For my final 2022 year end recap post, we’re going to start with ME!!
Let’s talk about my explores, my travels, my highlights, lowlights and some of my accomplishments
For starters, let’s talk about why we’re here – the exploring!
- In 2022 it looks like I got 117 locations visited over 50 total days of exploring.
- I traveled to Quebec three times in March, July and September.
- In May I went to Detroit for my first trip back since 2019.
- I did two backcountry camping trips, one in June that would see me hiking 45.5kms and another one in the Fall that was a much easier 30kms hike. It turned out that I did that entire 2nd trip with COVID!
My journal of those backcountry adventures can be seen here:
June Trip:
https://freaktography.com/back-country-camping-frontenac-provincial-park/
Fall Trip:
https://freaktography.com/back-country-camping-at-frontenac-provincial-park/
2022 managed to come and go with no injuries, zero trespassing fines and no trouble with the law, although I did have to spend a considerable amount of time hiding from a crazy french man looking for me with a metal bar in his hand – I’m saving that story for the right time to tell it, it’s a good one!
Documentary
Professionally, I jumped head first into documentary filmmaking, releasing my first feature length documentary film about a man named Bob Laniois. This film, which was only meant to live on my YouTube channel ended up winning several “Best Documentary” awards as well as many “Official Selections”, “Runner Up” and “Honourable Mention” titles!
You can watch Bob’s documentary here:
As soon as I released Bob’s documentary I moved right onto my next one, a documentary about the life and accomplishments of a man named Bill Dillon, a very well known and respected Canadian guitar player. Unlike Bob, Bill is still with us so I get the benefit of working directly with him, you can expect to see this second documentary some time in 2023.
Learn about this project here:
https://freaktography.com/bill-dillon-documentary/
A New Sponsor
In the Fall of 2022 I inked a new sponsor with a great clothing company called True Swat, this relationship would see me wearing their clothing on explores, in videos and in photos. I would provide product reviews, endorsing the company and their gear, they also allow me to do one product giveaway every month!
It’s an open ended deal, but I think things are going well on both sides and I hope to continue working with them.
You can learn about this partnership here:
https://freaktography.com/freaktography-and-true-swat-partnership/
Chasing Bandos Podcast
Also in the fall, I had a very lengthy discussion on the Chasing Bandos Podcast, the premier podcast for the Urban Exploring community, you can listen to that podcast here:
Inspirational Quote Memes
We can’t talk about 2022 without bringing up my inspirational quotes!
All of the credit for this idea goes to my wife, it was her idea. She hates seeing the internet haters and keyboard tough guys who seem to take a liking to me. I’m never phased by it and she always wonders how I can just let it slide off my back the way that I do.
She had a fantastic idea to take the worst of the worst comments and messages and place them over a beautiful inspirational graphic and make light of such hateful comments.
And there we had the birth of my inspirational quote memes!
You can see them all here:
Inspirational Quotes
Most Popular Website Posts
Between January 1st and December 29th my website had 435,086 views by 268,173 unique visitors.
The top ten countries who visited my site were
– USA
– Canada
– UK
– Australia
– Germany
– Italy
– Netherlands
– Ireland
– France
– Sweden
The most popular pages visited on my site in 2022 were:
– My Home Page: 43,684
https://freaktography.com/
– 1960’s MILLIONAIRES ABANDONED $12,000,000 Mid Century Mansion: 16,524
https://freaktography.com/abandoned-12-million-dollar-mid-century-mansion/
– Peter Grant Mansion – Largest Abandoned Mansion in Canada: 16,505
https://freaktography.com/peter-grant-mansion/
– $40 Million Dollar Abandoned Mansion With A Secret Bunker: 16,201
https://freaktography.com/40-million-dollar-abandoned-mansion-secret-bunker/
– Early 1900’s Abandoned Victorian Mansion: 9,154
https://www.freaktography.com/early-1900s-abandoned-victorian-mansion/
– Abandoned Gothic Mansion of a Reclusive Eccentric Artist: 8,275
https://freaktography.com/abandoned-gothic-mansion-of-a-reclusive-eccentric-artist/
– The Abandoned St Thomas Psychiatric Hospital: 7,281
https://freaktography.com/urban-exploring-the-abandoned-st-thomas-psychiatric-hospital/
– Rockwood Asylum for the Criminally Insane: 7,029
https://freaktography.com/rockwood-asylum-for-the-criminally-insane/
– Abandoned Century Manor Insane Asylum: 6,565
https://freaktography.com/abandoned-century-manor/
Here are some photos from the 8 most popular pages on my website mentioned above.
Most Watched YouTube Videos
As of the statistics on December 29th, my YouTube channel has seen the following in 2022
– Views: 1,987,354
– Watch Time: 200,100 hours
– Subscribers gained: 12,500, for a total of 79,652
Of my top ten most viewed videos in 2022, 7 of them were posted before 2022, YouTube is weird that way!
I posted 93 videos between January 1st and yesterday, I should have one more to post before the 31st.
Here is a look at my top 10 most viewed videos on YouTube in 2022, see the links attached to each picture to watch them if you like.
Abandoned Untouched Time Capsule House with Human Remains and Guns Found
Very Sad Abandoned House, Body Stain Left Where Woman Died.
ABANDONED FOUND GUNS and MONEY in Abandoned Country Home
Exploring a Bankrupt Billionaires $20 Million Dollar Mansion
Breathtaking $4,000,000 Custom Mansion That Was Abandoned
I Found a Harley Davidson in an abandoned house full of live bullets!
Exploring A Notorious Abandoned Insane Asylum
Exploring the Canadian Niagara Power William B. Rankine Generating Station and Tailrace
Abandoned House With EVERYTHING Left Behind
Exploring An Actual Abandoned Haunted House
In Summary
I have made a lot of new friends and relationships in 2022, maintained many existing friendships and another friendship that means alot to me was patched up and strengthened.
That pretty much sums up 2022, a very successful year personally and professionally, thanks to everyone who is along for the ride. As I say every year, I hope that my photos, videos, posts and stories help you in some way, whether it’s a break from your day, a relief your stresses, a brief escape or maybe even a deep dive down a very long rabbit hole on my website or YouTube channel.
As much as I do all of this for me, I also do it for you!
Happy New Year and here’s to a great 2023
Wow what a great year you had! Love the stats, you were watched almost 2million times! And you took us to some amazing places, thank you so much for sharing what you do and in such a mellow, entertaining and friendly environment 🙂 you are truly one of my favorites. I hardly watch any and I only comment to you and maybe two others because you make us feel so welcome. Happy New Year, can’t wait to see where you take us in 2023!! 🥳🎉