16:20 Jun 16 2014
Times Read: 790
Been a busy weekend, right on top of a busy last few days of the week. Sunday went on a trip to take some photos. Got into a old collage buildings/ turned into apartments. Did a stupid walk across two boards over a floor that had fallen into the basement, about a 8 foot drop. Half way across I was thinking "Damn- should of call Cat and told her if she didn't hear from me in a few to come running" as she was in the car a short ways away from the building. But I got over the 'bridge' fine and moved on into the builiding. After a short while I walked back to the bridge, pulling out the walkie talkie to call Cat.
"If you don't hear from me in a few minutes, come find me." "Uhhh... OK." So I hung the talkie back on my shirt front, and put my weight on the board, which is setting on the edge of the broken floor... only to have it slide right out from under me. Nope- I had the good lord and lady with me the first time, not going to make this mistake again. I stood, started to laugh as I was stuck in the building now. "YOU OK?" the walkie spoke. "Yeap, the way I came in is not going to work again. Give me a second."
Now- let's think about this, as I try to calm myself. There is windows, not boarded up. But would have to break them, and jump down about 4 feet into weeds/ grass/ bushes/ trees that have not been mowed in years. No, didn't want to do it to get into the place, breaking someones windows...
Old rusty fire escape ladder on the side of the builing, off the third floor as it was busted open. But then- weeds, field of weeds to get to the side.. rust, metal.. three floors up... I had veto that plan before the walk of the boards to get in.
So.... front door? Weeds/ opens right on street front folks can see, locked. Think... think.. fire escape... first floor. So I got to find the door to the fire escape, which should be only a few steps down if I remember the layout right. I do, just a standard door lock, open the door, two steps down into the field. Time to get some ticks, etc.
I lock the door behind me, as it was, and started the track toward the road. "YOU OK?" "Yeap, I am out, doing good." "Ok." "Just got one other building to check out." "Call me if you need me." Always a calming voice in Cat. :)
So I get to the road and walk a ways up to the last building. Per the windows looks to be the last one closed down, can still see curtains, not as much broken windows. Tried a few doors, moved toward the front to find it had been mowed some.. and a dog. Little thing was so cute till it barked. "Hush hush.. you will get the neighbors looking.." I gave it some water from my water bottle, pat it a little and moved to the only door left to check- the front on. Locked. Oh well, two out of three isn't bad.
So we moved on to another town. And a old church. Seeing the outside I was hopeful... but let down on the inside. Oh well- but still it was a cool little church. Stainglass and all.
Then we moved to our last stop= a old hospital that had been closed since 1983. We pull up, mind you this is on 4th St, so in the middle of town, on a hill side. There is a black man sitting near the only way in, which is a wooden homemade barn style door that was used to block off the driveway into the inner court yard of this H shaped hospital.
I pulled up, window down, asked him if he knew who owned the place. He mumbled to me, then turned away. "Think they would mind me taking photos?" Nothing. So I backed out, and we drove around a little. Once we came back, with a plan, I got out as Cat moved to the driver seat, put the windows up, locked herself inside. I told her to leave the hill side if she felt afraid, walkie talkie in hand, cell phone, and camer- I went to the door with the black man still in place, not saying a word to either of us as we talked to him.
Now mind you- there is folks on the streets around us. Homes beside this place so I knew no meth lab was inside. And from what I had seen of the place from online photos- not in the shape to stay in/ live in for homeless. The black man never creeped me out so... I moved to the door, looking at the opening someone had busted out that would take me bending over to crawl into when I noticed the chain/ lock wasn't hooked thru the holes. The lock was locked, but the chair was just hanging useless on a screw someone had put into the wood to make it look like it was locked up.
Knowing from online posting that the kids in the town would visit this 'haunted' place, I didn't think it was strange they had done this and just lifted the chain off the screw and moved in, pulled the door closed, and put the chain back. I took a few photos, step into one of the two buildings and down a hallway... enough to know I was going to love this place. And that I should of got my tripod and mask. No more then three photos in, adjusting the setting when the walkie came to life. "Cop is on the street." I started walking back to the busted, laying on the step doors I can in as it is aways better to get found outside the place by the police, not inside. "He still there." "Yeap, circle around and it back." I step out, and I can see from the crack in the big doors I came in my car,Cat and a big black SUV behind her.
Cop? What Cop? Who the heck is this? So I come out, putting the chain back as it was to find three men with tatts/ long beards, tshirts. But then I notice the city cop in his car on the street. I started toward the side of the car, to get in, but notice the man in the Driver seat of the SUV hand moved that he had hanging out the door. I looked at the black man, still in his spot, and started toward the SUV as I took it he wanted to talk. Seeing me walking toward him he backed out, making the cop move.
I got into the car and we left. No more then got off the hillside when Cat pulled over to let me drive, then the city cop drives by us, and he shadows us to make sure we was going out of town. Gosh....
Cat thinks it is was a undercover DEA thing, I am just glad it worked out. I had read since on the websites of a few who got in that cops was heavy in the area, to watch out about getting caught.
But who other me and Cat would drive/ walk right into a DEA bust with the black man being the undercover one? lol Oh well... sure my tags got a good check, but as I don't even have a speeding ticket, and looking at me *Think Paula Deen in her butter days* Don't think you could mistaken me for a drug lord. ;)
But I will go back. New plan- Cat drives up, I jump out, she moves to a parking area downtown near the police/ safe place. The walkies work in the area so... just give it a few months, Fall maybe. It really is a great place, been looking at some images online. Place is getting in bad shape tho, roof falling in, etc. The inside is not the best, the kids in the town, etc have done a number on the insides. But still- I just want in now. lol :)
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