Today I received an education in the art of sportbiking. I have ridden motorcycles all my life, and I have put a few K on my F4i. I thought I was pretty good. Today, some old, fat, bald men taught me a lesson. Not one was under 40 and Ed, on the Duc was 60! Tuesday I had met up with a rider at the gas station who invited me along with his Sunday morning group. I should have known something was up when I saw he was riding an '89 R-30. But I showed at 7.30 this morning Besides the R-30, there were 2 GSXRs an R-1 and a Testastratta (?) Ducati. We pulled out of Tally and headed west to the Apalachicola Forest. Taking well paved but hardly travelled county roads we got to let the reins out. I shuffled to the back quickly, ie...they had to wait for me at the stop signs. I knew I was in trouble when Brooks, on the R-1 winked at me when he passed me going around a curve and I was doing twice the posted speed. I spent most of the morning watching the suzy's tailights disappear in front of me. But Ed, on the Ducati was amazing, I was told that some 40 years ago he was a road racing champion in 250 class. I don't doubt it for a second!! while I was braking hard trying to stay on the road and out of the woods Ed was glued to the corners and gone. He would lean that Duc over and I knew I was going to see him slide but he just went faster. I have not ridden with such accomplished riders in years. I truly know what a newbie squid feels like. But I must not have been too bad, Ed asked me if I wanted to come out and play again next weekend. I was truly humbled today by a bunch of over 40 fat bald men who really know their sport!!