As Safe As Houses - Tock's Island

In a previous post, I detailed the Tock's Island Damn Project and the demise of some structures and residences related to that.  The backwoods of northwestern New Jersey hide some more houses left over from the government buyout that preceded the failed project.  Now these farmhouses are left to the elements, weathering the years gracefully.  A rainy day in December found me in the wilds, surrounded by other people's memories and the debris of animals that call this place home.

Doorways, Portals

Living Space

Decorated

Sitting Room

A (Mis)Matching Set

Cozy Kitchen

Dinner Party

Plaster Ceilings

Silo

Las Vegas - Under The Strip

Somehow, in the hustle and bustle of 2012, the account of my time beneath the Las Vegas strip fell by the wayside.  The storm drains of Las Vegas run underneath the famous Strip, funneling rainwater and housing some of the desitute.  During the week spent out west, access points were scouted and security checked as I planned to infiltrate the underbelly.  Having met a homeless guy as we visited his lodging site(see: Las Vegas - The Death of The American Dream) and encountered the smell of cadaver emanating from a secluded corner of the same site, this excursion was an uneasy one.  Previous explorers have encountered unsavory characters in the dark recesses of Sin City.

We ventured out the last morning at dawn, beating the heat of mid-day and made our way to the access point.  A hop, skip, and short sprint later found us losing the bright desert sun as we edged our way past puddles.  Once in the tunnels, it was surprisingly damp and flooded considering there had been no rains recently.  Approximately a half mile in, we were in near total darkness, accompanied by the sounds dripping water and people talking in the distance.  The echoes of those distant voices grew closer as we neared a split in the tunnels and the decision was made to head back toward daylight.  The tunnels under the Strip were unnerving in more ways than one, with the coupling of sensory deprivation and the possibility of meeting some of the more desperate citizens of a glowing neon city.

Another Vacant Property

Into the Dark

Back to the Light

Note: Due to the dangers of being in such a place, I opted not to use flash to alert anyone to my attention.  Sadly, only one of the following photos is of the tunnels so I hope the contrast between the bright desert city and infrastructure underneath is still visible to you, the viewer.