About the Project
In October 2004 my wife Sharon and I, Randy, lost our residence on Pensacola Beach to Hurricane Ivan. Instead of treating it as a disaster we made this an opportunity for us to pursue our dream of traveling the U.S. in a motor home. During our four-year adventure on the road, we noticed numerous lone shoes sitting on the side of the road. We began to get intrigued by how many there were, and the fact that each of those shoes had to have belonged to someone, but who? Were they male or female, young or old, rich or poor? How did it end up alone on the road? The inherent mystery tied to these images is the untold story of each shoe, the viewer cannot help but create that story in their mind.
So what we have decided to do is catalog the shoes we come across through photographs along with the stories of Adventure that accompany each shoe. Hence the birth of the One Shoe Diaries™. The shoes are left in their original state, we do not alter or move them.
We have since stopped living full-time in the motorhome and currently reside back in Pensacola, Florida. Many events have happened since we first started out on this journey of life after Hurricane Ivan. We journeyed cross-country, we lost our sweet Noah at birth, we were blessed with Nora shortly after, we endured the BP oil spill as it wrecked our beaches and economy, I lost my mother and most recently Jinny passed away. Life throws lots of ups and downs and we invite you to experience ours with us. We hope you enjoy our ever-growing collection of shoes and the stories attach to them.
Most recently discovered Lost Soles
Latest Stories from the Road
Lost Sole #371 Dedication
Tucked away in the Blackwater River State Forest, north of the beaches and far from the hustle and bustle of the tourists, is a magical place called Adventures Unlimited situated on the banks of Coldwater Creek. It is an outdoor enthusiast’s heaven. You can kayak clear, spring-fed creeks, mountain bike the local Black Bear Lake trail, or hike the Juniper Creek trail. And for those that like the rush of adrenaline there is a zip line canopy tour with 14 platforms that allow you to shoot across tree tops and rivers.
The Goshen Green Fog
One thing Skippy is known for unfortunately, has been his flatulants, or farts as most people refer to them. Ever since I can remember it has been a problem. However Skippy has had fun with his “talent”.
A story that goes way back, back when we around 12 years old, is from our trip to Hershey. We never actually made it to Hershey as we got into trouble for horsing around and his mom punished us by bypassing Hershey but I digress.
Noah’s makes his presence known on his B-day
We make a point to celebrate our little boy Noah’s birthday every year. It is a very hard day for us yet very special and one we look forward to. Sometimes it does not make sense to call it his birthday as he was never born that day. While Sharon did deliver him physically, his spirit had already passed on. He never took a breath.
A ritual we do as a family is got to the same place on the beach and release balloons up to him with Happy Birthday wishes on them. And not to let Nora out we let her send up a pink balloon . . .