Thursday, March 3, 2011

Busted!

I so enjoyed the response to my trespassing post yesterday that I thought to share a tale about one of the rare times we’ve been busted.

 Our road trip through Utah last fall ended in Salt Lake City, our departure city for the flight home. As often happens, we had no plan for our last day, deciding randomly to head north and cross into Wyoming for lunch, (just because we could).





The scenic back roads served to heighten our awe at the sheer scope and majesty of this state. And when I spotted a collection of timeworn buildings at the side of the road, it was a given we would stop for a look. A fellow traveler in full motorcycle gear was regarding the ‘No Entry’ sign with disappointment as we approached…clearly a more law-abiding citizen than either of us! With cheeky grins, we edged through the wide fence slats and were not surprised that the stranger soon followed our lead.
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Such beauty there was in the weathered wood, the rusted hulks of trucks and the pale grass that was steadily reclaiming everything! I almost forgot to take pictures, so interested was I in poking carefully about.
Our peaceful exploration was soon interrupted by a loud screech and rattle as a dusty pickup roared up to the front of the gate. Out of it climbed a young -and very angry- cowboy…the property owner who had spotted us from across the fields.

We made our way quickly and contritely back to the gate to accept our well-deserved lecture on the dangers of breaking the law. It does seem proof of my incorrigibility that while hanging my head in repentance, I could think only that I’d love to get a picture of this wonderful, fierce defender whose cowboy hat bore the sweat stains of hard work, and whose duster coat and battered boots made clear he was the real thing!


We did apologize – profusely and sincerely…it would never be our wish to offend anyone or cause harm to private property. I seek only to preserve in photographs the worn, forgotten memories of times past.
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While he remained understandably irked by our disregard for his sign, the landowner calmed himself when he saw we had taken nothing but pictures. Others have not been so restrained…he told tales of many things pilfered away over the years by looters hoping to profit from this small piece of history.



We most certainly deserved what we got…had this man called the police, who knows what mess we would have been in outside our own country!  But seriously…could you pass by this glorious collection of buildings and cars long abandoned, and not stop to admire? Clearly, we cannot…
I do, however, feel bad that our unwitting partner-in-crime had to bear the tongue-lashing with us…no doubt he would have resisted temptation had not we led him astray. Courting trouble for ourselves is not new, but I think we’re seldom a bad influence on others. Still, you might not want to ask our children about that last bit…:)

10 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

You know that you're a bad influence when you lead a law-abiding BIKER astray! Tsk, tsk, I say.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

The photos are marvellous. I, too, longed to see the fiery cowboy. Wonder what he would have done had you asked him to pose:) What a wonderful adventure.

Olive said...

You are a blogger after my own heart. Joe and I do much the same thing and Joe uges me to take photos of old house and barns all the time when I shouldn't. I love the truck with the gras growing out of it!

Angela said...

You got some great pictures!

Unknown said...

Fabulous photos of what is clearly, a different world.

adrielleroyale said...

These are such great shots! Rags to beauty! ;)

Eileen T O'Neill ..... said...

Lynette,
What a wonderful real life story and you have the photographs, to prove it all!!!
A rather scary encounter, I'd think!

Best Regards, Eileen

Kay L. Davies said...

Ooh, you were a bad influence on me when we went out for tea, choosing a place with all those dainties, including my favourites - scones! LOL
Wow, I'd have been filled with trepidation if I tried trespassing, and would have cried if I'd been busted. Oh, the regret, the remorse, the guilt!
The photos are wonderful, Lynette and I know the young man's lecture isn't keeping you up nights, you're more likely up writing poetry.
Luv, K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

Marvin said...

I fully understand how such a scenic vista of dilapidated buildings and beautiful old trucks would be a temptation hard to resist. Thanks for sharing your photos.

As the cowboy pointed out, people who steal or destroy give all trespassers a bad name and make landowners leery of strangers on their property. Also, I don't know how it is in Canada, but in the US, if you'd been injured while exploring the structures, you could sue for damages. That the land was posted would be in the cowboy's favor, but a jury could still find that the landowner did not adequately prevent your entry and find him liable. Crazy, but true.

Katy Cameron said...

I'd have been climbing right on in there with you with the camera lol