RiDe magazine / Motorsportvision track day.
100 mile ride there, 113 track-miles (I did six sessions) 100 mile ride back. Rain forecast, but stayed dry once out of the drizzle leading up to Kings Lynn.
I left home at 5.30am, refuelled at Thickthorn services - two miles from home - and arrived at Cadwell Park at 7.20 after a nice, easy ride up, having refuelled again at Horncastle.
Register, bike noise check, briefing. Registration threw up a little surprise when I found that they'd merged the intermediates with the fast group. Eeek.
Three sighting laps on a damp track, dry lines available, and a dry track for the rest of the day. Adjusted tyre pressures down by 3 PSi (the first time I've done this. Not sure how much of a difference it made).
Entry into the Mountain - I was starting to enjoy this part of the track once i realised just how fast you can enter it. I've tended to think of it as really slow but the camber is in your favour and it's really not
that tight.
Which sets you up for the Mountain. I'm quite gentle with the throttle until i'm over the "bump" near the crest, and I tend to push my weight forward to get decent drive without too much wheely. This is about the amount of wheely I get 50% of the time - the rest, no wheely.
The first left-hander into Hall bends - you can't quite see the crest of the Mountain at te left of the photo.
The same spot, looking in the direction of the track.
I think this is Barn, although it could be the Hairpin - which would surprise me as I practically get off and walk the bike around that.
Again, not too many clues about where this is. I think it's the first part of Charlies.
One thing I noticed was the square patch of different colour tarmac has disappeared as you ride around Chris Curve. It took several laps to sort out my line towards the Gooseneck without it.
All in all, a good day.
Photos courtesy of http://www.britishsportphotography.co.uk/
Back tyre. I'm sure it looked more shredded than that.
Front tyre
