So I’ve been pretty much stuck here for about two months. I won’t give too much info because I’m a little embarrassed of my situation. What I will say is that I’ve been really lazy about getting out and walking around. I’m not really sure why but coming back to America has kind of reset my normal routine that I had in Asia. The things that I did on a regular basis in Kuala Lumpur or Taipei don’t really fit in Clovis, New Mexico. Even if those things were location independent, like something simple like walking. I used to love going for a long walk along the Keelung River in Taipei or doing the 3-mile walk to Little India in KL. Ever since I got to Clovis I’ve pretty much done none of it.

So about two days ago I decided to walk around and take some photos. Who knows, maybe if I’m lucky I’ll find something to start my next project on. I am staying fairly close to some railroad tracks and the trains pass by on a very regular basis. I like trains and I thought maybe I’ll go get some footage of them.

So two days ago I take off for the tracks to film some trains going by. It had been a while since I used my gopro but I thought it would be maybe a good video to have a train going over it. So everything went as expected, and of course I ran into problems with the gopro. No worries, I mean this wasn’t any important, just a possible project in the making.

So yesterday I was kind of tempered with the mistakes that I made the day before, I decide to really make an effort. I took both my camera and had the attitude I’m going to get the footage that I need to create something interesting.

I head out and I’m loving the walking. Seriously, I am thoroughly enjoying the feeling of just walking, the crunching of the gravel and the sounds of birds was too perfect. Before I really notice it I’m probably about five or six miles away from my starting point. Besides, my ultimate goal of this walk was to get some footage of trains for a project. I decide to head back and head toward the tracks.

About a mile away I finally make it to the tracks, it’s a crossroads of tracks and cars. The spot is barely marked and is pretty nondescript. There are two cars parked on the right side faced in opposite directions like the drivers are talking to each other. As I’m walking towards the service road along side the tracks I start to hear a horn honking. I ignored it. Even though I didn’t look, I guessed that it was coming from the parked cars. It honked again and again. I still ignored it. At that point I realized that I was the intended “honkee,” but I didn’t care.

I hear the car driving up to me and I of course turn around. This guy, maybe 23 years old tells me that I’m not allowed to be here. I asked why, and he told me it was private property. I said that I’m not doing anything, just taking some photos and he told me that it was illegal to take photos of a train. What!? I could feel myself starting to get angry and decided that I didn’t need the hassle so I walked off toward the road. I ended up walking about 4 miles along a busy four lane highway. A hour and a half I made it home.

I’m kind of mixed on the interaction this this guy. He was driving a truck that had BNSF on the side, but what authority did he have to kick me out? I don’t think that the guy sweeping up at Burger King would have the gumption or right to kick someone out of the building for not cleaning up after themselves. This BNSF guy was no more than 23 years old and definitely not a supervisor, and I keep thinking, maybe unfairly, that he was a supreme douche. It’s been bugging me all day today, a full 24 hours later. I had barely stepped onto the private property… like maybe 25 feet onto it before he jumped.

This site doesn’t have a Supreme Douche award but it did, you, the guy in the BNSF truck are awarded the honor. You can now go home and brag about how you kicked some guy off the service road for taking photos and being on private property. Maybe your girlfriend will give you an extra hug tonight just for being such a big man.