Homeward Bound

Shadow is a self-proclaimed "traveling hobo," a term that, to him, means "homeward bound," he said. Originally from Ohio, he left home when he was 16 and moved through several foster homes before ultimately becoming homeless.

Shadow is traveling to the last place he called "home": his old foster home in North Carolina that he has not seen in over 20 years.

Once there, he hopes to find his foster dad, who was the only one he called "dad." The two have not spoken since Shadow left home two decades ago, and he does not know if his foster father is still alive.

Shadow and his "Road Dog," Wolfie, met on the streets of Phoenix, Arizona, and have crept their way across the United States over the past couple of years to Durango, Colorado, and through the desolate Texas Panhandle to find themselves at the University of North Texas campus in Denton -- about halfway to their destination.

Shadow and Wolfie have tried to care for other unhoused people along the way; making friends, getting them medicine and helping them find shelter and food. The pair mark where they have been by collecting pins to put on their baseball caps.

On their journey, the two have had close friends and pets die, as well. They carry the memory of their friends with them by placing a silver clip from a butane lighter on the bill of their hat. Once a hat or the clips are lost, they are not replaced.

Shadow had 10 silver clips on his hat when he and Wolfie arrived in Denton, but lost multiple hats along the way, each with its own set of clips.

The two have holed up at the corner of Avenue A and Fry Street; a bustling area known for its nightlife, where college students bounce between fast food chains and bars every night. During the day, the street is still a high-traffic area for students to park, grab coffee and walk to class.

There is no set date by which Shadow and Wolfie want to reach North Carolina. Instead, the length of their journey is more determined by circumstance.

The pair will travel for a time, then stick around and set up camp in a safe area, even travel backward to help someone. Then the two will move on, traveling to a distant idea of home.

A UNT student plays with a black labrador retriever named Luna; Shadow and Wolfie's newest traveling companion.

Shadow peels an orange in his and Wolfie's "hideout."