Author Topic: Speed Week accommodation.  (Read 3445 times)

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Offline tauruck

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Speed Week accommodation.
« on: May 20, 2014, 05:26:48 PM »
I just want to ask if it isn't easier to stay in a camper van on the salt for the duration rather than pay big bucks for a motel room and have to commute back and forth?.

This question comes from someone who hasn't even been to the US.

Offline RichFox

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Re: Speed Week accommodation.
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2014, 05:39:06 PM »
You can't stay right on the salt, but you can stay near the salt. If you like camping then it is a lot cheaper. And many people do it. If not then you, like me, are going to have to pay the going rate.

Offline mitchell968

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Re: Speed Week accommodation.
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2014, 06:55:14 PM »
camping at bend in the road is as cheap as it gets . room prices in town come down after the weekend opener(sat/sun).  not much of a commute from town vs. the bend. couple miles. a motorhome rental from salt lake city is around $1000 for a week plus fuel. another option is to camp out of a u-haul truck. you can get all your stuff ( shade canopy , chair , ice chest , bicycle) in salt lake city and head west from there. its tough to fit it all in a rental car.   with your background in racing , i dont think you ll have any problem finding racers over here that will offer a hand with camping gear and mabey even a bunk in one of them gigantic motorcoaches.....  or a tent. 8-)  call the airlines and get over here.   mitchell.                 

Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Speed Week accommodation.
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2014, 06:56:56 PM »
Truth be told, it's not that bad a commute.  One year, I tent camped at the KOA, shipped a bicycle out, stayed in Wendover, and got some exercise, although I did get a lot of rides back and forth into town with friends in a car.

Once you're in West Wendover, the shuttles run between all of the casinos, so getting around is no issue, and the rides are free.

Showers are available at the truck stop at Exit 4.

Flew into SLC, took the gambling bus to Wendover, pitched a tent, picked up the bike the next day, and the whole trip including flight set me back less than $500.00.

I'm a cheap bastard when I set my mind to it . . .
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline bubruins

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Re: Speed Week accommodation.
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2014, 09:16:43 PM »
I thought about the bus + bike thing, but if I brought my bike with me on the plane that's $75/each way + bus ticket. Renting an economy car for 5 days is $100 plus gas + one serious car wash (what we did last year). The trick is finding a local friend that's bringing a race car up there so you can easily get a tent/canopy carried over.

Edit: I just realized OP is 99.999% likely to not have a friend bringing a car to speedweek. In that case, I'd say buy a $40 tent at walmart, $20 sleeping bag, $3 pillow, and $10 air mattress in Salt Lake city and deposit it in the big dumpster when you're leaving speedweek (if you can't package any of it in your luggage). I hate throwing away perfectly good things, but if it's a $900 savings over a hotel...
« Last Edit: May 20, 2014, 09:19:51 PM by bubruins »

Offline Frankie7799

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Re: Speed Week accommodation.
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2014, 12:08:04 PM »
I camped up on the hill with Sparky and Andy last year. On a cot, under the stars. Had a blast. We were fortusnte enough to be able to use Podunks shower in his hotel room but the truck stop wouldve worked just as well. If I do make it back up there this year ( which is the plan ) Ill be camping again.

Offline salt27

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Re: Speed Week accommodation.
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2014, 12:14:59 PM »
A 2 gallon garden sprayer left in the sun makes for a hot shower.

Heat the plastic wand up and bend it in a "U".

 Don

Offline tauruck

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Re: Speed Week accommodation.
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2014, 12:12:35 PM »
I camped up on the hill with Sparky and Andy last year. On a cot, under the stars. Had a blast. We were fortusnte enough to be able to use Podunks shower in his hotel room but the truck stop wouldve worked just as well. If I do make it back up there this year ( which is the plan ) Ill be camping again.

That's exactly how I'd roll. :wink:

Under the stars with Sparky can't be beat IMO.

You can't buy that can you?. :cheers:

Offline Frankie7799

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Re: Speed Week accommodation.
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2014, 12:30:50 PM »
That's exactly how I'd roll. :wink: Under the stars with Sparky can't be beat IMO. You can't buy that can you?. :cheers:

Nope you cant beat that. We had tarps between the cot and sleeping bags in the event of an overnight rain shower. If we got rain, we would just wrap the tarp over us.

I like Mitchells idea of renting a small Uhaul truck, picking up supplies in SLC and camping out of the back of that. Smart thinking there. That might be an option for me this year as opposed to putting so many miles on my car from Phoenix.

Mike, you got to get over here man  :-D

Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Speed Week accommodation.
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2014, 02:47:21 PM »
I thought about the bus + bike thing, but if I brought my bike with me on the plane that's $75/each way + bus ticket. Renting an economy car for 5 days is $100 plus gas + one serious car wash (what we did last year).

Well, if I were to do it again, right across the street from the Red Lion hotel in SLC is a ski shop that rents bikes - Utah Ski & Golf.  What's cool about that is that the parking lot for the Red Lion is one of the stops where the gambling bus picks up.  The bus is $22.00 round trip, and there's plenty of storage for a bike.

I was able to get my whole kit in a duffle and sling it on the bike.
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll: