Valley of Speed closed?

[Victor Archer]

I just herd a nasty rumor that the Valley of Speed area has been fenced off. anyone herd about this?

[Unregistered]

I`ll be there for qualifing Monday morning. I`ll report back
Jerry
Douglas

[claylemon]

My brother (Kevin L) and I were just talking about the "Valley of Speed" yesterday, and how much fun it would be to be out there. If this RUMOR is true, someone needs to be "tarred and feathered" and run out of town on a rail.


Clay P. Lloyd


P S I hope I was subdued enough in my opinion this time Wayne

[AAFO_WSagar]

Originally posted by claylemon
I hope I was subdued enough in my opinion this time Wayne

LOL... well.. yes.. Sorry for no info on this subject but, we were asked a couple years ago to not discuss this mythical place under the sun that, as far as we know, still exists and is available for your viewing pleasure..

But, since we don't talk about what we're asked not to, perhaps someone else can shed further light on this subject.

Wayne

[claylemon]

Originally posted by AAFO_WSagar

since we don't talk about what we're asked not to

Otay Den, SHHHHHHHH!


Clay

[Bill@Interstell]

going going...

Many of the folks that used to gather in the valley of speed banded together in 2001 and purchased most of the particular piece of property in question. It is now fenced and available by invitation only. The new owners also charge a bit of an entry fee to non-owner invitees to offset property taxes, etc. 9/11 rendered this moot the first year. Last year the fence was up and the entrance monitored.

This actually makes for better filming as, in the past, truckloads of drunks swearing at the top of their lungs used to pull up two minutes before the race wedging there way in between carfully prepared camera positions that had been staked out all week.

There are very few bits of unclaimed and uncontrolled land left out there. Keep talking about them, and they'll all be gone if they aren't already.

I long for the days when one could stand and film from directly under the front straight where the road makes a big Z on the side of the mountaing between pylon 3 and 4. Gentlement, you have a race, and we on the ground had 8 charging unlimitede to choose from and no way to get them all in the frame.

[Randy Haskin]

That's overall too bad to hear. When I was introduced to "the road" back in '90 it was just a dirt road and a 4-foot chain-link fence. There were probaby a hundred people out there total.

[Unregistered]

So Randy, you're holding the fire hose these days, eh. Are the newbies drinking it up? Peas

[Randy Haskin]

Well, the tables aren't completely turned yet -- I have a 3-month instructor pilot upgrade program that I'm right in the middle of. It's a pretty tough program, so I'm at the drinking end of the hose currently much more than I'm at the opposite end.

It's a fun little jet, though, and I'm sure the job will be great once I'm done with the upgrade!

[Unregistered]

I think it was 2001 a new massive chain link fence topped w/barb wire was contructed running north from Placerville rd, at the BLM/airport property line, then to the east across the valley floor then south back to the gate on lemmon rd. at the north east end of the field. There are several gates at cross thorughfares, Lemmon drive, a couple of dirt roads to the east etc. in the last two years, those gates were guarded until about five PM and then opened for civilian traffic to transit.
This fence effectively seperated BLM land and Stead airport properties, allowing for enhanced security. Perhaps this is the New fence somebody reported.
I hope no other fencing has been installed, as a beautiful vista will have been lost.

[Bill@Interstell]

It is true, there is now an 8' chain link with barbed wire fence around the airport property perimeter. It goes not only north then east from Placerville road, but also south then east. It makes viewing and filming more difficlult. One has to stand back 50 yards or so from the fence, or climb on the roof of the car. I built a camera platform on a roof rack years ago to get a more unobstructed view. the fence was started in 2001 and completed in by 2002.

I thought the original poster was asking about the ability to even get up to the airport fence. As mentioned, most of the property out there is now fenced off at the road, and yes, it used to be a dirt road in 1990. That was the first year they started tossing people off the hills on the east side of the course.

[Unregistered]

Great news from Brother Barry via cell phone from the V.O.S.

NO CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR.

See ya there!

[Unregistered]

PS. Some may remember from just a few years back, the partially clothed women climbing all over Brother Barry's giant spud cannon he fabbed on his "tank" (OD green Weisel of WWII vintage...).

Or maybe you caught the models posing on the Harleys....

How aqbout the year we set up a huge tent,...people kept showing up wanting to buy a hot dog or a hat.....

How about the Killer Klown Ice Cream truck...

Or how about that guy with a train horn on his ATV...unbelevable horn....

All memories from the V.O.S.

[John Ward]

Valley of Speed

Yes there is a fence but is it designed to keep us out or the paying guests in? Been chased out of everywhere else on the course so Christies it is. One time some guys got dropped off on Cheapskate hill by taxi in the middle of the night straight from the airport. Can you get a pizza delivered up there?

[Unregistered]

Cheapskate Hill??? OK!!!

But that's THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH to watch the bad boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If youv'e never seen a unlimited race from there......your the loser!

I've seen the show from every angle, and always include the "show" and the pits but, Cheapskate hill rocks....dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!