Urban Exploring is a Thing Now

NSFW.  If you're under 30 or so, then you know this.  But you older folks checking this out might not realize "urban exploring" (or UE) is a thing now, and has been for quite a while.  People have been exploring abandoned places for centuries, there's nothing new about that.  We're all familiar with photos of Roman, Mayan, and other ruins.  But now people, LOTS of people, are going out on little expeditions to explore paces that have been abandoned in our lifetimes, and many in very recent years. 

As a BMX freestyler from the mid 80's, and occasional skateboarder and longtime video guy, I've been exploring urban places much of my life.  I can remember sneaking into an abandoned (and supposedly haunted) house when I was 10 in Ohio.  Abandoned houses were a novelty back then in the thriving industrial economy.  Now one of the factories my dad took me in as a kid is rotting like the place in this video.  Huge chunks of big cities are in decay for a variety of reasons.  The bad part is, there's a lot more to come. 

This blog is about trying to find legitimate uses (not meth labs, crack houses, or homeless toilets) for all the buildings that still have a chance out there.  I'm going to look into the reasons why places wind up abandoned, delve into the economy and see what the future looks like, and scour the web and other sources for the people putting old buildings to good use.  If any of this interests you, hop on, it should be an interesting ride.