This is all from like 2 months of memory, so it may not be the most exact account. Pleas forgive.

I was pretty excited about going to Glencoe, this was my first "official" exploration. I've been to sites before and even had some photos from my own explorations, but @ Glencoe I was meeting up w/another explorer, Person, and going to a place I hadn't been. I was prickly w/excitement @ what the morning held in store.

It was quite the morning, too, freaking freezing when I met person @ Panera. I kind of got lost driving around Clifton, Cincinnati isn't my neck of the woods and construction diverted me from the excellent directions Person supplied. However, I got there, and I immediately saw "the emo kid w/the camera." I had parked far away because there was "No Parking" signs everywhere near Panera, and since I am my wife's bitch and can't waste money, I chose to play it safe (LOL!).

I followed Person in my car over to Mt. Auburn. The abortion guy on the sidewalk outside Planned Parenthood was interesting. I could never understand the "Choose life, but first look at these mangled foetuses" approach to protesting, but whatever. Arriving @ Glencoe, I was surprised how normal it looked. I'd lived in a loft in Atlanta in a up and coming area, so it was pretty standard fare to see the dilapidation of the Glencoe place. We went in a some of the ground floor apartments and like Person had said, copper thieves had pretty much shredded the walls and floors to get whatever they could. I was a little surprised at how un-filthy it was in the apts. Sure, they were hammered, but it looked like it had been months, not years since they were inhabited. The bottom floors didn't prepare me for what we would see up top.

I don't know which of the Apts. it was, but we went in an up to a third floor place that had the walls removed and it was just stunning. I don't know how folks feel about gentrification, but I could totally see me having a fancy dinner party up there. Beautiful woodwork, high ceilings, not a bad view. I remember thinking that whoever owns the place will make a fortune on it pretty soon. We got some good photos in there (I think) then went outside to check out the "hotel."

Well, I had noticed a woman drive by twice while we meandered between buildings, and sure enough when we got out of the cool building a dude in a pick up was there and confronted us. He was totally cool though, we just said we were taking pictures and he goes "Just don't go in any of the buildings." Oops. We took him at his word after that and made our way to the hotel district. Earlier or on the way, we did see one homeless dude, but he paid us no mind and we ignored him, too. Perfect.

So, we get to the "hotel." Funny thing about it is it named "Glencoe." Just like that w/a period. I wondered aloud if it was some kind of statement or what not. Person had no answer. Since dude told us not to go in, we didn't. We took a few photos and peeked inside. The coolest part about the hotel district is the 60s/70s kind of concrete structures in the courtyard. It's like freaking Sesame street stuff. They are benches and some kind of storage units it looks like. I think they were the best part of the trip. Not because they were so stellar or anything, but because they were so mundane yet locked in a time period the the rest of the development didn't share. A kind of weird update gone awry that due to the "concrete" nature of it, was destined to be part of the development forever or until someone said it should be gone.

All in all, I recommend going to Glencoe. if you want a pretty easy, low-stress place to explore. Thanks to Person for hooking me up. The pictures in this location pretty much tell the tale. Word.