Content notes for "Rainshadow Road"

[ysabetwordsmith]

These are the content notes for "Rainshadow Road."

Washington is among the states with the worst roads and chuckholes, even Before.  The documentary Aftermath: Population Zero describes how humanity's works would decay without maintenance.  By 15 A.E. some roads are in very poor repair.

Modern paved roads will last up to around 25 years with low or no maintenance before they start getting worse than many vehicles can handle. Their maximum lifespan is around 40-50 years before they really need replacing, even with maintenance.  Currently, people are doing their best to maintain roads in active use, which is a tiny portion of the former network. Unused roads will degrade. But there's a huge difference in speed based on environment. A jungle can swallow a road completely in just a few years. A forest probably takes at least 10-20 of no traffic before the road gets hard to find. In much of the temperate area, the fragments will probably remain findable -- and followable -- for much longer than they remain driveable. But out west, where it's hot and dry, with little or no assault from snow and salt, the roads could last a lot longer, especially in terms of being able to find and follow them.

Poisonous plants in the Pacific Northwest have caused casualties among campers.

By 15 A.E. commercial drugs getting harder to find, and the surviving supplies are mostly past their expiration dates.  A majority of those still work, but not always at maximum effect.  What's left mostly goes to doctors in communes known for healing, although others will stock what they can get if they find any.  Most people now rely on a basic first aid kit with herbs and other natural remedies.  Medics carry more supplies if they can get enough to do so, based on whatever they know how to use effectively.

Worth noting is that one of the few things quickly put back into production in the Aftermath was aspirin, which can be made from willowbark.

Activated charcoal has many uses beyond poison treatment, and is straightforward to make.

Detox herbs include milk thistle, ginger, and beets.  Here is a recipe for detox beet soup.  Marshmallow root, gynostemma (sweet tea vine), and parsley are also helpful.

Much of fall produce can be stored through the winter. Learn how to keep root vegetables in long-term storage.


[To be continued ...]