John … what can I say? Here are my thoughts: you’re not only an amazingly cool (and prolific!) blogger, but you are also amazingly generous. You take the extra money One Man’s Blog earns and give it away. You support your fellow bloggers, answering questions with unfailing good cheer. I could go on for a while here :) In short: thanks again for your help, this time by introducing your readers to some of the most popular content on Web Urbanist! More bloggers should follow the examples you set. The blogosphere would be a better place for it!

Your 7 wonders post shows that you really know where to find interesting things on the net. I wonder how he got all those pictures. Does he really visit all those places?

I’ve digged it

Cool wonders!

I think there’s more wonders, still unforayed and untouched but so far the list is uber cool!

Exploring abandoned properties, what an attraction! There was a closed down state hospital in Pontiac Michigan near where I grew. As I recall it wasn’t in decay, lawns were mowed and it was close to the mall and county offices but spooky none the less. I do know of some guys that explored the Pick Durant Hotel in the early 80s, finding interesting things like an old mop that worked well as a torch and some old entertainment contracts for the Glen Miller Band.

It’s funny how the cops were involved with almost every adventure in the stories about the New Jersey sanatorium, who’s minding the donut shop?!?

I was just over there the other day reading about the urban abandonments – cool stuff! I discovered an abandoned mental hospital in NYC – online, that is, when my mother and I were preparing for a trip there. She wasn’t getting into the whole ‘urban exploring’ thing, though. Aw, Mom! Hrmph!

Web Urbie – I totally agree with you about John and his blog – he is most generous with his knowledge and time and he just has a great ‘blogging community spirit’ – I have learned so much since discovering his blog!

Wow great comments, thanks everyone!

@David: Web Urbanist has contributors from around the world. Some of the more popular posts (e.g. one on the political murals of Belfast) were guest written by people from other cities or countries (in this example: Belfast, Northern Ireland). Others represent research online and off.

@Uncle Sha: There are certainly always more wonders hidden away in the world! In fact, that’s part of why this is an ongoing series: each 7 Wonders post brings up new suggestions from readers that, in many cases, lead to a follow-up post. As John said about OMB: it really is all about the readers and commentators – they are the life’s blood of any successful blog.

@Tom: I think that’s part of why abandonments posts (which I love researching and writing) are so popular – everyone has at least one special abandonment they remember growing up with.

@Lisa Marie Mary: ahh yes, urban exploration is certainly not for everyone (unfortunately). So glad you’ve already been over to the site! And yes, though John is very modest about his accomplishments and contributions he and his blog are true gems of the blogosphere. Not that there aren’t valuable blogs in these categories as well, but these days it seems like so many new blogs are about blogging or making money online, while the most interesting ones have a broader scope like OMB.

I already posted my appreciation to Johns work plenty of times, but going back to the unusual wonders of the world.
As a Diver I am fascinated about the undwerwater wonders (sure also about the others). 4 years ago I was invited to Thailand for a survey to jion a team there, but having a good job as a diving-instructor in a great dive-shop I could not go. As soon as the survey started I was thinking daily if I did the right decision, maybe I missed another “once-in-a-lifetime”-chance

cheers

Rhoody