DUBLIN, Ind. (AP) – If you like yard sales, U.S. 40 is the place to be this week.

If not, you might want to steer clear of the highway: the Historic National Road Yard Sale will continue through Sunday along the route’s 824 miles from Maryland through Illinois.

“It’s bumper-to-bumper people all across 40,” said yard sale organizer Patricia McDaniel, owner of Old Storefront Antiques in Dublin, about 50 miles east of Indianapolis.

Betty Skaggs of Richmond, Ind., and Beth Thompson of rural Fayette County will leave their families at home, empty Thompson’s van of most of its seats and begin packing the van with their finds.

“It’s a ritual for us,” Thompson said. “This year, we’re leaving on Friday morning and just working toward Indianapolis. We’ll spend a couple nights there, see what we find further on the other side of Indianapolis.”

It’s not just for homeowners and bargain hunters. Civic organizations take advantage of the crowds by organizing food booths, and churches and other organizations will use the occasion for fund-raisers of their own.

“One of the things that is really unique about this sale is that each town is able to contribute whatever they want,” McDaniel said.

Bill Gebhardt of Centerville, who’s participating for the sixth year, has a cement wall in front of his house that he uses to display items.

“Just some odds and ends. Some collectibles here and there,” he said.

Gene and Joanne Wallen of Dublin plan to sell bottomless chairs for potted plants, old wardrobes, furniture and an old playhouse.

“We have a lot of miscellaneous stuff,” Joanne Wallen said.

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