Saving the Salt

[JC Sparks]

 Here is a out of the box idea to spread the word and possibly get a lot of people behind saving the salt.  If someone here  with some kind of a connection to one of the cable broadcasting channels that show rerun movies all day long, persuade them to run The World's Fastest Indian at prime time. Just as the old man sets the record and everyone has a tear in there eye, there is a massage box on the screen with a short and sweet message about the dire condition of the salt and telling them to contact BLM or who ever.   I warned you it was out of the box, but that's how my mind works.  JC

[Bob Drury]

  Remember this number folks.  Post number 779.  Read and reread Stuart Goslins statement responding to Chris.  
  Two things stand out to me.  Why would He give out the "big Secret" to Chris and not also post it on the STS website?  In closing He advocates us doing just what We have all been promoting.  To Help in any way possible, just tell us something.
  I don't doubt the veracity of the email Chris received but why Has this not been posted on THEIR WEBSITE?  Am I missing something here?
                                                                        I am f*cking amazed to say the least.....................................
                                                                                                            Bob..................

[RichFox]

Some times when people step up and try to do some thing to help rectify a situation, other people complain loudly that the first person didn't do enough. If I was that first person, after a while I would just say "Forget it" or something else less PG. If someone doesn't support STS, fine. Don't send them money. Start a new, better group to repair the salt flats. Do something positive or do nothing, I think.

[velocity]

Speed Colleagues

It was precisely the lack of communication from both the BLM and the STS Coalition (aka Mr. Gosswein) that lit my fuse a couple weeks ago.

I ask you to consider the timeline posted a couple days ago. THAT was communication, considered communication, not knee-jerk reaction.  

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear all you mumbling about more talk and not action even now with this post.

I respectfully ask all on this thread to read the timeline earnestly, let it settle in, research things you may not understand or question and THEN weigh in again on the conversation.

Ideas and suggestions are helpful soooooooo let me share - briefly - what has transpired since then.

STS:
Understand that I engaged Mr. Gosswein in very pointed conversation about lack of communication to the LSR community. He has since been significantly better at doing so. I also learned he is responsible for not just STS coalition, but myraid of issues important to the SEMA Action Network. In short. we are one of several requiring help and he has but one assistant.

BLM:
I've had several serious conversations with Kevin Oliver, West Desert District Manager the first few laid in HARD about the critical juncture we observe presently on the salt. He is responsive, thoughtful and actually has already raised a few ideas to take some action admitting that some action requires funding that his office is responsible to obtain. Imagine that.

To that end I can tell you there have been great shifts is thinking, confessions and finding of common ground to move forward together.

University of Utah Geologist
As far as I am able to discern thus far, from a couple long conversations with Dr. Brenda Bowen, the study she is conducting may be paid for by Intrepid, but the contents are being weighed on science, not guided by profit margins or legal maneuvering.  Were I to find evidence to the contrary do ANY of you think I'd be silent? For that matter, the racing community has several people drilling down on the science and if all their markers point the same way she is going I'd say Dr. Bowen should get some respect and a bit of help.

To that end I am sending her ALL my research that is also shared with Mr. Gosswein, Rick and Jinx Vesco, Roger Lessman and now Kevin Oliver. I'd post it here but 585 MB of data and photos would blow up Slim's servers. I think I will upload everything on my website and post a note when it goes live, or at least when part of it goes live. I will load it in chronological folders by decade beginning with the 1800's.

Subsequent to the  NPR broadcast on KUER/Radio West, I have arranged for Kevin Oliver, Dr. Brenda Bowen, Rick Vesco to take a tour TOGETHER out on the salt. I will take part as well if the WOS or Cooks Shootout comes off.

Please, please try your Sunday, Mother's Day best to keep cussing to a minimum.

By all means challenge what you suspect, but remember that what your fingers may do in haste is being read by more than just other racers. To effect meaningful, positive and lasting change for the Bonneville Salt Flats, we MUST show the world a united front worthy of respect

A diamond does not sparkle because it only has one facet. Together we can shine a brilliant light on the salt's plight.

[mtkawboy]

Maybe Im a pessimist but I don't see them closing down the mines and laying off 27 people happening. Yes, the salt flats should be a national landmark of some kind but that can backfire too and no one could be allowed on the salt at all. Last nights rain kind of put everything in perspective, Mother Nature is still in charge

[Milwaukee Midget]

Some times when people step up and try to do some thing to help rectify a situation, other people complain loudly that the first person didn't do enough. If I was that first person, after a while I would just say "Forget it" or something else less PG. If someone doesn't support STS, fine. Don't send them money. Start a new, better group to repair the salt flats. Do something positive or do nothing, I think.

A point well made.  

But the response I received was to an e-mail I sent to Stuart asking how I could help.  

Here's partial text from the e-mail I sent him -

"Hi, Stuart -
 
My name is Chris Conrad.  I post fairly regularly on landracing.com, and I'd like to know if there are any tasks Save the Salt needs help with that a person in Wisconsin can help you with.
  
 I'm concerned about Bonneville - but I am also concerned about Save The Salt.  Outwardly, I question whether STS is making the impact I believe it should, and as someone who has worked with volunteer organizations in the past, it appears to me that too much has fallen on to too few shoulders . . .
  
. . .  If there is any way you think I can be of help, I'd like to volunteer some time."

And Rich, to your point -  

If I was that first person, after a while I would just say "Forget it" or something else less PG. If someone doesn't support STS, fine.

-

I've been involved in volunteer organizations that wind up being too few people trying to do too much.  STS is demonstrating a lot of the signs of a stressed workload.  

When I see a web presence that has languished for a year, and two catastrophic race seasons with no high profile response from the organization, my impression is that they are understaffed and need help.

And to be honest, sending a check will be out of the question until goals, plans and proposals are clearly communicated between STS and racers and interested parties both inside and outside of the SoCal-centric epicenter of this sport.  



 

[BobDcuda]

Louise, thanks for all you've done on our behalf, and thanks for your insights on what progress has been made.  When our first son used to get all worked up over something, we'd have him stop and take 3 deep breaths.  You've just asked us to do the same - and it seems to be helping....   

[SPDRACR]

Age: 49
Location: SAN DIEGO,CA
Posts: 83


This is a carbon copy what I just wrote the course location heading.  My dad and I spent Last Thursday and Friday 8/6-7/15 on the salt.
We drilled some where around 120 1" holes, on 6 different courses. Russ Eyres has 10 years of past
GPS located measurement sites.
My F450 14,000lbs. truck left marks almost every where. Some where between the end of Course 4
we tried to get to the 5 mile on course 3, I spent all of my Lotery ticket luck up in about 400' of rev limiter
bouncing NOT getting stuck driving, gave up on that measurement. Got with in about a 1/2 mile of the Federal
Lease dike. walked in there is a very large mixed flow pump out there, does not look like they are using it, they
just drenched around the pump site, gravity flow.
The Cook's were also out their trying to set up the International course every thing was just a little to wet from
the rains that Got Sid. They also gave up after friday 8/7/15 late afternoon/ early evening rain.
Still putting all the info together, We did find 2 1/2"-3" of salt under the mud flow, I do not really care what BLM
says, there is salt under the mud.
The SCTA made the correct decision there is no way the salt as of today could support 565 pre entries and all of the
support vehicles , it would have been a really big mud bog.
I will post when I have more info.
Thanks for Your time,
Eric Eyres

[desotoman]

Speed Colleagues

Subsequent to the  NPR broadcast on KUER/Radio West, I have arranged for Kevin Oliver, Dr. Brenda Bowen, Rick Vesco to take a tour TOGETHER out on the salt. I will take part as well if the WOS or Cooks Shootout comes off.

Excellent. Thank you Louise.

Tom G.

[Bob Drury]

  Eric, thank's so much for all the effort by yourself and your Pop as well as to You for your years as our SDRC President.
  I hope you both are being reimbursed for your expenses and Time.  What most of us tend to forget is the damage done to the Volunteers personal vehicles (and probably marriages!) and to make our Races possible.
                                                    Here's to the whole dang bunch,
                                                                  " One Run" Bob  

[NathanStewart]

Thanks for the info Eric.  In the spots where you encountered thick-ish salt under mud, how thick was the mud?  We were both out there last year doing post-aborted Speed Week clean up and from best I could tell it was at least an inch thick in some spots and most of course 1 was covered. 

Et al obviously overall salt thickness everywhere is a concern but my immediate concern is the mud/dirt that now covers what was once our long course.  Is the salt under the mud gone forever?  Will the mud/dirt ever go away?  Will the salt under the mud "leach" it's way to the surface again?  Or will the mud on top of the good salt just be another layer under which new salt will form?   

[saltwheels262]

, it would have been a really big mud bog.

It's great that you and no one else has gotten stuck.

Franey

[Bob Drury]

  I keep wondering how much damage was done Skip Hedrich's liner last year when they got it out of the muck (I believe Dan posted two days to get it out).
  Most streamliners only have one to two inches of ground clearance on smooth salt and after the seven it gets ugly real fast............... Bob

[Sumner]

.....We drilled some where around 120 1" holes, on 6 different courses. Russ Eyres has 10 years of past
GPS located measurement sites....

Thanks Eric and also thank your dad for all the years he has put in on this.  Much appreciated 

Were you guys continuing this study???

http://www.savethesalt.org/bsf-measurements.html

Thanks,

Sumner

[velocity]

Chris

Thank you for stepping to be counted as a salt "legionnaire."  Sometimes I think Stuart needs to be reminded of the vast network of helpers who only need marching orders.

It would be very helpful if you were to share any reply given you from Stuart Gosswein with the people monitoring this thread.

LSL