World Finals Tourist

[Rob]

G'day Guys,

I'm coming stateside this Sunday and hoping to make the trip from LA to the WF next month.

I'll have the wife and 6 year old son with me and it's a long haul for them. Can anyone offer tips on stuff to see and do along the way, particularly north of Modesto as that's relatively unfamiliar territory for me.

Also can someone advise regarding room availability for those three days please.

Hope to see you there,
Rob

[LSR Mike]

Wel it's about 12 hours from LA to the Salt. Biggest attraction is Las Vegas about 4 hours out. the drive thru the middle of Nevada is pretty in some respects but kinda boring. watch the speed limits in the little burgs, Alamo, etc... the local Constables like the extra revenue tourists bring. Rooms should be available in Wendover at a much lower rate that Speedweek,but I would get reservations.

Drop by the pits and introduce yourself.

[lvsalt]

your about 2 hours to Lake Tahoe from Modesto. another 7hr to Wendover.

[theazoldcrow]

There is a real nice, clean motel in Alamo, the Alamo Motel.  Good price ($42) a nite. The owner, Vern is a desert racer and is very Salt Flats friendly.   tell him Crow said hello if you stop there>  And DO watch the speeds!

[LSR Mike]

They also run a open road race on the highway thru Nevada, Highway 318.

here's the site...

http://www.silverstateclassic.com/home.htm

course info is near the bottom of the page

Here's a link to the course notes.

http://www.silverstateclassic.com/318-hwy-course-notes-text.htm

you'll have to read them from the bottom to the top.

They race going south, you'll be going north.

[Stan Back]

That could make it exciting.

[Rob]

Thanks Guys,

I need to go north via Modesto so will be initially travelling up 99. I need to try to find things for the wife and son to stop and look at (or do) every couple of hours to give them a break.

I did go through Nevada when I went to the 50th Speed Week in '98 then back south through Reno and Tahoe. Very pretty country indeed but it was a non stop run other than fuel as I was alone.

We may well head back south via Nevada as we need to go to Prescott Az soon after the WF.

Thanks for the tip on speed, I hear things have gotten worse that way in Calif. too since I was last there.

Hope to catch up when there Mike.

Cheers,
Rob

[FIL]

Rob, you may find some value in my road trip blog from our journey out to SpeedWeek in August.... http://tbr.landbarge.com

[Rob]

Thanks Phil,

I've had a squint and will look more later this evening. Looks like a good trip had by all there.

Rob

[FIL]

It sure was... we definitely put the old Caddy thru her paces... Tried to work on about 4 hours driving a day, so that we could take time out when required to see the sights, although some days we just had to drive for longer in order to cover the distances required... just meant we checked in to the hotels pretty late at night some times

[jimmy six]

Don't be too hard on the Caddie...lotsa open spaces on your trip with out "parts" being convenient...WF is a great meet and we are looking foward to attending..Loading the car this weekend into the trailer to make next weekend easier................

[FIL]

We're back now Jimmy... Our trip (in the Caddy) was for SpeedWeek...

btw Rob, we ran at 80 on the 65mph roads most of the time in Cali, without a problem, but your luck may not be the same as ours... the advice we were given before hand was 'keep up with other traffic, don't be the car in front' (and of course, if you see one highway patrol car, there are plenty more around, so lay off the gas for a while)

i also got passed a couple of times by CHP and other police cars while doing 10 mph over the limit, with no concerns, but i hear a lot of the time it depends on which county you're in and how their budget is going...

[Rob]

I hear you Phil,

Bakersfield and Fresno always had plenty of CHP floating. Modesto to LA was almost a weekly trip for me back then. I used to max at 85 but always eyes open and slower near the two mentioned cities.

In all the years I was back and forth I only saw one radar gun in use but they tell me that has changed. I will also be driving a mate's Expedition and am on his insurance, I don't want to bump his premium or it'll be a hire car next time.  :|

Someone also mentioned that the weather is "iffy" around WF time, rain or possibly snow so we will watch the weather reports before we leave Sacramento.

Cheers,
Rob

[FIL]

ah yes... if the weather is an issue, some of the roads we took may well be closed... i know ebbett's pass is a seasonal road, it's 'interesting' and a heck of a lot of fun in summer, but would be scary as hell if the weather was bad... (ebbett's pass is one of the routes between yosemite and south tahoe)

[penny]

rob for entertainment draw a circle on the windscreen for each person in the car . permanent marker will do . whoever gets the most bugs  in their circle over a set distance wins . to start a new game hit the washers . travel safe . paul stuck in south australia