Any urban explorers? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Any urban explorers?

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timtune

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Any other explorers? (ok people willing to break and enter)
Been into dozens of houses and buildings but the high lights are likely these three:

The McCormick factory on Dundas in London. Knowing we needed to find the secret staircase on the fourth floor meant we were able to get into offices on the fifth floor before they were vandalised. Wood wainscotting and leaded glass partitions. It was quite opulant.
talkingwallsphoto.com

McCormicks Candy Factory in London Ontario

Exploring the abandoned McCormicks Candy and Biscuit Factory in London, Ontario. Future home of McCormick Villages.
talkingwallsphoto.com talkingwallsphoto.com

The Cooper building in Stratford. This building was built to service locomotives and the iron structure was such that it was used to lift a whole train engine and move over others. The ironwork was more pleasing to me than the Eiffel tower (yes I've actually been there)

The Thamesford mill in Thameford. This was a working mill with a huge main axel mounted in pillowblocks at the peak of the roof. Hence the doghouse running the length of the roof. Everything ran off belts from there. It's since been demolished.

Edit: Should have included the Nazi house too. It was pretty whack. Note the swastikas in the plaster on the back porch. Did it on Mother's Day as a family with the Squeeze and both kids. It's since been demolished.
 
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timtune said:
Any other explorers? (ok people willing to break and enter)
Been into dozens of houses and buildings but the high lights are likely these three:

The McCormick factory on Dundas in London. Knowing we needed to find the secret staircase on the fourth floor meant we were able to get into offices on the fifth floor before they were vandalised. Wood wainscotting and leaded glass partitions. It was quite opulant.
talkingwallsphoto.com

McCormicks Candy Factory in London Ontario

Exploring the abandoned McCormicks Candy and Biscuit Factory in London, Ontario. Future home of McCormick Villages.
talkingwallsphoto.com talkingwallsphoto.com

The Cooper building in Stratford. This building was built to service locomotives and the iron structure was such that it was used to lift a whole train engine and move over others. The ironwork was more pleasing to me than the Eiffel tower (yes I've actually been there)

The Thamesford mill in Thameford. This was a working mill with a huge main axel mounted in pillowblocks at the peak of the roof. Hence the doghouse running the length of the roof. Everything ran off belts from there. It's since been demolished.

Edit: Should have included the Nazi house too. It was pretty whack. Note the swastikas in the plaster on the back porch. Did it on Mother's Day as a family with the Squeeze and both kids. It's since been demolished.
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I've driven past a few but I'm not that fond of the smell of urine.
 
Funny I don't ever remember an odour of urine. But even if I did I think that would be the cost of seeing history up close and personal. For example the old mill. We got a glimpse of the inside that no one can see any more.
 
That's actually pretty awesome. Not for me as I'm not into that scene, but very fascinating regardless.

I remember there were some posts about my old high school...

jermalism.blogspot.com

Abandonment Issues: Alderwood Collegiate Institute / Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School

It's time to take you back to school. Today's class consists of five students, let's take attendance. Ninja IX, Rashomon, Benfoto, Jerm ...
jermalism.blogspot.com jermalism.blogspot.com

Before they tore it down and made a stupid amount of stupidly expensive townhouses.
 
Why would you choose to do anything (short of the uber dangerous) vicariously when you could be experiencing it your self? Maybe this is why I don't "game".
 
timtune said:
Why would you choose to do anything (short of the uber dangerous) vicariously when you could be experiencing it your self? Maybe this is why I don't "game".
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Criminal charges could alter your life? More than one urban explorer has been critically hurt or killed when they fell? Portlands generating station got more than a few. I don't know if the explorers should have known better or whether things were so degraded that something collapsed without warning.

I'm with you, for most situations, being there is far more interesting than photos but imo sometimes the juice isn't worth the squeeze.
 
Well obviously there is danger involved (just like riding a motorbike) so you have to be careful and mindful of where you are. As to a criminal charges, if it came to that it would just be the price of getting behind the velvet rope.
 
timtune said:
Well obviously there is danger involved (just like riding a motorbike) so you have to be careful and mindful of where you are. As to a criminal charges, if it came to that it would just be the price of getting behind the velvet rope.
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I think I'd be more worried about getting stabbed / killed by someone in the space I'm exploring. The criminal charge I don't think would be too much issue...but I work for gov't so that could cause me to lose my job. What's the charge anyway? Trespassing? Is that serious enough to get fired / not hired?
 
mimico_polak said:
I think I'd be more worried about getting stabbed / killed by someone in the space I'm exploring. The criminal charge I don't think would be too much issue...but I work for gov't so that could cause me to lose my job. What's the charge anyway? Trespassing? Is that serious enough to get fired / not hired?
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It depends on your employer/profession and how they feel about conduct unbecoming. A DUI while on your own time can cost you your professional accreditation and/or job so I suspect trespassing could too if it was brought to their attention. The problem is there is no concrete line. You are throwing yourself upon the mercy of others and hoping for a positive outcome.
 
Wow. You guys seem awful worried about this for people who take the risks of motorcycling in stride.
I think the worst is a trespassing charge. Don't know if that's criminal or not. Again a 200-300$ fine would be the price of admission for all the haunts we've been through. (and all the cool stuff we've seen)

We have occasionally seen evidence of homeless folks. Never met anyone in a building or house.
 
GreyGhost said:
It depends on your employer/profession and how they feel about conduct unbecoming. A DUI while on your own time can cost you your professional accreditation and/or job so I suspect trespassing could too if it was brought to their attention. The problem is there is no concrete line. You are throwing yourself upon the mercy of others and hoping for a positive outcome.
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I've seen guys getting fired at major chemical plants and refineries for very petty issues and can't help but think management had them in their sights and were waiting for an opportunity to ax them with cause, minimal severance.
 
nobbie48 said:
I've seen guys getting fired at major chemical plants and refineries for very petty issues and can't help but think management had them in their sights and were waiting for an opportunity to ax them with cause, minimal severance.
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I'm sure that gets stretched now and again
 
Always been interested, but have never really done it.

Closest I have is The Michigan Building in Detroit. That is the old art deco theater that is now a parking garage. Security guard told me how to sneak in past the cameras.
 
I'm not even sure how you find abandoned buildings...I mean our project takes over some properties...and those were sketch as eff. Heard there were some sketchy dudes living there, and people dealing drugs from one of the properties...
 
mimico_polak said:
I'm not even sure how you find abandoned buildings...I mean our project takes over some properties...and those were sketch as eff. Heard there were some sketchy dudes living there, and people dealing drugs from one of the properties...
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Either word of mouth or drive around and look. There was an abandoned mansion on Dufferin street in King with an epic gold clamshell tub that has since been torn down.

Not my picture.
growophouse11.jpg
 
mimico_polak said:
I'm not even sure how you find abandoned buildings...I mean our project takes over some properties...and those were sketch as eff. Heard there were some sketchy dudes living there, and people dealing drugs from one of the properties...
Click to expand...
Towns like Brantford and St Catharines.
 
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