Other Remote Location Journal 8/14/05
Paula Poole

Part of the day was spent with some of the Speed Week
crowd. Some of these enthusiasts try to break speed
records on the Bonneville Salt Flats. This annual
event has been happening since the 1940's. We drove
back out to get to another road, but found that the
Pilot gas station has an area for taking showers. We
didn't go out to watch the event, because time was of
the essence and while eating enchiladas at the Salt
Flat Cafe, we heard people saying while they shook
their heads that the salt was rough. I don't think any
speed records will be set this year. In fact, we found
out it might still be wet, but there was a heatwave
and some windy days that drew the moisture out of the
salt.

We drove on the scenic road called the Silver Island
Mountain Back-Country By-Way. We would find the other
two locations on the Silver Island Mountains. The
mountains poked up from the cracked, glistening
expanse in crags of rock. We found markers that we
knew continued in a line near the Pilot Range, the
other side of the valley. The cattle of the
Donner-Reed party stampeded and scattered looking for
water here. The route is called Hasting's Cut-Off. We
camped on the north side where we could see most of
Lemay Island and the Pilot Range. Through the
afternoon and evening, we considered the plight of the
Donner-Reed party and what they would face in their
horrible winter.




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