The Mudslingers: Hiking Into Oblivion
This weekend I had the pleasure of getting up reallyreallyreally early (well, for me) on Easter morning to go meet up with a couple of fantastic Dgrinners, camera in hand. 
After a really great and filling breakfast, we hiked out to the town of Drawbrdge. This place is, apparently, a hot commodity on Dgrin and many of you have been there. I'd never had the pleasure but since I'm more local now I jumped at the chance to go with good company!
The weather was almost completely clear and perfectly mild. This was good, of course, because I spent many a day hiking out to abandonments out East in sub-zero cold, chilling winter rain, and soggy humidity.
False Dawn:
Dodging trains and swamp stench, we finally made it. If I ever thought that hiking 2.5 miles each way across perfectly flat ground could be exhausting, well I never really took the loose rocks on the rail bed into account. When you have tiny feet like April and myself, you're in for a rough walk.
There really isn't much left. The few structures available really are sinking into the mud. My husband and partner in crime, (zweilblumen) was correct in that buildings usually get covered in the northeast. But out here they're drowning.
Even most of the graffiti is already faded and old. Kids don't feel it's worth making the trip anymore, but we can freshen it up a bit in CS4
So many dead birds on the dunes. The smell was.... so special. We saw some cows, too, but not the kind of happy cows you see in happy California cheese ads!
I'm enamored by the variety of foliage out in this state. My Audubon field guide has nothing on this flower but I've never seen anything like it before, all fuzzy yellow buttons. Here is dadwtwins shooting... well, something:
Zweiblumen demonstrating why I married him :lol3
And we had a good sit before we headed back. April (aktse) was intent on shooting my trusty wellies, and from what I saw today she did a great job!
Where there wasn't mud, there was waist-high semi-dead plant matter. It made it quite treacherous in some places because you couldn't see ditches/mudslides before it was too late. Crunch, crunch, crunch, and we scared a few ducks, too. Don't watch this unless you're immune to motion sickness :lol3
<object height="362" width="640">
<embed src="http://cdn.smugmug.com/ria/ShizVidz-2008120101.swf" flashvars="s=ZT0xJmk9NTExODc0NTczJms9SkNtcGImYT03ODkyNjMzX3l4cEZTJnU9c2NobW9v" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="362" width="640"></object>
All in all it was a really great day, even if the buildings themselves are mere shells of what they used to be. I love being able to see new sights like this with good peeps from Dgrin! :thumb
After a really great and filling breakfast, we hiked out to the town of Drawbrdge. This place is, apparently, a hot commodity on Dgrin and many of you have been there. I'd never had the pleasure but since I'm more local now I jumped at the chance to go with good company!
The weather was almost completely clear and perfectly mild. This was good, of course, because I spent many a day hiking out to abandonments out East in sub-zero cold, chilling winter rain, and soggy humidity.
False Dawn:
Dodging trains and swamp stench, we finally made it. If I ever thought that hiking 2.5 miles each way across perfectly flat ground could be exhausting, well I never really took the loose rocks on the rail bed into account. When you have tiny feet like April and myself, you're in for a rough walk.
There really isn't much left. The few structures available really are sinking into the mud. My husband and partner in crime, (zweilblumen) was correct in that buildings usually get covered in the northeast. But out here they're drowning.
Even most of the graffiti is already faded and old. Kids don't feel it's worth making the trip anymore, but we can freshen it up a bit in CS4
So many dead birds on the dunes. The smell was.... so special. We saw some cows, too, but not the kind of happy cows you see in happy California cheese ads!
I'm enamored by the variety of foliage out in this state. My Audubon field guide has nothing on this flower but I've never seen anything like it before, all fuzzy yellow buttons. Here is dadwtwins shooting... well, something:
Zweiblumen demonstrating why I married him :lol3
And we had a good sit before we headed back. April (aktse) was intent on shooting my trusty wellies, and from what I saw today she did a great job!
Where there wasn't mud, there was waist-high semi-dead plant matter. It made it quite treacherous in some places because you couldn't see ditches/mudslides before it was too late. Crunch, crunch, crunch, and we scared a few ducks, too. Don't watch this unless you're immune to motion sickness :lol3
<object height="362" width="640">
<embed src="http://cdn.smugmug.com/ria/ShizVidz-2008120101.swf" flashvars="s=ZT0xJmk9NTExODc0NTczJms9SkNtcGImYT03ODkyNjMzX3l4cEZTJnU9c2NobW9v" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="362" width="640"></object>
All in all it was a really great day, even if the buildings themselves are mere shells of what they used to be. I love being able to see new sights like this with good peeps from Dgrin! :thumb
0
Comments
www.morffed.com
Great series Schmoo.
My Photo Blog -->http://dthorpphoto.blogspot.com/
My Gallery
Anthony - hope to catch up with you on a shooting event at some point! I mean, again, since the Dgrin party last winter was kind of a whirlwind situation.
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
I hope to catch up with you, aktse, and dadwtwins for a shoot. As a parent, I don't get as many opportunities to go shooting as I like. I wonder how dadwtwins does it.
I throw the kids in a closet, lock it and then go shooting. If you leave the lights off, they do not hurt themselves as much
Just kiddin'. The wife and I worked out alternate days to care for the kids so we both have at least a day to ourselves. I must have a day away for the safety of everyone around me.:D
My Photo Blog -->http://dthorpphoto.blogspot.com/
Fun series! I especially like the blue graffiti shot. Looks like you guys had a good time.
SmugMug Support Specialist - www.help.smugmug.com
http://www.phyxiusphotos.com
Equine Photography in Maryland - Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, Jumpers
Anthony, hope we can catch up and go shooting, too! Especially if there's more night shooting in industrial places.
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
I must give this a try.
Definitely.
Winston
I'm still trying to figure out the first "false dawn" shot
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
I agree. A very nice take on the area!!
www.adamstravelphotography.com
Facebook
Thanks Winston! Seriously, with the heat wave here (even on the peninsula) it's been just like I'm in MD again. If I'd stayed out east I wouldn't have had to lift all those boxes
And Doc, it's the sun reflecting on the shore of the dirty salt flats water.
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
www.everymilesamemory.com
www.patbonishphotography.com
All Who Wander Are Not Lost