Yesterday we were on Summit Main. My brother came out for his first trackday and my parents came out to spectate both of their kids on the track. This was a nice treat for me, since my brother is who taught me how to ride a motorcycle, so I really enjoyed being able to return the favor by instructing him on the track. When I told my parents about STT's ladies/2-up session after lunch my mom said that could be fun and she let me get her into leathers and take her around the track for a few laps on the back of my brother?s bike (since my bike has no passenger seat). She got a kick out of it and had no problems with going through the turns), but she did ask me to slow down a bit when I got it up to about 90mph on the front straight. My brother had a great time and was starting to see what it is that his sister?s so addicted to. I was so proud of him. He was riding really well and working to apply all of the basic that were taught. My brother was on the yellow SV, while his best friend (who was doing his 2nd STT day) was on the red VFR. But like the over-achiever that he is, my brother felt he had to broaden his trackday experience and wreck in turn-10 to see what a broken collar bone feels like. He?ll heal in a few weeks, just in time for his first baby to be born (his wife?s probably none too happy with me right now, LOL). I feel real bad about the coolant his bike spilled in T10. While my brother and his friend were prepping their bikes in my garage over the weekend I thought, "I should get them to drain their coolant and give them some of my water-wetter." But nah, they're only doing this one day this summer, it's not required for the Novice group and they're both very controlled riders who almost certainly won't wreck. .... Figures.:? Well, crashes happens. It was a huge pleasure for me to teach my brother, as well as having my parents there to spectate and even getting my mom on the back of a bike on the track. I?d made some changes to my bike that really helped me find some more speed around that track. I felt better than ever on Summit Main. I finally stopped letting how the surface of that track looks get to my mind and I just put my head down and rode. I feel pretty good now for the upcoming race there in two weeks. My own version of a wreck came on the way home from the track. My cell phone fell out of my pocket in the Taco Bell parking lot and I managed to run over it with the 16' trailer as I was leaving. DOH! All of the riders that I worked with yesteday were looking real good and were eager to learn. I love seeing that. Hats off to all of you! Oh and Kath... did you ever look at turn 9? :wink:
That sucks about your brother, Mary. I hope he heals quickly and doesn't shy away from the track in the future. I think it's awesome that your mom rode 2up with you too. That pic is great. I've always been disappointed in the fact that my father hasn't come out to watch the hobby that I love these past 3 yrs. Doesn't make sense since he followed my soccer career all through college. ahh.. what can you do. Good luck in the races. I couldn't be at Summit this past weekend but I'll be there the 12th and 25th.
Mary, Great report! I hope your brother heals quickly! broken collarbones hurt! (I'm finally getting mine bolted back together friday...) Hope he has a speedy recovery! Lance
Well, first of all I hope that you're brother heals quickly, but other than that it still sounds like everyone had a great time. That's always a good thing to hear. I actually took my step-brother to the track with me last time. We all had a blast. He didn't ride, but he was seriously contimplating getting a bike and hitting up a couple of track days with me in the future. As a matter of fact that's what he plans on buying as soon as his car is paid off. It might be kind of cool to watch him get addicted like me........Yes I am very addicted :twisted: .
Wow, that's cool you got to take your mom for a ride around the track. I can almost guarantee my mom will never be up for a ride, let alone on a track. She thinks I'm nuts with my track addiction. Sorry to hear about your bro.
That's funny that you say that because my mom literally get's car sick and get's motion sick playing race car video games.(Literally) She also thinks I'm nuts, but she supports me with it now. Well, one because I like it and two because I'm not riding like a nut on the street anymore. (Yes former squid.) Although I am currently debating getting a used enduro to ride to work on and mess around with when I'm not on my track bike. My excuse is it will save a ton more money in gas(Over my V-6) and I figured that I could still keep up on basic motorcycle skills while I'm on down time from the track.
That's a great picture of you and your mom! What a fun time for you all, well, except for the broken collar bone part. I hope your brother heals quickly. Does he want to do another track day?
That was some funny shi... um, stuff! I know it wasn't all supposed to be funny, but your attitude and easygoing, subtle sense of humor had me laughing almost in tears! You're a natural-born writer....
I hope your brother gets well soon. On the bright side, at least he crashed at the track and not on the street. I don't like to think of the consequences that could have happened if it was on public roads. Walter
This is one of my favorite pics. My bro wrecked in T10 and I passed the scene just as the red flag came out, so it was 3 seconds too late for me to pit in and I had to go all around the track again. As I went through the carousel, T5-T8, my parents were over there taking photos. As I gestured at them, my dad kept on snapping pics thinking his little girl was posing or something. More like gesturing, "Stop taking pics! That red flag is YOUR SON!" LOL. I wasn't worried since he gave me a thumb up as I rode past... but I was PISSED (at him for doing whatever stupid thing he did to crash, and myself for not having said or done something to have prevented it). In retrospect I think it was a rookie mistake type of thing (I was working with another rider, so I never saw it happen). His memory of it isn't too clear. So who knows. Crashes happen. Heck, I crashed on my first track weekend. And now look at me... 50+ trackdays and races since my last wreck!! [knock on wood!] LOL.
That's classic! Sounds like everyone had a good time, except for the wreck, very cool to get the whole family out too. So are you still hiding from your sister in law? :lol: