It comes to the subject of True Crime, serial killers or the Manson Family, my ears always have perked up a bit , no matter what age I was. The younger version of me, though, could be that guy who would casually throw in general knowledge of cults or murder in any conversation at the least appropriate time, like church or the workplace.
I have watched all the documentaries out there especially the ones on the Charles Manson Family, I have probably seen them all. If you are like me, at one point or another you may have run across me someplace too. Charles Manson was a friend of mine and when it comes to the subject of the Manson Family there is most likely not much out there on this topic that I have not seen.
.CBS Los Angeles KCAL 9
If you have seen me in a documentary here or there you may have also noticed the drawings I had hanging on a mirror. Dark Tourist on Netflix, CBS, The History Channel also used them in a documentary titled Charles Manson Speaks Inside the mind of a Madman.
When the interviewers would ask me what they were for, I would tell them they were for a book and – yes - they are for a book. They actually are a book. It is titled “The Manson Family Docent” but don’t go looking for it anywhere: it only had one copy printed of it. Not because it didn’t sell, it was because it was always for me only. It is a personal journal about things I had seen in person then illustrated and mapped it all out.
At certain points in my life I got comfort and relaxation out of drawing, and this was one of those times. I was challenging myself to make a book I myself would buy if I saw it in the gift shop at some tourist destination for fried chicken, gasoline and murder. What would I want in that book? I thought immediately of a tour book of murders that take me to all the destinations in Los Angeles and beyond, something related to the Charles Manson Family being a self proclaimed expert docent on the subject material.
I set out to draw the people of the Manson Family first, then the places, and mapped it out to show where on the road it happened. Most all of these places I write of I have visited in person and on several occasions I was one of the first to find and map the locations with no help from any community of like minded people.
Michael Channels standing on top of Bruce Davis car at Spahn Ranch
I found the Bruce Davis Zodiac car one day 20 years ago just walking along on a hike alone. I would then take four people back with me on one occasion and two back on another. Now it is a pretty well known site, but I discovered it and it is not to brag: I want to inform the reader about the amount of time I have spent investigating things that others may not have even thought of.
To put it in perspective, when I started looking for things at these locations I used what they called a Thomas Guide, a book I am not sure how many of you even know what it is. It was long time ago, in a land far away where there was no internet , there were no phones you could carry and I did much of my hiking wearing a pager in case someone wanted to reach me out. If you got hurt hiking, good luck! They may summon a search party if you are missing long enough.
What a person can look up online these days I couldn’t back then. I had never seen it but in a magazine and wanted to visit the cave at the ranch. It was in 1987 and took me several trips back there to locate it and lots of hours searching. Today a person can park and be to it in 15 minutes if you walk slowly.
Danny Boy/ House Of Pain and Michael Channels at Spahn Ranch Cave from LIFE Magazine
You can purchase items that have been recovered legally from Spahn's Movie ranch here.
"The Manson Family Docent" original Map
Michael's Hand drawn Map of Manson Girls/ Gypsy Waterfalls
If you have ever heard of Gypsy’s waterfalls anywhere in your Manson Adventures or online searches I too know where you are talking about. Not only because I have been there before many times. It was around 2006 when Gypsy herself was on a message board and would talk to people there. She mentioned in one of her posts of a place she loved; it was an old waterfall and explained where it was located. I took her directions from that post, followed them the next day and found out that she was talking about Browns Canyon. Then I eventually found the area of the waterfalls and made a video of it putting it on a You Tube page that was later banned and taken down. But in that video the title was Gypsy’s Waterfalls while I filmed under them. So not only can I get you to Gypsy’s waterfalls, I am also the one who named them.
I can fill you in on other interesting facts from the area because I not only like murder, I like history too, and Hollywood History is also something I find entertaining and - if involved in scandal, death or murder - the better for me. Always in this location the famous Captain and Tennille once had property and so had Rudolph Valentino in the nature and beauty of what is now the area I call Gypsy’s waterfalls.
I am talking about a book you still won’t be able to find anywhere for sale and this isn’t a post to ask for help in publishing it or begging you for a go fund me page, although I am saying I will be offering that book here in these blog posts for nothing but the time it takes you to read it. Therefore, if you were ever one of those people watching a Manson documentary , ask me about this book of mine that was taped to the mirror in my house. This is now your chance to check it out and follow me through the footsteps of the Manson Family, where I will explain these locations, what they said happened there and how you can see them yourself on your own self guided road trips and hikes.
So please check back frequently for new posts, I will be adding from that book I have of only one copy of and it is titled “The Manson Family Docent”
If you would like to make a donation your kindness is greatly appreciated, but never is it a requirement or mandatory to visit here or read my work. Thank you if you do and thank you for just taking the time to read my thoughts that alone is the ultimate goal. If you are now or ever interested in a guided tour with me to one of the locations shown in any map or tour just contact me here for details on dates and times on how to book it.
John Zee of Delta Bravo Exploration Team and myself at Shan's Ranch
Interested in having me along as a docent on one of your Charles Manson dark tourist hikes contact me for details and read below for information and dates when available.
Want to walk around and talk about murder at Charles Manson locations book me as your Manson Family Docent today at the link below or in the sales area of Charlesmansonfamily.com
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