Rain at elmo??

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I'm a couple of thousand miles away - but wonder, still, if anyone went to the lake to see what the conditions were/are like.  We know that BLM said hexl, no, and that SCTA followed the BLM requirements -- but how about individual racers?  Did any of you go out there for an in-person look?  I wonder how bad it was - especially maybe on Monday after the even would have ended.  I know that BLM said no admission -- but maybe you could walk in from whatever gate there is and see what's what.

[Elmo Rodge]

On the road from the highway there is a 2" berm on the roads edge. It was darker than the rest of the dirt. Looking from the visitors center out on the "lakebed"  I didn't see anything that remotely resembled moisture. It was only a 1,000 mile round trip for me. Mursick drove considerably further. I was there Friday morning at 9:00 or 10:00. Personally, I think we've been had.  Wayno

[SPARKY]

 Personally, I think we've been had.  angry Wayno

Wayno----That would be my guess!

  We all speak the universal language of $$.$$
I called R. Paul Cook R CA CD 8 office and let them know we come several times a year we get rooms and eat out with bus. in his dist.  We had to cancel
 rooms, and were not able to enjoy dining out in the Victorville area!!

[Dynoroom]

Wayno..... we were.

Slim, Thursday & Friday the rain was heaviest in the SoCal area but the mountains to the southwest held back the majority of the weather/rains form El Mirage. There was a short rain burst on Thursday that only kept the dust down. The storm due late Friday early Saturday slid down south to the San Diego area and never became a threat.

Some pictures from Holly Martin & the SCTA of the west end of El Mirage (the end we race on) showing the lakebed Thursday, Friday, & Saturday.

[jdincau]

I'm a couple of thousand miles away - but wonder, still, if anyone went to the lake to see what the conditions were/are like.  We know that BLM said hexl, no, and that SCTA followed the BLM requirements -- but how about individual racers?  Did any of you go out there for an in-person look?  I wonder how bad it was - especially maybe on Monday after the even would have ended.  I know that BLM said no admission -- but maybe you could walk in from whatever gate there is and see what's what.

Bill Latten was on site Thur. PM till Fri. AM, see the message from the president on the SCTA web site.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I saw the message from Bill L. and know what it said, and I'm not disputing at all what he said.  I was asking if anyone took a good look later - Saturday or Sunday - to see how the racing surface was when the event would have been happening, not the day or two before.  It's not Bill than I'm questioning in any way.  I'm wondering what other racers saw.

[Milwaukee Midget]

I suppose we should be grateful that a governmental official has been handed a clear cut, predefined, inarguable, demonstrable definition of a go/no-go situation -

". . . if the lakebed dirt is wet enough to scrape up into a ball it remains closed until dry."

But I get the sense that SCTA has raced on wetter lakebeds before.

 

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Good comment, Chris.  The "ball of mud", while certainly not scientifical in nature, seems to be a very realistic way to quickly determine if the conditions are such.  Not saying that a ball of mud is the wrong or right stuff for racing, but that at least it's a signpost that's easy to check when an "official" is trying to make the go/no go decision.

Now if the requirement were something "a ball of mud no less than 2.54" diameter and weighing at least 75.19 ounces, and with a measured moisture content (measured by verified equipment) of 26.3%"  -- then it'd sound more like an "official" requirement. Let's stick with a plain ball of mud.

[Dynoroom]

I saw the message from Bill L. and know what it said, and I'm not disputing at all what he said.  I was asking if anyone took a good look later - Saturday or Sunday - to see how the racing surface was when the event would have been happening, not the day or two before.  It's not Bill than I'm questioning in any way.  I'm wondering what other racers saw.

No problem Slim, I don't think any racers hung out until Sunday just to see that it looked like the pictures I posted. George Callaway lives on the western edge of lakebed next door to the SCTA property and it has been reported by him and others that live nearby the the lakebed was dry throughout the weekend.
I think three things need to be remembered...

1) It didn't rain on the lakebed this weekend.

2) As Nathan pointed out the BLM has put cones around the low spot on the east end of the lakebed where the perpetual dampness is. We race 5 miles away from that point.

3) There are other access points to the lakebed.

I will say this; if they let the racers on this weekend they would have had to let every other user on too. If it would have rained while we were out there and couldn't load up quickly enough we would have had to leave our trailers on the lakebed until dry enough to remove them. This has happened before.
In the end we didn't race, and it was dry. Maybe a missed call of judgment. Maybe politics. The BLM rangers get paid whether we race or not, less work for them if we don't. The State gets any $$$ for entry fees etc. 
 

[Milwaukee Midget]

Well, I'm not completely above cynicism. 

I realize California has more microclimates than a lot of similar sized countries, but in a state where it's now illegal to sprinkle your lawn, where camp fires are forbidden in state parks, and water districts bicker about whether or not to irrigate the almonds or the lettuce in order to grant municipalities access to drinking water, where the hell in the high desert did a government official find a mudball?

I will say this; if they let the racers on this weekend they would have had to let every other user on too.

That's probably the best rationale, right there.  If you put yourself in the BLM's shoes, how do you tell a bunch of ATV guys they can't go onto the lakebed, when they're seeing a stream of LSR guys dragging trailers out?

[Dynoroom]

Well, I'm not completely above cynicism. 

I realize California has more microclimates than a lot of similar sized countries, but in a state where it's now illegal to sprinkle your lawn, where camp fires are forbidden in state parks, and water districts bicker about whether or not to irrigate the almonds or the lettuce in order to grant municipalities access to drinking water, where the hell in the high desert did a government official find a mudball?

I will say this; if they let the racers on this weekend they would have had to let every other user on too.

That's probably the best rationale, right there.  If you put yourself in the BLM's shoes, how do you tell a bunch of ATV guys they can't go onto the lakebed, when they're seeing a stream of LSR guys dragging trailers out?

Not criticizing you Chris but......

It rained two weeks before our event at El Mirage and there is a spot near the east end entry that the water collects at.
I understand you and others from out of state have NEVER been to the dry lakes so your question is valid. I'm am answering it for you.

[jww36]

Is there a possibility the June event could be changed to a two day meet?

[Dynoroom]

Is there a possibility the June event could be changed to a two day meet?

They're working on it. Friday nights SCTA board meet should shed some light...

[Dynoroom]

I thought I would TRY and shed some light on the layout of El Mirage for our friends who may have never been there.

Below is a map of El Mirage dry lake.
The red line is the paved access road to the El Mirage Visitors Center/Ranger Station which is circled in yellow. The blue line is the main access path onto the lakebed where the gate is located. There are many other access paths but the BLM has fenced off most of the lake now requiring access $$$ through the Visitors Center. The pink circle is the low point of the lake and this is where water collects. If there is little wind and low temperatures it can take weeks to evaporate from this area.
Remember the racing area is 5 miles to the west of the low point  

[jww36]

Makes sense. I'm starting position 177th!!!! Hate to get the car dirty for just one run on a single day meet.