Disenchanted

A mountain biker in Golden isn’t taking what he or she sees as unfair trail persecution sitting down. According to a story in Adventure Journal, officials in Jefferson County posted warning signs on the popular Enchanted Forest this summer reading: “Cyclists, are you prepared to stop? This is not a downhill course. Expect to see hikers, dogs, or wildlife.”

Of course, as any trail user knows, trail etiquette is a two- and sometimes three- or four-way street. One clever cyclist fought back, posting nearly identical signs: “Dog walkers, are you prepared to carry that bag of poo all the way back to your car?” and “Runners and hikers, are you paying any attention to the world around you? This is not a concert venue. Take your headphones out and pay attention.”

Local trail user Chris Le Schieffer, who mountain bikes, hikes and runs, saw the signs and posted them to her Facebook. “At first I thought, ‘wow, Jeffco really went nuts with signs,” she told AJ. “Then I thought, those are way too sarcastic for a government agency.” But it was the fake phone number and the signature on the bottom, “Jefferson Airplane Fan Club,” that really gave it away.

Alas, the rogue signs have been taken down, but perhaps the conversation is only getting started. “We should be concerned about simply having common courtesy and trail etiquette while we’re all out there for the same reason,” she said.