Jaime

That is a very insightful post Bones. I have considered using my built in lap timer on my Aprilia so that I could tell in which parts of the track I was doing well on and which parts I could use additional help on compared to the faster riders in both my race classes and the over all top guys at the track. When racing, you sometimes lose track of the faster riders, but knowing where this is happening would be very valuable. The best thing that you mentioned is having mistakes in other parts of the track where you are not working influence your decisions to change the areas that you are. That is the most insightful thing I learned today. Jaime

CSS is a great place to start if you have limited experience. I would think that if you can use a clutch to get the bike rolling down the road and you can bring it to a stop without falling over, you have the experience that you need to get started. I know that this is very basic stuff and my examples are not meant to be anything but constructive. Think about it this way, if you have never been to a track before and don't have close friends that have, you would have no idea of what to expect or what flags stand for, etc... The most important thing to consider is your saftey and the other riders that you will be out there with. If you do not have the proper equipment such as boots, gloves and a proper riding suit, you can really hurt yourself in the event of a fall. At the school, these items are available in the right sizes to fit anyone so you would be protected. Also, your bike is carefully looked over to make sure it is safe to be on the track. Your tire pressure is checked and parts are removed that could hurt you if you fell. The basics of how to behave on a track are covered such as what to do when faster riders are passing you and what to do if you see the different colored flags waving. The skills that you learn are not only for track use. They are geared for both on track and examples are given and discussed to benifit your street riding as well. The idea that you are asking questions such as "do I have enough experience?" tells me that you are ready to take the school. Good luck. Jaime

If you have completed your first day at the school doing Level 1 and you are pleased with your results, then the 2 Day Camp would be Levels 2 and 3. There is nothing stopping you from doing levels that you have completed more than once. From my experience, after completing Level 1, I took Level 2 the next day because of how much I learned in Level 1 and what mysteries must be waiting for me in the next levels. I was not dissappointed. The advantage to taking the 2 Day Camp is that the instructor to student ratio is much better, the track sessions are longer and there are more of them. Not to mention being able to drill on the specialty bikes regardless of your level. As far as the instructors keeping track of who is at what level, we are assigned specific students and given details on each student that we have. We each keep the same students all day. The bikes are numbered wether you ride a school bike or bring your own and most times, students who are taking the same levels are generally put together. Level 4 is the highest you can go. Don't be dissappointed to hear this though. Programs are customized to fit you and are modified throughout the day as your skills improve or if you just want to work on one thing only. Your instructor, the Level 4 liason and Keith make those decissions as they discuss your progress with you. This level is meant to be "about you, the rider" and having several sets of eyes watching you improve. I know as an instructor, I have 5 to 7 other instructors watching me every time I am on the track and pointing out things here and there that would make me become a better rider, and it has paid off many times over. Good luck and I hope to see you at the school.

The calender has been posted for 2004. Too bad there will be no Thunderhill, but hey, look at Phoenix.