Forsaken

“Thou hast not forsaken them that love thee” Daniel 14-37

Holy Land USA has always moved me, even repeated visits. The ruins are a well known “location” that is often joked about within the urban exploring elite circle. It is not a challenging location. Most of it has been damaged by vandals. There are no underground tunnels and there is no awe-inspiring architecture.

So what is there to see in this dying theme park? John Greco, the creator of Holy Land poured his life into his project for almost two decades prior to its opening. His humble construction materials were recovered from the trash left by his neighbors. When everyone else saw old pots and broken china, Greco saw the beginnings of the magnificent palaces and soaring temples from the ancient world.

Since it’s closing in 1984 Holy Land USA has fallen into extreme disrepair. Now owned by a small order of nearby nuns who lack the resources to stop the damage, Holy Land is picked apart. With each visit more is damaged, more is lost. Still though, I believe that Holy Land USA is not yet forsaken. No spray paint will ever hide Greco’s passion to share his vision for something better.

-2016-
bayou goula towhead

-2015-
the sea test

-2014-
the circumnavigator pt5
the circumnavigator pt4
the circumnavigator pt3
the circumnavigator pt2
the circumnavigator pt1
falling dream
the darkness
one hell of a mile 3&4
he will return
the believers
the horror pt2
the horror pt1
traces
death valley
whiteout

-2013-
paradise of outlaws
the mountain climbers 1&2
brought to surface
one hell of a mile 3
primordial
the lost world
inner gorge
a ghost story
the riddle
slaying the minotaur
heart of darkness
bayou
public lands
organ music
two sought adventure
the virgin river
the road north
preparations

-2012-
steal the world
the end of the world
el dorado
the valley of the kings 2
the valley of the kings 1
one hell of a mile 2
one hell of a mile 1
the mountain climbers rr4
heroes rr3
rainy roadtrip 2
rainy roadtrip 1
the transgression
sandstorm
sinister 2
sinister 1
dehydrated
anatomy
sleepwalking
new chapter

-2011-
like sedona?
torn in two
blink
bridge to nowhere
the door
hitting the wall
elusive 2
elusive 1
harquahala
hole
pick up lines

-2010-
revisited 2
revisited 1
which way?
lost mines
chute
monolith
freeze
slice
in their footsteps
a dance with death

-2009-
goodbyes
undercurrents
casting the bones
mountain thief
the deer hunter
strange temple
sanctuary
burial pt. 3
burial pt. 2
burial pt. 1
the apparition
return to hell
forsaken
the lower depths
underground lake
stretch sewer
the hidden lab
shadow movements
meager rations
sw8: the conclusion
sw7: lost gold mines
sw6: the big tubes
sw5: gold!
sw4: el calderon
sw3: redondo
sw2: ghosts
sw1: westward bound
leviathan
formaldehyde dreams
the underdark
in the beginning