2013: A Year In Review

I thought 2013 sucked for exploring until I put all the photos for this post together. Turn's out, we didn't have such a bad year after all.

Here's a year in review of the places we've been, the things we've seen, and the fun we've had along the way. 

Started the year off on a more legal note, shooting a lot of photos of the revitalization of my city for a local newspaper.

Of course, that's not to say we didn't do any exploring.

Here's January through February.

I ended up spending a number of hours over a few days photographing a bunch of the Westboro State Hospital Campus with Saceist. We figured with all the state hospitals around here disappearing, it was now or never.

And since Westboro State was originally the Lyman School for Boys, we figured we'd shoot over there as well.

We did some random night climbs.

And played in the snow.

We started March off by bringing our friend Lickhole on her first draining trip. Needless to say, she hasn't shut up about it since.

Here's a bit of what we did from March through April.

Played in some local factories.

Turrel showed me a few spots local to him.

A random abandoned track line.

Found some of the cleanest houses I've ever explored this year.

This place, to this day, was the grossest place I've ever stepped foot in. At first glance, you'd think the house had been abandoned for years, but I live down the street and I know for a fact the house was occupied until the city stepped in and took action, kicking the last remaining resident out just months before I shot it. Even the show Hoarders had nothing on this house.

I found this place one day while out hiking down the tracks. Now, I have no idea where it was, and the odds I'll ever find it again are pretty slim. It was a massive graveyard for thousands of old television sets. Nothing spectacular, but kind of cool regardless.

My manager at work told me about this abandoned house he knew of not far from where we worked, so one day I took a ride down, found it, shot it, and wrote a story about how my manager killed his wife in the house. That's what happens when you tell me to go play in an abandoned house. Thanks Mike. :)

Inside the house my manager told me about, I found a local newspaper from 1985, and got a kick out of some of the contents. Here are a few gems.

This place, didn't even have a building to it. Just a random hole in the ground, leading to this basement. I have no idea what used to be above it, but kind of rad.

I've been looking at this mill complex forever, but never bothered with it until Turrel and I were in the area one day.

Just a random shot of a bridge in my city under construction.

I had fun scaring a few kids at this local abandoned factory one day. I heard them while I was downstairs in a basement, so I crept up and flashed my light at them, accompanied by a "Hey! What are you kids doing here?!?"
I've never seen teenagers run so fast before.

This old colonial house was built in 1711. It was still in pretty decent condition, and I'm hoping someone buys and restores it in the future.

Here's how we spent out May through June.

A church was torn down in my city before I had a chance to explore it, so I kicked my ass into gear ad made it a point to explore the rectory before it came down as well.

My city also stepped in again and finally had the hoarder's house demolished. While I normally don't like demo, this place was in serious need of it.

Just some random local abandoned factory I visit sometimes when I'm bored.

Finally got around to visiting the first of two local abandoned scuba centers.

A small abandoned trailer I found one day while out walking around.

This place was kind of rad. It sits across the street from a good friends house, so it was nice to see the inside after so long of looking at it from across the road.

Cambria and I found this place accidentally one day while on our way to find another location we'd spotted earlier in the day. So, we explored them both.

Back to that random factory I shoot when I get bored.

A random abandoned house that sits still in time.

And finally, the second of the two abandoned scuba centers.

This house was built in 1740, and I also hope this one is saved one day as well.

In July, I had some legal issues and had my camera confiscated and didn't shoot anything else for the rest of the month.

From August through the rest of the year, exploring slowed down, but never stopped. 

For the next few locations, I shot with a cell phone, before Allsion stepped in and let me one of her cameras. Thanks again kiddo!

Back to the Cumberland Farm's Warehouse Mills with a cell camera.

Had dinner at my mom's one night with Cambria, so we stopped by these old ruins in the woods.

And as always, we had to play at the Concrete Playground a little bit during the year.

This was the first post with a real camera since the legal issues. A local factory that's shown up dozens of times on Abandoned Dreams before, Leavens Awards.

Went back to the greenhouses when there wasn't snow on the ground. Made it look more like a scene from Jurassic Park.

Spent a few hours at the Medfield State Hospital campus one day, and saw a few buildings.

Saceist knew of an abandoned industry leader in weapons defense and government electronic weather systems, so we went and played there.

I love this place, so I always end up back. I probably will until the day she finally collapses into herself.

Cambria and I went and played some mini-golf...

And went to a show, conveniently located next to the abandoned Colonial Knife Company, so I did what anyone would do and explored beforehand.

Went back to the greenhouses again, this time without snow or Jurassic Park like overgrowth.

Shot a local abandoned ski lift and hill for an upcoming article I'm working on.

And here's just a few "people Pictures" from over the past year.

Turrel, Cambria, and myself at the Nam' Car Graveyard

Shadow people at Westboro

I always kind of liked these mirrors.

Myself and Saceist taking a break while exploring.

My first gynecological exam.

Turrel, myself, and Lickhole inside DeadEnd Drain

Me in the wiring.

Change the channel.

Mirrored self.

There's too many people in this. I dont even know half of them. I know Cambria, Turrel, Clahhhkie, Allsion, Chester and a few strangers were there.

I'm a lamp.

Taking a break on the beach.

At Marilyn's house.

Diving

This ugly mug brought you every photo you've seen this year. How silly does that make you feel for wasting your time?

Cambria on top of the Gulf Warehouses.

Saceist on some government rooftop

CaveCambria

Spying on Tech N9ne fans in Providence. Cambria is last in line.

If you've made it this far into this post, I'd like to thank for you sticking with Abandoned Dreams as long as you all have. Never in a million years would I have thought we'd still be going strong almost a decade later. I hope you continue to follow our adventures, as I don't see them stopping any time soon.
-Ryan Ademan

                 Keep up with everything new going on for the year 2014 at the following link:              Abandoned Dreams 2014