by Michal

getting stuck in the bonneville salt flats.

Total Trip Time: 00:02:30:00; and then I get this bright idea.



Hello friends!

What is the best way to keep things interesting on mile 60 of a 600 mile trip that will eventually drags out for another 3000? That’s right; find the stretch of HWY that makes absolutely no turns for 80 miles, and…..

“Evasive maneuvers! Hard to port!!!”


And then I say to myself: “Self. Situations like this are exactly the reason why engineers invented differential lockers. ‘Heck’ this Land Cruiser has one for the front axle, one on the rear axle and then one in the middle between the two. With a setup like this we’ll be out of here in no time”

Wrong again. Apparently, four wheel drive only gets you stuck twice as deep. So we get out and look around…

So this is how I got things started. Lesson learned. Most importantly though, the real lesson to be learned here was to always know where you are. Thing will happen; flat tires, overheating, etc. But telling the tow truck Co. over the phone “Well, I’m in the middle of nowhere.” Does very little in getting the truck out to you.

And of course I’m sure that you’ll ask the question: Why?

Funny you should mention that since that is exactly the same question that Allison {aka Patience} asked me. So I tried: “Because it was there.” Then I tried: “Oh come on, with 10,000 square miles of salt flats badlands out there it’s not like YOU have never been tempted to drive out there?” Nope, that did not work either. I quickly changed the subject to getting us unstuck and this topic was avoided for at least another hour.

The good news? Well while waiting for the tow, Allison gathered up beer bottles and spelled out “Petit Travels” in the mud.  Good times.

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Yup, That’s the tow truck in the background. The next 20 miles to the nearest car wash were even so much more memorable since we could only go 50mph or so. If were were to go any faster, the tires might have fallen off. At least the mud flats worked.


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Michal

This is Michal's profile description. This is were Michal tells you how awesome and wonderful he is. He's just one cool cat.

8 Comments

  1. Naomi :

    Oh my gosh!!! That is crazy. Please tell me you were experimenting with some off-road nonsense and that wasn’t the highway. Frightening!

  2. KJ :

    you lost me a differential lockers…;)

  3. Petit Elefant :

    Naomi,
    Victor thought it would be great fun to drive across the salt flats. What he didn’t factor into the equation was a 5,000 lb., fully packed Land Cruiser + 3 feet of mud beneath the salt.

  4. Rebecca :

    I’ve always wanted to drive on the salt flats. Glad to know what the result would be before I ever try it! I’ve also always wanted to leave a message in the salt flats, and for that, I am jealous of you.

  5. Donna :

    I’ve always wanted to drive on the salt flats also. But we got stuck in mud up to the bottom of our truck’s door while camping in the mountains. And the 4-wheel drive didn’t get us out either. Lesson learned – always bring a tow rope. Thankfully our friends pulled us out at no expense. Have fun!

  6. the emily :

    oh my gosh, I am DYING! That is just too funny! My husband is from San Fran so every time we drive over the salt flats I beg my husband to drive out over them (in our ford taurus). Now I know why he says NO. HAHAHA!

  7. liesel :

    Amazing.

  8. Sell...Party Of 4 :

    Thanks for giving me a good laugh, even though it probably wasn't funny to you. =)