This is a pole I had walked by in the past. I came back to see if it was cut down as many others in my own area had been. This one is in the Albany NY area. I live about 30 miles away. These are not on the same line that run through my village. And as you can see in my pics these two poles are still standing upright. For a further detailed report on my picture taking adventure read on. Things sure have changed since 911.

Will at this location a truck pulled up and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was taking pictures of the poles with the insulators on them. The guy thought I was taking pictures of birds. I asked him if he was with the railroad. He answered he wasn't but claimed to have own the property where the poles stood and wanted to know what anyone was doing there. After all there were no tresspassing signs at the entree point of the service road that lead to his business and the tracks. I didn't wish to dispute who's property I was actually on. However, I did say I thought his property was on the other side of a gated fence that was about twenty feet from the poles. Anyhow, we ended up being friendly towards each other. he went his way and I continues to take my picture as quickly as I could so I could scram. As I did. But the sure doesn't end there.

I knew where there were other pole that used to stand. Really high ones. Even higher then the one I was taking pictures up for this round of postings at Icon. I traveled about ten or more miles to the next area. That's when things started to get crazy. Mostly because of my own stupidity. I had been to this spot before with no trouble. This time I invited problems for myself. On a previous visit at this spot I recall parking on a side street and walked the little extra distance to the tracks. Being insulator drunk or in a hurry to get my pics and be gone I pulled into a spot right next to the tracks and crossing. Far enough away to allow trains to get by. And a train did come by and was able to make it by with no trouble. Whether or not the engineer call law enforcment, I don't know. They did end up showing up. I was a distance away down the track when I saw a squad car through the brush. He had driven his squad car behind a local business and was looking for me. I hoped he hadn't seen me and made an attempt to leave without him seeing me. However, I was spotted and was asked to bring myself to where he was. Wisely I did as instructed. Turned out there was another patrol car back where I had parked my truck. I found that out when I was driven back in the back set of the cruiser.

You can imagine many questions were asked of me. Like what I was doing, did I know I was tresspassing and why would I want to take pictures of insulators on a pole. People who visit Icon understand but these guys hadn't a clue and you know what it is like having three heads as well. Needless to say, I was given two tickets and will have to make a future court date. One was from the locals for parking within 50 FT of a crossing and the other came from the Railroad Police who the locals called in. That ticket was for tresspassing. I was very grateful of the turn out. They were speaking of having my truck towed away and taking me in front of the judge right away. Niether of those things were done and I went straight home with my camera and the picures I had taken and others I had taken at home. All the police liked the pics I had taken both at home and in the wild. They all questioned why these glass thing would be desires but at the same time seemed interested with the education they received from me.

I think my days in the wild are over. This is my second run in with the law. Who wrote those laws anyway? [id=261650163]