RideSmart Track Day - 04.04.2009 @ TWS, College Station, TX - $135

[ciaka]

RideSmart is pleased to announce the 2009 return to TWS for our April 4, 2009 date.
Arguably the best track in the state of TX.

Excellent facilities, for classroom, paddock space, camping, spectating, etc, etc.

If you do not plan to ride, come on by anyways.

As a spectator, you will be able to ride the parade laps to give you a taste of the track experience. If you are interested in parade laps, you should read the pertinent thread within the RideSmart School section for all details about the event.

There is still plenty of space in each level, so if you have the need, click on the registration link to sign up. Weather is shaping to be in mid 80s, so the day will surely be very nice.



Track Event Details:

DATE: April 4, 2009

TRACK: TWS - College Station, TX

REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE (http://www.ridesmart.info/catalog/index.php?cPath=4&osCsid=12c9a47960e94cfee1519414b511f2c5)

DIRECTIONS: CLICK HERE (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=30.533396,-96.219463&spn=0.0319,0.06609&t=h&z=15)

TRACK URL: CLICK HERE (http://www.texasworldspeedway.com/)



So come on out and join us, even if not riding.
We hope to see you there.


Anyone coming from here, feel free to put your name down on this thread so others can see and maybe help you contribute to gas money fund by splitting the cost of fuel.

[liltxfreebird]

I can't wait!!! I am a bit nervous since this will be my first time out since I went down last year... I have a feeling I will make a record for the slowest one out there till I find my feet again,, then I will be the second slowest :rofl:

[dhdrider]

I can't wait!!! I am a bit nervous since this will be my first time out since I went down last year... I have a feeling I will make a record for the slowest one out there till I find my feet again,, then I will be the second slowest :rofl:
See ya there. I'll be instructing in Level 1 tomorrow...:rider:

[ciaka]

I say don't even worry about speed. Come to learn and speed comes with learning. You will not be in anyone's way. Think of this as one large day ride, but where you actually get to practice some stuff on your own terms.
See you at the track.




I can't wait!!! I am a bit nervous since this will be my first time out since I went down last year... I have a feeling I will make a record for the slowest one out there till I find my feet again,, then I will be the second slowest :rofl:

[liltxfreebird]

Ride report:

I have to say that I was not feeling it when I first got back on the track.. I was frustrated, intemidated, my bike did not feel right and my hands were KILLING me.. however,,, I spoke to Guy, Ciaka (please forgive me I did not want to butcher the spelling of your name) and my hubby.. each reminded me of several very important basic knowledge again... during lunch I got in my head the how's and why's, decided that since as Guy said it was my day to be on the track...mentally took out all of the being scared and replaced it with determination of NOT letting the track or turn 10 win,, and hit the track like I had a pair...

Granted I was still the slowest thing out there besides the guy taking pictures,, by the end of the day I was back to having an absolute ball!!! I feel better about my turns, my bike and my abilities (as limited as they are).. and I want to extend my sincere appreciation to ALL of the guys at ridesmart... looking at the pics on the photo site I could see that in almost each one there was an instructor in it some where.. watching and helping me between sets to see what and where I needed to change things..I could also see that I was looking thru my turns and had the beginnings of good body position of my upper part anyway... I was leaning my shoulders off of the bike and into my turns, my head was in the turns and even though I did not have a smidgen of a cheek off of the seat or the bike leaned in the slightest,, my turns impoved dramaticly, my hands stopped hurting and my knees were KILLING me. Thanks to all of you instructors .. and Guy for spreading the MOJO and helping me to find my courage after my umm...spectacular dismount on my last trackday of 08...I can't wait to go go another one and start picking up some speed again..

again,, KUDOS to Dave the ridesmart instructor team for another successful fun day,, you guys ROCK!!! :clap::clap::clap:

PS..
I also think it was great how everyone had to attend the first two classes to get on the track,,, brilliant way to ensure that everyone was able to hear the rules.. no excuses for bad behaviour...:clap:

[Loyd]

Ride report:

Talk about an interesting day. First time ever Dave gets things kicked off early! :eek: The gimmick for getting folks to attend class was nice too. Ever think about making another requirement for sessions after lunch?

The day started out a bit chilly and overcast. Towards the end of the day the sun came out and the wind stayed pretty mellow. Weather was awesome! By lunch the track was coming around nicely. No debris or wetspots to contend with. The surface was a bit rougher than I recall last season. No problems with electrical power. It was almost as if today was going to just be one of those days you reserve a special spot in your noggin for.

As for myself? I spent the first part of the day totally unable to concentrate. I'll admit most of it was out of worry for the mrs. After a brief peptalk at lunch, everything was sorted out and I found my grove returning.

I've been attending Dave's events since 2003. You think I would have heard it all by now right? There was a new instructor, who's name I forget. I'll label him "motard guy" due to his unique sounding ride. (In a sea of 4's and 2's, that little thumper sure stands out!) He sets up his 600rr for the body drill and starts picking on... er, picking out riders. Something about the way he said the same tips I've been hearing for years now finally clicked. I managed to start to alter my riding position some. How such a small change can make everything else so different! I struggled with this change in perspective, and some suspension twiddling from Roger, for two more sessions.

Second to the last session I see Guy come by me on the straight. He has easy to recognize smileypucks. They look just like " :) ". He manages to motor past on his gsxr1k and I get him back in one of the curves. I poor it on a little more and stay ahead, but am still a little put off by the change in postions. I'm ahead of him coming out of 15 onto the straight with a great drive. I have poor sheila wrung wide open in topgear by the box.(156 indicated) I'm thinking: " I should at least have him held off until the brake markers"...I didn't even get to finish my thought before he whizzed by. (I suppose 20+mph really does account for something.) I spend the rest of that session trying to reel him in. Every inch I get, I give up a foot in either straights or other riders. (This isn't the open group so some passes just aren't a good idea, or an option.) Ah well, I'm not going to fuss one bit. I've made tremendous progress today. The wife's having fun again!!! My mojo's coming back! AND... T actually tells me I can flog..er, ride snapper around the final 15 minute session for level one. Talk about a great day!!!

Now I'm sitting there thinking, as I prepare to head out for the last round, how hard am I gonna do this. I've soaked up all the instruction my brain will be abe to process in one day, it IS late, I DO have to go to work next week. I decide to just head out and try to find my way thru turn 3.

Every track has the turn, or set of turns, that hound me. At MSR-C it's the entrance to rattlesnake. At Hallet it's the busstop. At TWS it's always been turn 3... 6 years of "I'll get it next time". Darn frustraing I tell ya...but I still come off the track with a grin.:mrgreen:

Out I go for the last session. I decide I'm running tire warmers and it's a short session. No need for warm up laps. Just go out, line up all the stuff in your head, and let come out of it what may... Then it happens... Sheila sang to me. That's right, I heard a new noise and it sounded like music! :-P

(On the rr version of the latest hondas there is a second set of injectors. They operate only at certain rpms. I could not hear these things open up with my head where it had been for the last 6 years of riding sheila.)

When that little tidbit of "try this" from "Motard-guy" thunked into place I found I had my head off to the side and downwards of the gastank. From here I could hear sheila and her secondary injectors "sing". Laugh all you want at the mental image of a rider being serenaded by the bike. I was so focused on hearing sheila hum in my ears that I totally stopped trying to "process" what I was going to do next and just danced around the laps, sheila's song in my ears. It was with a lot of regret that I saw that checkered flag wave so soon.

I have a pretty sneaky suspicion I wasl under the 2 minute mark the entire session. (I usually run 2:05-2:10-ish while I'm out playing around with how to get thru this and thats riding in group 2) I came in to pitrow. I realized that I wasn't near as tired as I usually am after a session. It also never once felt like work flipflopping the bike from side to side and under brake. It wasn't until I pulled offtrack that I saw those " :) " either. I'd managed to outgun Guys evil biggerbike with my wee 600 the entire session. :rider:

To top it all off, the wife actually did let me ride snapper the last 10 or so minute session. I came away from that session with a completely different view of the little bike she chose to bring home. It goes darn good for a bonestock "beginner bike". The only comments I heard from T were:" 120mph? I did 125mph my second trackday and still had time to back off!" and " I can't believe how quiet my bike is when it goes by"...evidently she didn't hear me miss a couple of shifts. :mrgreen:

All in all, I couldn't ask for a better first day of the season. T got her mojo back, I got hear music, and now I have to shop for rear tires again. :scratch: Thanks to Dave and crew again for another well run event, despite the few buggers who refused to follow basic instruction. Thanks to "Motard-guy" for a little bit of his mojo. Thanks to Dave's wife for hanging on to my hat since last season. :clap:


Short digression:
It amazes me how folks will pointedly disregard sound advice thinking their way is better. Even when advice is only given in the best interests of a riders improvement. Ex: We just had instructors mention tracksafety(for the millionth time)They even specifically mentioned NOT stopping ontrack for your buddy AND not to look behind you!...head to track and some poor fellow wipes out looking to see if his buddy's behind him going into the chicane. He even did it under a redflag! One turn from pitlane! (Unfortunately there were other examples all day long.) It's stuff like this that helps me totally understand why bike riders have earned their reputation, regardless of bike-type...That and the Harley rider who lives up the block who just had to blare his horn at T (who was in the middle of trying to back her truck in the drive way) because he'd rather sswerve in front of her and honk than simply wait his turn...Sometimes I wish Karma was more aggressive in eliminating folks who refuse to use common sense..

[dhdrider]

Short digression:
It amazes me how folks will pointedly disregard sound advice thinking their way is better. Even when advice is only given in the best interests of a riders improvement. Ex: We just had instructors mention tracksafety(for the millionth time)They even specifically mentioned NOT stopping ontrack for your buddy AND not to look behind you!...head to track and some poor fellow wipes out looking to see if his buddy's behind him going into the chicane. He even did it under a redflag! One turn from pitlane! (Unfortunately there were other examples all day long.) It's stuff like this that helps me totally understand why bike riders have earned their reputation, regardless of bike-type...That and the Harley rider who lives up the block who just had to blare his horn at T (who was in the middle of trying to back her truck in the drive way) because he'd rather sswerve in front of her and honk than simply wait his turn...Sometimes I wish Karma was more aggressive in eliminating folks who refuse to use common sense..

Or perhaps the guy who stopped on track to look for his visor that came off his helmet. :eek2:

Good write-up BTW...

[ciaka]

...that was a surprise to hear...funny, but soooo dangerous - if you read this - DON'T DO THIS AGAIN PLEASE!!!





Or perhaps the guy who stopped on track to look for his visor that came off his helmet. :eek2:

Good write-up BTW...

[liltxfreebird]

Or perhaps the guy who stopped on track to look for his visor that came off his helmet. :eek2:

Good write-up BTW...



HOLEEE poo that is nuts :doh:

[Loyd]

Photo of event...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b76/L0weed/4-4-09twstrackpic.jpg