I'm wore out. There were only two riding groups today, alternating 20 minute track sessions, 10 sessions per group. (Private Track Time puts on a great event) I couldn't even go out for four of them I needed to rest. I had a couple spooky incidents today. I'm trying to figure out how to blip the throttle for my downshift while I'm braking without terribly upsetting the chassis (read: freaking myself out too badly). I'm also still trying to figure out my body position on the bike so that I can set my knee down. My primary interest in this is I'm hoping to avoid dragging any hard parts.

So, scary incident number one is actually a combination of several smaller events. I'm coming through turns 13 and 14. My right peg touches down. This is the first time this has ever happened to me on this bike. It freaks me out. I blast down the start/finish straight with my concentration less than 100% after having hit 13/14 harder than I've ever hit it before. I'm carrying a lot more speed into turn 1 than I ever have. I get on the brakes, downshift from fourth to third, and I'm late for my 3-2 downshift. Because I haven't trained my right hand properly yet for the blip and brake, I manage to be on the brakes and the gas at the same time in second gear still carrying a bit too much speed for turn one. I gave up on the gas, stood the bike up, and used as much front brake as I could with the pavement I had left, then switched to rear brakes after going into the dirt. I kept the bike upright and returned to the track.

Scary moment #2. I'm railing (in my noob head) through turn 8. The photographer is there. I've been coming really close to that knee down moment. I lean the bike over a little harder than I have been and use a bit more throttle too. Rear slides out probably only a couple inches but the recovery is enough to toss me out of my seat a bit. I some how manage not to wet myself.

I love track riding. I can't wait until my body, my bank account and my adrenal glands have recovered enough to go again. At least in the meantime I have some things I can do to make the next time better. Braking and blipping is something I can practice anywhere, and I don't care how weird my neighbors think I am, I'm gonna go put the bike on the rear stand and practice hanging off.

Fun facts:
No I did not drag my knee this weekend
I hit 128 MPH approaching turn three
My buddy hit 140 (he did it on my bike too)
Ed Bargy is my hero (he taught me the rear brak in the dirt technique)