#us40

[railwayhistorical]

Engelmann Peak

One last shot from my trip in September for a new project I'm working on, Englemann Peak as seen from Highway 40 as I was coming down from Berthoud Pass.

This peak, which is 13,368-feet tall, is named after a German botanist, George Englemann, who identified a lot of the flora of the Rockies.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken September 25th 2925.

[mbsposts]

The Open Road, US40, CO by Robby Virus Via Flickr: The open road, on US40, somewhere near Craig, Colorado.

[ledenews]

Construction Projects Altering Holiday Traffic in Wheeling Area

A number of state construction projects in Ohio County will impact traffic flow in several areas.A portion of WV 88, Oglebay Drive, in Wheeling, will be closed from milepost 15.09 to milepost 15.12, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., beginning Thursday, December 14, 2023, through Friday, December 22, 2023, for culvert replacements. Emergency vehicles and school buses will be accommodated. Alternate Routes: Use County Route 9 (North Fork Road), County Route 1 (Short Creek Road), or County Route 7 (GC & P Road) to WV 88 (Oglebay Drive).As is the case with each of these projects, inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances could change the project schedule.A portion of Interstate 70 eastbound will have a lane restriction from milepost 13.5 to milepost 14.5, near the rest area, from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., beginning Tuesday, December 19, 2023, through Wednesday, December 20, 2023, to allow for setting of the digital message sign in the median. Motorists are advised to slow down and expect delays. Alternate Route: Use US 40.A portion of WV 2, from 1001 Main Street to 1032 Main Street, will be restricted to one lane, from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., beginning Monday, December 18, 2023, through Wednesday, December 18, 2023, to access the utilities. Motorists are advised to slow down and expect delays.

[matchcoverlover]

Old Trail Inn

[katedoesfics]

Under Shadow: Chapter 40

It was dark when Najia and Leah returned from their walk. People milled about the fire outside the community center, enjoying cold beer as their day came to an end. Haley and Alex stood side by side, talking quietly just at the edge of the fire’s light. Emily and Sandy sat together in lawn chairs with Elliott. Maru, Penny, Sam and Sebastian were together in a group, watching the children giggle. Jodi and Kent stood near by, watching Vincent and Jas play, while Abigail stood with Leah. Demetrius, Clint, Gunther, and Morris stood casually together, but made no huge effort to talk much to one another.

“No Marnie or Lewis,” Leah observed. She turned to Najia and winked at her. “That’s the second night in a row.”

Najia shuttered. “I don’t want to think about that.” She looked around the fire and noticed Shane was missing, too. She made her way into the community center, curiously, finding him in the dark with a bag over his shoulder.

“Going somewhere?” Najia asked.

“Marnie’s,” Shane said simply.

“Too cool to hang out here with us?”

Shane made his way to her and met her gaze. “Don’t be jealous because I have my own room and you don’t.” He pushed passed her towards the door.

“Where, in the chicken coop?” Najia said playfully, but Shane did not respond. He reached the door, his hand on the knob, and paused.

“Maybe next time you and Leah should get a room,” he mumbled. He yanked open the door and let it slam behind him, leaving Najia alone in the dark.

Najia stared at the door dumbly for a moment before making her way back outside towards the fire. Shane was already gone. She hesitated before returning to Leah and Abigail, her gaze fixed on the flames reaching toward the sky.

“What’s up with him?” Abigail asked.

“I knew happy Shane wouldn’t last,” Leah muttered.

Najia didn’t say anything. She could feel Leah’s eyes on her.

“What did you say to piss him off?” she asked.

“I didn’t say anything,” Najia hissed.

“Okay,” Leah said slowly. “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

Leah hesitated. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Najia met her gaze for a moment, biting her lower lip, then turned her gaze back to the fire and sighed. “No.”

Leah turned back to the fire. “Well,” she started. “At least someone’s getting laid right now.”

“He saw us,” Najia said quickly. She could feel Leah’s eyes on her but she did not turn.

“So,” Leah started. “He’s upset about that?”

Najia shrugged. “I guess.”

“And,” Leah continued, “you’re upset about that?”

“No,” she said quickly.

“Then why do you care?”

Najia pinched her lips together. “I don’t,” she said after a moment.

“It seems like you do.” When Najia didn’t say anything, Leah continued. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put you into this kind of situation.”

“There’s no situation,” Najia said quickly, meeting her gaze.

Leah’s lips twisted to the side. “Maybe we should talk.

Najia nodded slowly and followed Leah into the dark community center.

“I like you,” Leah said as soon as the door closed behind them. “But if you like Shane…”

“I don’t like Shane,” Najia insisted. “I don’t like anyone.”

“Oh.” Leah was quiet for a moment. “Okay. I’m sorry that I kissed you then.”

“I don’t mean that,” Najia said. “I mean… I do like you…”

“But you like Shane, too?”

Najia shook her head. “Look,” she started. “I… This isn’t the kind of world where I’m willing to get attached to anyone. I don’t want to like anyone.”

“Najia,” Leah began. “You can’t help who you have feelings for.”

“Maybe not,” Najia said. “But I can shove them way down and hide them and lock them up and kill them. That’s how it needs to be.”

“You can’t do that,” Leah said.

“I can,” Najia said sternly, almost interrupting her. “And I will.”

Leah hesitated. “If that’s how you want it to be, then.” She took Najia’s hand in hers. “I won’t talk about it anymore.”

“Thank you,” Najia muttered. She met Leah’s gaze. “We can talk again when the war’s over.”

*****

Leah and Najia worked side by side the next morning in the fields, finishing their work from the previous day harvesting the corn. Najia continued to look towards the dirt road, anxious.

“He’ll come back,” Leah assured her. “I’m sure everything went fine.”

“Yeah,” Najia said turning back to the wheel barrow full of corn. In the distance, they could still hear the rattling chain saws on wood. Najia tried to focus on something other than her grandfather. The sound of the axes and chainsaws only made her thoughts turn to Shane. She quickly dismissed those as well and sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Leah asked.

“These menial chores are killing me,” Najia muttered. “I need something more demanding than this or I’m going to go crazy.”

Leah smiled. “Funny thing, isn’t it? How boring safety and security is? And yet, how quickly we latch on to a familiar routine. We’re in a constant state of being torn between the life we knew, and a life of running and hiding and fighting, for our lives.”

“Getting philosophical, are we?”

“If you think about it,” Leah continued, “on some level, we’re all suffering from some form or another of PTSD. Some of us act like assholes, pushing people away to prevent us from getting hurt again. Some of us flirt obnoxiously in order to cover up some deeper trauma. Some of us sleep around as a distraction. And some of us form societies and a sense of order.”

“I think that’s a stretch,” Najia mumbled.

“Denial.” She met Najia’s gaze and smiled as she continued to work. “Just look at yourself, pushing me away.”

“I thought we weren’t going to talk about it?”

“You know what’s really ironic?” Leah continued, turning back to the corn and ignoring Najia. “This role swap you and Shane have made.”

“Excuse me?”

“He would have been perfectly happy if you had just left him alone, but you clung to him, and me, and Abigail, and every survivor we met on the way. Now that we’re here and, for the time being, safe, Shane is clinging to Jas and Marnie and you’re happy to just be alone.”

“What are you trying to say?” Najia hissed.

“Nothing at all,” Leah said, shaking her head. She met Najia’s gaze once more. “I just thought it was interesting.”

“Stop psychoanalyzing me.”

“Can’t help it,” Leah said. “Harvesting corn is such menial work, my mind tends to wander.” She stretched her back. “Normally I would paint or sculpt. What would you be doing?”

“Get off of me!”

“Stop fighting me,” he snarled at her.

The straps around her wrists and neck tightened. She gasped for air as the leather bore into her skin.

“Where is it?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she sobbed.

The straps tightened again.

“Please,” she cried. “I know nothing about Stardew Valley.”

“Probably hanging out with my dad in his auto shop.”

[gardenwife]

Skeletons hoisting a bag-wrapped body. 😂👌 #Halloween decoration worthy of a u-turn. They're on US-40E in between Newark and Zanesville, Ohio. #halloweendecor #halloweendecorations #us40 #roadtrip #route40 #skeleton #creative #halloweenhumor (at Hopewell, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpQKUcZBb2b/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1u6ur19ak59zv

[sociallyblogwards]

#graingrape #sweetts #bexleyohio #bexley #nationalroad #us40 #mainstreet #foodtruck #columbus #columbusohio #centralohio #cbus #ohio #ontheroad (at Columbus, Ohio)

[postcardsfrompennsylvania]

Top: Youghiogheny Bridge U.S. Rt. 40 Since Indian Days a major River Crossing, Washington’s Virginians camped here.

Bottom: Youghiogheny Bridge Built at Great Crossings- old Indian Crossing. Camping Grounds for Washington and Braddock's Army 1754.