DrainsofmyCity
Recent
04 Apr 08
It has been a long winter here in Vancouver. A season very unfriendly to drainers, full of endlessly rainy days and nights, with dampness that chills to the bone. I think the city just had its first week of spring, so here's to dry nights and exploring more drains. A shot of texture from a small bricky pipe to break the monotony.
23 Nov 07
At long last: Blackman's Brook. "...decided upon the design of semi-elliptical and parabolic reinforced concrete arch culverts. The largest section (the outfall) being 8'6" x 8'6". This section... extends from the junction of the 72" main... to the outlet in the Fraser River, a distance of 200 feet." More to come on this later, when I find time and mood to write it.
13 Oct 07
Getting out of town to go underground. There's gold in them thar hills, and now we spend long days finding and exploring the gold miners' tunnels. Even after several visits, we still find new passages carved through solid rock. Vast networks of winding drifts and crosscuts, dangerous open ore passes, rotten ladders, and the sound of running water everywhere. Not to mention the gigantic ore stopes, which can almost make you believe that half of the mountain must surely be hollow.
27 Aug 07
Persistence pays off, and I finally got to explore most of the Terminal Submersible drain; click for pics and the whole story. Smells like fishy poop, but at least one section of it was pretty.
29 Jul 07
Something old, something new, something gross, and is that a chunk of poo that just floated by? A visit to a smelly pipe in Van I think I'll refer to as the Assiar Sewer. We rinsed our boots off in harbour waters only a few hundred meters away from where the outfall spews.
04 Jul 07
I love biking, and I love drains. It's honestly quite surprising that it has taken me this long to combine the two. Perhaps it's the influence of Vancouver, where biking can be a way of life; or maybe it was just the right combination of attitude and opportunity. Either way, it was a lot of fun and I finally got to visit a large drain that I've wanted to explore since last year. New mission up- the Lawson Singletrack
26 Jun 07
Hey Vancouver, my new home. I like a challenge, but come on- open up a little! Let's have a bit of that sewer brick; I'm starving here. In a densely populated and paved-over rainforest such as this, there must surely be lots of goodies underground. I just hope I won't have to fight too many turds to get to them.
14 May 07
On the move, searching for the big fish in the pool of minnows. Unfortunately, the fishing around here has been lacking so far. Lots of creek, lots of streams, lots of ravines filled with malevolent blackberry bushes, but not lots of nice drains. Culverts abound, but even then nothing big. Topography and development patterns are to blame for the lack of drains in an area with so much rain. This isn't Edmonton, but could it be home someday? This photo was taken in the biggest culvert I could find, after a week of searching.
21 Feb 07
Been browsing the internet too much, and not exploring enough. Armchair what? However, since I haven't been out taking many photos lately, I figured you might enjoy some of the infamous Siologen's pretty pics of the Edmonton drains he visited. This drain-master knows what he's doing behind a camera. Links to photos:
Mackinnon Crouch -
Outfall #18 Gushing -
Oddly Oval
Thunder Road Fall -
Floodhouse -
Warren
2 Feb 07
A frozen stream filled one-third of the pipe, and we trod carefully atop the slick surface. It wasn't an easy walk. The ice was several layers thick, but the upper layer under our feet was often just a fragile centimeter. Steps on this ice made it crack and shatter, resulting in deafening booming sounds that reverberated up the pipe. Now imagine six people crashing along through a hundred-meter long ice path that shatters under every step. Not soon enough, we made it to the outfall- a giant frozen waterfall that dropped into a white, snow-topped river. Only a small black pool at the base of the frozen falls indicated that water was still flowing underneath us.
17 Jan 07
Almost forgot- I wrote up a little report on the trip Nancy Drew and I took to the Davies Drain during the holidays. It's a nifty drain, with A-shaped sections and lots of sand and- well, just go read it. Photos included, of course.
28 Dec 06
I had an excellent holiday drain romp with some close friends. Did one drain on the 24th, one on the 25th, and technically three on the 26th. It seemed appropriate that on Boxing day Stong, Dsankt and I discovered the big boxy room you see pictured here. T'was the night after Christmas, and I was excited about getting into the tunnel; such an amazing finish was a huge surprise to me. It looked nearly brand-new, and I suspect the room will function as some sort of large stormwater detention tank. A bit hard to light because of its size, but you can see the odd shape of the walls and the steel reinforcing beams crossing near the ceiling. The pipe at the end is about 3m diameter.
12 Dec 06
I have exploration urges once more, and I hope the current hiatus will be over soon. My exploration activities have been nearly non-existent for several months, now. Shamefully, I haven't worn my drain boots in just as long. For some reason, this year's winter encouraged me to stay inside; but just inside my apartment, and not inside some cool underground space. Lately I've spent too much time reminiscing and longing, and now all I want to do is visit drains and tunnels and be underground again.
10 Oct 06
Old and interesting. The fall colours swirl about, as the sun's light fades and leaves us amid dim ruins. The taste of raod dust in my mouth and hours behind the wheel have left a lingering fuzz in my head. This photo is not of a drain. I want to wander.
11 Sep 06
Stopped by for an improptu visit. First Naos, then Swimr, then myself- we all went down for a glance and a photo. It's shorter than it looks, but more interesting than I expected. It's a junction room, that leads to some small and otherwise inaccessible (but nifty) storm sewer pipes.
20 Aug 06
I'd just like to say 'thank you' to the artist (artists?) who did this mural on the sewer inlet. I was riding my bike down the path, and suddenly this huge, gorgeous painting caught my eye. So colourful, so nice. Here's a close-up of the wall, passing on some good advice. I wish more murals featured bicycles. I hope it lasts for a while, because the last thing Edmonton needs is more gray concrete. So, to whoever painted this: Nice work, thanks for making my day!
16 Aug 06
Time for some shameless self-promotion. In case you haven't heard about it, a little zine I contribute to called 5100 is now on its fourth issue (the green cover). It took a lot of time and work to put together, and (in my biased opinion) is quite cool. The mag is about urban exploration- focusing on western Canada- and other little writings related to the hobby. There are about four feature articles per issue, plus a few other small bits, lots of photos, and a colour cover. You can find out more about this nifty zine, and even order yourself a copy for just $3, on the website: www.5100.ca
If print zines aren't your interest, then I humbly offer this cliche of a photo to hold you until my next update. A bit of carelessly torn insulation; didn't they read the sticker? Airborne asbestos fibers are not our friends! Found in the tiny brick-walled boiler room in the basement.
02 Aug 06
Not much going on these days. Recently, life in the real world has taken away from my exploring time. This photo is from a place visited a half-month ago. It's basically a cluster of metal-clad sheds with a yard hoist, all abandoned and empty since late 2005. The real mysteries of this place are the larger, older structures- unrelated to the most recent use- found on the fringes of the property. There's a small concrete dam blocking a nearby creek. There's also a pair of medium-sized concrete silos that were serviced by a now crumbling, overgrown chute/conveyor. These workings seem like more effort than the average farmer would go to in order to feed/water his cattle. So, if not farming, what industry was the reason for these structures?
08 July 06
Ever seen a drain made out of wood? How about one that's big enough to walk through? Here's a new mission report, from the trip to Victoria. I've named this drain the Douglas Darkie, and you should go read about it right now.
30 June 06
Just came back from a lovely vacation. Hah- DrainsofOTHERcities... Visited Vancouver and Victoria, met bunches of local urban explorers, enjoyed the sunny weather, flying about on the Skytrain, eating cheap pizza slices, doing waay too much walking with a heavy backpack and exploring drains! Here's a mini-website entitled Thorns, Drains, & Spiders, which contains writing and photos about the trip. Read and enjoy!
28 May 06
Ah, such beautiful, sunny days. Perhaps a bit too warm, because to escape the heat I went underground for a while. Finally, here are some decent photos from the Mckinnon Crouch drain. It's not overly long, but has a few nifty details and every time I go I have a good time. Here's a handy tip: If you're going draining, bring a sweater, because even if it's 25C outside it will still be 5C (and damp) underground.
24 May 06
Took a drive on the long weekend, and looked into something that's completely new (to me, at least!). Nancy Drew and I became tourists as we donned hardhats and scuttled around inside the infamous Cadomin Cave. Sure, even the Cub Scouts have already explored it, but it was still incredibly interesting and a lot of fun. Didn't get any great photos, but I do have a desire to go back and see the rest of the cave system- maybe even get dirty.
10 May 06
Another little building turned into kindling. Here's a quick report on the Norwood Foundry, what it was like abandoned, before its recent demolition. Make way for condos- but I know that I wouldn't want to live next to a rail yard.
28 Apr 06
Over a month later, the sun is out and shining bright. The past days have seen several quick trips into the storm sewers; such brief visits highly enjoyed by those present. Getting back into a drain will put a smile on your face, especially if you can make the trip in just running shoes- and still stay dry! Summer is here, and it's time to get away from those hot, skin-browning, cancer-causing sun beams; and what better place to go than underground?
23 Mar 06
Upon arriving, we were surprised to see a toboggan lying on the ice; but immediately excited by its potential. Thanks to whoever left us the sled, but it didn't work nearly as well as we'd hoped. It seems that in order to successfully sled down an ice-filled drain, a steeper slope or a lot less friction are required. Perhaps someday.
We were at the outfall (Planet Potato drain, if you're keeping track) taking photos of various things to fill in the blanks, and to have a bit of fun. The normally dark portal now beams the light of day into the cold night. Behold- the power of the sun in a drain, like a giant headlight beaming from the underground, explorers silhouetted as they stand atop the ice. Thanks to Naos and his ridiculously powerful torch.
14 Mar 06
Mmmm, new drain mission! A trip through the East Deer Line, photos and writeup included. Enjoy!
13 Mar 06
Cold, with the reek of decomposition and black death mud. Long drains snake their way below the snow-covered ground, and we do our best to visit them when we can. Five hours underground, are you sure? I feel like I should do some writing to accompany the wonderful photos I've got, so stay tuned.
08 Mar 06
Spring is here- or is it? Waterworks. I thought November had just arrived, piles of snow and appropriate chill to the air. Somehow, ponds formed in the gutters and the streets filled with slush yesterday. At least with meltwater run-off, the water flow is constant.
27 Feb 06
Here's another gem, hidden in plain sight- where are my glasses? Photo of a plain 'ol dusty sink. And can you believe there are still buildings standing at Wonderland? I wonder why they haven't knocked the last one down yet? The building is basically gutted, but (thankfully) for some reason the trackhoes haven't moved in yet. Piles of dirt are all that remain of the other two.
21 Feb 06
It takes the hardcore to lead the followers, even within their own boundaries. The latest big bit of interesting decay has suffered a sudden wave of exploration. I've been more focused on exploring this confusing and maze-like building than taking pictures of it. Luckily, I still managed to snap a few pics here and there, like this delightful juxtaposition.
15 Feb 06
A crush I've had for several years finally blossomed into a full-blown affair weeks ago. The short, intense relationship was very good, perhaps more so because I knew it would never last. And now, with no fanfare and short notice, it's over for good. I'll miss the fun times we had.
And this just in: Rugged stapling action assures fast, positive fastening! Woohoo!
09 Feb 06
Took a little drive on the weekend, and was frustratingly barred from entering a wonderfully decayed little gem of a tunnel. Oh well, I still have a new mission report to write up.
And check it out- the second photo gallery of my best photos from 2005!
31 Jan 06
My eyes hurt, and everything is blurring together. I just spent a couple hours quickly skimming the cream from the entire last year's worth of photos. That's several gigabytes of images, all the way back to last January. I remember just how busy a year 2005 was, and a very incredible year at that.
I did my best to narrow the field from several thousand, to several hundred, down to a few dozen. Taking out anything that's already online, anything that is too mundane or similar, and anything with a small dog. The most difficult choices came near the end, when I liked them all- but still had to cut down to three galleries.
And now, for your viewing pleasure, I present the first gallery of my best photos from 2005. Enjoy, and there's two more galleries to come- once my eyes can focus, again.
29 Jan 06
I've always thought most drains could use a little fixing up, maybe a coat of paint here and there, some quality art on the walls, that sort of thing. I don't know who painted this wonderful mural, but I'd like to thank the person(s) who did- great work!
On an unrelated note, here's a quick photo of a mysterious place.
26 Jan 06
Save the endangered Abandonment Pigeon! Everywhere, every day, the Abandonment Pigeon is losing more of its natural habitat. As more and more abandoned buildings are torn down to make way for gravel parking lots, these poor pigeons are being forced out of their homes. These helpless little pigeon chicks will die in the coming weeks as their nest is buried under a ton of rubble; a murderous trackhoe demolishing their home. Countless others, still in egg form, will never be born; and thus will never know the feeling of adding to the thick layer of shit that covers everything inside the building that has been home to generations of pigeons. How can you help? By writing to your city councillor, urging them to preserve pigeon habitat by halting the demolition of abandoned buildings.
19 Jan 06
Almost exactly a month has passed since I first explored this building, and now it's a pile of rubble. Here's a new mission report, about the mysterious Maison Saint-Joseph (0.9Mb, PDF file). Alas, with only a couple visits and a handful of photographs, we barely knew it before it was gone.
16 Jan 06
Demolition always makes me sad. This building in particular for a couple reasons; because it's the last remnant of a larger industrial site, and because I never got a chance to explore and photograph it well when it was abandoned but still intact. Here's a look inside the excavated shell, the washroom with no ceiling, and all that's left is bare steel. I will miss this building- it was always a landmark for me.
09 Jan 06
Catchin' up. Revisited the ominous drain of the beast, took a crappy photo or two. Also explored something literally new, the big and confusing multi-level institute where Naos and I saw many shiny ducts and lots of steel. More to come as it happens.
02 Jan 06
Happy New Year, may 2006 bring rewarding adventures to all. Happy winter draining!
