Legend Tripping

What is legend tripping?
Legend tripping (AKA: Ostenstion) has become a popular modern day pastime by avid folklorists, intrigued anthropologists, and everyone from the average adolescent to the skeptical. However, the theory of legend tripping has been around for years, even Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which contains several accounts of adolescents visiting allegedly haunted houses and caves, is a good example.
Legend tripping has recently been popularized by shows like Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, Weird Travels, Most Haunted, Paranormal, etc. Note that legend tripping is not necessarily ghost hunting. It can result in ghost hunting, but you do not have to have the equipment required for effective ghost hunting in order to go legend tripping.
Legend tripping is a term used to describe nocturnal pilgrimages to a places that have alleged scenes of some tragic, horrific, and possibly supernatural event or haunting. Ostensive definition was coined by semitotician Umberto Eco, designating communicative events in which speakers substitute actions for words. (For example, putting a finger to the lips called for silence.) The term was then applied by Linda Dégh and Andrew Vazsonyi to refer to ways in which real-life actions are guided by legends.

Where to go legend tripping?
While the stories that attach to the sites of legend tripping vary from place to place, and sometimes contain a kernel of historical truth, there are a number of motifs and recurring themes in the legends and the sites. Abandoned buildings, remote bridges, tunnels, caves, rural roads, specific woods or other uninhabited (or semi-uninhabited) areas, and most importantly, cemetaries are frequent sites of legend-tripping pilgrimages.
Legend-tripping sites typically stand in relatively isolated and rural areas that are nevertheless easily reached by automobile, outside of major population centres. For the legend to propagate, first, the adolescent pilgrims must be able to get there and, secondly, the odds must be good that they will be alone when they arrive.
There are a number of literature sources for legend tripping information. Some places often associated with legend tripping here.

What to do while legend tripping?
Once the legend trippers arrive, they spend some part of the night there, and perform the ritual if one is prescribed as a means of daring and testing the evil spirit that haunts the place. The rituals are varied; in legend trips to cemeteries, there is usually a specific grave that the legend attaches to, and sometimes a tombstone that must be climbed, stepped on, sat on, or moved. As they retreat, they interpret any strange sounds, shadows, events, or dreams as evidence that the evil spirit has in fact been adequately tempted. Sometimes the grave is said to have the power to "heal" itself; if a legend tripper returns to the site, and the tombstone has been restored to its original position, the legend has been confirmed. Using ghost hunting experience and equipment can be quite helpful during the investigation.

If you do choose to go legend tripping, please observe these basic tips:
- NEVER GO ALONE. Stay in groups and never lose sight of one another. No one goes it alone.
- DO NOT TRESPASS. Contact the current owners or local representative in an effort to schedule your event and avoid trespassing. It is not cool to trespass and it is illegal. Always keep your ID on you do that you may verify your legitimacy.
- BE AWARE. Always keep an eye out. Watch your team, time, weather reports, temperature and surrounding. Hazards can come out of no where and you must keep on your toes.
- SHOW RESPECT. Show respect for your hosts, your team, the location and those legends or haunts that are said to be associated with them. The last thing you want to do is burn a bridge.
FURTHER TIPS AND GUIDELINES CAN BE FOUND UNDER GHOST HUNTING TIPS.

Have fun!
ParanormalUnknown