescue by “six large men”– Emily Huddleston’s recovery and the butterflies that “wouldn’t leave her alone”– Butterfly Effect: Dreams Take Flight mural (community remembrance)– The Third Man Factor & disaster-helper parallels

Got a story like this? We’d love to hear it—send us your experience (anonymous is fine).

CONNECT WITH US:
📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.com

SHOW INFO:
Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern Society

RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:
🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com

This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re joined by the creative duo and founders of Sozo Bear Films: Luke Pilgrim and Brad Kennedy - as they share the story behind their latest mini-docuseries, Unknown Ellijay.

Set in the quiet mountain town of Ellijay, Georgia, the series explores the eerie legends, paranormal encounters, and cryptid sightings that have haunted the area for generations.

From ghostly tavern tales to whispers of the elusive Dogman — and yes, even stories of Bigfoot lurking in the North Georgia mountains - Luke and Brad take us behind the scenes of filming, revealing the strange stories, fascinating characters, and spine-tingling moments they uncovered along the way.

We dive into everything from their creative process and challenges on location to bigger questions about belief, skepticism, and how folklore shapes the identity of a community.

Whether you’re a lifelong believer in the unexplained or just curious about the stories that keep people looking over their shoulder at night, this episode is packed with chills, laughs, and plenty of rad conversation.

So grab your lantern, settle in, and join us as we step into the shadows of Unknown Ellijay.

Be sure to check out SOZO BEAR FILMS docuseries on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SozoBearFilms

RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:

🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thatwouldberad⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com⁠⁠⁠

SHOW INFO:

Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler Bence

Recorded At: Midnight Radio Studios

Sound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)

Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern Society

CONNECT WITH US:

📲 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠ — Tag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!

🎙 Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at ⁠⁠⁠thatwouldberadpodcast.com

or email it: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.com

This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re diving deep into the legends of American Dragons—winged, scaly nightmares that allegedly terrorized the skies and waterways of the 19th and early 20th century.

From a flying serpent that attacked a speeding train in the Colorado Desert, to bulletproof lake monsters, salt-encrusted horse-eaters, and the legendary Tombstone Thunderbird, these tales blur the line between folklore, cryptid encounters, and pure frontier madness.

We’ll travel coast to coast through historic newspaper accounts, Indigenous legends, and bizarre eyewitness reports that feature everything from flying crocodiles to “pair-odactyls” in California’s marshlands. And of course, we’ll end with our own theories—trying to decide if these stories are just tall tales… or if dragons really did roam the American West.

Grab your six-shooters, keep your eyes on the skies, and BE RAD AND HIT PLAY NOW!

RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:
🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com⁠⁠

SHOW INFO:
Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler Bence
Recorded At: Midnight Radio Studios
Sound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)
Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern Society

CONNECT WITH US:
📲 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠@thatwouldberad⁠⁠ — Tag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!
🎙 Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at ⁠⁠thatwouldberadpodcast.com

This week on That Would Be Rad, Tyler returns from a trip to Washington State with more than just souvenirs and scenic photos—he brings back a bone-chilling story from one of the Airbnbs he stayed at. From there, we dive deep into the lesser-known cryptids of the Pacific Northwest, uncovering bizarre and terrifying creatures you won’t find in your typical Bigfoot documentaries.

And just when you think it couldn’t get stranger, Tyler shares a tale that sounds uncannily similar to one of Woody’s most haunting childhood memories—a memory he swears is from a movie, though no one’s ever been able to track it down.

Coincidence? Or something far more unsettling?

Join us as we unravel eerie encounters, lost memories, and creatures that lurk in the misty forests of the Pacific Northwest.

BE RAD AND HIT PLAY NOW!

RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:

🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SHOW INFO:

Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler Bence

Recorded At: Midnight Radio Studios

Sound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)

Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern Society

CONNECT WITH US:

📲 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@thatwouldberad⁠ — Tag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!

🎙 Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at ⁠thatwouldberadpodcast.com⁠

Little America: The Redcaps & The Hidden in the Hills

Could ancient America have been home to a forgotten race of tiny people?
And what do murderous goblins, Appalachian cave legends, and buried skeletons have to do with it?

This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re digging into one of the strangest stories you’ve probably never heard—the bizarre discovery of thousands of tiny human graves across Tennessee and Ohio, and Montanta in the 1800s, and the folklore that might connect them to something much older…and much darker.

We’ll cover:
🦴 The 1876 discovery of a six-acre “pygmy graveyard” in Coffee County, Tennessee🧢 The horrifying folklore of the Redcaps—tiny, bloodthirsty creatures from British myth🌲 Native American legends of little people hidden in the hills🧬 What science says (and doesn’t say) about these strange skeletons🔦 Creepy tales from Appalachia, Nevada, Wyoming, and even Chile📜 How history, myth, and misfits might all be telling the same story

If you’ve ever wondered how much truth might be buried beneath folklore—or if ancient legends could be based on something real—this is one episode you do not want to miss.

Because sometimes, history isn’t just strange—it’s radically strange.

BE RAD AND HIT PLAY NOW!

RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:

🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SHOW INFO:

Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler Bence
Recorded At: Midnight Radio Studios
Sound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)
Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern Society

CONNECT WITH US:

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!
🎙 Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com

Could James Gunn’s Superman be the fresh start DC fans have been waiting for?
And… where the heck have we been all summer?

This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re finally back behind the mics after a month-long hiatus to talk all things Superman—the new movie, what worked, what didn’t, and whether you should rush to the theater (don’t worry… it’s spoiler-free… mostly).

We’ll cover:
🦸‍♂️ Our (mostly spoiler-free) thoughts on James Gunn’s Superman
🎥 Why this reboot feels different—and how it sets the stage for DC’s future
🌞 What we’ve been up to during our summer break
🦖 Woody’s strange and hilarious adventure to Dinosaur Kingdom II in Virginia
🛸 How stepping away made us miss this weird little show even more

Whether you’re here for superhero talk, summer stories, or roadside dinosaurs with machine guns, this is one comeback you don’t want to miss.

Because sometimes, life isn’t just strange—it’s radically strange.

RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:

🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

SHOW INFO:

Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler Bence

Recorded At: Midnight Radio Studios

Sound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)

Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern Society

CONNECT WITH US:

📲 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thatwouldberad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!

Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thatwouldberadpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.