The Math of a new venue?

[RansomT]

There is a 15,000 ft runway in Southern California that might work better then the Spaceport in New Mexico -Southern California Logistics Airport formerly known as George AFB.  I'm guessing it being used for cargo flights.  There is a 27,000 ft runway not that far away but it is government owned and they refuse to admit that it even exists.

Is that the runway with the X's on it or is another one of those "non-exists" runways out there?    It also looks like the run-off is another 5,000 ft too boot.

[dw230]

Before you haul your grading equipment or even your plan to save the salt it is best to check with the BLM. Any messin' with public lands could include Federal changes being brought to you and yours. Witness the in limbo dry salt lay down project.

DW

[desotoman]

I think this person sums it up pretty well.

Tom G.

If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage of sand.
Milton Friedman

[kiwi belly tank]

Before you haul your grading equipment or even your plan to save the salt it is best to check with the BLM. Any messin' with public lands could include Federal changes being brought to you and yours. Witness the in limbo dry salt lay down project.

DW

No $hit!! 
  Sid.

[fastesthonda_jim]

An idea I've heard about for a few years is run on the salt flats about 5 miles north east of where we run now.  Something like 20 miles of NaCl out there, 'cept you can't get to it for the mud.  Might be "simpler" to build a road out to it.  Of course that assumes you could get the enthusiastic endorsement of the Sierra Club, the EPA, the BLM, NSA, FFA, FBI, DOD, CIA, WTF, FTC, FAA, KGB, NRO, DHS, NBC, ABC, PBS, ETC.
But it IS out there.

[Freud]

Jim.......you fotgot the railroad.

Mike Akatiff did a good investigation of that site.

He liked it but not the costs that make it possible.

FREUD

[dw230]

And after clearances, the cost to build the Knapp Rd would be?

DW

[dw230]

Sorry, I should have added;

PAID by whom?

DW

[fastesthonda_jim]

You're up awfully late there DW.  Co$t$ of road would be a DEFINITE issue.  I just think building a low speed two lane 30ft wide would be a LOT cheaper than a high speed one lane 1/2 mile wide.
Hmmmm... wonder what it would cost to rent a heavy lift copter, AKA sky crane, for a week and shuttle race trailers and crew out and back?

[Sumner]

...I just think building a low speed two lane 30ft wide would be a LOT cheaper than a high speed one lane 1/2 mile wide....

Not a bad idea, after all look what are buddies down under drive over to race.  We are spoiled.  The potash plant might foot the cost or use their equipment to get us off there backs and maybe even the BLM  .

Is there any truth to the rumor that there is a lot of left over ordnance from military use?

The area in question is where the ...



http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/bvillecar/race%20track-1.jpg

... top arrow is with the bottom arrow obviously being the present course location.

This is not a 'do this tomorrow' project but it might not hurt to start doing some serious investigation into if it would be feasible at some point.  It has been talked about for some time.  I think feeling that the BLM and/or the Potash Plant is going to drastically change direction and the salt flats are all going to be restored is hiding our heads in the salt.  It isn't just about us it is about those who are following behind us and who are going to be racing 10, 15 or 20 years from now.  Remember 1993 was only 20 years ago, time goes by quickly.  Lets not look back later like some do now that could see what was going on 20-50 years ago and say we 'blew it',

Sum

[Sumner]

A reality check...



Click on the following link for a better view..

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/bvillecar/race%20track-2.jpg

When you are out there the salt looks immense but it isn't anymore.  The bottom left arrow is the 'end of the road'.  The bottom right is the dike.  The other arrows are the race surface or what is left of it.  Notice how narrow the actual white area is.  Anyone who drove down any of the courses this year to the last miles knows they were driving on dirt there.  You can even see how the runoff from the hills to the west are eating into the salt on the west side of the track.  A good indication it isn't very thick there.


By comparison here is the area to the north at the same scale...



http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/bvillecar/race%20track-3.jpg

..... Very white and you can't even see any edges to it so it is much larger in size.  

So I know some like Mike have gone there, what is it really like in person?  Anyone taken any depth readings over and area the size we would need?

Sum


Sum

[jacksoni]

If you look closely (on Google Earth) there is a road that branches off from the road to the dump at the "bend in the road" that goes along the mountains at the edge of the flats all the way out to the area Jim and Sum are talking about. It is about 20 miles rough calculation. Have no idea about condition, doubt it gets graded regularly and from the edge of that to the evident good salt is about 2 miles. Maybe worth a look?

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Jack, that road isn't all too difficult to drive for recreation, but towing a trailer full of race vehicles and tools?  I don't think so, although I probably didn't have that in mind when Nancy and I rode the road a couple of years ago.  Kinda bumpy and twisty-turny and sharp up and down grades (not tall, but enough to worry about bottoming out the trailer).  It wouldn't take too much to make it passable -- but it'd require more than a few days with a small grader, that's for sure.  Nice scenery, though - if you like that kind of stuff.

[jacksoni]

Figured someone would know it. But while we are thinking pie in the sky ways to get/find a better surface it might be better than starting from scratch from somewhere, regulatory issues aside. Oh well.

[fastesthonda_jim]

Frankly I prefer the notion of a new road.  I mean I kinda liked DW calling it "the Knapp road".  Not much chance of that happening using the "lakefront" route.