[Warthog]

Anyone know what's up with the gate that seperates Palo Comado from the private road? I rode there yesterday, and the imposing yellow tubular gate was gone. Instead, there was a new swing open gate, like the type they have in the Chesebro parking lot. There were no "no trespassing" signs on either side of the gate anymore either. Is this some change of policy, or have they just not put the signs back up on the new gate?

 

[Upchuck]

Still closed

Anyone know what's up with the gate that seperates Palo Comado from the private road? I rode there yesterday, and the imposing yellow tubular gate was gone. Instead, there was a new swing open gate, like the type they have in the Chesebro parking lot. There were no "no trespassing" signs on either side of the gate anymore either. Is this some change of policy, or have they just not put the signs back up on the new gate?

I'm pretty sure the road is still considered private property. The ranger's kiosk still indicates the road up to the bottom of Palo is off limits. But without proper signage, who could fault you for using it as a bail out point...

 

[pacman]

I'm pretty sure the road is still considered private property. The ranger's kiosk still indicates the road up to the bottom of Palo is off limits. But without proper signage, who could fault you for using it as a bail out point...

The road is private but it's never said "No Trespassing". A long time ago the head of the parks was quoted as saying there will be no private entrances to parks. Maybe this is the implementation of that. The horse people at the stable just step over their fence to get into the park - a private entrance.

The fence and the gate mark the LA-Ventura county line. There must be an interesting clash of jurisdictions.

 

[Upchuck]

Rider beware

The road is private but it's never said "No Trespassing". A long time ago the head of the parks was quoted as saying there will be no private entrances to parks. Maybe this is the implementation of that. The horse people at the stable just step over their fence to get into the park - a private entrance.

The fence and the gate mark the LA-Ventura county line. There must be an interesting clash of jurisdictions.

The rangers have ticketed riders at the gate up there. I know of one personally. When they are at their trailer on the weekends, the rangers post a sign saying the road is not open to the public.

Playing stupid only works for so long...I should know.

 

[pacman]

The rangers have ticketed riders at the gate up there. I know of one personally. When they are at their trailer on the weekends, the rangers post a sign saying the road is not open to the public.

Playing stupid only works for so long...I should know.

Riders have been ticketed (hearsay) for riding the singletrack that was once West of the gate and now being "developed". As for the gate - no signage - no tickets.

The trailer folks are volunteers, not rangers.

 

[Warthog]

Also, the street area around the gate looks newly paved, FWIW.

 

[Upchuck]

Riders have been ticketed (hearsay) for riding the singletrack that was once West of the gate and now being "developed". As for the gate - no signage - no tickets.

The trailer folks are volunteers, not rangers.

We used to ride the singletrack west of the gate until my riding partner encountered some highly motivated rangers. And no, they weren't volunteers. He rode by and ignored the first one who said "this trail is closed to bikes". The next one was at the end of the trail at the fence. I'd say a written ticket for recreating on a closed trail is more than "hearsay".

True, the volunteers at the trailer do not have the authority to write tickets. But the guys in the fancy 4-wheel drive SUV's with the official logo on the door seem to take offense when the rules aren't followed. You will obviously ride where and when you like. But I'm just sayin'...

 

[pacman]

We used to ride the singletrack west of the gate until my riding partner encountered some highly motivated rangers. And no, they weren't volunteers. He rode by and ignored the first one who said "this trail is closed to bikes". The next one was at the end of the trail at the fence. I'd say a written ticket for recreating on a closed trail is more than "hearsay".

True, the volunteers at the trailer do not have the authority to write tickets. But the guys in the fancy 4-wheel drive SUV's with the official logo on the door seem to take offense when the rules aren't followed. You will obviously ride where and when you like. But I'm just sayin'...

So he may have been the one I heard about. I never met him so I was just warning anyone that my information was just what I've heard, not what I know. But you know, so it's a fact. Riding past a ranger like that was st**id (sorry).

BTW on the little drop where the sign says "Bikers Dismount" do you?

I'll get around to asking the NPS about the gate. Asking doesn't hurt. You're from T.O. so you probably know about the trailhead behind the old Kmart. A local rider was "discouraged" from riding there by some construction foreman. I called the city and found that there is an easement for trail access. Anyone who tries to bluff people away can be told to {politely} stuff it.

 

[Upchuck]

So he may have been the one I heard about. I never met him so I was just warning anyone that my information was just what I've heard, not what I know. But you know, so it's a fact. Riding past a ranger like that was st**id (sorry).

BTW on the little drop where the sign says "Bikers Dismount" do you?

I'll get around to asking the NPS about the gate. Asking doesn't hurt. You're from T.O. so you probably know about the trailhead behind the old Kmart. A local rider was "discouraged" from riding there by some construction foreman. I called the city and found that there is an easement for trail access. Anyone who tries to bluff people away can be told to {politely} stuff it.

I agree, riding away from a ranger is stupid. No offense taken.
As far as the sign on Sulfur Springs, I don't generally obey that particular sign since it actually says "Bikers mount". The guys just wouldn't understand...
Over the years, I've learned to just smile and wave when being reprimanded by local self-proclaimed authorities. You never know what they are capable of.

The worst was a few years back when I was forced off Santa Cruz Trail by a militant SB resident. He was a large ogre of a man who insisted that the trail was closed to bikes. He physically forced me off the side of the trail and threatened me with violence. Once I was down the trail it didn't take much for me to pedal away. The LBS guys said the local authorities were aware of him and were trying catch him in the act of alleged trail sabbotage/booby-trapping.

So when is this 1x1 ride going to occur in Sycamore?

 

[Warthog]

So, several weeks later, and I haven't heard of anyone being ticketed for using the new gate. I've used it a bunch of times, and I always see a steady stream of people riding in or out from that direction when I'm in the lower parking lot. There's still no signage on the gate aside from one that says "no unauthorized vehicles." There's another sign on the street about 100 yards ahead of the gate that says "not a park entrance," but it looks rather unofficial (probably one of the homeowners stuck it up there).