More 1 Day Class Questions

[Ichiro]

I'm planning to sign up for a one day class soon, and had some questions:

 

Roughly how much time is spent with the students riding the course? Is it like 50/50 class & track time?

In another thread it's mentioned that it's 5 sessions but how long are the sessions?

 

I have 1pc leathers but don't have knee pucks -

I don't think I'll need them (never have yet) or is it recommended for students even in Level 1?

 

thanks

[Kevin Kane]

Ichiro;

I'm not affiliated with the School but have been to a number of them so let me offer another student's overview and maybe some answers to your questions.

 

The School day starts with registration where riders are given their bike number (or assigned school bike) and are placed into one of three group - white, yellow and green. From there (and after some collective breakfast grazing), the Chief Wrangler Judy Code will call all riders to the riders' meeting where Keith will welcome everyone and introduce his team. At the conclusion, Keith sends the Level II, III & IV riders to their respective riders' meetings and he stays with Level I riders for the first of the Level I seminars.

 

The Level I riders are still in the classroom when the track goes green; the upper Level riders going out in two successive groups. The Level I riders are the third group out and the School maintains that order all day. There is a one hour lunch break at each track but you will get five full sssions in Level's I, II & II (six in Level IV). I have never timed them to be honest but I can say that the track stays hot all day (except at lunch).

 

The first session is (in my experience) the longest as it includes two sighting laps with an instructor leading the group. These laps are single file with no passing so everyone gets orientated at a very comfortable pace. At the conclusion of the the sighting laps, the group returns to the pit and line up in two rows. While on your bike, your assigned instructor will walk up and introduce him (or her) self to you and tell you where to meet at the end of each session. Course control then verifys that each rider knows their assigned drill before releasing them and then does so with enough of a gap to allow your first lap to be on a relatively clear track.

 

After each session, you meet with your individual instructor to get feedback on how you did with your assigned drill and then you return to the classroom for more group instruction. This cycle repeats itself four more times with the last classroom session really the day's recap with Keith. You will get five solid track sessions with a progression of drills that will make your last two sessions a real opportunity to put it all together.

 

If this is your first time at a track or at a track School, I will offer that it is very easy to get ahead of yourself; try to focus exclusively on the drills - it will all come to you more smoothly that way.

 

Kevin

[Ichiro]

Kevin,

 

Thanks for the detailed reply - that was exactly what I was looking for and it gives me an idea of what to expect.

 

I've never been to the track, except for Team Oregon's ART class at a Kart track, so I'm glad to hear that CSS is very structured with lots of hands on experience. I was worried that half the day would be spent inside a classroom.

 

 

So, should I invest in some knee sliders or am I being optimistic (or is that pessimistic?)

[Grounded]

Ichiro,

 

I had no expectation of "knee down" when taking levels I & II last summer. This was my very first experience on a track and I touched on the second day. Frankly I was really suprised and was not trying for it. I would get your knee sliders and then just relax, don't have expectations or thoughts about it. Focus on the drill at hand and let stuff happen.

 

Andy