After we got back to our car, we began to drive home and end up passing three different structures that we stopped at to take some pictures. All three were in pretty bad shape. The first one was completely dilapidated. It was one of the biggest wood structures I have ever seen, I was actually quite lovely. I bet you in its day it was quite a home or establishment. Love it further down the road getting to the real Pennsylvania Turnpike we passed a house that must’ve been a fire. The outside was charged to be unbelief the inside was in complete ruins. He deafly couldn’t go in the floor was gone and that which was there was deafly not safe enough. We did get some great images of the effects of the fire. And then a little bit further down the road even closer to the turnpike was and a banded house but an F on front which is the beginning of our last name too. So we had to stop there!! However we did not go in because in all honesty this house look like it was a house of horrors. When I took a picture of the upstairs window I half expected to see if they show up in it. PS there is no face in the picture! And that was our day! We did have a little car trouble on the way home, but we are home safe and sound! Pizza is on its way and we are back in our game. Feels pretty gosh darn good!
So, the weather finally broke here in PA and we were able to get out and do some stuff. We hopped in the car, and headed east on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. We got off in Breezewood, and headed 5 miles to the second abandoned turnpike tunnel that is in the area. The first one is the Rays Hill, I think, But this one is the Sideling Hill We parked the car, and climbed up a pretty steep hill, and ended up right on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. However, this Pennsylvania Turnpike is abandoned. Stretching for as far as the eye can see, and also divided highway, we followed the turnpike around a large van for about a half mile to about 3/4 of a mile The road on this stretch of a banded turnpike was much worse off than the road in which we travel to the other tunnel. However, took her straight to the tunnel. We were the only ones there, which made it pretty spooky, but also very cool. We were able to walk into the tunnel, and if we have chosen to walk all the way through, but the light was already fading as it was later in the day and we wanted to be able to get back to our car in the daylight. We did walk in to where we could see some amazing ice that was coming straight through from ceiling to ground. Was rather amazing. We also were able to get into some type of control room and there were steps, but they were very icy and didn’t look very safe so we decided to just stay on the first floor check things out walk a little bit through the tunnel and enjoyed a little bit of solitude and beautiful weather that we had. After we got back to our car, we began to drive home and end up passing three different structures that we stopped at to take some pictures. All three were in pretty bad shape. The first one was completely dilapidated. It was one of the biggest wood structures I have ever seen, I was actually quite lovely. I bet you in its day it was quite a home or establishment. Love it further down the road getting to the real Pennsylvania Turnpike we passed a house that must’ve been a fire. The outside was charged to be unbelief the inside was in complete ruins. He deafly couldn’t go in the floor was gone and that which was there was deafly not safe enough. We did get some great images of the effects of the fire. And then a little bit further down the road even closer to the turnpike was and a banded house but an F on front which is the beginning of our last name too. So we had to stop there!! However we did not go in because in all honesty this house look like it was a house of horrors. When I took a picture of the upstairs window I half expected to see if they show up in it. PS there is no face in the picture! And that was our day! We did have a little car trouble on the way home, but we are home safe and sound! Pizza is on its way and we are back in our game. Feels pretty gosh darn good!
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To begin with, I’m going to keep my writing short and sweet, because the best part of this post will certainly be the pictures. We went west again for the holiday season to visit the in-laws. Of course, new trip of hours would be complete if we didn’t go to see some abandoned and cool stuff. We traveled into Las Vegas, Nevada and after a night at Circus Circus we ventured into the desert. It has always been a passion and dream of mine to travel through the Mohave desert, and so we did it. Our first stop was seven Magic Mountain‘sWhich is an art installation of seven totem style boulder structures with multiple bright colors smack dab in the middle of the desert. We continued on our travels, coming across an abandoned mine, that we were unable to get into, and some other various structures. We also found a Japanese internment camp, which was one of the listings we’ve ever seen. I know that it is a sad part of our country‘s history, and the fact that it still stands is a lesson for us all terms of tolerance and kindness towards others. i’m finally arrived in Tucson, spend the next couple days sitting in the sun join. Then, of course, we were off to see more things. Our first day of exploring took us to a couple take missile silo that work at the ending. Turns out, we’ve been to the museum which is a little bit south of Tucson however, We found several other sites which held the missiles, but we’re not turned into the museum. Instead they were sealed off and left in the desert. We of course found them, explore them, and then back to the pool. another adventure Jay took us on one of our best interest yet. We travel down south to the Coronado national forest. Driving on a washboard road, we were able to find the Mowry Mine. Fighting it was the most awesome thing we have done in a long time. We had to hike through the desert and the forest without any GPS because we had no service. We actually got to what was once a road, so we knew we were on the right path. Climbing uphill on rocks, we got to the top of the hill. We actually had thought we had found nothing, turned around, and behind the garage was a remaining building of the mine. It was an awesome explanation. our last expiration date took us north. We actually sent off to find the satellite calibration target, but ended up signing so much more. We found this really cool old three cylinder engine in the middle of the field, then the calibration target, and then we ended up exploring the Cassa Grand downs yet again. The cool part about all of our findings were that they really were off the map, and that the targets are plentiful in the area. We actually found several of them, but only stopped at the one in which we took pictures. The downs or stop we made a few years back, but we went back because we could see them in the distance from the target. One of the gyms in which we explored was collapsed, which was a very psyched to see the open blue sky through these dark and dank downs. all in all this was one of the most amazing trips ever taken, explored so much, north and south, east and west. Enjoy all of the photos When we travel, it is inevitable, and as we plan our trip we try to find things that are abandoned. This time, on our way to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, we were so unbelievably lucky and the route that we chose. Not only were we able to find some really cool sites that we stopped and photographed, but all along our path, on these back roads with no lines, we found many many different places to explore. We did stop at every place, it would’ve made trip so unbelievably long. But we did stop at a couple. The first stop we made was in Virginia. We found the original Randolph Macon College. From what I could gather any information I learned online, the college was built in the early 1800s and was closed in the mid-1800s. It was then reopened as an educational facility for freed slaves, but soon clothes afterwards by the late 1800s. I had read that there were several buildings still on site. We found two of the buildings; one of them being a house structure And the other being a crumbling brick structure that must’ve been housing or classes. Usually we do not abide by the no trespassing signs however, this building was literally crumbling before eyes. We just took pictures of the outside. The house we cannot get into the main structure however there was a back shed that was full of some of the most amazing relics from the time period in which the college existed. We found an all time record player and an amazing typewriter, a radio chairs chandeliers. It was incredible! Some of the other things we found Word jar’s and canisters, paint cans in the such. some of the other buildings we found a lot of our way were gas stations with really old gas pumps. We saw lots and lots of houses, Barnes and a really neat industrial site. We could not get over in time to check out that site, so we pinned it on our Google maps and are going to try to head back there another time and we venture down to North Carolina next year. if felt really good to be back on the road, finding different things, exploring, laughing, listening to music, enjoying our family time together. Little girl pretty much slept through the entire trip so we didn’t get a lot of pictures with her in it. However, I am throwing in a couple pictures from Pittsburgh stop that we found on the Lincoln Highway. These are from mid November, we found what looks like an old pro shoot and very large concrete structure that is just left sitting on the side of the road on the Lincoln Highway. Enjoy enjoy enjoy! You are about to embark in some crazy pictures and please stay tuned for some more abandonment from our trip to the Outer Banks. we. Ontinie to travel along to Andrews, NC to see the eclipse. This day was specifically geared to finding abandoned stuff. And we sure as shit did. First stop was Rose Island. This was an old resort that was built in the 1920's and was destroyed by the Ohio River flood of maybe 1937. We walked a really easy trail down to the foot bridge to the area of the old resort. The area is all mapped out and the ruins were easy to find. We ended up seeing the pool( which they have filled in with rocks) a walker, some cabin foundations and where the hotel once was. We saw the original sign stands and some other concrete structures. However, no information was stated as to what those structures actually were. The coolest part was the fact that they had the water level all throughout the area so you could see just how high the waters actually got. Surprisingly, or maybe not surprisingly the water was well over 7 feet as some points. The resort was destroyed and now these ruins are all that remain. Net stop was sort of a busy. We found an old TB hospital. There was a gate and I am pretty sure that since it was part of an existing hospital that we would have gotten caught had we slipped through. Took some photos outside and wondered at the huge windows with cross cross bars on them. I am sure they were so the patients could get "fresh" air for their lungs, but the bars made it seem sinister not serene. Last stop for the day, and by far he best was the Old Taylor Diatillery. FYI hey have redone part of it and hold vents ther but so much was there, left, abandoned, decaying and overgrown and pretty open to go in to see. We found a great old building and little one found some stairs and we ventured up. Looked like offices, but was missing. The center of the floor. That was unbelievably col to look through the wallls and into all the rooms. Shelves and light fixtures still remakned and a great switchboard. The outisde was very overgrown. It. Wautiful. The paint peeled and the overhrorowth creates a defect nlanlet for the old building. Further down the road was more to see, including a bridge over the road, a belt system and a great sign and the best part, a. Eye cool water tower. It was incredible!! And so now we venture to Tennessee to meet up with grammar friends to go see the moon block out the sun!! Enjoy!!! let me begin by first apologizing for the amount of purse you were going to be reading over the next couple days. This all started about a year ago, when I came home from the beach and my husband asked me if I wanted to go to Tennessee to see the solar eclipse. I'm always up for a road trip, so of course I said yes. Fast forward a year and here we are in the middle of Indiana on our way to Tennessee and North Carolina to see one amazing show in the sky. However it wouldn't be a family vacation without going and seeing something abandoned. So with Google Maps and some mapping and some rerouting and some Internet research, we found several items so that we are going to go see. The first item that we saw with the ghost ship that we saw in Kentucky. We actually thought I was in Cincinnati Ohio, however looking close at the map we realize that we needed to go to Kentucky. Actually very easy to get to and we ended up at the end of the road, we actually found that there were several people that were there doing the exact same thing that we were doing. The car on the side of the road and walked through the woods on a path and came to this tiny little stream that is a tributary. off the Ohio weather and they're just sitting in the middle of the stream is this large vessel. We did a little research on it, and found that this ship the USS Sachem has a very long history. It was built in the very early 1900s and was used as a leadership, then it was commissioned into both world wars, it became a sightseeing vessel off of New York City, then was re-purchased for private use and then it was actually used in a Madonna video and then take into this little tributary and left. And so it sits resting away, but it was Apsley beautiful. You could see the different colors of the payments that were it's cover over the many years. You could also see where are the different names have been obstructed and the new names as aged became visible. It was really fascinating. And what I thought was actually quite wonderful was the fact that I have very little graffiti on it. And you. I think because it was in this very shallow body of water that it would be really easy to get to, and I think it would've been however I just think that people actually respected this we didn't need to use some of the things we've seen and it was left as is. It was all this growth on the top of it which was really gorgeous and it was a great find. Now, we relax in our hotel room, find some Mexican food to eat, because that's what we do we are on vacation, and we will head out tomorrow for a day filled of fun and abandoned. Stay posted, and enjoy the pictures! For the past four days, we have been in Sequoia National Park in California. To say this experience has been absolutely wonderful, would be belittling this beautiful part of our country. This blog will be written in three stages, because there is no cellular service, or Wi-Fi, or TV, or pretty much any means for me to communicate other than to write down every evening the amazing adventures that my small family plus a couple in-laws explore throughout the day. Day1: After a flaw this flight from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles, a pick up in a Turo.com rent a vehicle, stop at Jerry's deli because well if you're by Jerry's deli we need to have Jerry's deli, we are well on our way north east to Sequoia National Park. The drive was not all that spectacular, to be perfectly honest. However, within a few short hours we were at the gates of the park. We happen to be stay at a very small humble cottage right inside the park. So upon entering the park, we found our little cottage on Pats our stuff and realize what an absolute wonderful find we had found. Overlooking the mountains with the sound of the Kaweah River in the background, we settled in to this two bedroom cottage that we rented from VRBO.com and had everything we could possibly need. We then drove the in-laws through the park to get to where they were saying which was the Wuksachi Lodge. To put it lightly, this one hour ride was absolutely spectacular. For the first several minutes we got an amazing view of the river, raging on rocks, the most crystal-clear water I have ever seen in my entire life. Then once we got past 4 to 6000 feet we were able to see the giant sequoia trees. And when they first appeared, we were unbelievably awestruck. We drove by a few, but then we had to stop. We pulled the car over got out and were amazed at the beauty and in Normandy of these trees. There are absolutely no words to express how amazing they were. We hugged him we stood by them touch them we photographed them we did everything you could possibly imagine with those trees, keep your mind out of the gutter. At this point it was 6 o'clock in the evening and on East Coast time that's really nice o'clock so we were starving. We decided to drive on we stopped one more time to get a glimpse at that tree tunnel and then we went off to the lodge. My in-laws checked in, and their room is exquisite. We then went over to the Peaks Restaurant which is the restaurant that is in the Wuksachi Lodge. I don't think any of us was terribly disappointed with our meals. The only disappointment of the day would be the fact that we did not make a reservation for dinner, dining room, completely renovated absolutely beautiful, was very small and there was no room for us to dine. There was a bar area with some bar tables that we were able to sit at and get the full menu there. The service was a little slow, and one of the meals was forgotten, but when he got there it was delicious. Note to your self: make a reservation at the national parks when you want to eat dinner. After dinner we went to the gift shop bought some provisions for the cabin, and headed back down the Windee us road we have ever driven. And when I say the wind is really that we have ever driven, I truly mean that because my husband has driven some seriously Windee roads and he said that this was the wind he is most extreme road he is ever driven. And mind you he is driven on switchbacks in Italy so that does say something. It took us about an hour to get down to our cabin in which we unloaded what we still had in the car, little girl fell fast asleep, we all showered up, and then we sat. We looked at our photos and then decided to go outside to see the most spectacular sky. It had Milky Way written all over it. I was dumbfounded with the absolute beauty that we saw. It was the most spectacular ending to one of the most amazing days of adventure with loved ones. Day2: Started off the day wide awake before the sun came up so I got to see the sun rise and the sliver of the moon in he bluest sky ever. After getting ready and everyone getting up, we ventured up to the Lodge, stopping at the Giant Forest to walk on a downed Sequoia and to admire the beauty, majesty and awe of the trees. We walked along the trees, stood underneath them and thought about the wisdom that they evoke. We then got to he Lodge and had a delicious breakfast at The Peak's Restaurant. We drove up to King's Canyon and got to explore the amazing trees in Grant's Grove. They were majestic. We walked through a burnt out one, saw General Grant tree which weighs 2.5 million pounds and learned a lot about the tees, how they grow(by seeds that wait for fires to make them drop) and met a great couple from California. Off next to the new Grant Grove Restaurant that was just finished for a fabulous lunch. Headed through the park to Grizzly Falls. The drive was amazing through the canyon. The switchbacks were divine and he view was second to none. We traveled alongside the King River which was all white rapids. No one would dare raft that. We found he falls and we're not disappointed at all. They were beautiful and we were able to walk down into the pool and play in the water. Little Girl and Big Man disappeared for some time in which they traveled across the highway to the river. It was raging, but they climbed down to he Waters's edge and got to feel the frigidness of the water. They convinced me to head down with them and so I climbed, without falling to the edge. FREEZING!!!! Another enjoyable drive back to the lodge, dinner and a sunset drive down to our cabin. We got ourselves settled and cleaned up and then set outside to see the Milky Way. It was Little Girl's first time seeing it. Exciting for us all. Day 3: Woke up bright and early and were off to the lodge for breakfast. After eats and some shut eye for Big Man, we actually left Little Girl with her grandparents and went exploring on our own. What we found was incredible and worth the hour or so long drive to get to. We went to Buck Rock Lookout. This one of only 3 left in the world Style fire tower was perched 8700 feet in the air. The drive was on a dirt road through forest that was partially hit by a fire several years ago. Once we go there, parked , we had a very short walk to the base of the rock. Armed with our phones and a bottle of water we started to climb the 172 or so steep steps up. It wasn't hard but the steps were steep and it was at over 8500 feet so there was a small challenge. We took a break or two on our way up, but once we got up there. We were awestruck k. Beauty all around. Also, turns out a ranger loved there for five months on fire watch. She had a bed, stove, sink... you name it. We spoke with her for a while and then climbed down. Once we got back to the lodge, we hung out and then went to Lodgepole to check it out. They had a market and deli and laundry and shower facilities. Pretty cool. We got Prosecco, little baby bottles, which we were too tired to drink before bed. We then tried to hike down to this little creek that had he. Pat amazingly beautiful natural pool but we could not find a way to get there. Too steep. Instead, we went back to the ledge, ate an amazing dinner, and passed out!!! Day4: Up, eat and out of here!! San Clemente, here we come!!! it hasnever ahppened before, but alas we were able to cross the US border into Canada and check things out. Two of the places were going to check out were demolished and such is the case when you have no idea about anything. However, after reviewing the files, which are not abandon but are absolutely amazing, we were able to find some really cool things. I don't need the fall if you can find the abandoned pumping station which is really rather awesome. We cannot figure out how to get down there although we have heard that there was a way to get down there. Instead of going down there we were able to look from above. And usually this is not happen, but nature took precedence over he abandoned, we were just absolutely fascinated by what we saw. Those falls, although an amazing tourist trap, are well worth going to see. They are absolutely stunning. And the many rainbows that we saw made the experience even better. Make sure that when you go to the falls, that you go to the end of the Canadian Horshoe fall and make sure that you stand right where the water goes over the fall. There was this gap of crystal clear green water that just plummeted into this white frosty Misty a piss. It was absolutely exquisite. Also make sure you take the incline back up to the street level, so you could check out the falls from that view as well. however, it would not be a trip for us if we did not see something abandon. So we ended up going up to see Lake Ontario, which is one of the lakes that we had never seen before. Cool thing about it, clear day, got to see Toronto on the other side of Lake Ontario which was really awesome. And then a short walk through some rocks and trees, you get to see the Le Grande Hermine. It is a tall ship wreck. It is so awesome and is so close that you could probably swim to it, but we didn't have any suits on so we did not do that. Got some great shots of that while dipping our feet in the cold lake. Got a really cool walk on the jetties to get out and get a better view. It was pretty awesome. And so, Canada, we bid you farewell after only a mere 24 hours, but you did not disappoint. You are beautiful, and you hold many mysteries and stories in your bandit architecture. Now, we have decided that a trip to Canada's abandon all the way is in our future. I was itching! And so we drove. First we were South, to drop a certain little girl off at her grandparent' shone so we could venture North all on our own. Music cranked high, windows down, cold drinks and snacks and we were off. We got an area called New Brady, Brady's Bend. It wasn't the find of the century, but it was fun. We drove down some seriously small and primitive roads to find a couple great finds. Dirst find was a train turnaround. I had never seen one in person, and being an avid lover of trains (yes I say TRAIN every time I see or hear a train) it was a cool adventure. The circle was lined with track and in he center was the turning devise. It was rusted, but was beautiful. And I really never realized how big it would be. Huge!!! We climbed it, scaled it, teetered across it. We photographed, posed and wobbled. We went down, around and in. It was so cool. Later, we drove down a very primitive road to the water's edge and found an old abandoned river cabin. The find was not that great and we didn't even venture inside, but the drive down was so awesome. It was bumpy and slow and full of ups and downs. Yep, we had fun. Drove back with the tunes cranked up so high!! I can't wait to explore more. Today was amazing. Started yesterday when I got home from grocery shopping and the hubs said that I should pack an overnight bag because the Packard Plant in Detroit was breaking ground for rehab and we had to go see it. So an hour or so later we were on the road to Michigan. Not only is this a new state, which is always exciting, but this is a dream abandon. We spent the night in Toledo hoping to find Klinger, and had great Mexican cuisine. PS Covina de Carlos and the Red Roof inn for the bill!! Up early and after tons of cards and gifts to celebrate ME, off to Detroit. Needless to say, it is a Mecca. This plant was incredible. Lots of patrolmen are around and we got stopped. However, hubs did some sweet talking and we were approved, for Mother's Day only to go around. We were asked to not go in but there were so many openings you could see right in and through and all around. Incredible. And all around it, abandonment. That part was very sad because of what has come of Detroit, but the old workers' homes were incredible. We also drove around some of he areas and go to see the communities hit so hard. This was tragic. There were houses that were beautifully kept right in the middle of two burnt out, abandoned homes. Craziness!!! Sad. Then we drove downtown to see the Michigan Central Station which is abandoned but being revitalized. Exquisite!!! We took lots of images and most are of the plant. The abandoned homes I am keeping for myself because of how sad they were. I may post a couple at a later time or make a special blog for just that experience. Enjoy and HMD!!! I am going to make this short and very sweet. It'd been a while since we have been abandoning when we were in Arizona, but after a whirlwind first few days, we decided to go out to the desert and seek the town of Sasco Arizona. We traveled a little north of Tucson, took a dirt road and bam, there it was. We had visited the hotel before but were frightened off by the warnings of dangerous scoundrels in the area. So, this time, we went with the sole purpose of finding the smelter. This place was so cool. Tons of buildings, all in various stages of crumble, but elaborately created and interwoven into each other. The smelter was the coolest and was so huge, no picture could capture its enormity. What picture you won't see is. E in the eye of the smelter in which I tried to get up onto but was unsuccessful. The pictures of me trying would be funny as bell though I assume!!! The town was once a mining community with the ingenious goal of combing multiple mining towns into one. The smelter was used for only a few years before bankrupts and epidemics hit hard and it was closed by the early 30th century. Now the walls are crumbling and the area is very littered. Lots of shotgun shells and debris litter the grounds. Lots of glues and bees too watch yourself when inside the buildings. However, even cooler than the ruins was very low flying Chinook helicopter!!! It was so low and so cool. What a day?!? Arizona, you never disappoint. |
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