GP Shift

A week ago today I rode Thunderhill and felt like a C group rider all over again. Why? I switched to GP shift, where the shifting pattern is one up five down, instead of the usual motorcycle shifting of down to first gear, and up five all the way to sixth.

Also, Thunderhill was repaved for the first time since it opened for business fifteen years ago, and it was tearing up tires, mine were torn up when I got there but I decided to be thrifty and ride like a girl the whole day as I got used to the new shift pattern. And, it was an open track day, so I would frequently find myself dive bombing into a corner like a bull in a china shop, only to find a pokey puppy tootling along at about half my speed. This made it easy for me to get flustered and forget which way to shift. I know, I should be watching for such things, and I do, but I'm definitely not used to it. I'm used to being one of the slower A group riders, and in the lower half of my race grids. To top it off, there was a layer of fine sand covering turn 1, a high speed turn, and several other turns on the track.

And, and, and. My best there thus far has been a 2:08, the best I could muster this day was a 2:15.

Apparently GP shift is better for going fast. Not that I go fast as of yet, but I'm expecting I'll grow into it. So I will keep at it.

Tomorrow I will ride a practice day, Saturday I will rest, and Sunday I will race. I'm nervous about the shifting. I want to do well, as I did at Infineon last round, but more importantly, I don't want to be a danger to myself or others. I'll have fresh tires, thanks to my wonderful boyfriend, but the fresh confidence will be up to me. Today I drive from Palo Alto to Santa Rosa, and then from Santa Rosa to Willows. In these long car rides I listen to music and visualize myself going fast...maybe I can will myself to feel confident.