Images from Route 11

911 Cowan Lane

Somewhere north of Verona, VA

This is becoming a pattern. I wake up, as if whispered in my ear , I am "told" to go places. Specific Places. That's the pretty spiffy part. The Voice woke me at 5am Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006 and said, "GO DOWN ROUTE 11.... Far down Route11. You'll know when to turn around."
So I did. Knowing of course, that at least so far, I every single time I go where The Voice says GO, I hit paydirt in terms of finding exquisite rottingness and surreal scenes of the aftermath left when lives are suddenly and completely disrupted.

The first few shots are from a circa 1800s abandoned home. I could't tell you where it is, despite being led right to it. The basement, of which I have only one shot posted, was apparently a very functional part of the house. Bathroom, laundry room, kitchen,, Shrineroom (? I couldn't tell, but it sho' nuff weren't normal what was built in the wall). The builders actually had a small stream routed through a stone "run" in the basement to accomodate these needs. Upstairs, well, Early Squattersville interior design... with a Deco flair.

The second place is a farm property. Who knows what they farmed, but I think it was smallish animals, judging from the number of these odd pigs-look-like-they-belong-in-here outbuildings all OVER the property.

The address, of course, is bizzare and completely perfect, not to mention neatly sCrAwLeD in blood red paint (?)... 911 Cowan Lane. 911 is dead on, so to speak. Just look at the outside shot. Then imagine you, uh, goin' IN there. And hoping to GOD 1) You're alone, COMPLETELY ALONE, which ALSO is not exactly a smart move, and 2) ya don't just step on any ol' place that looks like a floor.

Our Featured Home of the Month, 911 Cowan Lane, is particularly special due to the absolutely MIND-BOGGLING amount of ta-RASH in the place. You could not tell if there was FLOOR or not. "Stuff"was everywhere, and to knee depth. I literally made sure each step was solid before proceeding.

The last few shots in the series were just bits of strangeness on the way back from the Staunton, VA area. That apparently, turned out to be the "turn around place" The Voice had mentioned above. The creepy industrio-militaristic buildings are, no lie, what is called Augusta MILITARY ACADEMY MUSEUM. Ooogy feel to the place, and not a soul in sight. But the Museum was open.

Some people climb sheer rock walls with their bare hands. I do this.

I've gone in these places, so you don't have to. Not that most normal people WANT to. I fully recognize this.

Now, that being said, wanna SEE?