I have to laugh, everytime I pass by the salt flats driving truck, it always seems to be in the off-season as the ground is covered by and inch or 2 of water. What time of year do things start to dry out? And I must admit I feel kinda foolish just asking, but I am from the cruel northeast...Could a car start rusting pretty good after only a few days racing on the flats? Or is the salt not as damaging as northeast road salt? Thanks for tolerating the goofy question guys! Good luck to all who are going, and enjoy. I am soooo jealous!
Like I have said before.....25 years since my first trip, with the resulting life changing result. Only have missed 4 meets, one being the `93 Rainout. `85 and `87 because of unkind Geography, and`99 when my youngest daughter was needing me.......I leave tomorrow morning, and it is EXTREMELY unlikely I`ll get any sleep tonite....
-Ryan, those pics that you found are from my flickr site (www.flickr.com/photos/farmerjohn), so yeah, you guessed right. Those are prints from original negatives given to me by Al Blachman out of his old car club's photo scrap book that had never been developed. A little correction though re your blog : "Some of the photos in the collection.......are fairly common, and more than likely you’ve seen them a time or two, but others seem pretty fresh....." actually NONE of the pics have ever been published or probably seen before as some of these were developed by me for the first time ever, and the rest were from a private collection from an estate here in the local East Bay area. Thanks for the props- glad you all like them as much as I do....I have the original prints made of the top 4 or 5 you have posted there hanging in my house in 10"x12" format and stare at them everday.
Wearing shorts out there isn't much of a problem now that the legs are longer on the shorts. Butter up though because the sun is brutal. Wear a hat. Sunglasses are required. I might even opt for those that the folks who just had cataract surgery wear for the side protection. It's amazing the relief you will find while your under cover of someones tent. Don't be bashful either, most know you need a little shade. Drink lots of water.. I can't stress this enough. I took a 5 gallon Igloo out and the group of us drained it by mid-day. My favorite time on the Salt is in the evening when many have headed back to town and the sun has dropped behind the mountains. Quiet, quiet quiet, cooling down. Great time for the first refreshment of the evening and just taking in what God created. Absolutely indescribable. While there check out #232. First time out for this 32 Roadster built by Paul Beck from St. Johns, Michigan. Not his first time out though. He built a 3 Window that he took there for the 50 Anniversary and the two or three years after that. It made the cover of Rod and Custom (January 2001) and is now better known now as the Mooneyes Coupe #532. What is amazing is this is his third car built in three years. He built the Veda Orr replica for the Grand National Roadster show in 07. Built a Deuce Roadster for a friend in 08 and now the #232 car for himself in 09. check it out while your there. Have a great time. Wish I were on my way.
Went last year and posted a road trip report about it here. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=319495 We had a blast and don't worry about bringing a hat there's a a vendor table on the salt that sells the best hats and sunglasses right there for short money. It is the best we're planning a return trip next year. One from our trip
The sunrise is not to be missed. Its best viewed as you head to impound to collect your bike for its record return run.
The Jalopy Journal
