I've recently just finished all 25 of Infiltration and Access All Areas, and honestly, it seemed like it was better back then, plenty more places to explore more relaxed law enforcement, less publicity, and notoriety. I would have been a small child back then, but it just seemed like I missed out on a better time. I understand there is now a bunch of better technology, but from everything I read from Ninjalicious, it just seemed like a better time to be exploring.
I know a lot of those from Ninjalicious's time have moved on with their lives or have just stopped checking out the site, heck this site is almost 18 years old now but I guess for those of you still left, was it better back then or is it more just that Infiltration and Access All Areas painted it a bit cheerier than it really was? Just wondering your opinion -Bygone Era
I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter where you are or when you start, you'll always feel that you've just missed the "golden age" of exploring.
https://www.flickr...otos/technomancer/ “I will accept any rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.”
Posted by Technomancer I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter where you are or when you start, you'll always feel that you've just missed the "golden age" of exploring.
There are always opportunities for a good urban explorer to make a rewarding new discovery. If there are more shitty people doing it, you just stay farther ahead of them.
That said, UER has gone downhill as a result of the shift onto social media.
If you are longing for the good old days in any given subject, you are NOT trying hard enough in what you're doing now.
"Old Days" "Golden Years" and "The Good Old Days" are terms used by people who have nothing going for them NOW.
There is just as much, maybe even more to explore now than there was 10-15, 20 years ago. It is no easier and no harder, technology may be changing as well as the social element - but at the end of the day just as Ninjalicious said, every obstacle is a mental obstacle - there are no physical obstacles in this hobby.
And when that day comes when I feel the sting of nostalgia for the days of sneaking into power plants and auto factories, I will look back at these days fondly, also knowing that I will still be doing something awesome - if and when I move on from exploring.
Whenever the day comes that I am sitting on my couch remembering MY golden years of exploring, there will be hundreds of new explorers who are currently living out, what will ultimately be THEIR golden years.
Instagram "influencers" and crap have kinda ruined the hobby. 15 years ago, everyone used to say "You do what?! Are you insane?" and now it's as mainstream as riding a bike.
I just started exploring last year, I've always loved road trips, travelling to new places and hiking to historic/off the map finds just never called it exploring. I wish I could have been a part of this community back in the golden age but I fully intend to make the most of our current era and not be stopped by the limitations put forth by the current state of things. I know other fellow explorers who feel the same way.
Completely off topic but @bandi is that a 911 Safari in your profile pic? Very cool 👍🏼
[last edit 5/29/2020 2:48 AM by WindsorSB - edited 1 times]
In the eleven years I've been exploring, the 'scene' or 'community' has evolved into something totally unrecognisable, in that the sense of community has all but vanished yet the 'scene' is filled with more people than ever before. Instagram and Youtube have done a real disservice to what used to be a fairly well kept secret, certainly nothing, or comparatively little, is kept secret in the same way it used to be thanks to the sheer quantity of morons and level of exposure places get on those channels nowadays.
A lot of the great places of yesteryear have gone, but there is still plenty out there to see now, especially if you don't follow the herd of social media sheep to the latest 'flavour of the month' spot and do your own thing with your own people. Just don't set your sights on finding an untouched time capsule asylum as, at least in the UK, any such newly closed hospital or asylum is stripped bare within a matter of weeks by contractors. Those sort of places don't exist any more but times changes and people are still discovering new things to do and places to go.
To all the people who have just recently gotten into it - were there some amazing places around in the 'old' days? Yes. Are there still incredible places to explore now? Also yes. Just go out and find them.
There are plenty of places to explore now that were not accessible back in the day. There are also plenty of places that are gone that used to be great back in the day. So it's not as extreme of a change as one might think. Really the only change is that more people do it now, which in my opinion makes it not as fun.
One thing that was better was everything was still being formed. For example, using Ninj as an example; there were so few explorers around in those days. Ninj contacted us pretty early on. He mentioned he was making a zine and wanted to see a copy of Il Draino. You'd send a few emails to each other and then one day he'd email saying, "Got your Il Drainos. Cool thanks". Then a few weeks later I'd be checking our PO box and there it was... Infiltration #1 Then overtime a few of us got to meet him. He talked about coming to Australia but he did have ailments that made it hard and in the end he never made it.
I've had dozens of examples where I spent months getting to know other explorers. A lot of my favourite memories are about the people rather than the explore. The scene was smaller & just developing so nothing was easy - you did everything yourself (of course people still do this today, however that's generally their choice. It seemed to me that the hunt made the explore more rewarding.
With me, part of it may be a generation gap but the good times have always occurred in ebbs & flows regardless of age difference. I know this will probably offend many of you and you may not agree, however nowadays there are so many people involved that the vast majority are a bit like wham-bam "hi, got any locations"thank-you-mam "see ya".
And yeah, pre-September 11 was cool as were the times before the property boom or liability- back in the old days if you went into an abandoned building and stood on a rusty nail or a bit of roof fell on your noggin, you'd be considered a dick head. Now days you'd be a potential claimant, so in certain cities they demolish an old power station because of liability or to make way for apartments.
I could go on about this for hours but I think people have already stopped reading
Posted by Doug One thing that was better was everything was still being formed. For example, using Ninj as an example; there were so few explorers around in those days. Ninj contacted us pretty early on. He mentioned he was making a zine and wanted to see a copy of Il Draino. You'd send a few emails to each other and then one day he'd email saying, "Got your Il Drainos. Cool thanks". Then a few weeks later I'd be checking our PO box and there it was... Infiltration #1 Then overtime a few of us got to meet him. He talked about coming to Australia but he did have ailments that made it hard and in the end he never made it.
I've had dozens of examples where I spent months getting to know other explorers. A lot of my favourite memories are about the people rather than the explore. The scene was smaller & just developing so nothing was easy - you did everything yourself (of course people still do this today, however that's generally their choice. It seemed to me that the hunt made the explore more rewarding.
With me, part of it may be a generation gap but the good times have always occurred in ebbs & flows regardless of age difference. I know this will probably offend many of you and you may not agree, however nowadays there are so many people involved that the vast majority are a bit like wham-bam "hi, got any locations"thank-you-mam "see ya".
And yeah, pre-September 11 was cool as were the times before the property boom or liability- back in the old days if you went into an abandoned building and stood on a rusty nail or a bit of roof fell on your noggin, you'd be considered a dick head. Now days you'd be a potential claimant, so in certain cities they demolish an old power station because of liability or to make way for apartments.
I could go on about this for hours but I think people have already stopped reading
Cheers
Doug
Dougo, you're one of the OG's who I admire and respect the most. You generally don't look down on or talk down to newcomers, you support explorers of all kinds and all generations and you keep the spirit alive of the early days and of those we've lost while showing love and respect to newer generations
You've got a million stories to tell and you tell them well, you post pics and tell tales from years past, not with a sense that it was better - but more that it HAPPENED and it was fun.
And then, there you are still going in the drains now all these years later.
Posted by Freaktography Dougo, you're one of the OG's who I admire and respect the most. You generally don't look down on or talk down to newcomers, you support explorers of all kinds and all generations and you keep the spirit alive of the early days and of those we've lost while showing love and respect to newer generations
You've got a million stories to tell and you tell them well, you post pics and tell tales from years past, not with a sense that it was better - but more that it HAPPENED and it was fun.
And then, there you are still going in the drains now all these years later.
Here is a virtual hug from across the world LOL
Thanks mate. I've had some downs along the way and people tend to remember you for the negatives rather than the positives.
Facebook has helped make it harder here local to me. There are groups of 10k people dropping locations left and right. Even though I haven't been on UER for long. I have been in and out of the local sites for 11 years or so. With that in mind I can say its getting harder to find and keep a quality site under wraps. Keep your mouth shut go alone and it still has that one big mouth ruin it.
Posted by Technomancer I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter where you are or when you start, you'll always feel that you've just missed the "golden age" of exploring.
Posted by Technomancer I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter where you are or when you start, you'll always feel that you've just missed the "golden age" of exploring.
+1
I'll always have respect for those that came before me. The grass is probably always greener. But I've been very lucky in the last few months. Moved to a new city and was welcomed by a few explorers that I've come to respect a lot. And I've filled up my Pin Drop app with enough locations to keep me occupied for a long time. There's a lot to look forward to.
Posted by Technomancer I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter where you are or when you start, you'll always feel that you've just missed the "golden age" of exploring.
Wow, this is true. I was looking back at some old posts from 2014 and saw people exploring for 10+ years telling everyone exploring for 0-5 years that they missed the golden age. Now those 0-5 years explorers form 2014 are telling today's new explorers that urbex isn't like it used to be.
Maybe urbex has really been on a continuous decline or maybe we all just miss the novelty of our first urbex adventures.
But, I think we can all agree that Instagram and clout culture has contributed to many in the new generation getting into urbex for the wrong reasons and fucking up good urbex spots, urbex etiquette, and urbex culture.
Ethics
Then overtime a few of us got to meet him. He talked about coming to Australia but he did have ailments that made it hard and in the end he never made it.