Tuesday 12 May 2008, Winnemucca, NV

Salt Lake City to Winnemucca
(via Bonneville Speedway/Salt Flats)

Bonneville Speedway/Salt Flats
Managed as an area of 'Critical Environmental Concern' the Bonneville Salt Flats are a 30,000 acre expanse of barren land in which not even the simplest of life forms can exist.
The salt crust is an estimated 147 million tons, equivalent of 99 million cubic yards! 90% of it is made up of common table salt - sodium chloride. The remainder comprising potassium, magnesium, and lithium.
Humans lived in the Great Basin in which both the Salt Lake and the Salt Flats sit as early as 10,300 years ago.
The area was named after French-born army officer Capt. Benjamin L E Bonneville. In 1833, a trapper working for Benjamin Bonneville's fur trading company, explored, mapped and named the area after his boss, as was the custom in order to gain favour or better wages.
There is no historical record that Benjamin Bonneville ever saw this famous and eponymous area.
The area's first use as a raceway was conceived by the publisher Randolph Hearst (think 'Rosebud', and hostage-lover). As a publicity stunt (well, he was a publisher!), Hearst hired William Rishel of Cheyenne, Wyoming to attempt a crossing on bicycle. Rishel did so in 22 hours!
The Salt Flats gained international interest when Utah driver Ab Jenkins lured Sir Malcolm Campbell to compete for land speed records across its table-flat surface.
More recently another Brit, Andy Green, recorded over 350mph in a diesel 'JCB'!
No mention of the Utah Salt Flats can go without mention of 'The Metaphor' or 'Tree of Utah', which sits on the edge of the I-80 highway. Unfortunately, there are no rest stops nearby from which to marvel at this abstract sculpture, built by Swedish artist Karl Momen between 1982-1986. The 'Tree' contains over 225 tons of cement, 2000 ceramic tiles, 5 tons of iron rods and tons of rocks and minerals native to this barren place.

Road Trip Notes
Head WEST onto I-80 and continue past WENDOVER (for the Raceway)
Onto ELKO, WELLS and CARLIN
Finally arriving at WINNEMUCCA some 390 miles and 5h 24mins later, gaining an hour due to entering Pacific Time!