We are boondocking at a doomsday bunker.
The lights work fine. But we are in Arkansas, and it is the middle of July, so it is hot.
Does mean since we're boondocking tonight there's some things we have to take care of.
The bedding has got to go. Daniel and I play this game basically every night with the pillows.
It's a little warm and we're a little bougie, so I'm going to grab us some refreshing agua.
Tonight, it's just a good book, and trying not to die of heatstroke.
It's not that bad. Here's a nice breeze.
Coffee?
Coffee. You even frothed the milk and everything. Nice.
Breakfast tacos.
It's my new favorite hot sauce. It's from Malibu, and it is delicious. I wish I would
have ordered like 17 more bottles, it's that good. Shell's crunchy.
I might've left it in the oven too long.
Nah. It doesn't matter, it's still yummy.
We are always on the search for unique places to camp. And when we found this place on Harvest
Hosts, we knew we could not turn it down.
This place is the bomb, literally. Easily the most unique place we have ever seen on
Harvest Hosts.
So, Titan Ranch was actually an Army missile base.
And while it's no longer a missile base, it has been converted into one of the coolest
Airbnbs we've ever seen.
So, we're going to give you a full tour and the scoop on how this place came to be. And
the best part about this is that everybody around here really loves RVs. Our tour guide,
James, even lives in one right next to it. And how cool is this thing?
Hello. I'm James.
Let's check out the ranch. It starts with all of the stairs.
So, I'll point out right here, you can actually see where the concrete was blown up. So, they
actually blew up the top part of this. And so, that's the old bricks with the new concrete,
so we had to pour this back up to ground level.
It was part of a Russian deal?
Yeah, with with the Soviets there was a treaty.
And it was that all of these across the U.S. would be destroyed?
Yeah.
So, like we complained about last night, it's Arkansas in July. It's really hot. But as
you're coming down these stairs, you can feel the temperature change, and it feels amazing.
11 years ago when this was opened up, we had to dig down and then actually open this door,
because this entire thing was filled with water.
We saw the video about that. It was really creepy.
All right. You ready for them to pump it?
What?
Pump it in.
Whoa.
Up, up, up, up, up.
Back it up. Back it up. Up, up, up.
[inaudible 00:03:58], baby.
To get inside the bunker, I have to open this 6,000 pound door.
It's a good thing you've been working out.
Could use some body weight, I think. Yep. Oh my gosh. Oh, all of my weight. Holy moly,
this thing's so heavy. Success. Let's go check it out.
This is the long cable way and decontamination room over here, and then this is the way to
the actual launch control center.
Okay.
So, you'd go down. This originally had a floor in it. We had to cut that floor out. And then
there'd be cables and pipes and all sorts of things on the sides and the top. And then
you just walk down a little passage way, pretty much, to get to the silo. And so, we have
a bulkhead on the other end there. But originally that would've kept going around 30 feet and
you'd walk on both sides of the actual missile itself. So, that bulkhead holds back... It's
a big barrier that holds back the water.
This is cool. Walking down through here is someone who has come to work on a completely
non-compute... Would it be computerized at this point?
They had a big basic guidance computer, but yes, so it was all just analog technology,
late '50s, early '60 technology.
I feel it's like almost like a time machine. Good. I just wanted to see the end.
This is an original phone. They would've picked up and it would have automatically dialed
the launch control center. So, they had these kind of throughout.
What are all of these?
Those are all conduits. So, this gives you an idea. These holes right here and then right
up there is where all the piping and cabling and everything came through to control the
missile and to and from the silo [inaudible 00:05:46]. So, a secret room. It's a secret
bathroom.
It's a potty.
Yep. Shower and everything.
Really?
Yep. So, it's a full bathroom.
It's where you drop the other types of bombs.
That's right. We'll go into the actual launch control center.
Feels like we're in Disney World. Welcome to the launch control center.
We're a level two. It's a multi-purpose area. And the Airbnb and its entirety sleeps six
people.
Yeah, so the Springs are what's holding everything up. So, everything is bolted to the ceiling.
So, we're on level two, and level two is bolted through these Springs to the ceiling above.
Level one actually sits on top of level two, and level three hangs below so that everything
can move around. Because everything here was on springs, so it was all isolated.
That way if there was a nearby hit from a nuclear weapon, everything can move around
including the missile, she missile was actually on springs as well, so that it wouldn't be
destroyed. Because the whole U.S. nuclear program is based on the idea of deterrence,
the fact that the U.S. wouldn't fire first on the Soviet union, but we could retaliate.
So, that's why everything is built around that idea that we can defend ourself even
after taking a hit. The actual launch console would have been right here.
Okay.
And so, then there would have been racks of equipments going all the way around here,
another console over here. The keys are spaced far enough apart that no one person can turn
them.
Okay.
Got to have two people turning them at the same time to actually launch those.
That makes sense. So, one of the things that I didn't know about underground facilities
is apparently the way they number floors is backwards. In a regular building it has like
one, two, three going up. But since you're in a building that's under the ground, it
goes backwards. So, this is actually the second floor. We're going to go up the first floor,
and then go all the way down to the third floor. And did we mention this was a luxury
bunker?
This is another one spots like the Center of the Universe that we showed you in Tulsa
that on my end it sounds amazing, but to you just sounds totally normal. Have you ever
tried to film it to see if you can hear it?
Yeah, I haven't done it yet.
Okay, so I'm in the middle, and the echo is crazy. I'm just wondering if I catch it on
the microphone. Let me go straight up, maybe bringing the microphone. Hello. Hello. Hello.
Hello. Hi. Hi. You see? I'm not crazy.
This place could easily fit four of our Airstreams, because level one is a thousand square feet
just dedicated to yours truly to relax and enjoy living in a bunker. Perfect place for
coffee in the morning. I love it. Even has a mini fridge, and the bed is pretty spectacular.
Because the floors around the entire bunker are suspended, the bed has to be, too. So,
check this out. It's literally floating. But I think my absolute favorite part about this
luxury bedroom suite is the shower, which compared our Airstream shower, and considering
we boondocked in 80 degrees last night, the thing is looking real tempting. Oh, to be
clean from normal piping. Now for level three.
This deck and everything we built, this is all our kind of thinking. It wasn't originally
[inaudible 00:09:54] a small kitchen upstairs. So, and then down here we have the table set
up. Pretty much you can be a full club. We've got big speakers, sound system, all that good
stuff, couches and everything around the edge here. So, it's kind of your living room for
the folks here for Airbnb.
Okay, I'm not going to lie. I'm really jealous of this kitchen. The things that I could make
here that are not easy to create in the Airstream. A real oven.
I think all the things in this kitchen that I'm most jealous of, it is easily going to
be the dishwasher. Because when you live in an RV, you wash everything by hand. At this
particular spot in the base, we're 50 feet below ground. And one of the coolest things
I think is that it's the perfect place for movie night. Huge screen projector, plenty
of couch space to have your friends and family over. This'll be fun.
So, this is the escape hatch. This is the original escape hatch here. And this is how
the crew would actually get out in the case of the entrance portal was destroyed, because
that was not considered nuclear hardened. So, the entrance portal, they figured if there
was a nearby attack, it would be destroyed, so they would have to get out of here. So,
this is a 10-foot crawl to a 50-foot tunnel that goes straight up. This is also how the
fresh air comes into the facility. It would normally go through on level two, and then
it would actually go into an air conditioner and flow throughout the entire facility. So,
that's how it was originally set up. So, this one normally still always be open, but this
was the only other exit.
So, there's a five-story ladder at the end of this tunnel?
Yep.
I guess my next question is, can we climb it?
I guess so.
Yes.
How am I always getting roped into these things?
Here we go. It's small in here. Yep. Look at this guy. Got some room to stand up here.
Oh yeah, that is a lot of height there.
Don't step on the frog.
Don't step on the frog. There's Lauren.
Hi.
Okay. Here we go. Yeah. [inaudible 00:12:13] Climbing tall ladder. Surprised that there's
lights. I imagine this would be very dark.
It'd be really scary if there wasn't.
Oh yeah, look at that. I'm already up a story or so. There you go.
So weird to imagine that somebody lived down here and thought this was their only escape.
How you doing down there?
My arms are sore.
You're almost there. Five stories of ladder climbing.
Perfect.
Don't look down.
I mean, how can you not? Oh man. That's a little nerve-wracking.
How was that?
The heart is beating really fast.
Is it because it's a long drop?
Yeah.
50 feet.
Read an article about a guy who had turned a missile silo into a house. And so, that
was a long time ago now. But fast forward through my Air Force days, I was even stationed
here, didn't know about these things. But I was getting my haircut here locally, and
some guys are sitting around talking about the old missile silos. I perked up immediately.
And they said, "No, no, no, they're all full of concrete."
But after a little bit of research, I found out that these Titan IIs were not filled full
of concrete. And found this one for sale. Came out here. The seller was remote, so we
weren't here in person. But I was on the phone with the guy as I was walking around. And
all of this that you guys have seen was all covered up, full of water. And I was like,
I got to dig this thing up. And it was very exciting.
So, there's always improvements going down here. But topside, we are putting in RV spots.
So, I'm a former RVer, about a decade ago, so I love the RV community. So, we're putting
in 15 hookup sites out here, and we're going to see how that goes. And give tours. When
people wake up in the morning, we'll give tours to everybody and show them something,
a new piece of history.
Yeah, I don't know if you guys have seen this, but this is number 18 rebar, and I believe
it's the thickest rebar anyone's ever seen.
That's what she said.
What is it from, though?
So, this rebar is from the actual top of the missile silo.
Okay.
So, it was used to make the door and the top of eight-foot thick concrete walls for the
missile silo. But then unfortunately they blew it up. When we were digging the pond,
we'll find chunks of it. But we actually sell this. But since it's so rare and authentic
to a missile silo, this literally is like $50 worth of rebar. So, I get excited when
I find a... We have about a nine-foot chunk over there that's going to pay for dinners
and such. Not that I need more of those, but...
Successfully ever thrown an ax before? Successfully?
Successfully, maybe not so much.
Okay, we're just going to... All right.
Let's go over to-
Right-handed or left-handed?
Right-handed.
Okay, so you know how to throw a baseball?
Yes.
You seem like the athletic type. Okay. So, you throw just like a baseball. So, you're
going to land on the line with your foot. So, just throw. Don't try to get extra spin
on it, because a lot of people have the tendency to try to get it to spin.
Okay, okay.
So, you don't want to do that. So, stand, step, throw.
That was fricking good.
So, step, and then just like a baseball, point where you're going.
Yeah.
And that's it. Your feet side to side.
Okay. Yep.
You just can take a step left foot.
Yep.
Keep your shoulders square to it. Straight back, straight forward as you're stepping.
Okay.
Yep. So, step with your left foot. Look at that. First shot.
Okay, okay. Okay, that is the exact same spot.
Step forward a little more, because you want to land your left foot on the green.
Okay. This feels like a tennis shoe activity. Okay. Oh, that was kind of bad.
It was probably more than kind of, but yeah.
Thank you.
No, just...
Can I use two hands?
So, you can. If you use two hands, go straight over your head.
Okay. I feel like that's probably...
Yeah, there you go. Yep, straight over your head, but your steps are going to be the same.
Okay.
No, you're good. Do it again. Just start about half-a-step forward.
Okay.
Because you want to land on the green line.
Okay.
Nope, that was actually a good throw. It didn't happen to stick, but it was actually a good
throw.
Okay. It is kind of intimidating.
That was so close.
Okay, Daniel.
And there is a pit of doom over here, six feet by eight feet.
And what would they do in there?
So, they would get in there and electrically control the pumps to fuel and defuel the missile.
Okay.
But if the missile blew up, they wanted to survive, so that's why it looks like this.
Okay.