Hello, everyone. I'm tallguy. I've wanted to see the Bonneville Salt Flats
for more than 40 years, and in August, finally did for the first time. I spent
3 days at Speed Week, an annual event, which is HUGE! There were more
than 500 race vehicles there, and thousands of people. It was more and
better than I expected. I had come prepared for an onslaught of solar
rays -- direct and reflected. My pupils shrunk and stayed shrunk while I
was on the salt. But I did spend a lot of time in my truck, parked beside
the 5-mile mark of the long course, with the engine idling and the air
conditioner on. It was quite pleasant. I saw Speed Demon, the fastest
car of this year's Speed Week, go 384 mph. It was really moving. And
although I had expected to be kept about a quarter mile from the race
lane, it appeared more like 900 feet. Nice!
I am now sitting in a motel room in Wendover, UT, about 5 miles away
from the Salt Flats. I drove here from California a few days ago to watch
Mike Cook's Bonneville Shootout, a much smaller annual event that hosts
just a few very fast race vehicles. But right now the Salt Flats are a lake,
and will take at least a few more days to dry enough for racing. I won't
be staying here that long.
I appreciate the forums, and will be occasionally reading and posting.
Looking forward to being part of all this.
Andy Lampenfeld (tallguy)