When Norm Rixon woke up this morning, he expected it to be like any other morning with some coffee, news and time with Shifty, his dog. Instead, he awoke tied to train tracks in a dusty location outside Joshua Tree, Calif.

"I did not expect that," said Rixon, 32.

Despite his predicament, Rixon said he felt confident things would work out for him.

"Oh, this will be fine," he said. "There's no way the train will just hit me."

As Rixon spoke, a small crowd of people gathered nearby. Tanya Hansen, a 29-year-old teacher from San Bernardino said she felt bad for Hansen, but that she wouldn't feel right helping him.

"I mean, someone went to the trouble of tying him there, right?" she said. "Who am I to change that?"

Rixon said it wasn't Hansen's responsibility to help him.

"It's not her problem," said Rixon. "It's going to be fine. Someone will do something. You know, someone in charge."

As it the train became visible over the horizon, Rixon began to reflect on the choices he made that may have led him to being tied to a train track.

"Signing up for that 'Tie You to a Train Track and Leave You to Die" contest was probably a mistake," said Rixon, the train within a quarter-mile and not slowing down. "But I didn't think they were serious. Jeez."

Even in the end, Rixon refused to give up hope.

"I really think the train will, you know, stop being a train," said Rixon, the train within 100 yards, horns blaring wildly. "Seriously, everyone needs to just stop overreacting. It'll be fine."

--WKW