Foo - Anyone else into "Urban exploring"?

If you don't know what it is, urban exploring is basically just exploring abandoned structures, drains, and mines. Sanitariums, hospitals, schools, drains, and industrial plants are the most often explored, but everything from houses to unused nuclear plants make the list. Most of the people that do it would also consider themselves amateur photographers.You would be amazed at the beauty a crusty old dilapidated place can create. Unfortunately though, kids and hooligans kind of ruin it a lot of the time with graffiti, breaking things, and theft.

I was going through some pictures on uer.ca and noticed a decent amount of pictures of people's bikes that they had ridden to their exploration, so I figured I'd ask you guys if you've ever done it. I wish I could do it more often, but there's not too much around me that wouldn't run the very real risk of getting a trespassing charge. The only notable place I've been is Manteno State Hospital, and unfortunately there is only one building left unused. Creepy place.

Right now I'm in contact with a few developers in my area and I really hope they'll give me permission to photograph the interiors of a long abandoned hospital near me and a closed masonic temple.

Here's a link to the photography section of the urban exploring site I frequent. I've spent literally the majority of the past 3 days or so just looking at pictures, and I'm less than 20 pages in. Amazing stuff here. http://www.uer.ca/forum_showthreads.asp?fid=1&catid=103

Also check out the movie "urban explorers:into the darkness," if this sort of thing interests you. Unfortunately it was just taken off netflix.

So anyone else do this sort of thing? Stories? Pictures? Suggestions?

Last time I did some urban exploring I got arrested.

No, I don't feel the need to trespass in what is often an unstructurally sound building. There are plenty of things to do and see with out needing to go to those extent, besides, nothing beats going out and exploring nature in a woods.

I'm a big nature buff too, but there just isn't enough around me. I've been to virtually every nature preserve in northern illinois enough times to have seen everything. It's not trespassing if you get permission, which is the only way I do it. Being able to judge a structure as safe or not is part of the risk, but when it's on the edge I personally don't risk it. I think your tone would change if you ever actually experienced the profound beauty and feeling of the history contained within some buildings. You just can't get the same feeling from even a very historical occupied building.

I'm a big nature buff too, but there just isn't enough around me. I've been to virtually every nature preserve in northern illinois enough times to have seen everything. It's not trespassing if you get permission, which is the only way I do it. Being able to judge a structure as safe or not is part of the risk, but when it's on the edge I personally don't risk it. I think your tone would change if you ever actually experienced the profound beauty and feeling of the history contained within some buildings. You just can't get the same feeling from even a very historical occupied building.

Building don't do **** for me, I think old decrepit building are quite ugly and can't be torn down quick enough.

****, you can't say ****, well that ****ing sucks.

****, you can't say ****, well that ****ing sucks.

That's silly. Of course you can say ****. You might pronounce it differently than me though.

I <3 it!!!! I think old buildings are beautiful. We actually went last year to the Pennhurst Asylum just for the ability to be in and around the old asylum. It was pretty kick butt. http://www.pennhurstasylum.com/flash/index.htm

thats how horror movies start

Most unused old buildings are nothing but eyesores, I agree with that... but there are some gems.

That place looks wicked Mango. Asylums have the coolest/scariest feel about them.

And C0urt, yes, it is. Both in fiction and real life, especially since abandonments are often a mecca for junkies . It's definitely not the safest hobby, but it's probably no more dangerous than going for a drive if you know what you're doing.

I <3 it!!!! I think old buildings are beautiful. We actually went last year to the Pennhurst Asylum just for the ability to be in and around the old asylum. It was pretty kick butt. http://www.pennhurstasylum.com/flash/index.htm
Heh. Seems like a different experience when they have a flash-based website that says "Buy tickets online now!" and "Special offer, save $5 on VIP and combo pass."

thats how horror movies start

Some pornos too.

There's an abandoned paper mill in my town, but it's currently in the process of being demolished. And besides being highly illegal (and often monitored) it didn't look like the safest place to explore.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/lamplightsg/Bellingham/_MG_2464.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/lamplightsg/Bellingham/_MG_2465copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/lamplightsg/Bellingham/_MG_2467cropcopy-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/lamplightsg/Bellingham/_MG_2468.jpg

Wouldn't want to walk out the wrong door at that place.

No...I'm in Atlanta. I prefer not to die at the hands of a cracked out meth head who discovered PCP.

Wouldn't want to walk out the wrong door at that place.

I was just thinking that after I uploaded that last picture. :lol:

Heh. Seems like a different experience when they have a flash-based website that says "Buy tickets online now!" and "Special offer, save $5 on VIP and combo pass."

Yeah I mean it's obviously commercialized but it was still pretty neat to see the inside and the grounds of the place.

No...I'm in Atlanta. I prefer not to die at the hands of a cracked out meth head who discovered PCP.

Exactly what I was going to say. Most abandoned buildings here have been converted into crack and meth dens. There's a beautiful old Beaux-Arts style building, in Atlanta called the Medical Arts Building. In any other city this thing would be converted into high priced lofts. In Atlanta it sits rotting with drug addicts and the homeless regularly breaking in and starting fires.

Notice the racist graffiti near the roof.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/2008-03-14_Medical_Arts_Building_racist_graffiti_2.jpg

When I was much younger I did a lot of this.

When I was in grade school there was an abandoned arsenal in my neighborhood. It featured these high-speed escape routes out of the buildings - long slides that dropped several stories. Some were straight tubes with a curve as you got to ground level but the best was an enclosed spiral that fell maybe 5 or 6 stories. We kids would bring wax paper to sit on as we rode these slides for extra speed.

The state bought this property from the feds at some point with the plan to turn it into a college (it became Augusta College and now is Augusta State University) and a security force was installed. This actually doubled the excitement for us because now we had the added danger of getting caught.

Probably the coolest abandoned place was somewhere in rural South Carolina, I think it must have been near Bluffton, and it was an old plantation house. It had been closed up with a lot of the furnishings left in it.

The places will eventually be consumed by nature. For example, the background of the picture below is a small town with a peak population of 1000. You'd never know it was there if there weren't any signs.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s65/StupidlyBrave/Backpacking/RaushGap2005/100_2788.jpg

I have a similar favorite area that contains a WWII prison camp.

That's part of what makes some of the much older buildings so beautiful; they become consumed by nature and before you know it, it is nature. Symbolic and contrasting.

I always thought those places were fascinating, but a trespassing charge might be cause for my security clearance to be revoked. Then I'd have to get a suckier job.

So in the meantime I explore them vicariously on the web.

I'm pretty much the same way, usually doing it vicariously, but I don't risk it unless I have permission or on rare occasions if it's known to be a place where the owners don't care and won't prosecute. Are you MP?

I always thought those places were fascinating, but a trespassing charge might be cause for my security clearance to be revoked. Then I'd have to get a suckier job.

So in the meantime I explore them vicariously on the web.

Is the old Columbus state prison still around?They housed rebs during the civil war like Morgans raiders.
I believe they did tours at one time.

Exactly what I was going to say. Most abandoned buildings here have been converted into crack and meth dens. There's a beautiful old Beaux-Arts style building, in Atlanta called the Medical Arts Building. In any other city this thing would be converted into high priced lofts. In Atlanta it sits rotting with drug addicts and the homeless regularly breaking in and starting fires.

Notice the racist graffiti near the roof.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/2008-03-14_Medical_Arts_Building_racist_graffiti_2.jpg

They have a dumpster chute installed so it appears they are renovating the building,maybe not tearing it down.

Exactly what I was going to say. Most abandoned buildings here have been converted into crack and meth dens. There's a beautiful old Beaux-Arts style building, in Atlanta called the Medical Arts Building. In any other city this thing would be converted into high priced lofts. In Atlanta it sits rotting with drug addicts and the homeless regularly breaking in and starting fires.

Notice the racist graffiti near the roof.

What a shame; that's a handsome building otherwise. It actually reminds me a bit of a building downtown here that was once a fancy hotel and now it's a retirement home. It's not as tall, though.

I have seen some gorgeous pictures of explorations of old missile silos, bunkers and other military facilities. Really interesting.

They have a dumpster chute installed so it appears they are renovating the building,maybe not tearing it down.

That's just for the bodies inside.

That's just for the bodies inside.

Well at least they're recycling the crackheads in Atlanta.

That's just for the bodies inside.

Don't say that!!!!

I used to explore just about every abandoned building I saw, but things starting getting hairy once hard drugs came to Philly, so when crackheads started showing up in these building along with drug dealers selling their goods I figured I'd better start carrying my Glock, and when I started carrying my Glock I figured it was time to stop exploring. Have to admit it was tons of fun! :)

Well at least they're recycling the crackheads in Atlanta.

lol'ed at that.

Yea unfortunately in large cities drugs are a real problem when it comes to "urbex," and also unfortunately CCW is not legal here in IL. That's a discussion for another forum though. ;) I've heard of a lot of people getting out of sticky situations with crackheads just by carrying around a pack of cheap smokes. Obviously you can't rely on that as much as you can a firearm though. My general rule is if you see signs of drug usage or gang graffiti, stay the hell out.

lol'ed at that.

Yea unfortunately in large cities drugs are a real problem when it comes to "urbex," and also unfortunately CCW is not legal here in IL. That's a discussion for another forum though. ;) I've heard of a lot of people getting out of sticky situations with crackheads just by carrying around a pack of cheap smokes. Obviously you can't rely on that as much as you can a firearm though. My general rule is if you see signs of drug usage or gang graffiti, stay the hell out.

Just throw a plastic bag of toilet cleaner crystals and a few pipes on the ground when confronted by crackheads.

Stand back a safe distance and watch the fun begin.

I like climbing silos and water towers. Does that count?

http://www.silentuk.com/

Some great stuff here. The London Underground in particular.

I presume the prison camp you mean is the one up near Pine Grove in Michaux? That is an interesting place. Ever found the German graffiti written into the concrete on the culvert under the road nearby? Worth finding.

But what is the small town that has gone back to nature? Is that Springfield just off the Big Spring?

jim


The places will eventually be consumed by nature. For example, the background of the picture below is a small town with a peak population of 1000. You'd never know it was there if there weren't any signs.


I have a similar favorite area that contains a WWII prison camp.

I like climbing silos and water towers. Does that count?

As long as it's not in the style of gilbert grape.

I presume the prison camp you mean is the one up near Pine Grove in Michaux? That is an interesting place. Ever found the German graffiti written into the concrete on the culvert under the road nearby? Worth finding.

But what is the small town that has gone back to nature? Is that Springfield just off the Big Spring?

jim

Yes, Camp Michaux. I've done a lot of hikes in those woods. The town is Rausch Gap, further north along the AT.

Yes, Camp Michaux. I've done a lot of hikes in those woods. The town is Rausch Gap, further north along the AT.

*Mental note of place to explore when I finally get around to that hike*

*Mental note of place to explore when I finally get around to that hike*

*makes a mental note to visit another state when MV does the AT*

A lot of the riding I do, I consider to be urban exploring. That doesn't mean I'm crawling around in abandoned buildings, although sometimes I check them out from outside. It simply means I'm exploring my urban environment.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4182PznXxoL._SS500_.jpg
The Urban Adventure Handbook (http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Adventure-Handbook-Alan-North/dp/0898153735)


How to sneak around..... (http://www.thespoon.com/stories/urban.html)

.

I also like exploring old cemeteries and churches.

I also like exploring old cemeteries and churches.

Aren't you worried about the zombies?

Aren't you worried about the zombies?

why would a zombie worry about zombies?

I also like exploring old cemeteries and churches.

+1
I like the story that the small cemeteries tell...usually adjacent to churches out in the sticks. Not urban, but they are worth investigating.

There was an old cemetary in Downers Grove, the place I grew up in from 5th grade on... It was from around the civil war era. Really nice little quaint place. Used to stop there just to sit on a bench and have lunch, look around at the barely legible dates on the headstones... One day they decided to tear up and redo the street just downhill from the cemetary, and much to their surprise some of the bodies had slid down the hill underground and ended up underneath the street!

They have a dumpster chute installed so it appears they are renovating the building,maybe not tearing it down.

Sadly it's been there for years. I think there was a plan to renovate the building back in the early 2000s but like a lot of plans in Atlanta, there was a lot of talk some payoffs and nothing happened.

why would a zombie worry about zombies?

Exactly.


+1
I like the story that the small cemeteries tell...usually adjacent to churches out in the sticks. Not urban, but they are worth investigating.

Same here. The ones with old masoleums are neato. Some have the doors open and you can go inside.

why would a zombie worry about zombies?

zombie nookie?