abandoned: The All-American Ruins Podcast

An accidental pitstop at the ruins of a motorsports track becomes a silent meditation on spirits, open carry laws, and the function of fear as an explorer of the past. Walk with Blake through a history full of the distant sounds of race cars burning rubber around and around the track, surrounded on all sides by the sunny plains of Colorado in autumn.

All-aboard as Blake guides you to an abandoned double-decker passenger train in the middle of the California desert. While wandering the ruins of the great American railway industry, join Blake as he reflects the evolution of transportation, the unraveling of corporate greed, and his lifelong love of trains, deserts, and making music.

This episode features:

• Omen Sade

“American Train” written and performed by Macabre Americana:

• Willy Coon
• Laura Dadap
• John Gilmartin
• Lacey Madden
• Blake Pfeil

A last-minute decision to peek into the abandoned Irish Centre of Pittsburgh transforms into a daydream of a haunted heads-up penny and the assassination of JFK. Nestled among the City of Steel’s rolling hills, join Blake as he guides you through a forgotten cinder block sanctuary of the past, where he reflects on the death of his first love and how the grief from the loss helped him survive.

This episode features:

• Nicholas John Casey
• Julie Novak

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, you can call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can also get support by visiting FindSupport.gov.

What do Blake’s sister, a giant, and a very bad dream have in common? Find out as Blake guides you through the abandoned Tillson Elementary School where he ponders his relationship with his sister and a recurring nightmare he had as a child.

This episode features:

• Megan Pfeil
• Ryan Pfeil