Hudson River Psychiatric Center

After last week's legal kerfuffle, all I wanted to do is get out and explore... originally, my trip to Poughkeepsie was for a very different purpose, meeting with my prospective lawyer, who had successfully saved a few explorers from terrorism charges already, for dealing with what could have been a life changing amount of court dates, but that disaster never came to fruition, and I wasn't about to cancel my trip! So I found a college friend and, amazingly, two more experienced explorers who were willing to show me around, and turned the weekend into a surprise adventure. There's only…

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One Flew Into The Cuckoo’s Nest

Once I heard the front door was open, and it didn't even take climbing, the decision was made for me. I had to go in. I'd only been waiting for this place to come down to my level since I started exploring, and for the first time in at least five years (other than a close call where all I managed was to pick the worst, wrong-est possible day to walk right in the front door, climb to the roof and see a parade of every law enforcement agency in the county!) my fat ass could fit into the Terrence…

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Goodbye, Iola

[continued from previous post] And just like that, I met a real explorer. Three real explorers, actually. I might be able to make a comeback after all. I'd hoped this would happen somewhere I hadn't already been so many times, and I might get to see a new, interesting location somewhere, but at least I have my foot in the door again! We continued from the house into Building 7, the corner one at South and Westfall. The tunnels, and even the basements, have flooded since last time I was here, making these cages an even more miserable place. This…

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They Paved Paradise And Put Up A Costco

I never thought I would see this day, when the end is near, if not here, for what has become my favorite abandoned place. Not the most spectacular (but close), not the biggest (also close), but certainly the most meaningful to me, for all the times I'd been. I've probably spent as much time here, between all the tunnel parties, all the actual exploring, the week I spent squatting Building 1 with Anna for the hell of it, and the nights that I'd just get a few friends and some beer and Jim Beam and forget about how fucked up…

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Backup Plan Hospital

Yes, I went back to this place yet again. It was the start of a new season in the Concrete Collective, and we were aiming high, trying to get into the Terrence Building. Of course, we missed the brief window of it being open without climbing like a parkour monkey, just like every time, so we went to the one place we knew was still open, the Genesee Hospital. Things had changed quite a bit in the last few weeks though, the side door was wide open now, and the inside was full of plastic sheeting and asbestos warnings. So…

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I Love The Smell Of Asbestos In The Morning

And what a view it was to wake up to Sunday morning! We didn't even really explore this building much during the night, but in the blazing morning sun, it was a sight to see. This building was in even worse condition than the state park ones, but I don't even care, I like the further extremes of decay more than I ever would a pristine place that looked like it just closed last week. After this building, with it still only being 8am, we wandered back along the bike path into town for coffee and breakfast (bagels with lox…

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