Here's an important tip: Wear wrap-around shades. Common sunglasses will allow the salt glare to reflect back into your eyes without your noticing it. The glare is similar to watching arc welding. It will give you such a severe headache you'll feel sick! I had to lie down in the tent with a wet cloth over my eyes for a couple hours to make the headache go away...made me sick as a dog! I wear wrap-arounds on the salt now with no ill effects.
Yuppers, there have been a few stories of guys who went commando with baggy shorts getting some bad burns on the boys. My dad got sunburned up his legs above his socks wearing long pants, shoes and socks when he went with me. If it's just a couple of guys going I'd get me one of those beach umbrellas that they sell pretty cheap this time of year. Fab up a fold out stand that doesn't have to be staked down (no stakes driven in the salt has been a rule for lots of years) and you can set it out to cover your chairs when you are in them and fold it up so the wind gusts don't blow it away and hit a car or someone when you are out walking around. That also lets you pick up and move to another vantage spot easily. The hotels and motels all have set times they turn the canceled rooms loose and usually they take names on a waiting list. That's how Dad and I got a room when we went. The KOA is usually booked full months in advance. Huge parking lots close to the casinos that you can park an rv in and walk to the action at the casino parking lot. The grocery store at the other end of town is pretty good about letting you get cash back on your debit card when you shop there, beats paying a cash machine fee. Do not take any pets as it is not a good place for pets unless they are inside an air conditioned motor home. Still the best advice I can give is don't take along anyone that gets bored easily if there isn't enough action going on. This isn't Nascar or the drags where there is always action happening. It's watching one car at a time take off from the starting line, pass the 3 mile mark or pass the finish line depending on where you set up your spot and it is several minutes between cars making a pass. Your buddy might not think standing around watching a crew of a car that you personally have read about since you were interested in hot rods prep the car is any near as interesting or exciting as you do. I'd take a portable radio that runs on it's own batteries and a CB that runs on power that doesn't drain the rigs power. Nothing worse than having to ask for a jump because you sat by the car all day with the radio on listening to what was going on and ran the battery down Prepare a bit and go and have a great time and take a lot of photos of real race cars to share.
Pants. Just wear pants. Get a large brimmed hat. Come say hi. They even let me hold a wrench, and pretend I'm helping!
There is always a story. I took over 200 pictures on that trip. I am featured in 3. There is too much blood in the third one to show it.
Every time u put ur knee on the salt whether u have it covered or not it will it will be wet when u stand up. As an inspector for years I learned to keep a folded cardboard in my back pocket.
I went in 1998 for the 50th. Hit the salt for the first time on Friday, and left it the next Friday afternoon. It was THE MOST SATISFYING motorsports event of my life. Met and spoke with heros, watched just enough racing, had a fricking ball. If you call yourself a motorhead, GO. Doesn't matter how or for how long, GO.
And when you are done, you will have the legs of Eric Heiden,,, From end of the road to the start line is three miles, from start line to pits is three miles, the pits are over two miles long.
When I was crewing on a fuel car we race pretty often and it was easy to remember the program, But with this 2 year layoff it is a whole different deal. I have a pile of notes and data that I have to get my mind wrapped around again. This isn't as easy as just running down the track that's for sure. Who else is racing this year? JC
Wells NV is the next best option for a room. 60mls down the road. Hey it's gotta be closer than home to the salt. Most motels have a pool . They are clean and lots of car guys stay there any how.
I can't believe it's been seven years since I went to Bonneville. I can't wait to make it back again, hopefully racing this year is a sign of good salt in the future.
Wear your regular sunglasses then buy another pair from the guy on the salt & wear them over the top of yours. It really is that bright there you couldnt make it without sunglasses. Its hard to take pictures because you cant see them in the view finder, just point & shoot, same with videos. There's a bunch of pictures of past years on landracing.com, some of them are mine
Haven't seen a picture of your roadster in quite awhile Rex....one of my favorites! See you there this year? I'll be with the 974 Sudebaker gang. Charlie
Well, if we get rained out again this year we can always pack our stuff and head further west to Black Rock Nevada and catch the Burning Man Festival. Ooops... Let's hope we don't have to.
I can't wait to go this year. Been many times in the past, but 2014 all we could do was wade in the salt water at the end of the road. But we made the best of it at the party in the Nuggett parking lot on Friday & Sat. night. Then drove back to Nebraska on Monday. 2015 did not go due to being cancelled all together. Driving out with the Rolling Bones as I always do. Taking the new deuce 3 window this year so the old roadster will have to stay home. Hope to see everyone in the pits & at the Nuggett lot.
On foot are you kidding on foot you will be in one spot all day get some thing with a motor you got a lot of area to cover
I would advise anyone bringing a motorized device to check with the SCTA or its website. I have not had a problem with an electric scooter but in the past mini-bikes were not allowed. All those on foot even in the pit should watch where they are going. To me at any racing venue the participants/race vehicles have the right of way especially those being pushed or towed. An opening in someone's pit is not "your" preferred parking place. And lastly a teenager with their head in a miniature communication device will probably not have a good time especially when they walk into the side of someone's pride and joy. Good luck and have fun...
Charlie, I got hit in the roadster about 2 years ago by a drunk. Hit the left rear tire and tore the rearend completely out of the car, broke the quick change in to little pieces! So it is all apart in the shop and is slowly going back together. I am one of those guys that can't leave a good thing alone so of course I am making some modification. Hope to have it back on the road in about a year. May even paint it this time! Rex
You could sit at the starting line and eventually see everything but as far as walking the pits, its a long way and all the cars wont be there at one time anyway. I believe a motorcycle has to be street legal but am not positive. They were requiring helmets and being old enough to ride also. Too many near misses with kids zooming around on mini bikes in the past. Never had a problem on my old Honda Trail 70 but it has tags on it. Buy a pit pass for your vehicle, problem solved !
Some clarifications. Not trying to be the downer, just relaying help to keep you out of BLM's and SCTA Officials bad side. Any motorcycle, mini-bike, or other motorized ride has to be either street licensed (and current reg) from your state, *or* has to have a state issued off-road reg sticker. The off-road reg sticker can be from your state or you can buy a UT sticker. BLM will give tickets for non-reg, so just be aware it will be enforced. Much like the Bend on the Road late night activities are clamped down, so is mini-bikes. Do not drive anything with an open beer, you will just add to your troubles. You can't drive your vehicle in the pits, unless you have access sticker being part of a race team. You can walk into pits or ride something, no problem. But no non-race team vehicles in pits. At least until about Monday when the caution tape is broken down and people drive in different spot than the main pit vehicle entrance. Tarp on the ground is only required in pits to catch fluids off race vehicles. Not under your EZ-up or under your hot rod when you park it. If flying in, stop at a thrift store and buy a cheap bike to ride around, then donate back to thrift store when you go home. Buy cheap folding chairs and make some friends with people with shade cover, so you don't have to buy an EZ-up. Leave them the chairs when you go home. Good way to make some new friends. Sunscreen with high SPF, like 30 or more. Especially if you are a person with more susceptibility to sunburn. I find regular sunglasses fine, but if your eyes are extra sensitive it might be good to have darker. A hat helps a lot to shade over your eyes.
The day is getting closer, The Roadster is getting a tune-up The calendars are on the pallet. A new push vehicle is in the works One of the vehicles needs a disc brake swap (We need more than one vehicle) The motorhome is giving me fits Just remember, racing is fun,,, just like hot rods are fun But on a bigger scale
The Jalopy Journal
