Lupo_Bi-Wan_Kenobi

I grew up in a meth house. My mother and (insert whichever physically abusive guy she chose to keep around here) were horrible role models. I left home at 15 to sleep in parks, squats, or friends floors.

Eventually I pulled my shit together and managed to get hired as a conductor for Union Pacific railroad. Within a year and a half I took promotion to become a locomotive engineer(the guy who "drives" freight trains).

Money and stability have never been very high on the totem pole of priorities for me. I've always made decisions from the gut, and just let the adventures happen. I brought my train into Roseville CA one day and observed a group of six hobos playing banjos, fiddles, accordions and trumpets standing near the tracks under an old oak tree. Those people intrigued me, I wanted to know their stories so I went down there after work and introduced myself.

That night after many "fancy beers" as they called them, I just decided to sleep out there in that dusty field with them. We formed a friendship that still goes on today, some of them I consider brothers. The next day we decided I'd ride with them in the boxcars.

I called in sick, and took off. Sitting with my feet dangling out the side of the open boxcar, beer in hand, traversing the massive bridges spanning the waters of Lake Shasta below as the sun was setting as these six musicians began to play Klezmer/gypsy/old timey music from within the boxcar.. something just got into my blood and I haven't been able to stay in one place too long ever since.

I have a lot less money, but a lot more freedom and happiness. In other words, I got rich.

I've seen guys riding trains until they're too old to do much of anything but pass on. For me, I have always avoided doing heavy drugs like crack, heroin, etc. I figure once I'm not able to hop a train, or wipe my own ass.. that's when you really fuckin party, right? An inadvertent overdose doesn't seem so horrible when you're 88 years old and H'd out, at least not in my opinion.

Great questions. My favorite part about the lifestyle is seeing all of the places no cars or other people generally get to see. The rails reach back into areas that are almost completely virgin by appearance. The only people to see a lot of those places are locomotive engineers, conductors, and unbeknownst amount of hobo's they're pulling in tow.

Least favorite part are the laws that make it a criminal activity(mostly talking about train hopping here). I don't feel like anything should be illegal if it causes no harm to others.

What I wish people understood about the lifestyle.. I would say the stigma a lot of people associate towards any sort of homeless looking person, I feel like often times people think they're lesser human beings than themselves. Most people don't even understand that a guy asking for money in front of a store or on a road median isn't a hobo at all. The terms just get lumped together, bums, hobos, vagrant, homeless, etc. I guess I just wish people were a lot less judgmental, a life is a life. Your life only becomes less valuable when you've victimized another life and compromised another's freewill. I think if you're playing nicely, you shouldn't be looked down upon at all.

Currently I'm housed up with an internet connection. I'm collaborating with a few family members and growing an outdoor 215 crop that should be completed in autumn. Once I handle business, I'll have my chips stacked and I'll be on the road seeking a new adventure.