Your memories are truly heartfelt. He was a special kind of person and easy to like. Miss him as well and still wish a new Shoestring video would show up. Thank you for your thoughts and sharing them with us.
Thank you for sharing more of your memories of Shoestring with us, Matt. Those, like yourself, who were fortunate enough to meet, know, and befriend him are genuinely blessed. Before his passing and while watching his vids when on the rare occasion that he would be around other people, shopping up in Alaska, catching rides with strangers, etc, I would think to myself something along the lines of "Man, if these folks only knew the awesome, kind, & down-to-earth human with whom they were just interacting..." Enjoy every moment in life, folks, and stay close to those you love, as we never know when our last grain of sand will fall through the hourglass.
Thank you so much for sharing. I really enjoyed hearing about Shoestring. I wish I could have met him and share the CVSR ride with him on the inside of the train. Take care and keep sharing. We love the story’s.
Thankyou for sharing your memories again Matt. Im lost for words still myself. A big void with his passing. I sat enthralled when you both teamed up. No doubt we all did. It was great to see Shoe with his friends beyond the trains and you were/ are his best. Campfire 🔥 looks awesome. Thankyou for sharing your world with us 👌👍☮️
Thank you Matt for sharing your personal stories about shoestring. There's not a doubt in my mind if I would have discovered his videos sooner that I would have got up with him to go out on the rails with him. I probably lived 5 minutes from him.
Will have to watch later tonight... One of my favorite Shoestring memories was when he first moved to Johnson City and lived in that place downtown-ish. He said he met a woman in his building, and she invited him over for dinner one night. In his video the next day he said: "I told her she looked pretty good for a woman of her age. [Long pause, then...] Yeah, I don't talk to many women these days. I don't think I'm going to hear from her again,." I watched his videos for like 10 years... I'll never forget that moment. It was hilarious, and he knew it. 😂
Thank You Matt for sharing Shoestring stories and yours! A outlet of years or so ago Jaw Tooth got me watching the Shoestring, it seems Mark had sent the Tooth the Hamonica, so from then on I became a Fan! Bless you Matt
Yep, Jawtooth is great! Shoestring & Jawtooth have a couple videos together! They were always fun to watch...Shoestring had nothing but good things to say about Jawtooth
You’re lucky to have met and befriended the legend. Thank you for sharing your memories with us. I know Mark cherished the friendship you two shared! I think you’re talking about George ? The other rail guy. One more thing, was the hat 🎩 shoestring wore, the furry one made of fox pelt?
The next time Shoestring was up in Alaska I wanted him to get me one of those fur hats & pay him for it. I know I can just buy one, but it'd of been really special knowing he got it in Alaska for me.
Thank you Matt for this video. When you tell your stories about Shoestring they bring me a great sense of peace. As long as we remember him, he will never truly be gone or forgotten. I miss him everyday too and its hard for me realizing he's no longer with us. The world is a much darker place without the brightness that Shoestring brought to it. I've been missing him a lot lately too. Last weekend I went out and camped out by the railroad tracks. Just something that I needed to do because when I'm there I feel he's with me in spirit. The fox was a sign that he is still with you. When I least expect it, he will send me a sign to let me know that he's still with me. Keep watching because you never know when he will send a sign. You were a very honored and dear friend to him and you had a very special spot in his life. He will always let you know that he is close by watching over you. I too have long been fascinated by the hobo lifestyle. Ever since I learned about the depression in high school and how some men and women hopped trains and traveled for work, it is always been one of my favorite things to daydream about. To be able to hop a train and see the countryside and travel different places like Shoestring would truly be an adventure. The guy you were thinking of is Ranoutonarail ( not completely sure how he spells it). I've watched a few of his videos. Another gentleman you may like is Jumping Off A Cliff. He has a RU-vid channel. His videos are different than Shoe's but they are entertaining. I watch Anywhere Man Troy as well. He's a good guy and Shoestring really liked and respected him. No one though will ever be able to replace Shoestring. He was a Legend and the last of his breed. Keep on making Shoestring videos anytime you feel like it. Keep his memory alive. Take care. Much love and respect always
Thanks for sharing Matt always enjoy your Stories I know it was a little tough for you tonight It takes a lot of time to heal You're doing it the right way take care of my friend
Thanks for the sharing Your memories of Shoestring, He was synonymous with Railroading and being a Hobo, the one Guy I think 🤔 You were talking about is George from Jumping Off The Cliffs channel, watch Troy and Shoestrings other friend Bazzman some, check out the Yard Buzzards, they travel with there dog and ride the rails from UP, BNSF to out East on NS through Roanoke VA and Christiansburg were I film, take care Matt!🛤🚂
Thanks so much...I'm glad I bring joy to everyone who watches my channel. It's all stuff I do anyway. I just hold up my camera sometimes. Thank my friend
You have a beautiful deck Matt, i love your stories & memories of shoestring, & yes no matter how old you are you always call your mom! My son is 33 & he does i just wish i could call mine 😢. I thought making your video at the diamonds & you talked about shoestring he would be on your mind more than usual & if you would make a video of your memories with him. I really hope it helps you Matt, talking therapy i enjoy listening to you & it makes me smile i miss him & i never met the legend! Take care Matt. ❤😊🥰
Thanks for posting.Got to ride the cuahauga valley railroad for the first time and couldn’t help but think you both rode it.Thanks for the memories.I follow anywhere man and some others but it all started with hobo shoestring.Just started following anywhere man.Wish he was sitting with you also…😕😢
One of my biggest regrets in life was never getting to meet and befriend Shoestring. He was the genuine article -- a very salt-of-the-earth person. We all miss him terribly and lament the fact that we'll never get to see him ride the rails ever again. Thank God for the amazing legacy of videos he left behind. Rest in peace Shoestring, and we'll see you on the other side.
Great stuff Matt, I only knew Shoestring through his videos and I definitely appreciate you sharing your stories about him. Me and a buddy road the rails for about a week in the early '70's from Cajon Pass, Ca. and ended up in Belen, New Mexico (not where we wanted to go) got on a east bound train and returned to Barstow where we got caught by the 'Bull' and was told if we ever got caught again we would be put on a chain gang !! kind of funny thinking about it now. Never jumped on a train again but have always been a Railfan. Thank again for sharing 🚂🐾🐾
Hi Matt...Nice peaceful respectable video. I still think of Shoestring every week and truth be told I did see a fox recently as well. Something in my heart of hearts still feels empty since his passing. I have been busy with life matters but I am not watching much RU-vid lately because it seems empty as well...just like the song that says: "the day the music died". However, we all got to move on eventually at our own pace and find meaning in this. It was sudden and quite unexpected which makes it harder. So time and discussions like this video will be the best medicine. I too was always fascinated with riding in a boxcar as a child and teen. Mark and James gave us the first popular videos of hobo life in our generation. There are others of course who are doing the same and adventures can be found on their videos too, but Shoestring will always be in our hearts to be sure. I am hoping fans like us can all get together at some point and visit or participate in a memorial ceremony. I trust/hope something will come about eventually to celebrate him.
In Johnson city , tn maybe 1976 or so , it was a treat for me to have my mom take me downtown to Ben's sports shop to look at the model trains for sale , it was located near the Southern railroad tracks . I like you was also fascinated by the hobo life and being just a kid I thought there was hobos all over the downtown area . Looking back a lot of the people I thought were hobos weren't actually lol but it thrilled me nonetheless.
The outdoor scene with the fire is a very nice element, pun intended, to add to the vibe of these stories. Have you ever looked up famous people that are/were hobos? My favorite is Robert Mitchum. There are many big names that lived as hobos but, some reason, Robert Mitchum is the one name that really stands out and has me really loving that. There is a movie called "The Journey of Natty Gann" that was a favorite of mine when I was a boy in the 80's and it is something that I connect to hobos, and hobos connect me to it. It has that depression era - hobo vibe. I recommend it. I'm glad you make these videos. So fitting. Shoestring loved you very much. He spoke of you in his videos numerous times. That is exactly how I found you, him mentioning you and asking us to follow you, in his video. Showing the arcade videos. And Shoestring was so right, that is so cool. That gaming center. For people are age, it is true memories, true nostalgia, the love and appreciation of our time; 70's-80's youth and growing up seeing the best two decades ever. Thank you for the video, the stories. We appreciate it so much.
Yeah, I've watched some of the old school Hobo videos on RU-vid, very cool stuff. Yeah, I'm all about nostalgia as I get older, growing up in the 80s was awesome!
Hell yeah that's awesome hobo shoestring burger lol damn i have always thought i knew your name from close to home did you go to Sheridan or lakewood? You sure was a great Friend 👍
That's crazy... I was sitting on my patio yesterday and this beautiful red fox trotted across my back yard. I thought, "I've lived here 5 years and never seen a fox until now." It was just so out of the ordinary and unusual. Yeah, once you got missing teeth ya gotta start eating softer foods. So pickles and raw onion would not be an option on a Shoestring burger.
Matt I can tell you’re struggling tonite. Thanks for sharing with us. I totally understand your pain as today I lost a really good friend at church. That hurt your feeling is proof you will never forget him. Those are once in a lifetime friends and I’m quite sure Shoestring felt the same about you. Stay safe and God bless you my friend!
Amos Root was a pioneer in many ways; helped develop educational tools for deaf and blind children, and was fascinated with the Wright Brothers; Root was one of the first to see a Wright Brothers airplane in sustained flight, including witnessing the first complete 360° turn made by Wilbur Wright.
