Keep Out

[RGINN]

Went camping last night near Mt. Massive SW of Leadville. Nice day and clear and 18 overnight. However, I forgot that the third gun season is underway, and except for one bright red blanket and a red camp chair, pretty much all my gear is camo, earth tone, and non-reflective. So I didn't wander far from camp and get any good pics. Walked down the road and this 'checkpoint' sure caught my eye. I don't know what they got back in there, but yeah they did have up cameras set up. They had little solar panels set up to power them. According to the county this is a public road, and anybody can walk or drive down it, but I eased on back to camp. I figured anybody that could afford that set up could also afford a little better firepower than what I happened to have on me, haha!

 

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[3xflyfisher]

Makes one wonder what is happening up there. I have come across quite a few roads that are posted or chained, but none that have cameras and such. Possible gold mine up there?

 

[Anduril]

I would ask the County engineers to remove the signage, and cite the owners/installers if they can identify and locate them.

 

[RGINN]

Signs can stay, Anduril. They're right, it's NOT a Forest Disservice road, it's a county road. So you can drive or walk on the road, but don't stop and wander off to the sides. It's probably directed more at tourists or the homeless/not jobless we have up here. My speculation about what's up there...maybe a marijuana grow, a mining claim that is sure to come back and pay off one day, or where Jesse James buried some treasure so the south could rise again. (Stories that he was up here in Halfmoon Gulch) Probably it's more related to the fact that there are some god-awful rich people who have bought a second home or acreage in 'the mountains' for a private retreat. They seem to have a very low tolerance for people, common people anyway, wandering on to their property. (We should cue the 5 Man Electrical Band here for this whole post.) Interesting place and I'll do some research on it.

 

[tamrock]

Being there's a camera. You should go sew ya up a bigfoot costume. Put that on and take a walk around. Don't forget to wave at the camera.

 

[Anduril]

The next neighborhood over from us is a bit more affluent.
One day, I noticed that a new "Private Road" sign had been installed on one of the few 2-lane residential streets that enter this general area.
The road, SW 18th Street, is CLEARLY not a private road. (Never has been, and never will be.)

Essentially, the homeowners here would like their entire neighborhood to be "private" and "exclusive", but that's simply not possible.
SW 18th is somewhat of a minor shortcut to the other major roads for those in the know. The traffic counts are therefore somewhat higher than you might otherwise expect for a residential neighborhood.

Here's my position: If the homeowners wanted privacy and exclusivity, they could have purchased their homes in any of the several hundred country clubs and/or gated communities here, AND, pony up the requisite HOA fees for the privledge. They didn't. But that doesn't give them ANY RIGHT to convert a public road to their own exclusive use, no matter how feeble the attempt. This affluent neighborhood has many speed controls in place already: 20 mph signs (with flashing LED perimeter lights), speed bumps, lots of stop signs, etc...

The sign itself certainly looked very official - black text on a yellow diamond, and mounted on what appeared to be the typical City/County Dept of Transportation support pole. I contacted City Hall about it immediately. The last thing we need is for something like this to take root, and then folks end up getting traffic tickets from some police officer who believes the false signage. The City removed the sign the next day!!

I sympathize with the homeowners of this neighborhood. I really do.
But I draw the line when they try to colonize publicly funded roads and property (and other people's time), for their own convenience and private use.
It almost makes me want to drive the route even more. Even if it's a little bit out of the way. Maybe on a really loud motorcycle?

The person who installed this fake sign probably broke some law -- although I doubt anyone could successfully convince them of that.
Some people...!!

 

[RGINN]

I see the point you're making, Anduril. This is a unique part of the country. We have all these people, maybe they listened to a John Denver CD or somethin, and they want to move to the mountains. They come here, and they can get a job, but what it pays they can't afford to live in a house or apartment. So they squat in the woods. These signs are directed at them. Some of these folks are woods smart, some are dumber than hell. I go out and talk to them when I get a chance, cause I'm interested in what they're up to and where they're from. They're all just tryin to live life and chase whatever dream they have. I have nothing against them, but they are the cause that Montezuma Road east of Keystone, where I used to camp a lot cause it was close, has been closed down to camping. County has put up No Parking Along Roadway signs, and no camping signs. One camping area open for now.

 

[Sandman]

Some of these areas are pot growing areas and protected by bullets.

Let the authorities know.

 

[RGINN]

Not the case here Sandman. They do have them here in the National Forests. Grow season is pretty much over now, illegal grows will not be in an easy walk in location, and they sure will not be posting signs around one telling you to keep out.

 

[pepperj]

In travelling around a lot of states the one stuck out in my mind for "No Trespassing/Private" signage was Colorado. It seemed everywhere I drove there was another sign, now this was years ago (80-83) so probably it worse now. Maybe it was just the part of the state that I was touring.

 

[piegrande]

In the Blacksburg area is a lot of federal park land During various visits, we drove around a lot and never did find any place to go in for a walk. Every road and entrance was posted private property.

 

[Baja]

Being there's a camera. You should go sew ya up a bigfoot costume. Put that on and take a walk around. Don't forget to wave at the camera.

That would be seriously funny!

 

[tamrock]

I think the peaceful and free part of Colorado's is getting pretty much consumed these days. I've seen it being gobbled over the last 38 years now. Week after Thanksgiving week, I have a trip planned to Gold Hill Utah. There I'll be a hundred plus miles from it all. I like the basin & range of west Utah and east Nevada. Ain't no one around out there, except a few who want it that way and some off limit top secret military sites.