Before the days of GPS units and Google maps, "Airport Road", more formally known as Sulphur Springs Road or Rt 606, was known to locals as a good short-cut between Clifton Forge and Hot Springs. And we knew when we should not take this road. It is paved, but narrow and has several tight switchbacks as it winds its way up and over Warm Springs Mountain. It's frequently very foggy, and since it's high and shady, snow and ice persist much longer than they do in Clifton Forge. The road mostly goes through National Forest lands, and it's easy to believe that you've left civilization a long way behind -- even though if you stay on the paved road, you can't get lost.
As GPS units became more popular, this sign appeared (circa 2009):
That wasn't quite explicit enough. It doesn't begin to tell the whole story. The online maps in this area were made from old USGS maps, and show roads that no longer exist. No one seemed to be interested in "ground truthing" in a rural area. There is one road that GPS units tried to make a major route, but even on foot with maps and a hand-held GPS unit, Lon and I could not find the old road bed -- it's all grown up into forest now. Even so, every once in a while someone would show up at our house (0.6 mile up a well-marked private road), usually asking "Where the hell am I?" In the last few years, this has been less of a problem, and the road names on the maps now (mostly) agree with the signs on the road.
About two years and many wrecks later, the warning became more explicit:
Soon, a second identical sign, about a mile farther down the road was planted.
And finally, it's no longer "not advised":
The wrecks are not as frequent as they once were, but please use common sense when trying to follow GPS instructions in remote areas!
As GPS units became more popular, this sign appeared (circa 2009):
That wasn't quite explicit enough. It doesn't begin to tell the whole story. The online maps in this area were made from old USGS maps, and show roads that no longer exist. No one seemed to be interested in "ground truthing" in a rural area. There is one road that GPS units tried to make a major route, but even on foot with maps and a hand-held GPS unit, Lon and I could not find the old road bed -- it's all grown up into forest now. Even so, every once in a while someone would show up at our house (0.6 mile up a well-marked private road), usually asking "Where the hell am I?" In the last few years, this has been less of a problem, and the road names on the maps now (mostly) agree with the signs on the road.
About two years and many wrecks later, the warning became more explicit:
Soon, a second identical sign, about a mile farther down the road was planted.
And finally, it's no longer "not advised":
The wrecks are not as frequent as they once were, but please use common sense when trying to follow GPS instructions in remote areas!
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