Jeff Frost #996 and I did the corner work for free track time at DP 
Safety School (Thunderhill) yesterday.

I was on the katana and stressing out about ground clearance all day 
(several of the corner workers said that my bike was making horrible 
scrapping noises every time I went by) but I eventually got comfortable 
with it dragging hard parts and started having fun!

It was also a productive day for me, I wasn't getting anything done in
terms of lap times (high 2:1x's), but I was a neat learning experience 
for me.

Dragging hard parts all the time gave em the opportunity to become more 
acquainted with what that feels like and what it does to my traction and 
as a side affect I got to practice hanging off as far as I possibly could.

I got to experiment with drafting and it really works! Jeff was stormin'
away from me in the straights on his GSXR, but if I stayed about a bike
length or two directly behind him I didn't loose an inch.

I learned why big soft rubber pegs that fold up are a little annoying on
the track (I felt less planted, didn't have as much feel, and they stuck
to my boots!) and I was reminded of how convenient a kickstand is.

...Oh, and I got stung by a bee for the first time in my life. I was just
about to throw it in on turn 9 when something sharp and ouchy happened in
the middle of my back and, after nearly blowing the corner, I limped off
the track and went looking for my mommy.

She wasn't there but there was a nice woman in the first aid shack who
pulled out the stinger and put some soothing goo on it. Then she asked me
to skip a session to see if I had an allergic reaction (I didn't). 
Apparently, the little bugger managed to blown under my leathers and my
back protector - I wonder what the odds are on that?

...and it was very hot.

-Rick