Quote:
Originally Posted by KazMan
I had about 7000 street miles on the orange R6 before I hit Miller. Miller was a very easy track to learn and had lots of grip so it made the return a bit easier. However, I am still not comfortable to the level I was in my 20's. I am 51 now, a little...no a lot out of shape, but am having fun. I feel like this is the first year that I am actually beginning to get into the form of old and am having fun doing it slowly and methodically. Riding at and instructing track days have been beneficial towards my slow return, but hey, I'm 51 and just having a blast. If I can beat a 20-something....icing on the cake 
Cowboy, Yes I was on a TZ250U and I did have the pleasure of riding on the old track, but this was 1988 and the first year of the new track configuration which is why the US got a round of FIM's Grand Prix series which is what you now know as MotoGP.
Below are some pictures from 1983 and 1984 at the old Laguna. The B/W is on my TZ125 in what was the old T9 now T11, and the colored photo is on my TZ250J (#57) in the Corkscrew. Don't think Rossi's pass on Stoner would have worked back then
And as you say, it was bumpy, scary fast, super fun very rewarding, but had a lot of steel armaco barriers everywhere. Airbags....nah we had tires or haybales as extra barriers  |
I was there for the 84 race. I rode in BOTT. I think I got a 5th. I can't remember. I broke my arm in practice in the corkscrew(I do remember that). I raced in the race anyway. I was all the way out there from Boston and I wasn't going to miss racing at Laguna. Quarterley and I were out there and both of us crashed. Luckily mine was in practice and I got to finish the race. He crashed out of the race in Superbike.
Coming down the front straight into that long lefthanded sweeper was a rush to say the least. It reminded me of Bridgehampton's long 1/2 mile front straight, under the bridge, then a downhill right sweeper. You held full throttle all the way and hoped you could still see as you went through all the bumps.