Author Topic: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week  (Read 6715 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Happy Pappy

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« on: March 06, 2018, 09:05:06 PM »
Hey All,
So we've never been and are now planning on going this year. I have some idea how this all works. I understand you are not allowed overnight camping on the lake bed but the car, trailer and whatever equipment can stay for the duration?
Going to tow our 35' toy hauler to live in, were do we stay for the week? Do I need to be there early to find a camping spot?
I was told a motel room is pretty much won't happen.
I assume stuff left on the lake bed overnight is safe

Thank You for the help,
Chris
Chris Campbell
2017 #203 G/GR El mirage record 150.771
2020 #62 C/AIR El Mirage record 180.828
6/21 #62 C/AIR El Mirage record 185.488
9/21 #62 C/AIR El Mirage record 194.450

Offline Glen

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7024
  • SCTA/BNI timer 1983 to 2004, Retired,. Crew on Tur
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2018, 09:46:56 PM »
there is a large area going to the salt for free camping. Also on east Wendover the there is a large lot for camping. No one can stay in the pits at night. The camp ground KOA is full and the one at the Nevada is probably sold out by now. Big store in town Smiths and other casinos and food places. Hope you enjoy your first trip. There will be a lot of info on the web site of what to take and what to wear.
Glen
Crew on Turbinator II

South West, Utah

Offline kiwi belly tank

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3132
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2018, 02:00:55 AM »
Free camping at the bend, lots of company there. By about Tuesday you could get a motel room but not likely before. Only access to the salt is off lands end & that is secured at night after SCTA rounds up the stragglers in the pits & that's usually us. :-D
  Sid.

Offline Seldom Seen Slim

  • Nancy and me and the pit bike
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 13158
  • Nancy -- 201.913 mph record on a production ZX15!
    • Nancy and Jon's personal website.
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2018, 08:03:50 AM »
Everything you've mentioned can stay on the salt all night long -- except you yourselves.  Equipment, vehicles, pit stuff -- fine, and there's security so don't worry.

More likely (from what you've said) you'd park your toy hauler at a site where you will spend nights, and then drive it to the salt/pits for the day to use as a pit/shop, then drive it back to the campsite.

Or plan on camping and leaving the hauler on the salt - commute from and to it and to town and so on.  There's unlimited free dry camping in the Bend in the Road area.

See you on the salt.
Jon E. Wennerberg
 a/k/a Seldom Seen Slim
 Skandia, Michigan
 (that's way up north)
2 Club member x2
Owner of landracing.com

Offline deucemac

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 65
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2018, 12:50:15 AM »
Is the museum  parking lot still available?

Offline Seldom Seen Slim

  • Nancy and me and the pit bike
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 13158
  • Nancy -- 201.913 mph record on a production ZX15!
    • Nancy and Jon's personal website.
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2018, 09:51:49 AM »
I don't know if we'll be able to use the Museum lot again this year.  I'll send a query to Mike Crawford and see what he has to say and letcha know.
Jon E. Wennerberg
 a/k/a Seldom Seen Slim
 Skandia, Michigan
 (that's way up north)
2 Club member x2
Owner of landracing.com

Offline nrhs sales

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 976
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2018, 11:48:39 AM »
I don't know if we'll be able to use the Museum lot again this year.  I'll send a query to Mike Crawford and see what he has to say and letcha know.

Doesn't seem like much is happening on that lot. 

Offline Happy Pappy

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2018, 12:35:17 PM »
Hey All,
Thanks for the Information.
Well so far I have a deposit at the KOA in West Wendover. Plan is to tow the roadster on it's open trailer behind the diesel Jeep. Guessing I will just drop the fiver at the campground & leave the Cherokee there, then I'll use the Old Duramax to tow the Roadster to the salt & run back and forth to the fiver.
 
I have seen vehicles in the past that have spent time on the salt, the Cherokee is my wife's and she really likes it, she's a trooper but I would never hear the end of it if the bottom started rotting away!

It's a 8 hr. drive from the High Desert, pretty sure we can do that in one day, (I hope) really don't want to have a overnight stop with the car on an open trailer.

So that's my plan so far. Just need to figure out the during the day supplies... Tent, Ice chest or two, gas, etc.

Thanks Again,
Chris
Chris Campbell
2017 #203 G/GR El mirage record 150.771
2020 #62 C/AIR El Mirage record 180.828
6/21 #62 C/AIR El Mirage record 185.488
9/21 #62 C/AIR El Mirage record 194.450

Offline edinlr

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 344
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2018, 11:25:19 PM »
Be sure to look at the section on the forum about "before you leave for the race".  Main thing is to have & use sunscreen and bring lots of water.  Learning the course and listening carefully to instructions is critical.  On these wide open flats it is very easy to get disoriented.  So no matter how impatient or tired you get out there, think safety first.
Honda CX650 turbo, Kawasaki H2 Ninja, Kawasaki ZX750 turbo

Offline PackardV8

  • New folks
  • Posts: 27
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2018, 09:23:07 PM »
Quote
I have seen vehicles in the past that have spent time on the salt, the Cherokee is my wife's and she really likes it, she's a trooper but I would never hear the end of it if the bottom started rotting away!

It depends.  I was just under my '04 Ford F250 doing some maintenance and was thinking, "If I didn't know it had been to the Salt, there's nothing under here to say it had been there.  Most vehicles made this century hold up pretty well.  Your Jeep and your relationship with your wife may vary.

jack vines

Offline Seldom Seen Slim

  • Nancy and me and the pit bike
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 13158
  • Nancy -- 201.913 mph record on a production ZX15!
    • Nancy and Jon's personal website.
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2018, 09:13:53 AM »
Packard said:  "...was thinking, "If I didn't know it had been to the Salt, there's nothing under here to say it had been there.  Most vehicles made this century hold up pretty well."

Our '09 GMC 3/4 ton pickup gets a few hundred miles a year on the salt (pushing toilets, etc).  No matter how much I clean it -- I spend a few hundreds of bucks yearly taking care of damage from the salt.  Worst of all are the rear brakes, but everything takes a beating and shows it.  Good for you if you're able to keep the Ford (at least close to) pristine.
Jon E. Wennerberg
 a/k/a Seldom Seen Slim
 Skandia, Michigan
 (that's way up north)
2 Club member x2
Owner of landracing.com

Offline RichFox

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2663
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2018, 11:02:59 AM »
I just sold my 92 Dodge pickup. Which had been to the salt many times. Rotted out floor? No. Rusty rockers or fender wells? Not my truck. It looks fine. It's the little things tht give it away. Wait until he has to replace the headlights. I had to drill out the little Phillips screws.to remove the old ones. I washed it very well when I got home. And first good rain, I blasted up and down 280 for 40 miles or so. Worked on my 77 Ford also.

Offline WhizzbangK.C.

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 227
  • Ed Bennett, Speed Team Doo Kansas City fab shop.
Re: Need some advice for Bonneville speed week
« Reply #12 on: May 06, 2018, 09:47:23 PM »
I took my 2012 Ram 1500 to the salt twice. Both times ran in good heavy rain coming home and washed the heck out of it once I got home. About a month after the last trip my right tail light went out and I pulled the assembly to replace the bulb, found the bed sides PACKED SOLID between the inner and outer skins on both sides. I flushed them out good with the steam pressure washer at work for a few hours on each side to get the salt out. I sold that truck in 2014 when I bought my new motorcycle. It still looked good then, haven't seen it since.  :|
Ah, this is obviously some strange usage of the word 'safe' that I wasn't previously aware of.  Douglas Adams