Monday 20th March – Return to Utah

A day later than expected, but we left at 11am as planned to continue heading East on Interstate 80.  I know we have tried to avoid the Interstate where possible, but on days like today, instead of being boring, it is actually a pleasant drive on smooth roads and with more lovely scenery

Struggling for a name for a town?  Turn to Star Wars... almost

 Nothing too exciting to report until we crossed the border into Utah again and went over this hill:

All that flat nothingness in the distance.... Bonneville Salt Flats

Simon had found that there was a free BLM site right by the Bonneville Salt Flats themselves and the turn-off was only 4 miles into Utah.  Although we made good time today, we hopped back (or rather forward) into Mountain time, so suddenly it was 430pm rather than 330pm.  Heading north off the interstate, we drove along the access road towards Bonneville International Speedway.  These salt flats were formed when an ancient lake slowly evaporated and deposited concentrations of salt on the land.  Historically, the vast flats have impeded man’s movement west and it wasn’t until 1896 that the potential for using the flats for racing was first noticed.  Since then, the flats have been the site of numerous land speed records, moving on to jet and rocket propelled cars in the 1960s exceeding speeds of 500 and even 600 mph. A Speedway is created on these flats every summer and speed trials take place for as long as conditions allow.

We saw a few people trying out the flats themselves in their personal vehicles.  Simon went for a recce on the sand to judge the suitability for RVs.  Apparently, it was fine.  I was dubious and having scraped our undercarriage pulling on to the flats and swerved around a little, I was relieved when Simon steered us back onto the hard stuff! My google maps was telling me that the speedway track was at the end of this road.  You know that mirage effect on the desert when the horizon looks like it’s covered in water?  Well, today wasn’t a mirage.  Then end of the road WAS covered in water!  So, it was a good thing that Simon had slowed down as we approached.

The end of the road... and the beginning of a lake!

The view back down the way we had come, water on both sides of the road

At this time of year the actual speedway is several inches underwater.  We had reached the end of the road, nothing for it but to identify our camping spot for the night.  So much easier in daylight!  And when the BLM land is well signposted (right). 

There was only one other camper on the site.  We found a vaguely flat spot and I invited Simon to come for a walk to the top of one of the nearby mountains for a view over the salt flats.  As ever, it was steeper than it looked, but the views were worth it.  Exercise achieved, we headed back to the RV for dinner and a quiet night on the flats.

A lizard neighbour

The view of the salt flats from the top of our climb