Imagine you and your kids riding horses down a quiet dirt road to the neighbor’s place, ready to rope some steers and watch the kids play in the arena. Along the way, a pack of coyotes trots by, a distant herd of donkeys braying, and a covey of quail scurries across the trail. As you approach, you see your neighbors already in the arena, practicing for the upcoming barrel race. Their kids have improved so much over the past few months.

There’s not much noise out here—just the sounds of nature, one of the many reasons we choose to live here. You wave at a neighbor you know by name, soak in the peaceful evening, and watch the sun dip below the horizon, waiting for the stars to emerge in the vast desert sky. For most, this way of life feels like something out of a movie—something rare, even impossible in today’s world. But for us, it’s home. It’s real. It’s a way of life we cherish.

For now.

On March 26, 2025, that could all change.

Like a scene from a bad movie, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) is planning to transform our quiet, natural home into one of the largest Logistics Parks in the United States. Over 4,300 acres of untouched desert will be replaced with concrete, machinery, and nonstop industrial activity—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The peace we’ve known for decades will be replaced by noise, light pollution, and congestion. The wildlife that calls this land home will be displaced. The fresh air we breathe will be replaced by smog, like the kind we see when driving into Phoenix.

BNSF claims they want to be a “good neighbor.” They say they want to “work with us” to ease the transition. But here’s the truth—their way of life isn’t changing. Ours is.

A bad movie indeed. Except this time, it’s not fiction. It’s our reality.