IT WAS AROUND 5:30 PM WHEN I GOT THE CALL FROM LED FOOT WHO SAID HIS GIRLFRIEND WAS OFF WORK AND READY FOR THE DROP OFF. THIS IS THE FIRST TRIP WE WERE ABLE TO LEAVE ON TIME AND DIDN’T HAVE TO WAIT ON ANYONE. BY 6:00 WE HAD ARRIVED AT LED FOOTS TO DROP OFF OUR CARS AND WE STARTED LOADING UP THE F-150 WITH OUR GEAR. WE HEADED TO DANS TO WAIT FOR FRANK AND HIS GIRLFRIEND TO MEET US WITH THE OTHER TRUCK.
WE WERE AT KINGS PARK BY 6:20 AND IT WAS SNOWING LIGHTLY WHEN WE ARRIVED. WE ANTICIPATED IT TO BE THE COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR. IT WAS AROUND 20 DEGREES AND THE WIND WAS BLOWING AT 15 MPH. THE DROP OFF IS ALWAYS THE MOST ADRENALINE PACKED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE SEEING US AND CALLING THE POLICE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO VIDEO TAPE THE DROP OFF SINCE WE HAD GOOD COVER FROM LIGHT SNOW. ONCE WE ALL MADE IT INTO THE TRAIL SYSTEM WE STOPPED TO GET OUR GEAR SET UP. THE TRAIL GOES THROUGH NEARBY POTTERS FIELD WHICH IS THE OLD HOSPITAL CEMETERY WITH UNMARKED GRAVES SAID TO HOLD HUNDREDS OF PATIENTS LEFT ABANDONED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WALKING RIGHT THROUGH THE CEMETERY IS A GREAT WAY TO SET THE MOOD FOR A TRIP LIKE THIS. WE ALSO NOTICED A MAN WALKING HIS DOG ALONE IN THE DARKNESS WHO MUST HAVE HEARD US TRACKING THROUGH THE TRAILS AS HIS DOG BARKED VIOLENTY BEGGING TO BE LET OFF IT'S LEASH AFTER US.
WE CONTINUED ON THE TRAIL CAUTIOUSLY AND WHEN WE WERE ROUGHLY ½ MILE FROM THE QUAD BUILDINGS WE HEARD A LAUD BANG LIKE A DOOR SLAMMING. WE HEARD THIS TWICE UNTIL WE CAME TO THE LAST HILL LEADING DIRECTLY INTO THE PARKING LOT BY THE QUADS. WE HEARD IT ONCE MORE AS WE WERE WALKING INTO THE BUILDING WHICH MADE IT ONE OF MORE EERIE ENTRIES OF OUR TRIPS TO DATE. LED FOOT AND I EQUIPPED WITH RADIOS HEADED OUT TO SCOUT THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING WHILE EVERYONE ELSE STAYED ON THE HILL AND PROVIDED COVER. A QUICK SEARCH CAME UP CLEAR AND WE HEADED BACK TO THE GROUP. WE ENTERED THROUGH A BASEMENT WINDOW WE HAD DISCOVERED YEARS AGO ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING. IT HAD BEEN WIDELY UNCOVERED AND WE WERE ABLE TO WALK RIGHT INTO THE BASEMENT. THERE WERE NO RECENT FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW NOW ACCUMULATED TO ABOUT 2 INCHES LEADING INTO THE BUILDING. BY NOW WE FELT CONFIDENT THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE AROUND. ONCE INSIDE WE HEADED FOR THE ROOF TO SUIT UP FOR THE 2 MILE TUNNEL TREK. IT TOOK A FEW MINUTES TO SITUATE OUR GEAR IT WAS GETTING TOO COLD TO HAVE OUR GLOVES OFF FOR MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES. I OUTFITTED MY CAMERA WITH THE INFRARED LED NIGHT VISION SYSTEM AND STARTED TO VIDEO TAPE.
WE CONTINUED ON THE TRAIL CAUTIOUSLY AND WHEN WE WERE ROUGHLY ½ MILE FROM THE QUAD BUILDINGS WE HEARD A LAUD BANG LIKE A DOOR SLAMMING. WE HEARD THIS TWICE UNTIL WE CAME TO THE LAST HILL LEADING DIRECTLY INTO THE PARKING LOT BY THE QUADS. WE HEARD IT ONCE MORE AS WE WERE WALKING INTO THE BUILDING WHICH MADE IT ONE OF MORE EERIE ENTRIES OF OUR TRIPS TO DATE. LED FOOT AND I EQUIPPED WITH RADIOS HEADED OUT TO SCOUT THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING WHILE EVERYONE ELSE STAYED ON THE HILL AND PROVIDED COVER. A QUICK SEARCH CAME UP CLEAR AND WE HEADED BACK TO THE GROUP. WE ENTERED THROUGH A BASEMENT WINDOW WE HAD DISCOVERED YEARS AGO ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING. IT HAD BEEN WIDELY UNCOVERED AND WE WERE ABLE TO WALK RIGHT INTO THE BASEMENT. THERE WERE NO RECENT FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW NOW ACCUMULATED TO ABOUT 2 INCHES LEADING INTO THE BUILDING. BY NOW WE FELT CONFIDENT THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE AROUND. ONCE INSIDE WE HEADED FOR THE ROOF TO SUIT UP FOR THE 2 MILE TUNNEL TREK. IT TOOK A FEW MINUTES TO SITUATE OUR GEAR IT WAS GETTING TOO COLD TO HAVE OUR GLOVES OFF FOR MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES. I OUTFITTED MY CAMERA WITH THE INFRARED LED NIGHT VISION SYSTEM AND STARTED TO VIDEO TAPE. |
| STYVES ENTERING THE QUADS |
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| 4TH FLOOR OF BUILDING 42 |
ENTERING THE TUNNELS FROM THE QUADS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE WAYS IN. IT SEEMS LIKE YOUR ON A NEVER ENDING TRIP SOUTH FIRST ENTERING THE BASEMENT WHICH IS DARK AND MOIST AND THE FLOOR IS COVERED IN A BLANKET OF ASBESTOS THAT LOOKS LIKE A FRESH SNOWFALL. THEN THE SUB BASEMENT EMERGES DOWN A STEEP LADDER WITH PUDDLES AND ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMERS OUT OF A SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE. FINALLY YOU ARE FACED WITH A STEEL DOOR ABOUT 4 FEET TALL AND 14 INCHES WIDE THAT COULD EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR A FAULT DOOR. THEN YOU SHINE YOUR FLASHLIGHT DOWN A NEVER ENDING TUNNEL AND YOU KNOW YOUR AT THE BOTTOM. WE MANAGED OUR WAY THROUGH TO THE POWER PLANT WITHOUT GETTING LOST AND CONTINUED ON NOTICING IT WAS WARMER BELOW GROUND. WE CAME UP TO THE POWER PLANT BASEMENT WHICH HAD BEEN WELDED SHUT FOR THREE YEARS UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN PIPE STEALER'S CUT TRHOUGH THE STEEL WITH A TORCH. THE POWER PLANT BACK IN 2002 HAD PLENTY OF ARTIFACTS LEFT OVER TO KEEP SOMEONE BUSY FOR HOURS BUT IN RECENT YEARS IT HAS SHOWED CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS OF WEAR AND FLOODING. IN 2002 WE HAD TAKEN A STEEL BEAM AND SMASHED THROUGH THE BOTTOM PANEL OF THE ADJACENT TUNNEL LEADING OUT OF THE POWER PLANT WHICH TOOK A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. THAT ENTRANCE HAD ALSO BEEN WELDED SHUT VERY SECURELY ALTHOUGH IT TOO WAS RECENTLY CUT OPEN BY A TORCH. WE FOLLOWED THE TUNNEL TO THE STEAM JUNCTION WHICH USED TO BE A PART OF THE FIRST POWER PLANT AND WAS RETAINED SOLELY FOR TUNNEL ACCESS. THE TUNNELS BRANCH OFF TO THREE OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE CUBE WHICH SITS TWO STORIES UNDERGROUND. WE TOOK A BREAK IN THE JUNCTION TO REVIEW OUR TUNNEL MAP THEN WE CONTINUED ON TO BUILDING 93.
THE TUNNELS LEAD DIRECTLY INTO THE BASEMENT OF BUILDING 93 WHICH WE THEN FOLLOW TO THE SERVICE ELEVATOR SHAFT. THE ELEVATOR IS STUCK ON THE FOURTH FLOOR AND THE ONLY WAY INTO THE UPPER FLOORS OF BUILDING 93 IS TO CLIMB A LADDER UP THE ELEVATOR SHAFT AND THROUGH THE ELEVATOR DOOR HANGING BY IT’S HINGES LIKE A FLAP.
ONCE INSIDE BUILDING 93 WE PROCEEDED TO THE 8TH FLOOR WHERE WE COULD WALK OUT ON THE ROOF AND SEE THE ENTIRE PSYCHIATRIC CENTER GROUNDS. MY FIRST GLANCE OUT OVER THE GROUNDS I NOTICED A SECURITY VEHICLE PARKED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PARKING LOT. I STEADIED MY CAMERA TO ALLOW IT TO FOCUS AND WE FILMED HIS POSITION FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. WE REALIZED HE HAD NOT NOTICED ANY OF OUR FLASHLIGHTS AND DECIDED TO MOVE FURTHER UP THE BUILDING. AFTER MAKING IT TO THE TOP BALCONY WE WERE STOPPED IN OUR TRACKS AS WE WATCHED A PARK POLICE SUV EQUIPPED WITH 4 OFF ROAD HEADLIGHTS PATROL RIGHT PAST THE AREA OF THE QUADS WE ENTERED AN HOUR EARLIER. IT ONLY TOOK HIM A SHORT TIME TO DRIVE OFF ROAD AND UP AROUND TO BUILDING 93. HE DROVE AROUND THE BASE OF 93 THEN HIS THE SPINE UP TOWARD BUILDING 7 WHERE HE MADE HIS FINAL PASS BEFORE EXITING THE GROUNDS.
WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAD BACK INTO THE TUNNELS NOW THAT BOTH SECURITY VEHICLES WERE GONE AND CONTINUE TO OUR DESTINATION OF BUILDING 7. THE REST OF THE TREK IN THE TUNNELS WAS UNEVENTFUL ALTHOUGH WE DID SPOT A FEW INTERESTING SPIDERS THAT WERE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT. WE STOPPED AT THE TUNNEL AIR SUPPLY SHAFT BY BUILDING 1 WHICH ENABLED US TO SEE IT WAS STILL SNOWING OUTSIDE AND VISIBILITY WAS POOR. WE ARRIVED AT THE MANHOLE LEADING INTO BUILDING 7 AROUND 930 PM.
WE QUICKLY ENTERED BLDG. 7 AND HEADED TO THE 2ND FLOOR WHERE THE ROOF ACCESS TO THE BREEZEWAY LEADING TO BUILDING’S 21 & 22 IS LOCATED. LUCKILY I NOTICED A GAPING HOLE CAMOUFLAGED BY SNOW IN THE BREEZEWAY ROOF WHICH WE COULD BARELY AVOID. MIDWAY ACROSS THE BREEZEWAY WE NOTICED TWO DARK FIGURES WALKING CALMLY ON THE GROUND BELOW US SEEMING TO BE UNAWARE THAT SECURITY COULD EASILY CORNER THEM IN THAT AREA. OUR FIRST THOUGHT WAS THEY WERE COPS BUT AFTER I SHINNED MY FLASHLIGHT ON ONE AS THE OTHER RAN TO HIDE WE MADE CONTACT AND IT TURNED OUT THEY WHERE TRYING TO ENTER THE BUILDINGS AND HAD HEARD US EARLIER IN 7 AND GOTTEN SCARED. ONE OF THEM WAS ABLE TO CLIMB ON THE ROOF WITH OUR HELP BUT THE OTHER SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO BUILDING 36 AND ENTER THROUGH THE TUNNELS. THE NEXT MORNING WE DID NOT SEE ANY NEW FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW AND WE DID NOT SEE OR HEAR EITHER OF THEM FOR THE REST OF THAT NIGHT.
AFTER PATROLLING THE BREZEWAY IN TEAMS OF THREE WE ENTERED BUILDING 21 THROUGH A ROOF ACCESS POINT. I WANTED TO SET UP CAMP IN THE ROOM AT THE END OF THE BREEZEWAY BUT THE DOOR HAD BEEN REMOVED AND A WINDOW COULD EASILY REFLECT ANY LIGHT WE MAY HAVE USED. WE ENTERED BUILDING 21 AND WENT RIGHT UP TO THE ROOF. WE FOUND A ROOM JUST BELOW THE ANTENNAE MADE OF 100% CONCRETE WITH NO ASBESTOS COVERED PIPES WHICH ALSO HAD A DOOR WE COULD CLOSE TO SILENCE OUR NOISE AND PROTECT US FROM THE WIND. OVER THE NEXT HOUR WE SET UP CAMP AND I MADE SEVERAL TRIPS AROUND THE ROOF LOOKING FOR PEOPLE AND CARS. AT 11:30 EVAN AND I ESCORTED FRANK TO THE BREEZEWAY ROOF WHERE HE CLIMBED DOWN AND HEADED OFF INTO THE SNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING TO GET PICKED UP BY HIS GIRLFRIEND. EVAN AND I NOTICED THERE WAS STILL NO SIGN OF ANYONE ELSE IN THE AREA. IT WAS NOW MIDNIGHT AND CAMP WAS SET UP. JUSTIN AND EVAN WERE COOKING RAMEN NOODLES AND TEA ON THE STOVE WHILE STYVES, MYSELF, AND DAN WERE ON THE ROOF. DAN GOT ON HIS I-PHONE TO CHECK THE WEATHER, IT WAS 10 DEGREES WITH 25-35 MPH WINDS. I KNEW IT WAS COLD AND A LOOK AT A WINDCHILL CHART SHOWED IT WAS MINUES 15 DEGREES. MY SLEEPING BAG WAS RATED AT MINUS 30 DEGREES, EVERYONE ELSE'S WAS RATED AT 10 DEGREES. AROUND 1:00 AM MYSELF, DAN, STYVES, AND LED FOOT DECIDED TO HIKE UP TO THE CUBE AKA THE VERY TOP ROOF OF BUILDING 7. JUSTIN AND EVAN WERE TOO TIRED AND STAYED AT CAMP TO GET SOME REST.
FRANK HAD LEFT US A GATORADE BOTTLE FULL OF VODKA AND CRANBERRY SO THE FOUR OF US SIPPED ON IT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CUBE. WE HEARD RUMORS THAT THE COPS INSTALLED MOTION DETECTORS ON THE TOP FLOORS OF BUILDING 7 TO PROTECT POLICE RADIO EQUIPMENT. THE RADIO EQUIPMENT WAS NO LONGER THERE AND THE WALL NEXT TO THE UPPER DOOR HAD BEEN BROKEN THROUGH. THE LAST TWO FLOORS OF THE CUBE WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE, THEY ARE MEZZANINE STEEL GRATE FLOORS WITH STEEL LADDERS LEADING TO THE VERY TOP ROOF HATCH. THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE LAST TWO LADDERS WAS DISCONNECTED AND MAKE SHIFT LADDERS WERE PUT IN PLACE. THE VERY LAST LADDER WAS THE MOST INSECURE AS THE TOP SCREWS ANCHORED INTO THE CEMENT WERE THE HOLDING THE LADDER UP AND IT ALLOWED THE LADDER TO MOVE LIKE A SWING WHICH ACTED AS A PRY AGAINST THE ANCHORS IN THE WALL. WE AGREED THIS WOULD BE THE LAST TIME ACCESSING THE ROOF SINCE THE LADDER WILL EVENTUALLY SHIMMY ITSELF OUT OF THE WALL LEADING TO A COLLAPSE NONE OF US WANT TO BE A PART OF. THE ROOF OF 7 IS ONE OF THE LEAST ENDURED PATHS OF KPPC AND WE GATHERED THIS BECAUSE OUR NAMES WERE SHARPIED ON THE HATCH FROM 2003 WITH ONLY A FEW NEWER ENTRIES. WE COULD ONLY STAND THE COLD UP THERE LONG ENOUGH TO HAVE A VICTORY CIGARETTE AND SNAP A DARK PICTURE BEFORE WE HEADED BACK TO CAMP.
IT WAS 3:30 AM BEFORE WE FINALLY WENT TO SLEEP. I GOT A GOOD HOUR IN BEFORE I WAS AWAKENED BY WHAT SOUNDED LIKE PEOPLE RUNNING UP AND DOWN STAIRS BELOW US, CHILDREN SCREAMING, AND A BABY CRYING. WHAT IS ODD IS THE NEXT MORNING WHEN EVERYONE WOKE UP THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IT BEFORE I GOT BACK FROM TAKING SOME SUNRISE PICTURES. STEVEN AND I WERE UP AT 7:00 AND WE WERE BOTH SHAKING DESPITE THE RATINGS ON OUR SLEEPING BAGS. WE DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO GET UP AND MOVE AROUND. I HAVE TO SAY IT IS NOT FUN GETTING OUT OF A WARM SLEEPING BAG INTO DEEP FREEZE TEMPERATURES. STYVES AND I WALKED AROUND FOR AN HOUR BEFORE HEADING BACK AND THE REST OF THE GUYS WERE JUST WAKING UP. J BONES COMPLAINED OF SEVERE CHILLS WHICH HE COULD NOT SHAKE. I HAD TWO FOOT WARMERS IN EACH BOOT AND A SET OF HAND WARMERS AND AFTER 5 HOURS OF WALKING THAT DAY I WAS NOT ABLE TO WARM UP. AFTER PACKING UP CAMP AND STASHING OUR GEAR WE HEADED OUT TO SPEND THE DAY EXPLORING BUILDINGS 7, 21, AND 22.
WE PLANNED TO SET UP CAMP IN THE COURTYARD INITIALLY BUT THE WIND CHILL MADE IT TOO EXTREME TO STAY OUTSIDE IN IT. THE COURTYARD IS A MYSTERIOUS PART OF THE GROUNDS BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU A FEEL FOR WHAT EVERY DAY LIFE WAS LIKE FOR THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS IN THE YEARS BEFORE. IT FEELS LIKE YOUR CAGED IN WITH NOTHING IN LIFE EVER MAKING SENSE. WE TOOK A BREAK IN THE SUN FOR A FEW MINUTES WHILE J BONEZ SCRAMBLED AROUND THE YARD WITH A WALKER WE PULLED OUT OF A SMASHED WINDOW. DURING THE SUMMER THE GAZEBO IN THE CENTER OF THE COURTYARD IT SO OVERGROWN WITH VINES IF YOU DONT SEE IT FROM THE ROOF YOU WOULD NEVER EVEN KNOW IT EXISTED. WE ALSO NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE WALL OF BUILDING 21. WE NOTICED AN EMERGENCY STAIRWELL HAD BEEN PRIED OPEN SO WE BEGAN OUR INFAMOUS JOURNEY TO BUILDING 7 TO EXPLORE ITS DEPTHS TOP TO BOTTOM. CROSSING THE BREEZEWAY TO 7 DURING THE DAY IS REQUIRES A LOT OF TACTICAL SKILL AND PLANNING. WHAT MAKES IT SO TOUGH IS THE LENGTH OF TIME YOU ARE EXPOSED AND THE EASE OF ACCESS BY VEHICLES ON THE ROADS CIRCLING THE BUILDINGS. UNLESS SOMEONE IS POSTED ON THE ROOF OF 7 AS A LOOKOUT THE BEST WAY TO GO IS IS TO DUCK DOWN IN SMALL GROUPS AND COVER EACH OTHER AS YOU CROSS OVER WITH A CALL SIGN. WE MADE IT ACROSS THE BREEZEWAY BACK TO 7 IN PAIRS LIKE THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HEADED STRAIGHT TO THE MORGUE. WE WERE AGRAVATED TO SEE THAT VANDALS HAD ALREADY STOLEN THE STAINLESS STEEL BODY TRAYS AND THE ROOM WAS COVERED IN GRAFFITI TOP TO BOTTOM. AFTER SOME GROUP SHOTS WE HEADED UP A FEW FLOORS TO GET SOME FRESH AIR ON THE ROOF.
IT WAS A CLEAR DAY IN THE LOW 20’S SO VISIBILITY WAS GOOD AND IT ALLOWED ME TO GET SOME GREAT VIDEO. WE DID NOT GO TO THE TOP OF THE CUBE IN DAYLIGHT BECAUSE OF THE POOR CONDITION OF THE LADDER. AFTER WE SPENT SOME TIME ON THE UPPER FLOORS WE HEADED BACK DOWN AND NOTICED A WHITE STATION WAGON DRIVING CLOSE TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDINGS. I VIDEO TAPED AS HE SEEMED TO BE LOST AT FIRST THEN ALMOST AS THOUGH HE WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING HE DROVE CLOSE TO ONE BUILDING, TURNED AROUND AND LEFT. IT WAS NOW 12:45 AND J BONEZ WAS RUNNING A FEVER. WE DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO CAMP TO EAT AND THEN DISCUSS HOW WE WERE GOING TO EXECUTE OUR ESCAPE.
ON OUR WAY BACK WE DISCOVERED AN AUTO-CLAVE, AND AN X-RAY UNIT STILL INTACT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. THERE IS A FILING CABINET SAFE WITH ONE DRAWER THAT READ “FILMS DO NOT OPEN IN THE LIGHT”. IT IS LOCKED AND I OFTEN WONDER WHAT IS INSIDE OF IT. IT IS TOO HEAVY TO CARRY OUT AND WOULD REQUIRE HEAVY TOOLS TO PRY OPEN. WE STOPPED CARRYING TOOLS WHEN WE DISCOVERED IF WE ARE CAUGHT INSIDE THE BUILDING NOT ONLY WOULD WE BE CHARGED WITH TRESPASSING, AND BREAKING IN ENTERING, BUT ALSO POSSESSION OF BURGLARY TOOLS IF WE CARRIED HAMMERS AND CROW BARS.
ON OUR WAY BACK WE DISCOVERED AN AUTO-CLAVE, AND AN X-RAY UNIT STILL INTACT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. THERE IS A FILING CABINET SAFE WITH ONE DRAWER THAT READ “FILMS DO NOT OPEN IN THE LIGHT”. IT IS LOCKED AND I OFTEN WONDER WHAT IS INSIDE OF IT. IT IS TOO HEAVY TO CARRY OUT AND WOULD REQUIRE HEAVY TOOLS TO PRY OPEN. WE STOPPED CARRYING TOOLS WHEN WE DISCOVERED IF WE ARE CAUGHT INSIDE THE BUILDING NOT ONLY WOULD WE BE CHARGED WITH TRESPASSING, AND BREAKING IN ENTERING, BUT ALSO POSSESSION OF BURGLARY TOOLS IF WE CARRIED HAMMERS AND CROW BARS.
ONCE WE MADE IT BACK TO CAMP WE AGREED IT WOULD BE BEST TO LEAVE THROUGH A DOOR WE HAD SPOTTED FROM THE ROOF THAT APPEARED TO BE WIDE OPEN. THE PLAN WAS TO HAVE A TRUCK PICK US UP JUST OFF THE KPPC GROUNDS BY BUILDING 7. WE DEPARTED CAMP AFTER A QUICK MEAL AND PROCEEDED TO THE DOOR ON THE FIRST FLOOR. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN THE WING OF BLDG. 21 WHERE WE BELIEVED THE DOOR TO BE, WE DISCOVERED THAT AN INNER DOOR WAS WELDED SHUT. A PAST ATTEMPT TO JACK HAMMER IT OPEN APPARENTLY BROKE THE BIT OFF IN THE DOOR. WE NOW HAD TO FIND ANOTHER WAY OUT OF A PLACE BUILT TO KEEP PEOPLE IN.
MY NERVES WHERE SHOT AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THE ONLY FEASIBLE WAY OUT WOULD BE GOING BACK THROUGH 3 MILES OF TUNNELS AND HIKING UP THROUGH THE WOODS NEAR THE QUAD WHICH WOULD TAKE AT LEAST 2 HOURS AND A LOT OF ENERGY THAT NONE OF US HAD LEFT. WE SEARCHED ANOTHER WING AND CAME ACROSS A WINDOW BIG ENOUGH TO FIT THROUGH. THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE TWO ½ STORY DROP STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE GROUND. LED FOOT GRABBED A WIRE CABLE AND THREW IT OUT THE WINDOW THEN PROCEEDED TO CLIMB DOWN IT. DAN CAME IN BEHIND HIM WITH A FIRE HOSE WHICH WE TIED OFF TO A DOOR. I BELAYED DOWN AND BEGAN TO SCOPE OUT THE AREA. THE SETUP WAS NICE BECAUSE THE WINDOW WAS OVER A LOWER LEVEL AREA SO WE HAD TO CLIMB UP AND OUT TO BE AT GROUND LEVEL.
ONCE WE ALL MADE IT TO THE SUB-LEVEL AREA WE HAD TO CLIMB UP A WALL USING A PIECE OF METAL AND SHIMMY THROUGH A FENCE ONLY TO BE IN WIDE OPEN VIEW OF ANYONE THAT MIGHT BE AROUND. LED FOOT AND I GRABBED OUR PACKS AND SCOUTED THE AREA TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE FOR THE REST OF THE CREW. WHEN IT WAS CLEAR THE REST OF THE CREW FOLLOWED US TO A NEARBY HOLE IN THE FENCE. ONCE WE MADE IT THROUGH THE FENCE AND OFF THE GROUNDS OUR EXTRACTION VEHICLE PULLED UP AND WE WERE GHOSTS.
IT WAS ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL TRIP FOR TEAM SILENT STORMS. WE HEADED UP THROUGH THE MAIN KPPC BOULEVARD AND TALKED ABOUT THE COPS ALL IN ALL IT WAS AN INSANE TRIP AND WE DID VOUCH THAT IT WOULD BE THE LAST TIME WE ENTERED THE TUNNELS AND THE BUILDINGS DUE TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF VANDALISM. THE NEARBY NISSEQUOGUE RIVER STATE PARK HOUSES SOME BUILDINGS LARGELY UNTOUCHED BY VANDALS AND WE MAY DECIDE TO FREQUENT THESE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
IT WAS ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL TRIP FOR TEAM SILENT STORMS. WE HEADED UP THROUGH THE MAIN KPPC BOULEVARD AND TALKED ABOUT THE COPS ALL IN ALL IT WAS AN INSANE TRIP AND WE DID VOUCH THAT IT WOULD BE THE LAST TIME WE ENTERED THE TUNNELS AND THE BUILDINGS DUE TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF VANDALISM. THE NEARBY NISSEQUOGUE RIVER STATE PARK HOUSES SOME BUILDINGS LARGELY UNTOUCHED BY VANDALS AND WE MAY DECIDE TO FREQUENT THESE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
