Abandoned Factory in PA and Centralia, PA

Drove through Pennsylvania today heading to Centralia. Along the way, we took a side street which I'm not remembering the name of. It led to some abandoned factories. Even though it was raining and cold, we decided to get out and explore. The roof was leaking, but the factory provided shelter from the storm.

The wind was pretty strong and my hands were freezing, so I didn't spend as much time here as I would have liked to. We decided to continue on to Centralia. Luckily the rain had died down during our whole visit to Centralia. Then of course as we were leaving it picked up again..

The week in photo's - Wednesday

Wednesday, August 23rd, I hiked the Stroudwater Trail in Portland, ME. It took me awhile to find it, but it was worth it. I don't know if it was the time of the season, or that it's just so hard to find, but I was the only one on the trail. It was a great little hike, that took me around a complex, then by a little stream, and even under I-95 I believe. I was surprised and happy to find a little factory of some sort to take pictures of as well. I neared the end of the trail and it was starting to get dark, so I turned back. I didn't realize exactly how close to the end I had come until I looked at the trail map in my car.

Tufts Pond, Oosoola Park and old warehouse

On the way to the camp.



Tuesday was a pretty relaxing day. Went down by the water. It was very quiet and nice out. I could tell the sun was going to come out at least for awhile.



I went back in and everyone asked me how it was out there. I told them it was nice, and they said they were all cold. I decided to go back out because a flower was calling me.



I guess another flower must've called me, because I started walking around the property for something else to take a picture of. I started walking down the road a little, and suddenly my mom's dog thought we were going for a walk. I decided, why not, and followed him down the dirt road. Didn't walk too far, and I saw a few flowers that were purple and pretty.



The boy from the other camp found a frog, so I rushed down to see and get a picture of it.



Today after packing up, I headed to my sister's to help her with a project she was working on. I was supposed to go home from her house, but then I decided last minute, that it was a beautiful day, and I wanted to take pictures of this place I'd passed on the way back home from camp. My mom didn't want to stop, but I knew that it might not be there when I went back to visit, so I would drive back to see it.

I was near the Native American statue that's been standing in Skowhegan for many years. At one point I thought it as gone, and so I decided to take a picture of it in case it did one day disappear.



The same thing happened as I was driving from Skowhegan to Norridgewalk. There was a park that I remembered being taken to as a child. It was called Oosoola Park, and I remembered a fun snail, and other old playground equipment. I had often wondered about it..wondered if it had changed, if anyone used it anymore. Often I just wanted to stop to see it again, and never did. This time I decided I would stop. Why wonder about something when it's right there to be discovered? I was amazed to find it almost completely unchanged!



Finally I decided to go back to the original photo spot. As I was taking pictures of this interesting structure, a woman came up to me and asked me what I was doing there. I said I was taking pictures (which was obvious). She asked why. I said for my portfolio. She said, "well alright" and let me take more pictures. I tried to hurry after that though, because I didn't feel right about being there.

Lafayette Street San Jose, CA

I feel slightly disappointed, but not too much .. knowing that the area I was going to shoot tonight, will still be there tomorrow.

After work today, I had decided I wanted to go to this "industrial" part of town. So I called a friend, not wanting to go alone. I bring us to the part of town that was talked about from one of my co-workers a day or so ago. As I'm driving through it, I can't wait to get out and take pictures. We pass a few street people, and my friend says "don't stop there". So I finally find a place to park, get out of the car, and get my tripod. I'm about to set off, and she's like "Uhhh...I don't feel comfortable here." I had specifically told her I had wanted a guy along for this very reason. And I also had asked her numerous times while we were driving through and she was making comments about it being a "bad part" of town. Oh well..

So that idea was scrapped. Then I didn't remember the other place I wanted to go, but I remembered it being a better neighborhood, so we went back to my place, got directions, then headed back out. This place was very easy to find, and was really nice.

I didn't get to take many pictures, due to fences and the fact that people were working. I just took some shots, then we left.
Here are some pictures: