Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => 2017 and before: SW & WF => Speedweek 2012 => Topic started by: Svenn57 on June 18, 2012, 07:36:17 PM
-
Dear all,
I’ve been trying to make Speedweek for the past 3 years. I have a room at the Days Inn August 11-17 2012 and I'm booked to fly into SLC on Friday August 10th and fly back home on August 17th.
Now the hard part…..
I'm planning on getting a rental car in SLC to drive to Wendover.
I have read some rental car horror stories here online but that seems like my only way to get from Wendover to the pits / starting line and back each day ????
1) Any suggestions on who to rent from?
2) How far are the pits / starting line from the closest “rental car approved” parking area?
3) If I buy a cheapo bicycle in SLC would there be any place I could lock it up so I don’t have to haul it back and forth each day? I’m also thinking about buying a kids wagon that I can tow behind the bike to haul a lawn chair, tarp, cooler.
Any other options?
Any suggestions would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!
THANKS!
Svenn57@yahoo.com
-
Svenn, the bad news is that the horror stories (at least those on this website) are pretty much true and correct. Many folks here can respond to specific questions -- but believe us, you'll have some interesting times with a rental car at the salt. It's not impossible -- but you'll need to be careful in a couple of different ways.
First question: No, I don't know if there's a preferred rental company. The one that used to be great - "Rent-a-Wreck" - is no more. Others will state that you're not allowed to go off road, not allowed to take the car on the salt, etc, etc. Some of the issues can be worked around -- like stating that you're renting the car to use on vacation to southern Utah or western Colorado - anyplace BUT the salt flats. Act like a regular tourist (?) and don't be wearing race shirts and hat and so on when you're at the rental desk. Another ploy might include renting the car at the airport instead of at an office in the city, since at the airport they might (note MIGHT) be a little less picky about the questions they need to ask. You might be able to slide under their radar, so to speak.
Second: The closest rental parking area would be Land's End -- that's where the pavement ends. From there to the pits is often 5 miles, to the start line about 3 miles. The pits themselves are about a mile and a quarter long by a few hundred yards/meters wide. Bicycling from Land's End is possible -- but a good long ride, and likely you'll get tired of it in a day or two.
You're likely to be able to leave your bike with Lynda at Land's End. Check with her (she's a member on this Forum) before taking it for granted. But -- if you're satisfied with the informality of another idea, think about arranging with most any race team to leave your bike and other kit at someone's pit. Security on the salt (after hours) is very good -- you shouldn't need to worry about locking things, although it's never a bad idea. Leave your stuff with a race team and hitchhike from Land's End to the pits and back. Once you're in the pits you can bike around and even ride the two miles down to the start line - or you can often hitch a ride with a crew or spectator. I'm not experienced in this, but if renting a kid's wagon is an option -- I'd think that one with somewhat larger wheels than a standard issue wagon would be a bit easier to use - especially through the inevitable soft or damp salt. Lawn chair, cooler, shade!! -- all are important, the shade more than others. If you'll use the tarp for shade -- you'll need to rig some supports to hold it in place over your head. Just get an inexpensive "E Z Up" and use it, making sure to take it down each evening. It WILL blow away during the night and maybe during a windy day - unless you've taken it down before leaving the thing.
That's enough for now, but feel free to ask us more questions.
Jon a/k/a Seldom Seen Slim
-
If you take a little care to keep salt out of the car, cover the carpets with garbage bags, clean it well, or take it to the truck wash in SLC before returning it you should be good. Search rental cars and see how the multitudes handle the issues.
If you opt for the bike, do as Slim says and leave it in the pits, you can leave it in our pits, we are rarely there, hope to park in Dans pit at night.... but don't worry, we leave our tool box open and never lock anything up, haven't lost anything ever.... Misplaced our pit scooter several times, but we always found it where we left it.
-
Room to leave a bike in our pits. Just bring aq cold adult beverage. #416 Ford Unibody pickup
-
A quick comment about leaving your stuff in someone's pit - and having it borrowed-but-returned: Our pit bike has been borrowed, sometimes with permission, many times when we were not in attendance to offer permission, and has always come back to us. We are careful to label it with bike number and team name and ID stuff like that, so it'll be noticeable wherever it might roam. Do the same with your bike and other gear.
-
with your rental tape down garbage bags onto the carpet and grab a big handfull of wallmart bags , these you put your feet into as added insurance .I told this to a fellow aussie who was covering the event for an australian and european magazine and he mentioned me in his articles because he didn't do this and was hit with a $250 cleaning fee ,ouch !
-
Hey, Svenn -
A quick note on the bicycle. Make sure you get one with off road tires. I made the mistake of bringing out a street/touring bicycle, and while it performed well on the well groomed surfaces at the lines and in the pits, when you get into the less traveled areas, you can lose traction on "the crunchies". It would have been impossible to pull a wagon with my bike, but a mountain style bike would prove to be a good companion.
It's about a two mile bike ride from parking at land's end to the pits.
For what it's worth, I took the gambling bus from SLC to Wendover and had my bicycle sent UPS to a friendly business owner. If you're feeling particularly athletic, you could rent a bicycle in SLC, and throw it in the cargo of the bus. It'll be an 8 mile bike ride back and forth from Wendover, but a little exercise is a good thing, right?
Just up the street from the Red Lion hotel in Salt Lake City, there's a shop that rents mountain bikes - Canyon Sports. What's cool is that the gambling bus picks up at the Red Lion parking lot. Cab it from the airport to the Red Lion, rent the bike, get in the queue for the bus, and before you know it, you're in beautiful down-town Wendover.
-
Just a note on the Rental Cars.. I've heard most of them now have GPS tracking and they will slap you with the cleaning fee if you go on the Salt, no matter how clean you return it.
-
Just a note on the Rental Cars.. I've heard most of them now have GPS tracking and they will slap you with the cleaning fee if you go on the Salt, no matter how clean you return it.
Fly into Reno or Vegas and rent at the airport and you wont have that problem. Tony
-
Mike, where are you coming from???
-
Glen.. We are driving up from Palm Springs.. Gonna try and stay in Ely on the way up. Mike
-
Why not check out Ely for a rental. It's a big enough town now.If you have time check out the Ely Train Museum, a neat way to kill a little time. :cheers:
-
Oh it was Svenn asking about rentals.. We're driving all the way in our Vette.. Usually just do a wash when we leave at the Wendover coin wash.
-
Why don't you like your 'vette?
The salt will get you one way or another.
FREUD
-
Try renting of Discount 4540 South 300 West phone (801) 281-8500
Not the best cars but leave it clean, I've never had a problem
-
Just a note on the Rental Cars.. I've heard most of them now have GPS tracking and they will slap you with the cleaning fee if you go on the Salt, no matter how clean you return it.
Fly into Reno or Vegas and rent at the airport and you wont have that problem. Tony
That's the job, airport rental desks are separate from their lots, if you hire from a franchise you are likely dealing with the guy who's paying the bills.....he wants to find every burn, chip, or hair.....you can throw them the keys at the airport, and run.
-
Just a note say that most plane flights to Las Vegas are amongst the lowest priced flights in the USA (or even from several other countries - including Canada) .... A couple of our team members who live in the "oil patch" area of Alberta found plane tickets to Las Vegas and a rental car for about $1000 less than to SLC.... The drive is 300 or so miles farther but what the heck.... i just hope that the $20 night in Vegas before they drive to the salt doesn't result in a temporary condition of poverty for them....
Everyone's ideas about garbage bags etc are good.... I found that using the heavy duty (thicker plastic) ones generally keeps them from wearing through or tearing apart after only a few days.... I have also seen someone who used room towels.... they are supposed to "stick" to the carpet like Velcro (his words - not mine)
Oh.... And DO clean the rental car properly prior to returning it....
-
I used towels the last few years and they worked much better than the plastic the years before. I just go to Walmart and get some cheap towels (about $4 each). Tony
-
Take a roll of Duct tape with you for the towels.
Tape the throttle and brake pedals. It's tough to clean the grooves in them.
Nobody suspects anything if there is tape goo on the pedals.
Also tape the bottom door sill.
FREUD
-
The duct tape goo is a bitch to remove, though. I've got it on a panel here and a sidewall there in the truck - and it won't come off after having been baked on out at the salt. Painter's tape doesn't leave much residue -- but it doesn't stick as well, either. I haven't found the perfect tape yet. Suggestions are welcome.
-
Try gaffers tape. It's what they use to hold the world together in the theatre, video/movie and photography industries. It tends to stick well and not leave the same sticky residue.
Pete
-
I use 2" blue masking tape, also use a rubber floor mat on each side and tape it down. You might need to clean the area with acetone on the rubber and where the tape is being put down to hold the mats. Cheap mats. Tape along the bottom of the door sill and let it over lap to the out side. When done sweep or vacuum out before removing the mats etc.
-
We put a layer of duct tape over the painters tape so we have the durability of the duct tape without the residue.
Goo Gone works well to remove tape residue.
Glen is right about the cheap mats, but then again my good mats are cheap anyway. :-D
Don
-
i love this thread. racers trying to beat the system/rules.
-
Try gaffers tape. It's what they use to hold the world together in the theatre, video/movie and photography industries. It tends to stick well and not leave the same sticky residue.
Pete
X2
Scotch Suretape - available at any theater supply company, and quite a few music stores that deal in PA accessories. 2" wide, not cheap, but you'll find a quintabazillion uses for it.
You can order it in day glow colors, but black is available pretty readily.
I will never use duct tape again.
.
-
Sven. The car rental deal can get expense if not done right. I rent every year from all the major car rentals and have never had a problem. I will rent a car and on the way back from the salt I will pull into the Blue Beacon Truck stop on you right side approx. 10 miles from the airport. You can't miss it. They charged me last year $25. to clean but what is the key to the deal is to tell the guy with the gun there cannot be "ANY" evidence on salt on the car and tip him personally before maybe $30. Last years car I could put in the showroom. Good luck. PS if the car rental counter asks if you are going to the salt say "NO" just going to Nevada on Business.
-
Yeah if I was washing your car 30 bucks would definatly make me go out of my way to do a reaaly good job.
-
How many cars have you cleaned after a week on salt. Wet salt is a major clean up. $30. is cheap. I take several days cleaning the underside on my truck and it still has salt in places I find a week later.
-
To keep the salt out of the carpet I use the sticky plastic the construction guy and movers use to protect carpet. Comes in like 18" wide rolls at Home Depot/Lowe's, Paint dept. Sticky on one side, Slick on the other, Recommend a helper, otherwise you could end up wrapped in it yourself :-D
-
Starting to look like Hints from Heloise for the Salt in here 8-)
-
Mike are goint to SW? :lol:
-
Don't forget Rent A Wreck in SLC
-
rent a wreak is no longer in business, shut down a couple of years ago.
-
Mike are goint to SW? :lol:
Nah, you know me, I like to roll the dice on World Finals!
Got plans for the first of October for a leisurely trip across the Midwest if I can figure out the window film conundrum.