Watching for the first time since he passed this was one of my favorites RIP Mark

Godspeed Mr. Nichols, We Thank you for all you gave, And All you have given.. R.I.P Shoestring... ✌

Nothing better then a shoestring video on a Friday night. Hell yeah.

The Harpers Ferry area is gorgeous! Thanks for the tour and history lesson Shoe!

Viewer from the UK here, the US is such an amazing place, the landscape you guys have is just incredible. Harpers Ferry is on my bucket list , I have this idea that it’s somewhere I would love hunker down and retire to someday. Probably never happen but I can always dream. Keep up the fantastic work Shoestring and stay safe 👏❤️

Shoestring, thank you for your train rides through America. You give a great appreciation for what we have. Your sacrifices are greatly appreciated.

This guy is a walking-talking encyclopedia & tourist guide to both rural America and American railroad history...👍

Shoestring, your world is a living legend. I could binge-watch your videos 24/7.

Shoestring, your knowledge of geography is amazing and impressive . . . .

I have watched all the previous videos. I have the rest to watch. I will slowly work my way through them. Shoestring you were an inspiration to all of us. You have forever to ride them golden rails. You went on ahead of us, but we will be along someday. ❤

I find your videos very soothing and relaxing to watch. I like the way you're never in a hurry. You seem like such a humble, down to earth kind of person. I'm so glad you're healthy and back on the rails.

I live in the UK , it is so nice to see the places that i have only read about in books. The US is really a great country , all that open space, reminds me when i lived in Africa years ago. Thanks ShoeString, you are a legend.

Your encyclopedic knowledge and video production skills are truly amazing. You could have been successful in many different pursuits, yet your choice of riding the rails makes these videos all the more worthy of designation as national treasures. May safe passage and healthier days bless you on these journeys.

Thanks Shoestring, nothing better than seeing you on the rails, doing what you do best 👍😀

Your knowledge is awesome..

Black raspberry ice cream?! My lord that sounds delicious!

Hey,you're in my neck of the woods. I live in Berryville Virginia. That is south of Hagerstown. Watching your videos are great. Glad to see you feeling better. Have a safe trip home.

Man your videos are amazing. When you stop and talk about the places like you do on the bridge over the river I love to hop onto maps and find the location, not always easy but I’m pretty sure you can just see that coffee sign up on that hill on Apple Maps. Keep doing what you do and stay safe bro. Big love from the UK.

Happy belated birthday Shoestring🎂. Just a small correction for you, the block of ice going up endless stairs, was not the Little Rascals, it was the 3 Stooges. And the stair climber was the late Great Curly!

Thank you so much Mark for sharing this video. Love the history geography lesson. Be safe.

Some great history here Mark really enjoyed this video stay safe

Nice video! Glad you had a safe ride. I recently caught out of Cumberland MD, and rode over 100 miles on the CSX Mountain Sub, one of the former B&O railroads most scenic routes, I have a video on my channel of the ride. It's really nice up there riding through the different regions of the Appalachian Mountains. Thanks for the great video Shoestring, be safe!

I did a welding job up In Harper’s Ferry at a campground and zip line place overlooking the fork in the river. It was a brewery that they were adding. It was awesome in the afternoon overlooking the river and being able to see the railroad. Awesome memories. Much love to you Shoe and prayers for safe travels 🤙 I also worked at Troegs Brewery in Hershey and the NS main ran right behind the place. I couldn’t get a damn thing done for train watching. 🤣😂

This dude really knows history and many other things

Not even bear spray slows down the shoestring, happy day's keep safe and be lucky.

Hello from South Africa. Love these videos, especially your unique story telling and knowledge of the railways.

There he is 👍👍 🚂 Holy Shit.. Sorry Shoestring but that Bear Spray Bit was Funny z $#@&..😂 And that Balloon is the Next UFO SIGHTING...Love this Channel 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Love your videos shoestring. Keep up the good work and be safe. That sound that you hear isn't the turbo. It's the air compressor kicking on. 😉

I am so glad to see you’re back. And one of your big real fans and if you can possibly help it, please don’t take so much time in between your videos. I enjoy your videos over by coffee on my patio in the mornings you make life a very different place For somebody that doesn’t see very well. By the way, I’m legally blind but I really enjoy your videos and of course I love trains if you ever get in the Baltimore area please I will give you my information for you to look up so you can you’re welcome to stay at my house. Lotta real rich us in Maryland. I’ll try to private text you. In the meantime, keep being who you are and doing what you’re doing because it helps many people see things of this country in a very different way and I think you and God bless.

Well hello brother M !!! perfect timing on catching your new video. p.s. “always” make sure your weapon is safe 😏

12:13 Robert E. Lee and J.E.B. Stuart cornered John Brown and his crew in that very building. It is called the Engine House.

A life being lived. Congratulations finding whats important.

Pro tip. When bathing in a stream, keep your little Shoestring under the water line. LOL.

I'm in morgantown wv keep safe happy riding

I haven't had a chance to watch your last couple of Videos. Glad you are still doing fine! Great Trip👍🇺🇸

So much knowledge from just one video. I’m from UK and I feel like I was on a tour. Thank you so much

Thanx for the ride and history lessons Shoestring! Safe travels and God bless! 🙏

Great video, love watching your videos. i always learn something from you. Thank you.

The tagged balloon was a neat deal - wonder where it will travel? You should attach a printed tag to the plugged neck so the finder can report it's end location. It should be dated, numbered, release location, contact information and the other side a Shoestring tag. About 1985 Mom's neighbor farmer found a balloon downed in his spring corn planting, it was a 3 week old elementary school release project from LaPlata, MD landing in Stewartstown, Pennsylvania (yes the oldest operating shortline-the Stewartstown Rail Road). Mom returned the card to the school in the mail, it was the last of those found as the rest went East to New Jersey and Eastern Shore Maryland (not North). The youngster became a pen pal with Mom and we followed him into life.

Thanks for the excellent tour, Mark, I'd love to make it back there to visit and learn some history.

I love your kit / gear / Bucket full of essentials as always stay careful Buddy 💪🇺🇸🙏

Great trip Mark! I believe you have started the tradition of releasing a Shoestring balloon on every video! "Incredible Shoestring" 😄

Thank you Shoestring for a great video, Sorry about that bear spray, nasty stuff.

Great video! Been all those places by road but so cool to see them from rail.

Spent two weeks in harpers ferry the ice u got was amazing and there pizza wasn't bad bathed in the shanado river too!!! Miss traveling even more now be safe ride safe and God bless brother

Hey shoestring thank you for the history lessons keep up with you videos their awesome

hi Shoe string this video was really great thank you

Hey! it's always great to see a video from you! So glad that bear spray didn't hit you in the face! That's a close call for sure! Stay safe and God Bless!

Always brings a smile to my face seeing ya out in your element,ride on brother.

Great to see you back on High Iron . Hobo Steel Shoestring 🥾

Have fished this area tons of times and bicycled the C&O canal from Cumberland MD to Washington DC (186 miles)... its a beautiful part of the country and a lot of civil war history in this town and surrounding areas. I was fishing about 15 miles downstream on the day you posted this video... should have come by to say hello to Mr. Shoestring... these videos are very enjoyable; keep em coming Shoestring!!!

Thanks for the ride Shoestring, Stay safe and keep well!

Hope the balloon makes it to Texas! Great vid and glad you didn’t get that bear spray in your face! Incredible Shoestring!!!😊 take care!

OUCH! That bear spray sounds really painful . Sorry you had to deal with that . I love your videos . Ive always been fascinated with train yards, & trains, & train graffiti . In fact Ive photographed train graffiti for years in the Old City in Knoxville, when trains used to stop in Knoxville . That was cool what you did with that helium balloon

Really funny video lol incredible shoestring lol thought he seen a Grizzly lol

Loved that thumbnail.....! Beautiful scenery at Harper's Ferry. Roanoke Virginia is a great small city to hang out a day or two in the downtown areas..., In the early to mid 1900s it was a booming railroad town, whose economy flourished with its influence. Lived there in the late 1980s during my university days. Nowadays the locals are heavily promoting natural history, outdoor sports and local culture tourism in S.W. region of VA.. Stay safe!

These videos just keep getting better and better. Stay safe out there Shoestring. My the grease be on your wheels. 🚂 🎸

shoestring thank u for this beautiful scenery that someone from NYC would never get to see,so serene and historic too!! I've seen things through ur videos its like taking a video vacation!! Thanks shoestring ur the best,enjoy our ride,be safe and godspeed

You sound Great Shoestring. The best I've heard in years. Always love seeing your videos.

Great content . Ive never been to that area . That looks beautiful around there . Thats interesting what you said about hikers switching out gear for North & South travels, lightening their load . I never thought about that . Looks like a very photogenic area . Thanx for your video

I know you talk a lot about trains. I was thinking of all the civil war Stonewall Jackson and President George Washington at Harper's Ferry. Lots of American history in this area. Good video Glad you didn't get burned in the face!! Blessings and Blue Skies on your travels.

Hope you're feel GREAT Mark,careful Mark they might see your flashlight shining

Have fun and be safe brother. Sending good wishes from Thornton Kentucky in the beautiful Appalachian mountains.

Thanks for showing us this pretty scenery few get to see this view

The scenery shot at 830 looking at the tunnel is awesome! Just started watching your videos again, so now I gotta ketchup! Have a great day brother! Safe travels! That's some good looking ice cream too!

LOL- I got some bear spray on my hands and was stupid enough to touch my face. I "thought" I had cleaned it off my hands. No way! It burnt my eyes so bad I couldn't see. Thanks for the Harpers Ferry video. One of my favorite placed on earth!

super enjoyable content.

Innovative way of getting the name brand out loll! Cheap too Nice! 👍

Went to Harpers Ferry last year for the first time, heading back in December. It’s absolutely beautiful.

You're amazing Shoestring!! Loved the video. You take care and stay safe out adventuring on the rails.✝️🚂🚃

Great video shoestring..

Interesting to see You go into Harpers Ferry and catch out on NS again Southbound towards Lynchburg. Glad You didn't get Your face with the bear spray,pretty scenery and area at Harpers Ferry, stay safe riding Brother!🛤🚂

That's incredible! Cool balloon!

Interesting/informative/entertaining. Excellent photography job enabling viewers to better understand what the orator is describing. Viewing this presentation from the comfort zone of my computer room. Along the " Space Coast "🚀of Florida 🐊🐊🐬🐬. Wonder if the " String " ever spent any time in this region -???. Remember the " Singing Break Men " Jimmie Rogers -??? A genuine break men till switching to a singing entertainer 🎸🎶. (1926 thru 1933) most popular song. " Break Man's Blues "😭. For more " Hoboism " Hobo Times journal on the internet. Wishing viewers a safe/healthy/prosperous(2024)🌈🎉💵😉.

Haven’t seen one of your vids in a while 💁,must be Mrs KZfaq algorithm doing it’s thing,great vid mate cheers from Australia 👍✌️👌👏🙏

Damn, that bear mace is evil Shoestring. Ive walked into Harpers Ferry twice on the AT. Once from Maine and once from Georgia. Thanks for the memories buddy! It is a gorgeous area of the US. ❤ 🤙

Great video Shoestring! Only Amtrak stopped when I visited Harpers Ferry, so its awesome that you were able to ride in.

Nice to see you back on riding. Have an safe ride.

Thoroughly wnjoyed your video as I always do Shoestring, thanks for sharing it with us

Nice video String. Nothing like kicking back after a crappy day at work and watching the new video. Harper's Ferry looks like a nice place to explore. Beautiful countryside and love the history behind it. Sorry you got hit with the bear spray. Thank the Lord it didn't get you in the face. That stuff is some nasty ass sh*t for sure. Sorry you had to throw away you Big Boy shirt 😔 I'm glad to see you out on the rails and enjoying the freedom. Happy to see you happy and healthy and out where you are truly the happiest. Safe travels brother. Take care and Godspeed 💕

Mark - keep your bear spray in a heavy duty plastic bag, so if it goes off again like that it'll spray into the bag and not on you. :)

Sorry to hear you got Sprayed by the Bear Spray. I think I would keep it in a Freezer Size Ziplock Bag. 👍

I thought you were coming to Hagerstown where I live missed you last you came thru.

Oh, this makes for a great start to the weekend! I've been hankering for a ride on the rails with you. Thank you shoestring ! 😊😊😊😊

So, on the bear spray (pepper spray) the first aid I was taught in the Coast Guard is antibacterial dish soap, lukewarm water, and wash with your fingertips. Do not use an abrasive cloth, etc. Rinse with as much water as you can. If you get it in your eyes, tilt your head back and continuously pour fresh water into your eyes blinking them rapidly at first and then force them open. A large bottle of water works great. Even though the sensation goes away, avoid rubbing your hands on affected areas and then touching your eyes. The residue will still be irritating. That residue goes away in a couple days.

Make one in hopkinsville Kentucky I'll come out and see ya ❤❤

Forks of the river, good spot to wet a line.🎣

Oh look in the River , it’s Bigfoot taking a bath!

Keep on keepen on stay safe out there

Great vid!

That was very nice of that train man to help you out . Even at night your videos are so fascinating . Thats a neat way to charge your phone . Frozen fingers dont sound too fun . Sooo glad you didnt drop your camera just then‼💥👀 Safe travels

When you use in your flashlight at night shoestring aren't you afraid of the bulls will catch you😮

Awesome video Harper's Ferry is a cool place been there a few time need to get back there some time soon

Was in Harpers Ferry just a couple weeks ago, the view from the Maryland Heights overlook is awesome! Lots of history in that little town. Had ice cream from the place you mentioned! Glad to know we picked the right one haha

Been WAY to long. Great video thanks Mark. Keep em comin.

Thank you. America is some beautiful country and you show it off well.

The viking ship intermodals are pretty rare in the US now. They don't allow you to open the containers because of the end cross bars. I think a bunch of them that were once owned by Sealand ended up in Panama being used for the Panama Canal Railway.

Really nice scenery!

Feel bad for you about the bear spray but surely enjoy your history lessons on your trips. Like your videos Shoestring.

Great video of the beauty at Harper’s Ferry.