Not sure what my work schedule will be next week or if I'm off work that saturday June 4th as well but if I am maybe we should plan a mini meet up or something for then if that works for everyone...I'll post on here when I figure out my schedule and when I'm free but if it works for everyone else and not me by all means to go ahead and do it anyway cuz I can always go another day.

the 4th might work for me too, I'm not entirely sure just yet though.

I'm cool with anything

I wish I could join you guys but I'll be out of town on the 4th, unfortunately. I definitely plan on being at the next "official" meeting, though.

We should find a good meeting spot. I get off work at 1, and can make it downtown by 1:30-ish, as usual.

Whoops, can't make it this week. I'm dumb, and drove over a curb, puncturing my oil pan, and the GM dealer's not open until Tuesday, so I doubt the car will be ready by Saturday.

D: ^

All right guys so... I'm pretty new here and... I was sort of hoping somebody could fill me in on the meet-and-greet.

Posted by ScramasaxDurango All right guys so... I'm pretty new here and... I was sort of hoping somebody could fill me in on the meet-and-greet.

well we meet up at a public location to just chill hang out and talk about urbex stuff or photography, locations, and other related things...then sometimes it leads to us going somewhere random and exploring it. BUT if we have someone new in the group that's from here on the forums and has never posted anything besides an interest in a meetup then we more then likely will not go exploring with that person until they have proven themselves as true explorers on the forums...for all we know, without any previous posts or proof, they could be with local law enforcement trying to have a little fun busting some kids going into abandoned buildings or finding out about locations explorers hit up a lot to crack down on people getting in. So before you decide to go to a meetup, if you're interested, it would be in your best interest for you to find someone to explore with and post about your adventures with pics from the locations here on the forums...at least one or two locations. Could be a tunnel or a building but preferably buildings. If none of your friends will go with you then you can try messaging a local explorer and see if they will take you...chances are they will as long as you can prove your not a cop and so on...like sending em a link to your facebook or something that shows the real you would be good. Granted there are very few cops who are cool and also like to explore and do go to meetups and with other explorers from on here but isn't here to bust people but there are none I know of in the Austin area, yet anyway....but especially then you'd have to really prove yourself on the forums first lol

obviously if your like 18 or 21 even your more then likely not going to be a cop though so if you can prove your age with your facebook or whatever that would also help someone to be more willing to take you and also would make people more likely to take you at the meetups. Then again this is all just my comfort level on the situation...other explorers may be different and more willing to take a total stranger and willing to risk it. I used to get lots of cops that make fake myspaces and then messaged me about where some of the locations were that I had been and posted about but they were obviously fake myspaces...so since then I'm a bit more careful about these kinds of things.

Well I don't think we need to be too paranoid. Honestly, the verification of sitting down and eating lunch with another human being is way more valuable than any verification that can be got over the internet. The point is that we legally meet in a public place beforehand, giving us an opportunity to "meet and greet" people we don't know yet.

Welcome to UER, Scramasax. How long have you been exploring? How did you find the site?

Posted by Harlan Well I don't think we need to be too paranoid. Honestly, the verification of sitting down and eating lunch with another human being is way more valuable than any verification that can be got over the internet. The point is that we legally meet in a public place beforehand, giving us an opportunity to "meet and greet" people we don't know yet. Welcome to UER, Scramasax. How long have you been exploring? How did you find the site?

true true...good point. but I preferably for one would like to see that they've been places first before exploring with them so I know they've done this before but I guess thats also what the meetups are for too, best way to gain experience is to just get out there and do it with people who have done it before as well. But I started exploring alone for a bit then went with friends and learned on my own...but I wouldn't recommend doing it alone in certain areas especially if you haven't done this before. But there is also more to proving yourself on the forums then just showing your not a cop though...by also showing your not into vandalism and such. but anyway yeah welcome to UER....look forward to seeing your posts and also maybe at a meetup. If you have previous stuff we'd love to see it in the forums so don't be shy and post it but if not I'm sure someone in the area will be willing to meet up with you to explore if not at a meet n greet. I simply just don't have much time to lately...gotta get my work schedule fixed...but I MAY be at the next meetup..still don't know my work schedule for then but I'll let everyone know

Yeah, I definitely won't be able to make it this weekend.

They have to order the part, because my car is a fragile little princess. (I don't think I'll buy GM again.)

I should be at the regular meet, unless something else goes awry.

Hello there! I'm fairly newish to Austin (moved here in January) and life has finally settled down enough that I'd like to meet some people with common interests and maybe visit a few sites here and there.

While I have been to several sites, all of them have been in fairly remote areas where the risk of law enforcement was pretty low. (I also think it's a lot easier to talk your way out of trouble when you're on your own than with a group of people.) However, I'm sure there are some wonderful sites to visit here in the city, and I would not be comfortable at all doing that on my own.

So- other than showing up at the meet up on the 18th, what do I need to do/provide so you'll know that I'm a legitimate ue'er?

I've got a bunch of photos from past explorations, but I do not publish them online. I'm happy to bring them on my ipad for you to look at, though. (Attaching my personal favorite for you from an abandoned roadside apartment building in Carlsbad, TX.)

Anyway- I'd love to be a member of the Austin crew, so I look forward to meeting some of you on the 18th. Please let me know if there's anything else I can do or bring. Thanks!

click to view

Posted by apt213 Hello there! I'm fairly newish to Austin (moved here in January) and life has finally settled down enough that I'd like to meet some people with common interests and maybe visit a few sites here and there. While I have been to several sites, all of them have been in fairly remote areas where the risk of law enforcement was pretty low. (I also think it's a lot easier to talk your way out of trouble when you're on your own than with a group of people.) However, I'm sure there are some wonderful sites to visit here in the city, and I would not be comfortable at all doing that on my own. So- other than showing up at the meet up on the 18th, what do I need to do/provide so you'll know that I'm a legitimate ue'er? I've got a bunch of photos from past explorations, but I do not publish them online. I'm happy to bring them on my ipad for you to look at, though. (Attaching my personal favorite for you from an abandoned roadside apartment building in Carlsbad, TX.) Anyway- I'd love to be a member of the Austin crew, so I look forward to meeting some of you on the 18th. Please let me know if there's anything else I can do or bring. Thanks! click to view

wow another newcomer...first off, welcome! I know you said you don't like posting your photos online but for starters what I'd suggest is a watermark on your photos if copyright infringement is what your worried about or even just posting satellite photos or historical photos of locations and giving your story of the place in a new forum postg...you don't have to say where it is just give a little info about it. But definitely some posting to the forums as much as you can either in comments or your own posts would be good to show you actually are into exploring like the rest of us. It's always nice to see and hear stories from other peoples explorations and meeting up is a good way to do it too if you bring photos of the places you've been and whatnot.

Unfortunately I've noticed Austin doesn't exactly have a whole lot of good abandoned places within the city to offer so we often have to travel to some remote yet somewhat local areas anyway as well...though there is one rather exciting one worth while in Austin which I won't name though, not right now anyway. I also just moved here a few months ago from Dallas and I miss all the places there were to explore up there already...there were tons. As far as talking your way out of trouble though it's not all that hard to do as long as you aren't doing anything wrong other then being somewhere your not supposed to be, remote location or not...especially if you're a photographer taking photos and honestly if you get busted in a group or alone doesn't make much of a difference either as long as no one in your group is wanted or doing something else they shouldn't while at a location.

If you're going to go to the meetup I would suggest finding out who will be there for sure and getting a few peoples numbers or contact info first though (this all also applies for the other guy who asked about meetups and never responded over a week ago) mainly because our last couple meetups either didn't happen or weren't very well organized because we had no way of contacting each other and didn't set up the easiest to find spot. But also might check and see if anyone else is free to explore before the meetup and willing to explore with ya just so some of us can start getting to know you better before going in a larger group plus so far it doesn't look like not many people can make it to the next one again but this next upcoming Saturday I'm free and whoever else is free I'd like to go do some exploring with ya so message me and we can figure out the details if any one of you all wants to go...I haven't been since the April meetup and itching to go again.

-nathan

...just now saw you had a personal website link posted and checked it out and you definitely seem legit enough to meet up and explore with without having to prove yourself too much on the forums but it would be good to see some of your posts and that you've been exploring before..but if you've been alone most of the times you've gone then in a group should be no problem for you cuz thats how I started...alone was a bit scary at first but with friends it was a blast...then I got into my comfort zone and can go on my own now no problem and still have fun and not be all worried. Love your jewelry btw...especially the steam-punk stuff...done a bit of my own steam-punk art and jewelry stuff actually. Anyway if you wanna meet up and go with me or in a small group let me know and we can arrange something but I would like to see some of your photos first so perhaps a mini meetup is needed. I'll message ya with my contact info and whatnot.

Hi Nathan! Thanks so much for all the info, the FB request, and for checking out my jewelry! I'd love to see your work as well! LOVE what you've done to your car! That's so damn clever.

I just created a few posts with images of places I've visited in Texas, and one in France. (bit of a stretch between the two, I realize) They're mostly rural exploration, really, which is kind of cheating...

I'll dm you my contact info as well, but fair warning- I'm terrible about answering my phone. It's a sickness.

I'm only a basic member at the moment so I'm not able to see the location postings for Austin, and I certainly don't know the city well enough yet to have any brilliant ideas, but I'm up for whatever you've got in mind. You've clearly been to some gorgeous locations in the past.

Look forward to meeting you and the Austin crew soon!

Posted by apt213 Hi Nathan! Thanks so much for all the info, the FB request, and for checking out my jewelry! I'd love to see your work as well! LOVE what you've done to your car! That's so damn clever. I just created a few posts with images of places I've visited in Texas, and one in France. (bit of a stretch between the two, I realize) They're mostly rural exploration, really, which is kind of cheating... I'll dm you my contact info as well, but fair warning- I'm terrible about answering my phone. It's a sickness. I'm only a basic member at the moment so I'm not able to see the location postings for Austin, and I certainly don't know the city well enough yet to have any brilliant ideas, but I'm up for whatever you've got in mind. You've clearly been to some gorgeous locations in the past. Look forward to meeting you and the Austin crew soon!

No problem! and thanks! good to see all the posts, quite a few too lol which is good though...and rural areas aren't cheating, not as exciting sometimes maybe but not cheating. Although if you posted a location in France the moderators may move it to the France forum thread section...unless perhaps you combined it with a southern location or something. But honestly theres not very many locations here in Austin on the database and even still the ones that are on there shown to full members aren't given a full address or exact location even and others have been torn down...so really don't be too antsy to get full membership yet...it takes at least 3 months minimum though and if you go to the meetups and post alot the full members of the area will refer you for full membership and you'll get it in no time..but for the Austin area it may not be worth it as much just yet...I'll probably add a few places to the DB myself soon. But if you're going to look on the database I'd check locations outside Austin or in surrounding cities like Round Rock or San Marcos...anywhere within a 30 minute drive... sometimes their worth it.

All right, back. Sorry, I was gone for a few days.


Uhh... that sounds a little paranoid... but... umm... okay...



Harlan-- I'm pretty new to all this. I'm not... what I guess you would call a "professional" or "expert". I'm an amateur. I just like to poke around old buildings and stuff, and if I find paperwork, I'll usually read it. Guess I'm just a pretty curious person.

Posted by ScramasaxDurango All right, back. Sorry, I was gone for a few days. Uhh... that sounds a little paranoid... but... umm... okay...

theres a few reasons it takes a minimum of 3 months of actively posting to the forums and meetups with other explorers to become a full member on here...the things I mentioned were some of them. But you don't need to be a pro or expert at anything on here as long as you share the same interest of exploring. Just come to one of the meetups share some stories of some places and locations you've been and we'll see if ya fit in and whatnot...not hard. It just helps to become a full member so others would be more likely to meet up with you to explore outside of meet ups if you need or want an urbex buddy and whatnot...plus there are other benefits as well. Part of what will help you become a full member is posting photos of places you've been but not required...you can do it based on personal recommendations from other full members too if you just want to wander around with some of us at meetups.

So we're going to go back to using Opal Divine's, right? The event page should be updated for that.