“No trespassing,” he said. “It’s posted no trespassing.”

I’d ridden my bike over to a construction area to snap some shots of the site.

It turned out that I wasn’t the only one curious: a family was cycling here and there, just as intrigued as I was. They bumped their way down a staircase, and the girl called out “Hello, fellow biker!” as she rode below.

A security guard emerged from one of the buildings, followed the family down the steps, said something, and left. It was all very civil. They wandered about for a while longer before they left, so I don’t know what he said, but it seems obvious that it wasn’t, “Get out now!”

Since I was in the area, I decided to cycle on over to the Mystery Building: a long structure that had the air of a conference center but was eternally empty.

It was as I was leaving that I had my encounter with the security guard — different site, different bloke. This one was driving a battered Ford that appeared to date from the late ’80s. He waved at me as he approached, so I stopped.

“No trespassing. It’s posted. You can’t ride a bike here.” He said it as if I were riding into a wedding reception: full of indignation, shocked that I would even consider pedaling through the parking lot.

Many possible replies ran through my head, most of them sarcastic.

• I “can’t” ride my bike here? Well, clearly I can, because I’m doing it. Perhaps you meant to say, “You’re not permitted…”
• There was no “No Trespassing” sign at the entrance; therefore, it’s not “posted.”
• (Ignore him and ride on.)
• Rats! This was my absolutely favorite place to ride.
• Can you hold that pose for a moment. I want to get a picture for my blog.

It’s amazing how quickly I end up sounding like my students. Yet I managed to control myself and simply say, “Okay.”

The security guard drove off, stopping again to talk to a woman walking through the parking lot. For my part, I stopped to look carefully — oh so carefully — for a tell-tale sign. Nothing.

I ended the short ride at the new Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research facility.

I don’t know how occupied it currently is, but they have parking for a lot of cars…

Which I guess is somehow appropriate.