April Hours / eXploring News

Published on: April 7th, 2022 | Last updated: April 5, 2022 | Written by: Bad Guy Joe

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War and Exploring…
That whole horrible situation in Ukraine isn’t without it’s UE news. It’s pretty horrifying, both in the calculated number of people displaced and murdered, as well as the depths of depravity in terms of propaganda. The fact that so many people in Russia, China, Serbia have no idea what is happening there is chilling. The fact that those of us in the States and Europe tend to only get to see a very watered down view of the serious horrors happening there is just plain ridiculous. I get why Putin did what he did, but I 100% disagree with it. There was no reason to murder thousands, or to try to take over an entire other country that for the most part wants absolutely nothing to do with him.

I’ve heard a few explorers from that part of the world joined the war effort, though I don’t know any of them personally. I do hope they survive, whatever side they’re on. My contacts in Hungary and Poland though are all very anti-Putin, anti Russia. Then again I suppose that’s par for the course when you’re real into graffiti and exploring: fuck the governments, rules and bullshit. People just want to live hassle free. Why do these billionaire motherfuckers get to destroy lives with no retribution ever?

All of that said, let’s get to the exploring bits:

The once abandoned catacombs under Odesa are were prepared as bomb shelters, though at the moment it appears Putin’s pathetic lot won’t be showing up.

Not to be outdone, some brits are curious about what old nuclear tunnels might be near them. Can you blame them for being paranoid?

A long abandoned rail line from Poland into Ukraine is being rebuilt. The idea is to use it as an evacuation route but perhaps this will have longer term use when the Ukraine eventually ends up within the EU.

The Ukrainians have looted all Russian rail cars that were in their country at the time of the invasion. In the early days of the war, farmers stealing Russian tanks became a joke—but now it’s just a way of life, looting whatever the invaders left behind is every Ukrainian’s god given right.

Obviously there’s going to be a ton of abandoned stuff around the Ukraine once all this settles down. It’s an incredibly sad story, but I seriously hope explorers and photographers document every bit of it that they can, so the propaganda machines have at least a few books stuffed in their gears.

‘Bando News and Messy Views
From roughly March 17th to April 1st, there were twenty five incidents of ‘unauthorized’ people on the subway tracks and tunnels of NYC. It’s pretty safe to estimate the reported number is around fifty per month, around six hundred per year. Of course I’m sure the number in reality is far higher, as graffiti artists strive to never been seen and the clean train movement is still going strong. This isn’t earth shattering news, though I’m glad I was able to tally up some rough numbers on it.

The MTA also released some numbers on people getting killed by trains. Apparently 42 of those killed were on the tracks for unknown reasons.

The NY Times did a story about abandoned Cass Gilbert train stations in the Bronx that’s worth a read.

Remember the old Barnum and Bailey circus train? It turns out that the state of North Carolina bought a few cars that they then left in the middle of nowhere and yeah you already know how that just ended…

An abandoned church in Fort Greene Brooklyn is likely to be bulldozed soon.

Buffalo might use receivership as a method of preserving derelict historic properties.

Baltimore is going to try once again to do some things about all their abandoned homes. This article has a great look into all the times in the past where they have failed.

A family living in an RV in Washington Heights (NYC) had their home maliciously tagged up by some idiot locals who believe their precious parking is more important than people just trying to live.

Speaking of, How about that Mayor Swagger breaking up homeless camps, throwing their persona property (ID papers, whatever) in the trash, all because he’s a fucking stupid ass tough guy cop? If you think otherwise, try this fact on for size: “Studies have shown that the cost of clearing encampments — including law enforcement, sanitation, courts, jails, ERs — is approximately two to three times the cost of just providing people housing.” – and read that linked article.

Climate activists in the UK have been entering more tunnels, disrupting fuel supplies. Good show mates. Also in the UK, explorers found a bando farmhouse with all kinds of fun 1970s vehicles left behind, including a helicopter and a tractor that definitely reminds me of the one grandpa had…

Weed growers in Israel created a tunnel network more complex than even Hamas has pulled off, thus also serving as a reminder that Israel is still just one big hollowed out ant farm for humans.

Bando Burning up and Biting the Dust
The abandoned “American Crucible Products” foundry in Lorain, Ohio has burned down. With a name like that I’d expect no other death for such a building.

Looters beware! San Antonio’s still a HOTBED for bando building fires.

Oooooo just look at this Bando in San Bernadino Burn the fuck up!

Wrap up…
Yup, if these newsletters have been fewer and further between, blame it on this novel I’m writing. It’s a beast, but I have no plans on sunsetting this newsletter just yet.

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