If you are a first timer at Bonneville, or if you have not been there for twenty years, you can save some hassles by planning well ahead. Your major focus should be on getting a room reserved. Now! Although a few veterans have learned it is possible to go to Wendover with no thought of a room, instead relying on the possibility of last minute room cancellatons. it works, of course, but not always, and I can tell you from experience, sleeping in your car in a desert night goes from hot miserable, to bug miserable, to cold miserable, to just plain grungy miserable.

Although you can get some good discounted casino hotel rooms by booking early, the regular chains, such as Motel 6 actually increase prices during Speedweek, primarily on Friday and Saturday nights. This is when there is maximum demand, from racers, normal freeway traffic, and weekend gamblers. If you make a reservation up to a year in advance (advised--you can always cancel up to the last minute), check back in 6 months, then reconfirm 3 months in advance. Always get the agent's name who serves. Personnel is often revolving door.

Unless you are in a multi-floor casino hotel, get an east facing room. the 5pm sun can be brutal on hot days. The large hotels have very large parking lots, and normally security is minimal.

Wendover, Utah is not the same as West Wendover, Nevada, although they are separated only by a white line across the main drag. In Nevada, everything goes, not so on the Utah side. Each "town" has a high school, most of the civilized amenities are in Nevada, although the school cheerleaders each have car washing fund raisers worth your support. West Wendover is in the parking lot just west of the state line, the Wendover wash is is a small motel parking lot on the east side. Neither side has a charge, you make a donation, so be generous.

The old Wendover Will statue once identified with the Stateline casino is now astraddle of the old highway at the end of West Wendover. The new food market is in this area, as well as Ace hardware and the coin car wash. The auto parts store, which is remarkably well stocked, is on the east end of main street (Utah side) and gets some unusually quick deliveries from Salt Lake City. I think this store must import counter help during Speedweek, as they seem to know what we car nuts need.

Food is a roulette adventure, with several fast food outlets in either state, a dozen years past the casino buffets were the ticket, but today they are poor value for mediocre grub. My favorite is the cafe just inside the door of the hotel just across the street north of the Nugget (stateline). Decent food, decent prices, lots of old timey hot rodders easilyl identified by the grey hair (usuallly thinning) and hot rod T-shirts.)

You can fly into SLC and rent a car or camper, but never ever disclose that you are going to the salt flats. When you return a rental, be sure you have washed it top and underside, and thoroughly cleaned the interior. Normal thick plastic sheeting over the carpets is advised, if you return a vehicle that has been on the salt, you can pay a hefty penalty, a clause artfully hidden in the rental agreement.

Wendover is a far cry from the stage stop I first knew in 1949, but the salt flat arena remains eternal. Come prepared to be blown away...year after year