Salt Conditions 2013

[SabreTooth]

I was fortunate enough to be on business in the Salt Lake City area and couldn't help myself with an afternoon to burn before a continuing flight elsewhere...

It had rained last night good and hard in SLC, so I wasn't optimistic that I'd see salt and be able to show my colleague anything but a lake.

The Bonneville Speedway is indeed mostly submerged as of this afternoon, 29th May 2013 but we did see salt a few miles out in the direction of SLC off the highway.



Shot on a Canon G10 ,29th May 2013 by Jim Kelsall from Land's End or perhaps more aptly the boat ramp in the direction of floating mountain

[SabreTooth]

I would gauge the brine to be some 6 to 12 inches deep with pockets of salt protruding from my vantage point.

Another gratuitous shot.



Shot on a Canon G10, 29th May 2013 by Jim Kelsall from Land's End aimed in the direction of floating mountain.

[SabreTooth]

It was a great, if not surreal experience being back. I have only been once to Speed Week in 2011 and have seen the Salt after a deluge (the Sunday storm) so a waterlogged Speedway was not perhaps so foreign.

I stopped off at the Pilot, just 'cause. Said see ya in August to which the retort was, oh, do you come through on business occasionally. No, normally just for Speed Week 

See you in August after a much longer (20 h drive) trip than flying.

Jim
Normally Calgary, Canada

[Milwaukee Midget]

Jim, stop by the pit and introduce yourself.  Tall guy, small car . . . 

[Stainless1]

Jim, stop by the pit and introduce yourself.  Tall guy, small car . . . 

x 2

[Bob Drury]

  Stainless is the toothless one............. 

[Rex Schimmer]

Any update on the salt conditions? SCTA is probably getting read to go out and start setting things up and drag the course(s) around now. They may already be at it. I understand that the pond at the end of the road is still there, anyone know if they are going to get it filled in like last year?? Time is getting close.

Rex

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Rex, I think I've read that the "early" crews have been on the salt twice already - in the past month or so - to start choosing, surveying, and grading/dragging.  June and earlier in July -- to set up the course surfaces and then let nature "cure" them with some hoped-for moisture and sun.

The report says we'll have four courses for SpeedWeek as last year, and that there's a couple of miles of good salt past the 5 on the long course -- with corresponding good shutdown area on the other/shorter courses.

Two weeks from yesterday Nancy and I will be dragging toilets hither and yon on the salt -- I'll give you first-hand reports then.