This sign has been replaced with one that actually means what they intended this sign to mean, but not before I snapped this picture.  I have always thought it was a funny sign and for many years I just “knew” I had taken a picture of it, but I could not find it.  Yesterday, between doing things outside, I had been asked by Winemaker to go through a box of pictures and try and organize them into “commonality” and if I could, to identify them by date.  I posted on Facebook some dates of unknown pictures and have asked some of YOU to help me figure them out….special times like when Weasel killed his big 3 point buck.  That was a special day for him and me.

There was a large group of us on the muzzleloader hunt and we decided to push a fairly large expanse of trees and brush.  A bunch went to the top to make the push, while some of us were to be on “point” and place ourselves where we thought a buck might come running out.  Weasel picked the perfect spot and sure enough this big old 3 point buck came running out and right close to his position.  His shot nailed the buck perfectly, but the buck was a big one and full of  an “I don’t want to die” attitude.  It took more than one shot to put it down for good and the ending was quite an exciting one as the buck decided it would take out Weasel and  another hunter as they went in pursuit of  it over a small hill and onto a flat sagebrush delta.  The buck lost his head down charging battle as two perfectly placed hunting rounds found their marks at the same time in the bucks body.  What year was that?  I can’t remember and so that is why I have asked for help.

Anyway, during my gazing and reminiscing as I went through the box of pictures, I came across this one.

The sign was placed on Temple Flat at the beginning of a mountain road we call “Moose Road”.  Moose Road is actually quite a ways from where this sign is, but it eventually goes to that road.  For simplicity sake we named it that just so people in our group would know where it eventually comes out and meets up with a main road.  The road usually has a lot of deer along side of it and it sure leads through some beautiful mountain scenes, valleys, canyons and hills.

I suspect two different people came up with the verbiage used on this sign and had they separated the two very different meanings with a line, that sign would probably still be there today….but they didn’t.  And so, to say a road has a very low overhead clearance in some places is not a misnomer as it does have some areas where the top of your rig is most likely going to get a dusting off from the low branches of pines and or brush as you travel along.  If your rig is taller than a usual one, say lifted, you are going to get it scratched up with some scratches that might make you unhappy…say, scratched down to the metal.  Normal rigs will get what we commonly call “mountain pin striping”.  My rig had them all over it and that was Ok with me, as I used it for its intended purpose and didn’t care to have it look like it did when it came off the show room floor and especially after the horses decided they wanted to see what color the metal was under the paint on the hood before I had even made my first payment….another story.

So, Yes “Low Clearance Ahead” is a proper way of putting the condition of the road ahead.

“High Profile Vehicles Only”…..HMMMMMM….if you have low clearance ahead and you have a high profile vehicle aren’t you asking for trouble and taking that chance to scratch your rig down to the metal?  I think I would choose another road.  So, let’s decide what the person was thinking that came up with that statement.  Mountain roads around these parts usually are made up of “clay”…the type of clay that sticks to your tires so badly that you end up sliding off the road if it is at all tipped in one direction.  Like these pictures show you:

And even chains don’t help!

The roads are always filled with large rocks and ruts deep enough to tip over an ATV or even sometimes a jeep.  So, there is definitely a need to have a vehicle with an undercarriage high enough to clear these obstacles or go around them.  Four wheel drive is a necessity as well not only because of the roughness of the terrain but also the steepness of some of the hills.  Of course it always helps if the vehicle is carrying the necessary tools to get you out of trouble if you end up in one of the deep ruts and get high centered.  It happens to the best of drivers, and so in order to carry the tools, one is usually looking at a vehicle like a pickup, suburban, jeep or some such rig.  Handy man jack, shovel, come along, chains, tow chain even a winch on the front of the rig is nice to have, just in case.

This is why I think two people were involved with the making of this sign.  One knew about the low overhead branches and the other the roughness of the terrain.

Anyway, I thought you might get a kick out of the sign.

And not related to this story, I have another picture of another sign of mine that is a fun one:

Bears Butt

May 25, 2014