Just being me... | Squat the Planet

Just being me...

Shoestring

Professional Hobo
Banned
Joined
Jan 15, 2009
Messages
232
Reaction score
74
Location
Rolling, empty boxcars to Sioux Falls, South Dakot
Website
www.youtube.com
Hello all!
I'm "Shoestring". I acquired the name Shoestring from my father who also rode freight trains. He of course was a real "STP'er", (Steam Train People). He rode freight trains during the 1940's and 1950's. He rode for roughly 17 years solid. They called him "Doc" during his glory days.

I moved 26 times before I graduated high school, so trains may or may not have been simmered into my blood from all these moves, of course I believe it came both from this and being biologically born of another professional hobo!
Anyway, I was and still am to some degree a bit quiet and shy. This is most likely my reasons for wanting to ride alone thus belonging to the "ITRA", (Independent Train Riders of America) for 19 years during my train hopping career.

I found out about my liver cancer early last spring and had to get a "homebase" so I could get medical issues taken care of. (I started chemo a few times since spring, but it sure does make me feel worse than the cancer itself)! I still push myself too hard in trying to ride with all this shit going on with me! I'm taking tons of narcotic pain medications now for the cancer, thus this is what gets me into trouble being that I can't really "feel" the pain as bad and then I'll get myself way out somewhere on a freight train and run low on my pain medicines and then reality hits me hard right smack in the face like a tube of lipstick on Tammy Fay Baker! I then am stuck out on the side of the railroad tracks or inside a boxcar in dire abdominal pain and wish I'd never left my apartment in Sioux Falls here where I'm now! (I really have got to realize that I'm sick and should not be doing what I'm doing), but you know how that "Wonder Lust" builds up inside of your bloodstream and you feel like you're going to burst at the seams then you fly out the door and down to the railroad yard and you ride,...you ride and you ride hard! It's the only way that you can sleep, it's the only way you know how to function, it's the only thing that you know to do to get your mind together, and that's to ride, ride and ride, so ride on my brothers. Ride on hard like there is no tomorrow, because when you are faced with knowing that your train riding days may soon be over, all that you want to do is be happy, and for me, this is riding my freight trains and walking into camp and saying hello to my fellow train riding brothers out there! So, to all my brothers out there that might read this whether you know me from past train hops or you're meeting me for this very first time, I say, be good to one another and keep each other safe out there on the rails and make sure your fellow brother does not get hungry or thirsty because I believe what comes around all goes around, so help each other out the best that you can!

"Shoestring"
 

Uncle Stinky

Old Dog--Can't See, Can't Hear, And Right In The D
StP Supporter
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
49
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52
Lost my mom to cancer a few years ago. The cancer was bad, but I know that the chemo was what really finished her off. The antibiotics she was on with the chemo made way for an overgrowth of the bacteria clostridium difficile, and the resulting diarrhea didn't allow her to get any nutrition.

Glad you're still here and fightin'.
 

Shoestring

Professional Hobo
Banned
Joined
Jan 15, 2009
Messages
232
Reaction score
74
Location
Rolling, empty boxcars to Sioux Falls, South Dakot
Website
www.youtube.com
Me too! The pain medicines are making me blind to the facts, (if you know what I mean)?! I am fooled into thinking and actually forgetting about what the culprit is. (I get out a start riding thinking all is OK, then BOOM!!!
I get hit with reality. But without the meds, I can't, and don't want to even try to cope being the severity of it is so dang bad! But too like you were stating about the other meds (antibiotics), also as well give me bad diarrea, but you have to take 'em!
My immune system gets so low when I'm on the chemo that I almost always had/have to be on antibiotics as well as the large amounts of narcotic pain drugs. (I also make my own "poppy tea") and if I find enough good pods, I can really make up a hellatious pain killing batch!!! LOL!!!
Lost my mom to cancer a few years ago. The cancer was bad, but I know that the chemo was what really finished her off. The antibiotics she was on with the chemo made way for an overgrowth of the bacteria clostridium difficile, and the resulting diarrhea didn't allow her to get any nutrition.

Glad you're still here and fightin'.
 

jabbyscabby

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Messages
71
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6
Location
Auburn CA (hometown)
OH MY GOD....is your dad still alive?
I met a man that went by doc like a couple months ago in my home town Auburn California ....he talked about having a "son or sons" he has written CC and is working on a new book. And has said something about how family in Washington has been through a flood so he's hopping out up that way to help out than hit Alaska....
He might not be your dad but if that sounds right what a fucking small world!!!
 

Shoestring

Professional Hobo
Banned
Joined
Jan 15, 2009
Messages
232
Reaction score
74
Location
Rolling, empty boxcars to Sioux Falls, South Dakot
Website
www.youtube.com
I only wish it were my dad! He passed away in 1990. Right before he died is when he gave me my rail name too.
Thanks for sharing that information about another rider called "Doc". I was not aware of another rider with that name. I don't remember my dad ever talking about another rider he met with that name either. (That's cool he's writing a book too).
OH MY GOD....is your dad still alive?
I met a man that went by doc like a couple months ago in my home town Auburn California ....he talked about having a "son or sons" he has written CC and is working on a new book. And has said something about how family in Washington has been through a flood so he's hopping out up that way to help out than hit Alaska....
He might not be your dad but if that sounds right what a fucking small world!!!
 

bote

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
665
Reaction score
165
Location
Baie des Chaleurs
He might not be your dad but if that sounds right what a fucking small world!!!

no disrespect, but it's pretty funny that you thought train doc might have been riding in the 40's (c'mon, he's not THAT old). But it is a small world,
and speaking of which, shoestring, it'd be nice to meet you somewhere on down the line, take care of yourself.
 

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