A track day in June Florida heat.

I finally got that day at the track I’ve wanted for so long.  It was a long wait and as always, a lot of work to make happen. 

Arranging to get the rented pick-up truck in the middle of a busy Friday afternoon. 

Then getting my riding gear, tools, tire warmers, and spares out of our storage unit. 

Then the bike, the ramp and wheel stands out of Jeremy’s garage.

 I was up at 3 AM Saturday morning for the three plus hour drive north to Jennings FL.     

There’s a tropical storm in the Gulf.  It was predicted to bring a lot of rain to the Tampa Bay area.  The chances of rain farther north were less than here, but still a worry.  When I arrived at the track I found it was dry, but very foggy.  I wasn’t sure how this would affect the track day schedule.  I walked around the pits and saw other riders preparing to ride.  I heard the PA system making announcements as if business was going on as usual.  I got registered to ride, began to unload the truck and set up my pit area. 

The fog kept the sun from raising the temperature, but the humidity was very high and I was sweating just from unloading.  I knew it would be brutal in my riding gear.  By the time of the rider’s meeting the fog was nearly gone. 

I expected this track day not to be a very busy one.  It’s so late in the season.  This track shuts down for the months of July and August.  It’s just too hot then.  Another reason this track day would be relatively quiet was this weekend is a CCS race weekend at Palm Beach International Raceway.  Most of the fast guys would be there racing.  Knowing this, I was still surprised at how few riders showed up for the Intermediate and Expert rider’s meeting.  There were only nine of us.   I and only  one other rider had registered as expert.  Normally Intermediate and Experts ride in separate session, but as there were so few of us, our sessions would be combined.  Our session would be first up, before the Novice riders’ session.  

When I got out on the track it was still overcast, and I could feel the moisture still in the air.  Tiny droplets formed on my visor.  I always take my first track session easy.  I want to feel how the bike is working.  I hadn’t ridden it since the end of February.  I need to reacquaint myself with the flow of the corners too.  This track is quite technical.  Half way around on my second lap another rider came blasting around the outside of me on a slow corner.  This was obviously the other Expert rider.  I thought to myself, he’s feeling very confident for first session on the track, particularly with this moist air and a cold track.  I let him go, intent on my own process of confidence building.  Half a lap later I saw him again – this time on his feet, having just gotten up after crashing off the track all by himself.  From his location and the dirt on the track, I could tell his bike had gotten way ahead of his brain.  At the next corner the red flag was displayed.  The track would have to be cleaned up, bike and rider removed.  That was the last I saw of that rider on track.     

I was ready to go again when the track went green.  My confidence and speed were on the rise.  Since there were only two groups that day, Novice and Intermediate/Expert, we were getting more sessions in than is usual for a track day.  The sky cleared and the air was drier.  I was getting good heat in my tires.  The bike was working well.  My lines were getting better and faster.  But God it was hot!  I could feel myself sweating and tiring after just four fast laps into a session.  I sat one session out to rest and cool off in some shade.  Sessions I rode in were almost entirely on my own.  There were so few riders.  I’d see one or two each session.   I’d see them a couple corners ahead.  Soon be on them.   Since they were Intermediate riders I was cautious finding a line around them.  They might do something unexpected.   I’d go past and not see them again that session.  Not like riding with Experts at all.  Experts would hook up and stalk you; find a way to pass you back.  That’s when the fun really begins.  With the one other Expert out of the action, there was no one to ride with.  No one to make me ride hard to chase down or ride close to at speed.   And, it was so god awful hot!  This wasn’t being fun.  I knew the afternoon would be even worse.  At the lunch break I loaded up and headed home. 

Back in St Petersburg it’s raining like a monsoon.  I will enjoy a quiet day.  I need to unload the pick-up, and go with Cathy to hang shelving in her latest new office.  There’s some work related correspondence I need to get out, but otherwise I’ll be here hanging out with the cats, watching AMA racing from Barbur AL.