Going to Bonneville - Speed Week August 10-16, 2019

[DanStokes]

We had a few in Impound - like maybe a total of 10 or 12 cars for the whole week. This is NOT normal! The bike folks had a few more but they were way behind their usual numbers, too.

Dan

[studemax]

From other reports I've read, there were records set despite the poor condition of the salt and George Poteet still ended up with Top Speed of the Meet.

[DanStokes]

Great to meet you, too, Jason! Folks, he seems pretty sane considering he's one of "US".

Dan

[prostreet34]

I ended up at the Golden Nugget tonight in my Hudson. Saw Dan and Jason. Fun!

Was great to finally meet Dan and to catch up with Jim and all his amazing road trip adventures.

Jason

[Russell]

That looks like a sunburn waiting to happen. Wish I was there but with more clothes on

[Gerrit]

Yup. Special high speed compound and, more important, doesn’t leave black stripes on the salt

[studemax]

Blue tires?

[Gerrit]

My moment of glory

[squirrel]

I ended up at the Golden Nugget tonight in my Hudson. Saw Dan and Jason. Fun!

[Gerrit]

You'll work and I'll watch. Sounds good to me

[DanStokes]

I work in Impound so I'm pretty much always there. Please don't take it personally if I don't have much time to talk as I AM working when there! I'm always up for a dinner someplace in town so we can get together and hang out, swap lies, etc. after hours.

Dan

[Gerrit]

Safe travels, Dan.

Where do you usually hang out? Pit area, starting lines, ...?
Irene and I will arrive Sunday afternoon. We might meet you. Stay cool :-)

Gerrit

[DanStokes]

Plane ticket in hand (well, the print out of the online reservation), bags almost packed, rental car all lined up (I have my sources) - I'm ready to go. See y'all Friday PM.

Dan

[DanStokes]

Studemax has the program. I live on caffeine-free Diet Coke and it's been OK out on the Salt but I wouldn't RECOMMEND it! I have 2 Diet Cokes going at all times - 1 to drink and 1 in the cooler. It warms up before I get to the bottom of the bottle so I switch them as it warms. A foam fast food cup keeps it cooler so that's another tip.

Don't mention your bucket list! Real Salt Dogs will tell you it's not a bucket list thing it's a way of life! They WILL tease you about it! All in all they're a great bunch of folks. The Mexican restaurant out by the airport looks a bit funky but has good food and is (relatively) cheap. The Red Garter has cheapest food of the casinos which is weird as they're all owned by the same group. Don't miss the car show just over the state line! It's on in the evenings and while there may be a few cars there all week the real show is over the weekend.

Dan

[studemax]

Any suggestions for a first timer, aside from sun screen and shades?

Yes, wear a wide-brimmed hat with at least 3 inches of brim. Wear big sunglasses, wraparounds are suggested. Wear light colored clothing, the real salt dogs wear long sleeves and long pants - cotton. If you wear shorts - wear underwear or grease your junk with sunblock, as the salt reflects upwards strongly.

Buy the strongest sunblock you can, and grease up your whole body before getting dressed - and use it a couple times during the day on exposed parts. The back of your legs, your underarms, behind your ears, under your nose will need attention or you can suffer the consequences. Everyone on the salt smells like sweat and coconut. Deal with it.

Drink at least 2 gallons of liquid per day - best is water and something like Gatorade or Powerade. Buy ice EVERY morning at the truck stop before heading out. DO NOT drink a lot of soda pop, OK? You'll be sorry if you do.

Tape plastic sheet into your vehicle to keep the salt out, and use a whisk broom to remove it. If you wish, take 2 pairs of shoes - one for walking the salt, one for driving and once you get back into Wendover (the hotels and casinos HATE salt in their carpets).

Take a camera. Thank God for digital, because I took 500 plus photos back in '98, and I scoured Wendover for film every day. Take spare batteries, and extra memory cards.

Vehicle protection: Spray the underside with Salt-Away before and after leaving the salt. Brush or scrape off any heavy salt before leaving the lake. Drive home through heavy rain to remove most salt. When you get home, DO NOT use power sprayers to remove the salt from under the car. It just drives the salt into the gaps and crevices. Use a lawn sprinkler and let it run. No matter how clean you get it, salt will be falling off weeks later. Best idea - rent a car, but NOT in Salt Lake. They charge big fees if they even let you go on the salt. I rented a van in Wichita, and they had no clue where I was going - but I drove through rain on the way home and cleaned up underneath with a hose and a brush ('cause I'm a nice guy). Besides - I had to scrub all the bugs off the front....

Do not throw trash on the salt - including cig butts! Take it with you. Do not pour any liquids except water on the salt. If they see you drop anything but water, expect repercussions. SAVE THE SALT.

Be nice, and have a great time.