vale to a real hobo

Hobo Shoestring, as he was known on YouTube until his passing about a month ago.

Hobo was a War On Terror veteran &, from the best of my knowledge, suffered a few missing fingers, PTSD, alcoholism & depression. 
He says he rode 2,700,000 miles on the rails in mainland USA, Canada & Mexico since 1989, that's 35 years. He had a house somewhere, but preferred to be on or camped beside the rails. This looked like him carrying his pack with clothes, camping mat & roll, & invariably a bucket with a radio, food & useful things. Apart from the odd signing of rail buildings or bridges, Hobo was a burden to nobody, &/he seemed to enjoy educating his 197,000 YouTube followers. Some friends often passed on rail movements information, camping equipment & food. 
Although rail employees supported him & let him ride in comfort, Hobo was as often scorned by rail security & police, "the bulls". If caught he was likely to be " run out" or even fined for his efforts. Hobo took great steps to avoid detection by authorities & random street thugs. He avoided homeless people & while having great regard for felloe hobos, those fellows that rode the rails.  
He built up an encyclopaedic knowledge of trains, their types, various movement patterns &  schedules, & types of cars & what they offered with regards safety & comfort.He built this knowledge base from a sharp & curious mind. He would often discover something new & after attempting sound logic to discover its purpose, would at times ask viewers to let him know what it was.
I am no rail fan per se, but really enjoy the way Hobo captured the traditional American hobo spirit.  
Hobo Shoestring in his later years. 

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