Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Bonneville
[GMCnet] Bonneville [message #115360] |
Thu, 17 February 2011 12:01 |
Gary Worobec
Messages: 867 Registered: May 2005
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Hi,
Looking to go to Bonneville in August for Speed Week (or a few days). Never been there before. Does anyone have the lay of the land regarding RV Parks, dry camping and such they could share so I can do some planning. Thanks
Gary and Joanne Worobec
1973 GMC Glacier
Anza, CA
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Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville [message #115517 is a reply to message #115371] |
Fri, 18 February 2011 12:23 |
djeffers
Messages: 219 Registered: June 2004
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We stayed at the KOA campground in Wendover, Nevada when we went to Speedweek in our GMC in 2005.
Wendover is only seven or eight miles away from the course and you have all the amenities of being in town and KOA has good showers. Short one block walk to stores, etc. and walking up and down the main street is a hot rod car show in itself.
The campground didn't seem to be 100% full during the time, but close to it. We went to Speedweek a little early and left a little late.
We made our reservation about a month ahead of time, but at Bonneville, the sooner reservations are made, the better. Make your reservation now, you can always cancel it.
We also drove out to the course in the GMC every day. One caution though, take a toad or pull your trailer with a vehicle you don't mind getting in the salt.
You can't camp out in the area of the pits or the course, so you will be commuting from someplace. When in the area of the pits or course, take along some kind of shade that you can stake down to keep the wind from blowing it away.
It rained a couple of times while we were on the salt in August and we got salt brine on our GMC. Even though we took our coach to the car wash every day, the salt still had its effect.
We had previously been to Bonneville in October and it was much dryer in October. No rains.
A wonderful event. Camped out on the salt during the day by the high speed course, sitting under the shade of the awning, listening to the announcer on the AM radio, food and drink readily at hand and watching and feeling beautiful machines go by at two or three hundred miles an hour.
And of course, the people building and running the cars are very friendly and willing to answer a lot of questions. Actually got to sit down and have a friendly conversation with John Fitch, historic sports car driver and highway safety innovator, for a half hour or so.
Both times we have been, it was an experience of a lifetime. Highly recommended.
Regards,
Don & Susan Jeffers
78 Eleganza II
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Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville [message #115526 is a reply to message #115517] |
Fri, 18 February 2011 13:45 |
Gary Worobec
Messages: 867 Registered: May 2005
Karma: -1
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Senior Member |
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Don,
Thank you very much for the overview. Bonneville has been on my list of
things to visit for 40 years. Reno Air Races also but will save that for
next year.
Thanks
Gary and Joanne Worobec
1973 GMC Glacier
Anza, CA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Jeffers" <don.jeffers@verizon.net>
To: <gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 10:23 A
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville
>
>
> We stayed at the KOA campground in Wendover, Nevada when we went to
> Speedweek in our GMC in 2005.
>
> Wendover is only seven or eight miles away from the course and you have
> all the amenities of being in town and KOA has good showers. Short one
> block walk to stores, etc. and walking up and down the main street is a
> hot rod car show in itself.
>
> The campground didn't seem to be 100% full during the time, but close to
> it. We went to Speedweek a little early and left a little late.
>
> We made our reservation about a month ahead of time, but at Bonneville,
> the sooner reservations are made, the better. Make your reservation now,
> you can always cancel it.
>
> We also drove out to the course in the GMC every day. One caution though,
> take a toad or pull your trailer with a vehicle you don't mind getting in
> the salt.
>
> You can't camp out in the area of the pits or the course, so you will be
> commuting from someplace. When in the area of the pits or course, take
> along some kind of shade that you can stake down to keep the wind from
> blowing it away.
>
> It rained a couple of times while we were on the salt in August and we got
> salt brine on our GMC. Even though we took our coach to the car wash every
> day, the salt still had its effect.
>
> We had previously been to Bonneville in October and it was much dryer in
> October. No rains.
>
> A wonderful event. Camped out on the salt during the day by the high
> speed course, sitting under the shade of the awning, listening to the
> announcer on the AM radio, food and drink readily at hand and watching and
> feeling beautiful machines go by at two or three hundred miles an hour.
>
> And of course, the people building and running the cars are very friendly
> and willing to answer a lot of questions. Actually got to sit down and
> have a friendly conversation with John Fitch, historic sports car driver
> and highway safety innovator, for a half hour or so.
>
> Both times we have been, it was an experience of a lifetime. Highly
> recommended.
>
> Regards,
>
> Don & Susan Jeffers
> 78 Eleganza II
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville [message #115534 is a reply to message #115360] |
Fri, 18 February 2011 14:30 |
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Don,
A friend of mine went a few years ago and he was able to park during the day right beside the return road where he was able to see the cars up close as they were returning to the pits. Is this where you were able to park also? Is it possible to get into the pits?
Bill Brown - '77 Buckeye Cruiser
Coshocton OH
carguybill@sbcglobal.net
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Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville [message #115561 is a reply to message #115534] |
Fri, 18 February 2011 17:10 |
earl schieb
Messages: 16 Registered: December 2008 Location: Mid-Tenn
Karma: 0
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carguy wrote on Fri, 18 February 2011 14:30 | Don,
A friend of mine went a few years ago and he was able to park during the day right beside the return road where he was able to see the cars up close as they were returning to the pits. Is this where you were able to park also? Is it possible to get into the pits?
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Yes, you can get in the pits, but you can't drive thru the pit area without a vehicle pit pass. Walking the pits--highly recommended!!Tip: sign up for a pit pass/wrist band at the SCTA tent and list yourself as a crew member for one of the teams, so it's best to know somebody there competing....the wrist band will insure your ability to get right up on the starting line and not get shooed off by the officials.
I lost my salt virginity this year and now I have the fever. Fantastic experience. I even did some fiberglass repairs on a record-holding(240+ mph) twin turbo big block Studebaker coupe while I was there--friend of a friend deal....the racers are friendly, the cars are amazing and the scenery is breathtaking.
And there was a GMC parked along the return road last August. Hopefully one day MINE will be parked there
[Updated on: Fri, 18 February 2011 17:14] Report message to a moderator
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Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville [message #115622 is a reply to message #115561] |
Fri, 18 February 2011 21:49 |
djeffers
Messages: 219 Registered: June 2004
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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Adding to all these good responses:
Arriving at the crack of dawn, we parked the motor home in many areas of the Bonneville event during the day. Since we
commuted in daily from the KOA campground in Wendover, we tried something different each
day. There are some soft spots on the salt, just follow the tracks of others.
We kept all windows and vents in the coach open and used the awnings on both sides to keep the interior in the shade as much as possible. It was actually quite comfortable in the coach, considering the intensity of the sun. We also used our sun screens on the windshield and rear window when they were exposed in the direction of the sun.
We first parked just behind the starting line of the short course and watched the cars departing on
their runs there from the vantage of our elevated front seats. Then later on the same for the long course, the fast course.
Then again very close to the inspection area where the cars are tech inspected. We could get out
and look at the cars as they were inspected.
And again later next to where the cars were lining up for each of the courses, so we could look at
the cars coming for their runs.
We did not take the GMC into the pits, but we could park just outside the pit area pretty much
around the perimeter.
We finally settled in at the far end of and outside of the pit area, where we had the long course in
front of us only a few hundred feet away. We just used common sense, were considerate of all
others and any possible safety issues with our chosen parking spot.
We would sit in lawn chairs outside under the big awning on the passenger side of the coach. If you don't have awnings, just take a portable one.
We also walked the pit area several times and closely inspected many of the cars and talked with
the builders and drivers.
When sunset came we drove back to the KOA in Wendover, a short drive. Then a good KOA shower, yak with our other Bonneville camper neighbors and a pleasant sleep with sweet dreams.
After the event was over and everyone was gone we drove the black line down the length of the
fast course, about seven miles, in the GMC at a moderate speed.
We were there for over a week. It was a good time.
Don and Susan Jeffers
78 Eleganza II
[Updated on: Fri, 18 February 2011 21:51] Report message to a moderator
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Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville [message #115668 is a reply to message #115360] |
Sat, 19 February 2011 08:53 |
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You guys are really getting my Bonneville juices flowing. I first wanted to go to speed week about 1954 and, so far, I haven't made it. But it is still on my bucket list. Let's see, that's 4000 miles @ 9mpg & $3.25/gal= $1450 for fuel plus . . .
Bill Brown - '77 Buckeye Cruiser
Coshocton OH
carguybill@sbcglobal.net
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Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville [message #115670 is a reply to message #115668] |
Sat, 19 February 2011 09:26 |
midlf
Messages: 2212 Registered: July 2007 Location: SE Wisc. (Palmyra)
Karma: 1
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carguy wrote on Sat, 19 February 2011 08:53 | You guys are really getting my Bonneville juices flowing. I first wanted to go to speed week about 1954 and, so far, I haven't made it. But it is still on my bucket list. Let's see, that's 4000 miles @ 9mpg & $3.25/gal= $1450 for fuel plus . . .
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For your bucket list these calculations are irrelevant! The goal should be to die broke with the credit cards maxed and the check you wrote just before you died should bounce. <grin>
Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI
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Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville [message #218608 is a reply to message #115360] |
Fri, 16 August 2013 12:08 |
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hnielsen2
Messages: 1434 Registered: February 2004 Location: Alpine CA
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Robin
One of the things on our bucket list
Me and my wonderful wife Susie
If it goes fast and makes noise she likes it
Thank You
Howard
All is well with my Lord
Never Give Up
On Aug 16, 2013, at 9:48, Robin Hood <loxley@gmail.com> wrote:
> dagnabbit, it won't let me link straight to the GMC slide. It's number 13.
>
> I thought it was a normal engine that has been souped up, not an LS Chevy?
>
>
> On Fri, Aug 16, 2013 at 11:44 AM, Robin Hood <loxley@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/vintage-speed/hot-rods-and-speed-freaks-of-bonneville-2013?src=spr_FBPAGE&spr_id=1457_20054589#slide-13
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Aug 16, 2013 at 8:43 AM, Daniel Jarvis <TheJarvis@gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The shots on http://palmerdesignsltd.com/ are great. I wonder how good
>>> that grill is at assisting with cooling? Or does the scoop help? Or don't
>>> they worry about it since it's not running very long?
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> 1976 Eleganza II
>>> 1996 Chevy Impala SS
>>> 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> GMCnet mailing list
>>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Robin Hood
>> Jackson, MS
>> 2013 Subaru Outback "Top Flight"
>> 1968 Pontiac Catalina "The Cheshire Cat"
>> 1978 GMC Royale motorhome "Pinto Bean"
>> 1977 GMC Palm Beach motorhome "Barn Queen"
>
>
>
> --
> Robin Hood
> Jackson, MS
> 2013 Subaru Outback "Top Flight"
> 1968 Pontiac Catalina "The Cheshire Cat"
> 1978 GMC Royale motorhome "Pinto Bean"
> 1977 GMC Palm Beach motorhome "Barn Queen"
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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All is well with my Lord
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Re: [GMCnet] Bonneville [message #218646 is a reply to message #115360] |
Fri, 16 August 2013 17:03 |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324 Registered: October 2010 Location: St. Cloud, MN
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That run was Monday. and showing the short track.
there was talk that he was to be running the "long track" that should have the potential to beat that 120mph. but problems with wind would not allow a run???
I looked, and do not see any more runs on the results page.
but they are none yet posted for today.
waiting for final word.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
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