Hobbies

Life with a spinal cord injury does have challenges, but it doesn’t mean you can no longer have any fun. I have a few ways that I keep entertained and active.

Railfan

First, I enjoy trains and railroad related items, also known as a railfan. I live between two of the major rail lines in Iowa and can go an hour north to watch Union Pacific trains or an hour south to the BNSF. I enjoy getting out by the tracks on a warm day and waiting for the next train. Most of the time, I also try to get my excursions recorded and put them on my YouTube channel. Unfortunately, time and responsibilities make it hard to get out as often as I would like.

Due to this, I follow several other railfans on social media and watch their videos. I like seeing reporting marks recorded and seeing the entire train to really feel like I’m part of the action. I have also done some HO model railroading, but not as much as I would like.

Computer Games

Due to chronic skin problems, I spend a lot of time laying flat in bed. While flat, I can watch online videos, but I like to stay somewhat active and therefore play computer games. My primary entertainment for the past few years has been Farming Simulator by Giants software. It gives me a small taste of working the fields and tending livestock like many of my relatives have, and continue, to do. American Truck Simulator is also a game I play and you can watch as I run Quad Lines Trucking.

Other games I have spent time on are Microsoft Train Simulator and Flight Simulator. More recently, Starcraft II and even Minecraft. Yes, some games are a challenge with using a mouth stick to control the computer, but with persistence and the right tools it can be done.