Willow Springs 2 Day Lvl 3/4

[nydude2000]

Well i will just add my two cents in a rambling kind of way and from a lvl 3,4 perspective. Finished the two day at WS (lvl 3/4)and as with the first 2 day it was just amazing. Hadn't ridden really much at all since the last CSS two day (L:v 1 and 2) in Nov so for two days I totally tortured my coach

I had real troubles starting out (always do on new track) and in fact on the second lap of first run ran off the track (didn't go down..again credit the CSS training for that) and had Trevor point the Black Flag at me....I went "what who me...what did i do wrong?...I just ran off the track..what's the big deal" I was kind of shaken, and when I pulled off to talk to him he told me to chill..I said I wasn't really trying to go fast but just trying to keep up cause I felt I was going so slow. He told me my pace was fine and TO FORGET ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE ON THE TRACK. And that is what I did for the next two days. I didn't worry about going fast, passing people or being passed, just about learning and trying to execute all that my coach was telling me.

My coach could tell I was struggling I think, and we changed the plan, and went back to some basics the first day, most important was vision ..like 3-point and wide view drill and quick turns...I also would listen to Keith and Dylan give the lectures to the lvl 1/2s when I had free time just trying to absorb it all in.

Second day was lvl 4 and we worked a ton on body position and locking in but still worked on vision and quick turns. By the end of the second day I could take on Rossi (not!!!...but I had made great progress). Turn 2 (the one I ran off of first day) was mine it felt really good and with Stu's help with how to do throttle on 5,6,7 had those great too. Overall I made great progress and was totally pumped again (tired but pumped). I had gone from depressed and what the ###### am I doing here at the start of the first day to totally psyched, and I have no doubt in my mind that it was pretty much do to my coach who just did an amazing job of guiding me thru the two days with an amazing positive attitude.

 

Now I have a lot of track practice time coming up to work on all this stuff…and can't wait to do CSS again on my home track on my bike next month (NJMS)!! Learning is so much fun in the right environment!!

 

 

 

 

Steve D

[Kevin Kane]

Well i will just add my two cents in a rambling kind of way and from a lvl 3,4 perspective. Finished the two day at WS (lvl 3/4)and as with the first 2 day it was just amazing. Hadn't ridden really much at all since the last CSS two day (L:v 1 and 2) in Nov so for two days I totally tortured my coach

I had real troubles starting out (always do on new track) and in fact on the second lap of first run ran off the track (didn't go down..again credit the CSS training for that) and had Trevor point the Black Flag at me....I went "what who me...what did i do wrong?...I just ran off the track..what's the big deal" I was kind of shaken, and when I pulled off to talk to him he told me to chill..I said I wasn't really trying to go fast but just trying to keep up cause I felt I was going so slow. He told me my pace was fine and TO FORGET ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE ON THE TRACK. And that is what I did for the next two days. I didn't worry about going fast, passing people or being passed, just about learning and trying to execute all that my coach was telling me.

My coach could tell I was struggling I think, and we changed the plan, and went back to some basics the first day, most important was vision ..like 3-point and wide view drill and quick turns...I also would listen to Keith and Dylan give the lectures to the lvl 1/2s when I had free time just trying to absorb it all in.

Second day was lvl 4 and we worked a ton on body position and locking in but still worked on vision and quick turns. By the end of the second day I could take on Rossi (not!!!...but I had made great progress). Turn 2 (the one I ran off of first day) was mine it felt really good and with Stu's help with how to do throttle on 5,6,7 had those great too. Overall I made great progress and was totally pumped again (tired but pumped). I had gone from depressed and what the ###### am I doing here at the start of the first day to totally psyched, and I have no doubt in my mind that it was pretty much do to my coach who just did an amazing job of guiding me thru the two days with an amazing positive attitude.

 

Steve;

Great Summary and you loaded it with a ton of very useful information.

 

AGAIN, a student and Forum member provides a big public service to other members here with their willingness to share how their School experience unfolded. It is almost always the case that once a student decides to park their preconceptions, their egos and accept that the School has something of real value to offer, it all becomes so much easier to grasp the Art & Science of this game.

 

Others have written about the fact that a School event is not a track day but the way you wrote said it with more clarity; BTW, Trevor really knows what he is doing out there. You are also not the first student to be black flagged for over riding the track. DAMHIK.

 

BTW, with NJMP being your home track, are you a TP-M guy?

 

Kevin

[nydude2000]

Kevin

Thanks for the reply.

First just let me say that I was trying to be sarcastic with the "What did I do wrong?" comment and Trevor..I knew I had done bad and was going to get the BLACK FLAG big time!!! Hey I ran off the track lol...Trevor was great and got me focused on what was important...Tervor and I go way back from my first two day when on my first time out went out the wrong way out at LV and he was running after me screaming and yelling . I get alot of the people at the school just smiling and shaking their head at me (like my instructor when I ran off the track this time. He just smiled and asked me if I had enjoyed my side trip into the Calif desert...and then we spent the rest of the day working on that corner till i owed it )

 

I know a lot of potential students have real trepidations about doing the school. If they just keep that open mind and positive learning attitude the school does the rest and they WILL be so much better rider at the end and have total fun doing it. As I wrote after my first two day, the way CSS teaches is awesome but ultimately it is all the peeps of the school that make the learning such a great experience.

 

I think that TP-M means Team Pro Motion…and defiantly I am. Plus NESBA and Absolute…I think I have like 100 track days lined up ( u think I have the track bug?? lol) and really can't wait to try all this stuff on my bike

 

 

Thunderbolt is such an amazing track. I feel really lucky to have that as my home track

 

See all u there!!!

 

Steve D

 

.

[Kevin Kane]

Trevor..I knew I had done bad and was going to get the BLACK FLAG big time!!! Hey I ran off the track lol...Trevor was great and got me focused on what was important...Tervor and I go way back from my first two day when on my first time out went out the wrong way out at LV and he was running after me screaming and yelling

I think I am the only Student that chased Trevor off the track with their bike. It was at CodeRACE in 2004 and on the last lap of the first race I ran wide comming off the skid pad heading for the checkered flag - which happened to be in Trevor's hand as he stood at Start/Finish on the left side of the track.

 

My choice was to try and get back on the pavement or stay off the track and drive for the line. At the time the pavement was a higher by about an inch plus and I was concerned that if I hit it with a very shallow angle that it would wash the front so I decided to put my head back down and go. Look out Trevor - here I come and he dove out of my way at the last second and still managed to get the flag waved properly.

 

...he still doesn't talk to me. ; )

 

Kevin

[nydude2000]

Trevor..I knew I had done bad and was going to get the BLACK FLAG big time!!! Hey I ran off the track lol...Trevor was great and got me focused on what was important...Tervor and I go way back from my first two day when on my first time out went out the wrong way out at LV and he was running after me screaming and yelling

I think I am the only Student that chased Trevor off the track with their bike. It was at CodeRACE in 2004 and on the last lap of the first race I ran wide comming off the skid pad heading for the checkered flag - which happened to be in Trevor's hand as he stood at Start/Finish on the left side of the track.

 

My choice was to try and get back on the pavement or stay off the track and drive for the line. At the time the pavement was a higher by about an inch plus and I was concerned that if I hit it with a very shallow angle that it would wash the front so I decided to put my head back down and go. Look out Trevor - here I come and he dove out of my way at the last second and still managed to get the flag waved properly.

 

...he still doesn't talk to me. ; )

 

Kevin

 

Kevin that is too funny!!!!! I wonder if that was videoed...would have loved to see that.

I can see Trevor not talking to you. He seems like the kind of guy that might hold a grudge lol.

I bet he has a ton of great stories!!! Maybe we should start a "Trevor Stories from Start/Finish" Section of the BB lol

[lalasa]

I had real troubles starting out (always do on new track) and in fact on the second lap of first run ran off the track (didn't go down..again credit the CSS training for that) and had Trevor point the Black Flag at me....I went "what who me...what did i do wrong?...I just ran off the track..what's the big deal" I was kind of shaken, and when I pulled off to talk to him he told me to chill..I said I wasn't really trying to go fast but just trying to keep up cause I felt I was going so slow. He told me my pace was fine and TO FORGET ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE ON THE TRACK.

[fossilfuel]

Steve,

Thanks for your post. It is really great to hear that your feelings have gone form depressed and really doubting yourself to being stoked. I knew that you could do it. Way to go my friend.