This unpaved stretch of road across southeastern New Mexico's Otero Mesa is sometimes signed as NM 506, sometimes signed as Otero County 506, and sometimes simply referred to as the Owen Prather Highway. Whatever it is, it features signage which indicates that this dusty byway is an important back country thoroughfare:
(https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=9b5fcd2552&view=fimg&th=1430c500fbef0d59&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ-nHowpo2U6Cn2R55zwd8NXhT8QR_d9x0RGU9VrOSQxPh5myPr89ng9UXPdsf40y1GiHWzkqi9wX-hO8vI8l9utzFGQJUXd8POcjxjbh0Vb5aJ5tJAvHheH5IQ&ats=1387481011985&rm=1430c500fbef0d59&zw&sz=w1168-h775)
This signage lets you know you've got to make a decision -- head to US 54 or the mountain town of Pinon.
(https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=9b5fcd2552&view=fimg&th=1430c500fbef0d59&attid=0.3&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ9yF3e0RmMcE1-W1COt5ZE6YeiW1fsl3knZxf0PlJWLB2F82plMcCWfr2sgZj7g6RGC7uElO6TiqVFluIDeyq3XJ4zA124SaZhc3ikum8DPXkVO35AAa0cjH7E&ats=1387481011985&rm=1430c500fbef0d59&zw&sz=w1168-h775)
Highway 506 traverses parts of the expansive Fort Bliss firing range -- full of "unexploded ordinance."
(https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=9b5fcd2552&view=fimg&th=1430c500fbef0d59&attid=0.5&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ-laWQYnA6y_j5hdSDKevoI-i48OFUs6kjbVcEwFIgfdyjskyPkSu2CTzGSsxkGICLSvtHY7En21ig232KvJXtqV48nvOLEPyulwgbSZv2fPiIFJKB0lEUuy7M&ats=1387481011985&rm=1430c500fbef0d59&zw&sz=w1168-h775)
About 30-40 miles of unpaved road in New Mexico and Texas will get you to Dell City.
(https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=9b5fcd2552&view=fimg&th=1430c500fbef0d59&attid=0.7&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ_ZItwojDKOmRLhrm-M2HO9AyI7ryBasTqYA0A4M_KP4lnx0DvUsS3L_LF_e1s5_zqmr0aZUrdrFKUNQ6AnjMRoA-Zn2CS9flqlYcvr9_BUgW8GOSoeJebSEpQ&ats=1387481011985&rm=1430c500fbef0d59&zw&sz=w1168-h775)
All four pictures look the same. They're all question mark boxes.
This unpaved stretch of road across southeastern New Mexico's Otero Mesa is sometimes signed as NM 506, sometimes signed as Otero County 506, and sometimes simply referred to as the Owen Prather Highway. Whatever it is, it features signage which indicates that this dusty byway is an important back country thoroughfare:
This signage lets you know you've got to make a decision -- head to US 54 or the mountain town of Pinon.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fphoto1_zps24130d41.jpg&hash=15caeadfb352e8544b22d8af5cafefac0ee72be3)
Highway 506 traverses parts of the expansive Fort Bliss firing range -- full of "unexploded ordinance."
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fphoto2_zpsdf853715.jpg&hash=c3b8df852f5dbf98e9d6ac98a177e5dffd567f37)
About 30-40 miles of unpaved road in New Mexico and Texas will get you to Dell City.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fphoto3_zps2ee3ae32.jpg&hash=42d57df984e41d0f6210f9ee6f512a64f27f6998)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fphoto4_zpseb5f4066.jpg&hash=99e436c5f677ad380024e6a350952abca851a4a2)
Just a note for next time: You can click the "modify" button. You do not have to make a new post.
That occurred to me after the fact. I'll do better next time.
awesome old signage!
While en route to a hike on Otero Mesa, I ran across more signage -- some very old, some just very interesting -- related to NM 506. All of these are taken on the network of unpaved county roads which criss-cross the Mesa.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fphoto1_zps30bce737.jpg&hash=ee8ad2be7617b16b80778c66204b7ca54ffee215)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fphoto2_zpsad4685f7.jpg&hash=1c64fddb018443ab51e2ed0806c23a6f74a78480)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fphoto3_zps46f9d7fc.jpg&hash=9f68c3cf0e7e3c021bfb3c9619960eaa8cc27861)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fphoto5_zpsa37e359d.jpg&hash=4bf7883a5becfdc5148e9dd68dfb2ca3e4ff15d7)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fnm506_4_zpsfaed9a97.jpg&hash=fb0b27edf553d9376dca0c3ccddaf41e67941cd8)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fnm506_5_zps4631b809.jpg&hash=58036760616cb013bf2d30db2837ef3061f324a0)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fnm506_6_zpsece94b6d.jpg&hash=311bf319017df882b31193295115c30878fb1717)
the 2012 NM map shows the first 32 miles east of U.S. 54 as still being a state highway. I had been told a few years back that all the road was turned back to the county but it appears only part has.
Sweet photos.
Quote from: mwb1848 on December 21, 2013, 11:03:58 AM
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fnm506_5_zps4631b809.jpg&hash=58036760616cb013bf2d30db2837ef3061f324a0)
I may be interpreting the ghosts wrong, but that looks like there might have once been an outline shield on that sign.
Quote from: Scott5114 on December 25, 2013, 03:36:12 AM
Quote from: mwb1848 on December 21, 2013, 11:03:58 AM
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac274%2Fmartinbartlett%2Fnm506_5_zps4631b809.jpg&hash=58036760616cb013bf2d30db2837ef3061f324a0)
I may be interpreting the ghosts wrong, but that looks like there might have once been an outline shield on that sign.
Don't worry, I see it too. If California can cover up a button copy US 60 shield with a button copy CA 60 shield, why can't New Mexico do the same with a non-outlined shield over an earlier outline one?
alas, I do not believe it was an outline shield, as much as a shield that once had a black outline protecting a lower layer from being as faded as the unprotected neighboring segments. looks like there has only been one shield on that sign, and it started life as a green background, on top of which there is a white shield, on top of which there is a black border and a black 54. a small remnant of black border may be seen below the letter "U" (and the lower left arc of the "5") at the bottom of the shield.
something similar is happening in this photo:
(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/NM/NM19700542i1.jpg)
in other news, I am digging the Otero County marker which has faded to blue-white on wood.