Devil Ball

Construction That Never Ends

2007-04-24T00:36:19Z

Thanks for the nudges. In case you are wondering what happened to me. This is what I have been doing.

new_republican @ 2007-01-12T22:58:00

2007-01-13T03:58:09Z

Hey folks. I've been getting lots of nudges over the past month. Well it worked. Here I am.

Promise to fix the busted links on this journal. Trimming my budget resulted in my canceling my web host. So all my pics were removed. I'll get it fixed up as soon as I can.

Other than that I hope everyone is doing well.

Urbex Print Sale

2006-10-24T03:10:40Z

You demanded them. I prepped them. Here they are.

9 new Urbex prints. Get Them While You Can!

Click Here: To Shop For New Prints

Photography During Harvest Moon

2006-10-10T03:01:42Z

The Harvest Moon is the full moon that appears nearest to the autumnal equinox. The appearance of the Harvest Moon begins the first of the harvesting months in the Northern Hemisphere. Many cultures celebrate the harvests with gatherings, festivals, and rituals that are intricately attuned to the Harvest Moon.

The harvest moon gets its name from the fact that farmers harvesting crops at this time of year were able to use the light of the harvest moon to continue the work in the fields.

I decided to use it for some night photography.

Shadows creep across the landscape as the sun behind me sinks toward the horizon.

Night photography requires some leg work during the day. Nothing is worse than wasting a particularly good evening, searching for a good subject by moonlight. I decided to use the Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management area. Over 16,000 acres of undeveloped land, some fields are used to grow corn that provides the wildlife with a valuable food source to help them fatten up for the winter months ahead.

One week before peak of foliage.

As an archer, much of my time is spent observing nature while following strict guidelines in regard to scent.

If I wanted to see deer, I made sure to scrub with scent eliminating soap and
wore clothes similarly treated and stored where they would not absorb odors.
Then before I went into the woods I would mask myself with cover scent.

The funny part of the story. Today I did a couple of things:

1. I smoked a cigar
2. I didn’t shower
3. Wore dirty clothes
4. Cleaned 3 of my guns and had copper solvent and gun oil on my hands
5. Stepped in dog shit!

I was the ultimate stinkfest that should scared deer away from 100 miles. Yet I still managed to capitalize on the above opportunity.

I saw the deer sniffing their way through the field ahead of me.
I sat down in my “Horse Whisperer” pose and started snapping photos as they approached.

The deer here could hear the shutter of 10D and started creeping closer to investigate.

These are my first attempts at night photography. This photo is of Werewolf mist rising from the swamps.
Several moments later the mist enveloped the entire field. My photo equipment dripped with condensation. Time to go before something bad happened.

Last shot. A 2 minute exposure at 11pm

This is a custer of maple trees located in the heart of a corn field managed by the WMA. A fitting location for photographing during the Harvest Moon.

Gallery Show Title

2006-10-08T16:04:31Z

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our gallery show title brain storming session. Your suggestions gave me a lot to think about and helped me arrive at my current choice.

The Devouring of All Creations:
Natures patient deconstruction of our buildings and their histories

Comments please.

BTW: Gallery Show contract signed. It's going to happen.

Texas Day 3: Yes...I did FREE WILLY!

2006-10-02T04:03:42Z

Sea-Arama Mission Map.

The Claw! Enemy of abandonments everywhere.

Surveyor tripods with levels, lasers and transmitters. Sure death to an abandonment.

After shooting these, I packed my photo gear and Commandoed my way into the facility.

Photographed with my point and shoot. I slunk through the brush, almost crawling over a cactus, which I absolutely wasn't expecting.

I should have known!

What the fuck! The crew were dressed in asbestos abatement garb.
I scrambled away from the work area to find a place where I could wait them out.

This was my hiding spot. The water ski show pavilion.

I hung out here and ate a Myoplex bar, until about 11:30 when I heard the trucks drive away?

But were they gone for the day, or were they just going to lunch?

I figured since they hauled the trailer and equipment with them, they must be gone for good.

But now a storm was blowing in fast. I took a couple of quick shots before I had to run inside and hide from the pouring rain.

Dolphins and whales swam down this little conduit. COOL!

Dolphin holding tank.

Dank and disgusting contents of the tank. This slop was surely over my head.
I could imagine some large animal still living beneath the surface, waiting for me to fall in.

The balls are 'bio-pin balls" which are part of the water filtration system.
Looks like they should have gotten more of them.

Tidepool petting area. Where little children can beat the shit out of helpless sea animals.

The viewing area of the sea tank.

The Sea-Arama Ocean Tank. A cathedral of sorts.

Texas Day 2: Climbing the Brew Tower

2006-09-24T03:29:04Z

Part 2 of the Forbidden Bewery:
Climbing of the Brew Tower

The brewing process begins at the top with grain and ends at the loading dock with kegs and bottles of beer.

"The stock-man rides up
with his dry dusty throat
He breasts up to the bar,
pulls a wat from his coat,
But the smile on his face
quickly turns to a sneer,
When the bar man said sadly
the pub's got no beer."

Hops Storage Room

Brew Kettle

Storage Tanks

Brewing Monitors

Holes were cut in the ceiling to remove equipment that was too large to fit through the building.
Much of the removed equipment has been shipped to China.

Once one hole is made in a roof, nature has no problem making more.
Dead end for me, had to turn back and find another way across.

Hospitality Center. Basically a rooftop garden and bar for tours and staff.
Warning: THIS PUB HAS NO BEER!

It does however have a HUGE bees nest inside this bar.
A high traffic nest with a constant unending humming stream coming and going.
If you explore this brewery, DO NOT stand in their path!

There used to be a stairwell here, but now its completely rusted out and collapsed.

Records.

The equipment in this area has all been removed. The walls had been knocked out so the equipment could
be moved out directly through the side of the building. Then the holes were repaired with steel mesh.

Gutter

Fermenting tanks.

Looking west across the rail yard.

This cracks me up. Whenever I looked out any window anywhere, I could always a see a cop circling around in the neighborhood.

Can you Waldo the cop in this photo?

Every floor of the brew tower is the home of a different part of the brewing process.

Mash Cookers. Ground grain is funneled into these devices where the mash is cooked, preparing the grain for the brew kettle.

Grain Silos. At the very top of the brew tower where the whole process beings with pure grain. Grain is funneled from these silos into grinders.

I'm thirsty right about now. I hope you'll all join me for a bit'o'the suds.

Texas Day 2: The Forbidden Brewery

2006-09-22T00:16:54Z

Irish Drinking Song:
A long time ago, way back in history,
When all they had to drink was nothing but cups of tea,
Along came a bloke by the name of Charlie Mopps,
And he invented a wonderful drink and he made it out of hops

Chorus:
He ought to have been an Admiral, a Sultan or a King
And to his praises we shall always sing.
Look what he has done for us: he's filled us up with cheer.
God bless Charlie Mopps, the man who invented beer.

Originally the Galveston Brewing Company: Open 1895 -1981

There were some issues with getting into this place as I mentioned in a previous post.
For the back story GO HERE.

Improvise, Adapt and Overcome.

The police are watching me. By watching me, they are actually telling me to leave. Cuz I couldn't do a damn thing as long as they were there. I must have been the most deadly criminal in all of Texas.

I grabbed my gear and hoofed around the perimeter of the building's property. I hadn't even done any reasonable recon yet. There was a railyard on the backside, maybe if I could get in there, out of site, perhaps the cops would scram.

Mission Map

I walk around the back corner of the buildling. It wasn't until this moment that I realized that the facility is partially active rather than totally abandoned.

A rolling armored door is open, and a Guatemalan guy is sitting on the loading dock watching me. The cop is now on the roll again. I can see him driving up the long side of the building. I walk directly over to the guy. I don't offer my had or anything I just start talking to him like I already knew him. After a couple of sentences I sat on the step next to him. The police roll by, check me out and then park down the street again.

So I just keep hanging out with the guy. His name is Elvin, my new buddy. And he and I were going to hang out all day, as long as the police were on my jock.

He tells me the history of the entire neighborhood. He tells me what parts to avoid because of crime and cautions me to make sure I was gone before dark, when it get's really bad. He also mentions that the cops are ball busters here because of the shipping port nearby.

Elvin Hanging out by the train that runs along the brewery.

Spot where Elvin and I hung out while I waited out the cops.

The cop is still stubbornly watching me. But I could wait them out. I started photographing Elvin. After about 5 minutes of shooting. The police got bored and split.

I asked Elvin if he minded if I left by cutting through the railyard. He shrugged, but told me not to be seen.

I hoofed it down the tracks. Made sure no cops were around. Made sure Elvin was back inside his loading dock. Found a busted in window and climbed in.

NOICE!

There were plenty of walls broken down from when they removed equipment that had been too large to fit through the doors.

An office full of service manuals for all the equipment in the building. YEARS of reading.

Master Alert Panel in the Brewmaster's office. Anything goes wrong anywhere, he can see it on this panel.

On and off switches.

Refrigeration Compressor

Asbestos covered devices. Mounds of asbestos on the floor.

I'm on a second level catwalk, looking down at a huge drum.

Fire door off its hinges.

Catwalk, to the relevant part of the building. "Good Wood Lady...Safe Bridge!"

If you thought that was cool...

Coming Soon: Part 2
In Part 2, I climb the Brewhouse Tower, photograph the brew kettles, mash cookers, fermenting tanks,
and plenty of wonderful industrial decay goodness.

BEER BEER BEER. I think I'm gong to go have one now.

Texas Day 2: Dilemma

2006-09-20T01:08:39Z

So I travel 1500 miles and arrive at the big score.

To my dismay, diagonally across the street is the Police Station and the police motor pool.

There were cops cruising through this hood constantly. As I approach the building a police pickup drove along my side at about two miles per hour.
Curse me for carrying my respirator and tripod out in the open. I thought this place was going to be easy.

The cop parked down the street to observe from a distance.
He though he was being sneaky, but I could see him plain enough.

Buying time to think, I set up my tripod for an innocent exterior shot. A guy in a Gas Company truck pulls up and tells me that Homeland Security
is going to arrest me for taking photos in this neighborhood.

He motions the Gas Company building, right next door. And then to the shipping port in sight about half a mile away with a navy vessel docked.

Oh yeah! And this was the entrance.

What do you think I did??

She Insists on Urbexing in Flip Flops!

2006-09-18T03:53:23Z

FlipFlopChick is really trying. At the military supply she shopped for a flak jacket so she wouldn't get bullet holes in her camisol.
TX residents have a reputation for shooting trespassers first and asking questions later.

In case you don't recognize her this is FlipFlopChick, rejected from Mad Dog Crew for unacceptable flip flop use.

So what does she do? Keeps wearing flip flops to abandonments out of spite.
This is at an abandoned gas station/diner off Route 10W, about 40 minutes east of Houston.

FlipFlop is telling me a tale about a struggle she had with feral dogs at an abandoned water park.

Texas, Day 1: Katy Rice Dryers

2006-09-17T06:00:07Z

This building is a rice dryer facility. It was used to fast dry vast amounts of rice by heating an aeration.

So hot that the sun hums.

After I finished this shoot I met a guy in the neighborhood nearby.
He told me that a friend of his died in this rice dryer. A flood of rice buried and suffocated him.

Commandoed my way in bush to bush.
This building is on an active industrial facility. Construction workers in forklifts and pickups drive around this building nonstop.

Didn't I just tell you about the workers? Get your face out the window!

Conveyors and silo feeds.

Mystery levers with string that went into holes in the ceiling. There was a set of these beneath every silo.

Beeeeezunk!

Freight elevator to transport tools up this shaft.
This ladder was a big wiggly ricket, lags coming out of the cement. Hornets flying around inside the shaft.

I climbed 3/4 of the way up before I realized that I still had a lot of living to do.

Door on the base of a silo.

Flip out doors on the bottom of the rice silo

Tomorrow I'll be heading to the Gulf coast where there will undoubtedly be a breeze.

Texas Adventures In Ubex

2006-09-16T01:05:41Z

The heat in Texas wraps around you like a blanket. That's why I explore there half naked.

Mission Photos Coming Soon!

What Draws Us?

2006-09-16T00:09:14Z

Amusement park fairway.

What draws us to abandoned places?

anthrochica scales barbed wire fence.

We are looking for something. Why else risk the consequence of going where we've been told not to?

Children's Theater

These places no longer serve their makers.
Now they have taken a life of their own, an ephemeral one that will be erased by time and progress.

Teacups

Dramas of the past have transpired in these very spaces.The only thing separating us from them is time.

Ball Toss

Bumper Cars

We bear the responsibility of making a record before their passing.

Snack Bar

We're not breaking into buildings. We're breaking into the past.

Gift Shop

We're distant observers hearing an echo of what was.

Miniature Golf Course Fountain

With the right frame of mind we can tap the spirit of the previous visitors.

Coaster cars, protected from the weather by a tarp.

Sometimes modest and sometimes grand, abandonments deserve awe and respect.

Soon these places will only exist in our memories and photographs.

What is it that appeals to you about abandoned places?

Homeland Security, Texas Cops, Typhoon Rains

2006-09-12T20:28:53Z

In case anyone is wondering where I've been. I'm Houston as I write this.

Highlights so far. I've been warned by a guy in a gas company uniform that the Department of Homeland Security was gong to arrest me. The cops have shadowed me but I managed to shake them. My equipment nearly got destroyed in typhoon rains.

You'll hear all about it when I get back.

Chernobyl Urbex

2006-09-06T20:10:53Z

I'm making a list of Urbex places I need to visit before I retire. Chernobyl may have made the list.

Check out this site about:

A Girl
A Geiger Counter
A Motorcycle
A Camera

She makes a photo documentary of her motorcycle tour of Chernobyl and the surrounding areas.
http://www.kiddofspeed.com/chernobyl-revisited/

For those of you who do not know:
Chernobyl is a Russian city that is now a ghost town.
The city was abandoned in 1986 after the Chernobyl Power Plant disaster. The worst nuclear disaster in history.

This place should go on the list. Don't you agree?

Historic Drive In: Focks Busts His UE Cherry

2006-09-03T14:28:47Z

This historic drive in opened in 1947 and closed in 1996.

The business was doing well but the town put pressure this business to close due to increased traffic on the roadway.

Focks, elite designer/photographer, makes his first Urbex trip at this drive in. See is work at http://rennartist.deviantart.com/.

This screen is a megalith! Not just a billboard viewing screen like many drive-ins.
This screen is a building in itself. Complete with heat and electricity.

Interior of the screen, looking up.

After years of expressed interest, Focks finally managed to pull himself away from a
life of shooting hot booty chicks and come record some abandonments.

He scoffed at the brush and pointed out that on his other photo shoots, the brush is always well trimmed.

As usual the weather turned nasty. God started spitting on me and my camera.

Notice Focks in the distance, defying the gigantic screen.

"No Miss" urinals. Even with a full erection you wont miss a drop.

I need one of these at home.

Thankfully neither Focks nor I needed to use this paper.

An ant hill in the middle of the concession stand. About 8 inches tall.

Ice cream freezer. Complete with scoop rinsing bay.

Concession stand kitchen.

Complete with Nacho warmer and Popcorn machine (not shown).

Overgrown entrance to the projection room.

Focks is feeling quite satisfied after busting his cherry.

One of two projectors. The equipment is in good enough shape that it looks like it can be repaired.
Notice the ducting at the top of the device, used as a chimney to vent smoke from the projectors arc light.

Audio system control switches.

Carbon Arc Rectifiers. Used to power to the light source for the projectors.

Me at the ticket booth, contemplating my own decay.
Self portrait with shutter assist from Focks.

If you ever find yourself exploring with Focks, make sure you take the long route to your site.
During a short drive he spotted an abandoned incinerator and a partially abandoned mill.

He insisted he was too old to climb the barbed wire fence to get to the incinerator, so he ripped it off its posts instead.

Crazy Focks!

Meet Big Richard Flapjacks

2006-09-01T02:51:35Z

I received this anonymous post today and habitually deleted because I thought it was some run of the mill wise ass.

This was the post.
"...I'm getting really sick of this "Urbex" nonsense. Let's go look for some wiggly's to stick in our pillow cases!"

About two hours after I deleted it, I realized that it was really a message from my good pal Big Richard Flapjacks.

Meet Big Richard Flapjacks. He's a cross between MacGyver and an Ichtehologist.
If it swims slithers, hops or crawls, he will find it, catch it, show it some love and then send it back on its merry way.
Notice the pillow case.. as in his comment. "Let's look for some wigglys to put in our pillow cases."

Big Richard Flapjacks is very disappointed that I'm going to Texas next week and I'm not bringing my snake hooks

Here are the wigglys.

I watched dumbfounded as he captured all these snakes in a single mound of carpet. He had 9 total.

Shown here are two Eastern Milk Snakes, one black racer and a ringneck.
The black racer was over 6' long and bit him on the leg as he wrestled it out of a crevice.

Oh and by the way...Big Richard Flapjacks is petrified of mosquitoes.

The little Eastern Milk.

The medium sized Easter Milk. You've seen this one before. This snake struck my lens three times while I composed this shot.

Beware of Tweezle Jacks!

2006-08-26T14:06:41Z

If you’ve ever felt like hikin’ down a track in Doozledorf
The train ain’t going nowhere cuz it crashed a screejing Gorf.

So you look to see a shiny kind of train that you might like
But the garbage in its cleaning barge has twice the kind of lice.

The Doozles in the factory all ride on Tweezle Jacks.
If they spot you near the crashed choo choo they’re bound to jack your rack.

The police will come all dressed in green and bust your furry buzzle bean.
Lest you make a fake escape like raging slurry in your spleen.

So out of sight you make your hike and find the engine car.
With lots of horse it has its source, a stretched out training bra.

From this stoop the Choo Choo Floop must hank the whistle cord.
To warn the Foozles on the track the train will crush their gourds.

Though this train has had its day, now time has had its fun.
Like a Feejil Scam without a plan, its had it's final run.

If you stack a pack upon your back, like a sack of porridge stew.
Separate it from the Sucking Sloths they like your porridge too.

Like the Foozles down in Toozletown who really like to boozle down
In time it’s said you make your bed and dream of Darla’s hairy shed.

When you feel like a having meals inside the car that rolls on wheels.
The staff are nice but twice the price will serve you Mummied Ham and spice.

Remember that the kitchens small, like a Grocks contentious preening hall.
But Grocks won’t eat the Mummied Ham, cuz on this train it comes in a can.

Not to brag that biz is good for abandoned trains in any hood.
Though if you pay it will not stay, so save your Flicknotes for today.

No Grocks were here to see my stash, so I stopped to fire my filthy flash.
To my dismay from humble starts, these female Grocks got two wash pots!

The seats are sweet to rest your feet, but these have seen some Cruster Cleats.
And for every itch that needs a stitch, these house two buster cruster flits.

Now we bid a fond farewell, to the Foozles who boozled down and fell.
The Grocks and Gorfs theTweezlejacks, and the Filthy Flasher who lurks out back.

A Call For Texan Urbexers

2006-08-25T01:13:55Z

I'm flying to Houston in a few weeks and I need some Texas hospitality, urbex style.
If you're an explorer from the Houston area, please email or AIM me.

I have already made several contacts, but I still won't be satisfied until I have concrete plans with dates and times.

Do you recognize the guy in this photo? If so, drop me a line.

This is one of my potential guides. He took this photo of himself.

He's proclaimed himself homeless, lives on rooftops
and has agreed to give me a tour of Houston 'Batman Style'.

He definately looks hard core and and a bit shady. RAWK!!

I also have managed to find a group of urbexers just outside of Houston. The following are aerial images of potential exploring sites.

I never knew this type of abandonment existed. Guaranteed you don't have one of these where you live.

And this little beauty.

It's industrial. It's Beautiful. It's Heaven in Decay. That's the only hint I can give you.

I've got a couple more locations in mind. But I'm keeping those to myself for now.

During my research I have seen in several references that the law in this state allows trespassers to be shot without question. Anybody have any body armor that I can borrow?

Urbex Mission Fund Lobbying

2006-08-22T00:23:53Z

I repeatedly risk my ass, and now all I'm asking from you is for a little support.

Texas urbex mission scheduled several weeks from now. All proceeds from these prints will go directly to support more top notch urbex documentary.

When shopping, pay attention to the difference between the cropped and the bordered versions.

You requested them, and here they are.
Now you can enjoy the beauty of urbex without the risk of injury or arrest.

Click Here: http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/WMello/FriendsGallery/MoreRequests

MOVE IT TEAM!

The Kirkbride That Almost Killed Me: Part 3 of 3

2006-08-17T22:25:35Z

The Conclusion: With my camera stowed in my pack for most of the chase, these are rare photographs indeed.

Everybody Out of the Fucking Kirkbride!

Get me outta here!

The Attic:

Ratfink Dan and I managed to zig our way through the Kirkbride and navigated our way down into the basement tunnels. By this time, the cops were storming through the building above us. Ratfink and I opted for stealth. In the dark tunnels we used our flashlights sparingly and walked very slowly, listening to where the police boots thundered and crunched above us. We passed under the burned out admin and into the far wing opposite of where our group had been spotted.

Once at the extreme far end of the Kirk, we climbed up four flights of stairs and then climbed a rickety ladder into the attic. We didn’t think anyone would follow us up here unless they were willing to risk falling through the atrocious floor. The mixture of noon summer heat and the ammonia venting off all the bat guano stifled our breathing. We found a broken window that offered fresh air and holed up there. We could hear the bats screeching inside the metal air ducts. Wasps buzzed our faces. We were unimpressed.

Ratfink called and texted the other half of the group. We get no response. Our situation looked grim. Not only are we inside the building with the police, we didn’t know the grounds well, and there was still the prison style Fence of Doom hemming us in.

We waited…

….and waited…

Finally Ratfink’s phone vibrated. A text message!

“MEET US IN THE TUNNELS NEAR THE ACTIVE BUILDING”

The Spider Hole:

This tunnel is only about 3' Tall

Ratfink Dan and I climbed down to the tunnels listening painfully for the sounds of State Police footsteps. At one point we pryed a metal security door back on its hinges and crawl through the gap. Once in the lightless basement we almost immediately heard a quiet whistle and saw the flashing of a light.

Ryan X flashed a maglight at us through a crack in a rotted board that covered a hole in the tunnel wall. He pulled the board aside and crawled away from us down a 3’ tall tunnel whispering loudly over his shoulder “Pull the board over the hole behind you.”.

Ratfink went into the pipe first. Then I followed. We crawled through wet sand, ducking under rusty pipes for about 100 yards where we found Starman and Erin (with an E) huddled in the darkness.

Ryan X informed us that he had just been up in the building and could still hear the cops combing the place. He and Ratfink Dan dropped their gear and then left Starman, Erin (with an E) and myself to wait in the tunnel while the two of them went scouting.

I assembled my camera and snaped a couple of pics of the godforsaken hole. Not even Saddam Hussein would hide in here, especially with all the asbestos. The situation looked as bleak as ever anyway. Cops crawling the place, there were five of us. Not so easy for five people to hide, or to escape unnoticed. I knew we’d all have a better chance of success if I left the group. So I did.

Solo Again: Commando Style Evasion

Terrain I crawled through while the cops searched with binoculars.

I bid Starman and Erin (with and E) goodbye and I crawled back to the entrance of the tunnel. I opened my pack, ate my last Power Bar, drank the rest of my water. I was going to need all the strength I could get.

Solo, the same way I had left my house at 3:30 that morning, I intended on exiting the Kirk. I needed to make my way through the overgrown grounds. Over the Fence of Fucking Doom, and through the neighborhood to my vehicle.

I had no idea what I was doing.

I climbed up out of the tunnels and headed to the first door I could find. A panel on the bottom of the door had already been kicked out. I crawled outside and felt a little better. One step closer to freedom.

I scurried from bush to bush. Sprinted between tufts of grass. Hugged the walls of the buildings. Closer and closer to the fence. At one point I heard a car humming down the road that ringed the abandoned facility. I threw myself into a depression on the ground and hid behind some broken cinder blocks.

The police cruiser crawled by the fence less than 30’ from me. I stayed as still as possible, hiding behind my cinder blocks. Lying motionless. Buried my face in grass. I heard he door of the cruiser open. I was certain I had been caught and was determined to lie there quietly until they came inside the fence and arrested me. But the officer got back into the car and drove away again.

When the cruiser rolled out of sight I sprinted to a better hiding place to collect myself. I was in a location with thick brush where I could watch the cruiser circling the facility searching. Sometimes driving by at 40 miles per hour. Sometimes driving by at a crawl. Sometimes driving by and coming back in less than a minute, sometimes taking as much as 15 minutes. I studied and tried to learn the method. But there was none. I knew I had to take a chance and keep trading hiding place for hiding place until I got close enough to good exit point where I could make a run for the fence.

For 45 minutes I sprinted and crawled from bush to bush, blade of grass to blade of grass. Assessing the fence. Looking for a good exit point. The cruiser came by often. Petrifying me every time. Sometimes the cop got out and used binoculars to glass the building and overgrown grounds.

One time I become particularly unnerved. My patience were shot. It was time to risk it all and make a run for the fence. There were woods directly across the street from where I was looking. If it could make it there, I had a change to get off the state grounds into the nearby neighborhood where my truck waited for me.

The Fence of Doom:

13' Tall Fence of Doom

I slung my pack stuffed with camera equipment onto my back. Slung my tripod over my left arm and waited. The cruiser made another pass and rolled out of sight.

I leaped out of my hiding spot and sprinted with every ounce of strength I had left. I barreled directly at the fence of doom. If I didn’t make it over the fence I would damn well run right through it!

Since this fence was designed to keep people out, there were some handholds available on the inside. I leaped half way up the fence onto middle support rail. Leaped up to the beveled top of the fence. Threw my legs over the top of a gate. Then flipped over onto the other side like I was auditioning to be a stunt man. I didn’t stop to look at what I was doing. And this side of the fence had absolutely not footholds or handholds. Essentially, I free fell for ten feet and landed in a paratrooper roll onto the concrete road.

I felt my camera slam into my spine. I thought for sure it was broken. Both my camera…and spine. I would have been pissed if my camera broke.

Pain didn’t slow me. I rolled onto my hands knees and sprinted across the street and into brushy woods. Almost out…

The Neighborhood:

I pushed through the woods then climbed an 8’ stone wall. The coast looked clear. One last challenge and I’d be home free. I didn’t see any cops parked on the street. I jumped down off the wall.

Now picture me…covered in sweat. Shaking from constant adrenaline dumps. Dirt caked on my face, on my clothes, everywhere. I hauled a pack of gear and tripod. The palms of the hands bled freely from falling from the Fence of Doom. Hobbling from the fall, I staggered through the neighborhood trying to look casual.

I was just arriving at my truck when I noticed. A security truck drove very slowly down the street toward me. I can see the cop’s blue uniform, patches on the shoulders, badge on the chest.

I nonchalantly open my truck doors trying to look as calm as possible. I casually slid my tripod into the truck first. Then took off my black backpack and put it in the truck. The truck passed without event. In this neighborhood dirty people were likely commonplace. Besides, no doubt this cop was looking for a group of stupid kids, not me.

I hopped in the truck. Fired it up and managed to drive away calmly without peeling wheels. I didn’t believe I was actually safe until I had put five miles between me and the Kirkbride That Almost Killed Me.

New_Republican Urbex Prints Available

2006-08-14T04:01:30Z

You've been demanding them and now they're finally available.

These photos available for purchase here: http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/WMello/FriendsGallery/NewlyAvailable

Available both cropped to standard sizes, or with a white border which maintains the proportions I shot the original at.

These prices will only last until I sign with a gallery. After that my prints may only be available through that gallery.

Profits will fund future missions.

The Kirkbride that Almost Killed Me: Part 2

2006-08-11T23:07:58Z

My new serendipitously assembled crew continue to explore the Kirbride.

My new crew are all true photographers. My favorite kind of urbexers.
Here are the cameras of Starman, Ratfink Dan, Erin (with an e) and RyanX.

My camera is busy taking the photo and couldn't pal around with its new buddies.

Two sinks filled with fallen debris from the decaying ceiling.

Solarium alcove with tin ceilings.

Chair in a basement room.

The Kirkbride has two main wings separated by an administration wing.

Since the admin portion of the building had burned, the only way to travel between the two wings
without going outside is to use the tunnel system. If at all possible we do not want to go outside,
because it would be very easy for the State Police security patrols to spot us and arrest us.

A collapsed section of flooring. As you can see, you don't want to be standing under a collapse.

This is a view of a collapse from the floor above. You don't want to be standing up here when it collapses either.
You just can't win with a collapse.

From the condition of this tin ceiling, I would guess that the collapse was caused by a roof leak.
Water coming in through the leak weakened the floor until it...BOOM!

Mid morning sunlight filtering into a patient's room.

Exterior view of the Kirkbride. My exteriors are photographed through windows because
at all costs, we did not want to go outside where would be easily spotted by security patrols.

Some patients probably stared at this view for years. Maybe for their entire lives.

Antique fire extinguishers, still diligently standing guard.

This is what I love. Nature will find a way.

Paint petals blooming.

Pigeon cathedral. That isn't dirt on the floor.

Somehow this type of ceiling always has a busted window that allows pigeons to come inside. The attics of this
Kirk were overrun by bats. And it seems the pigeons and bats don't cohabitate. So the pigeons lived here.

Probably too bright for bats anyway.

Screened in porch.

Scale. Imagine how many barefoot mental patients stood on this thing.

Double sink.

Ward hall.

Bedframe with vent grills.

Like so many explorations. Things can change without warning.

A State Cop showed up to the entrance of the Kirk escorting a construction worker.
As they approached, they must have spotted us in the windows...because!!

HERE THEY COME!!!!!!
Backup radioed...heading our way. Run!

In expert fashion our group split up. Three of us to the tunnels. Two to the attic.

GO!

But which way? We had only had one guide and two groups.

RyanX, Starman and Erin (with an e) retreated to the nether region of the Kirk. Down into the tunnel system where even the sub-tunnels have sub-tunnels.

Ratfink Dan and I blindly tried to find our way through the Kirk labrinth to the farthest point from the entrance.
That would be the attic in the far end of the wing. No police would go up there.
The floors were much too dangerous. But how do we get there?

And we hoped the ladder would support us when we found it.

Click Here For Part 3

The Kirkbride that Almost Killed Me: Part 1 of 3

2006-08-08T17:26:52Z

Back story: After performing several recon visits, I had enough information to make a solo attempt on this Kirkbride.

In the dead of night, I left home to make the commute to the site. At 4am when I arrived in the neighborhood near the Kirk, I saw a group of people moving stealthily, hugging the shadows. Tripods and camera bags pegged them as a group of explorers. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Then I recognized one of the most famous local faces of urbex lore. RyanX.

Although I had never met them before, they immediately took me into their group. Camaraderie among explorers runs deep.

The 13' security fence, loving referred to as the "Fence of Doom" is a formidable barrier to this facility. The morning dew made the security coating on the fence slicker than ice. In teamwork fashion the group expertly organized a series of mutual boosts and heaves in order to perform a cooperative fence climb. All this in pitch black, away from the spotlights and security cameras on the other side of the building. No flashlights! Too risky.

We were in!

Color coded wards and wings. Each one different. Tin ceilings with highly detailed design.

My new team is known by the names Starman, 'Erin (with an e)', Ratfink Dan, and the notorious RyanX.

RyanX knows this Kirkbride like his own living room. Good fortune had led me to this group of explorers since they were collectively experienced, ethical, and knowledgeable about the location.

We entered the building pre-dawn while it was still dark as midnight. No flashlights. Pitch black traveling through the building. We dropped off Starman and Erin in a room full of old matresses so they could catch a catnap before the sun came up. Ratfink Dan, RyanX and I proceeded to the roof to watch the sunrise.

Sunrise, overlooking the fire damage of the destroyed Administration building.

Bats screeched from inside this ventilator as they jockeyed for sleeping position.

5am. Me on the roof of the Kirk watching the sunrise.

A super slick slate roof, wet with morning dew. One slip and it'd be the quick way down the the courtyard, four stories below.

The inside of the building isn't much safer than the roof. Collapses are all over the place.
Whenever I see one of these, I often look to see if there is a skeleton lying the wreckage below.

This is where the female wing dumps into what used to be and Administration area. The admin is now gone, victim to arson.
This location is still considered to be a crime scene under investigation. Double bonus for the police if you get picked up here.

Food carts, used to transport trays of food from the kitchen to the wards.

Did I mention that the floors were sketchy in this Kirkbride?

Ratfink Dan is fast asleep. He drove all night to get here for dawn. We left him sleeping on the floor he caught up with us later.

RyanX contemplates how to scale the exterior fo the building in order to make a shortcut to the roof.

Skywalk, as viewed from the adjacent building.

Skywalk, walkover between two of the buildings. Used to keep everyone toasty in the winter. Curved hardwood floor and ceiling.

Had to be super careful crossing it. The State Cops can see right inside this crossover from their security route.

This is four sinks. Not two sinks and a mirror.

Erin (with an e) relaxing in a doorway.

Sorry folks. No shots of Starman. Whenever I was pointing my camera at people,
Starman was off doing something cool in another part of the building. He remains a mystery.

Recap: Predawn deployment. Sunrise on the rooftops. Naps on the Kirkbride floor. Gentle curving skywalk.

Nice peaceful exploration right?

Not for long...

Click Here for Part 2

Recon: Kirkbride That Almost Killed Me

2006-08-08T16:22:18Z

Recon: The Kirkbride that Almost Killed Me
A solo kirkbride assault. The mission that has marked a new peak in my urbex career.
For those of you that don't know what a kirkbride is http://www.kirkbridebuildings.com/

Security:
24/7 State Police Patrols
13' Antipersonnel Prison Style Fence
Surveillance Cameras

Micro spy camera photography.

13 foot, fine mesh prison fence with antipersonnel beveling.
Located on an active campus that includes a high security fully operational mental health facility.

Super fine mesh, too small for fingers.

Except for viewers of this LJ, this is as close as most of the world is ever going to get.

Copyright 2006 Google – Imagery Copyright Mass GIS, Commonwealth of Massachusetts EOEA, Map data Copyright 2006 NAVTEQ TM

I forged out solo for this operation at 3:30am. But everything didn't go as planned.

See The Mission