Just a warning.... LONG read with some BIG pics

Thought I'd say "Hi" & share my latest adventure with you guys... This past Thursday I had yet another opportunity to load up the bike & get some track time up at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon NH. This was my 4th track day, 3rd one at NHIS. Each and every one is just a new exciting experience, learning more things, meeting more people that love the sport every bit as much as I do.

My trip really started last week even though I hadn't gone anywhere... Every time a trackday is approaching my mind is always there long before the rest of me is. Originally a buddy of mine was going to meet me in Lowell on Thursday morning at 5:30am and we were going to load up my bike on his trailer & make the drive up. But as it turns out, something came up at work and he was unable to go at the last minute... talk about a heartbreak... Luckilly he was able to give his spot to another friend of mine that had room in his pick-up truck for another bike, saving me the two hour RIDE up and back.

So Weds night we decided I'd get off work, grab my stuff, jump on the bike & ride up to Londonderry NH to his parents house where we would crash for the night. I got there w/ no problems, was able to get what little rest i could w/ the butterflies in my stomach & we were up bright & early at 6am.

We loaded up the bikes, jumped in the truck & headed to Dunkin Donuts for some breakfast, gassed up the bikes & headed to the track. By the time we finally got there, the gates were open and everyone was already in the garages on the infield prepping our bikes... we were "those guys" coming in "fashionably late" ; D Luckilly there wasn't much prep to be done to my bike other than removing the light bulbs, duct taping the blinkers and pulling off the mirrors and license plate.

I signed my waiver, got through tech inspection w/o any problems and headed off to the Rider's meeting with a few minutes to spare. We split up the 80-some odd riders into three groups. Blue - the "experts". the guys that really know what they're doing, or just THINK they do ; ) . Yellow - the intermediates who have been on the track before like myself and are comfortable with passing and being passed. Red - my "alma matter" and the group with the least amount of passing zones and biggest number of 1st time attendees. Then it was back to the bikes for last minute checks, tweaks & prods to make sure everything was tight & in place and nothing was going to fall off ; )

Finally we were ready to head out for the "Follow the leader session"... I threw on my gear, grabbed my helmet, jumped on my bike and headed out onto the track for the first time of the day. Even though the follow the leader session is a slow paced ride around the track that i've done a few times before, it's always fun puttin around the track looking up at the gigantic grandstands where thousands of people watch racers from around the world fly around the track.

After the follow the leader session was yet another riders meeting to make sure everyone was on the same page... Where the passing zones are, what kind of tire pressure you should be running, where is the racing line, how should i brake, when should i brake, what if this, what if that? ..... this meeting always lasts too long for my liking as i'm beginning to feel like a veteran at these trackdays, but it's always good to review & re-focus on the tasks at hand, despite the sounds outside coming from the expert group out whaling it around the track.

Then... it was time for the good part the group was dismissed from the rider's meeting & it was back to the paddocks to get ready.

"Yellow group, 5 minutes!"

I throw on my back protector, zip up my jacket and buckle my raceboots. In go the earplugs & on goes the helmet. I jam my hands in my gloves & jump on my bike. Off I roll, slowly out to the line-up at the end of Pit Lane as I watch the experts still on track hurl their bikes through turn 1. Checkered flag comes out, their session is done. One more hot lap and the last of the experts is now off the track... Then.... green flag sets me free and I roll out to the track....... I take a deep breath & the butterflies fade as my focus is on nothing but turn two and the pavment in front of me. First lap is medium pace... warm up the body, warm up the tires... after that, i step it up and begin to pick up the pace. About Half way into the first 20 minute session (1 of 8) it seems like everything is just clicking. everything is going right, tires, suspension, throttle, brakes. everything is just.... RIGHT THERE. It's time..... to step it up and have some REAL fun.

I come down the front straight & past the start/finish line. I roll off the gas. Downshift, Downshift, on the brakes as i pass another rider. shift my weight to the inside & hurl myself into turn 1, a wide left hander. Quick shift to the right for turn 1a, then it's back to the left HARD and drrraaaag my left knee puck on the pavment as i get back on the gas and accelerate out of turn 2 for the back straight past another rider.. I shift gears, then it's back on the brakes HARD... downshift, downshift for turn 3 holding the brakes as long as i can. I take the awkward right hander, bump, bump, and keep the lean in for a smooth transition for turn 4, an uphill righthand turn. I crest the hill hard on the gas. I feel the front end get light & try to come up. I keep my weight forward on the gas tank to keep it down as I head down into "The Bowl" - an open, very cambered, left hand turn where you enter going downhill and exit going uphill. I downshift, finish my braking and initiate the turn. I touch my knee down in the apex as I get light headed from the G forces. Then it's back uphill and on the gas as I let myself drift to the outside of the track to line up for turn 7. Past the oak tree i go & make a slight right turn through 8 & head straight into turn 9, an off camber downhill left hander. I keep the line tight to the inside left as I come up to turn 10, a right, and get back on the gas for a small straight. On the brakes hard, Downshift, Downshift, HARD left through 11, drag the knee, BANG to the right for 11a BANG back to the left & the knee touches down again as I accelerate out of turn 12 back on to the front straight and cross the start/finish.... I FINALLY get a breather and remember why NHIS is known as such an exhausting track... barely any time to rest. Just as I think that, it's back into turn 1 just to do it all over again. My day has DEFINITLY just begun.

Turn 1

Turn 2

Braking for 3

Turn 4

Turn 6

Turn 7

Turn 11