Going down to the Hoo Ha-Massanutten Hoo-Ha

Going down to the Hoo-Ha
Massanutten Hoo-Ha long course race
Keezletown, VA
June 8, 2019

Joël 2nd single speed
Jess 2nd overall female


This race has intrigued Joël and I for years. First off the name, how often can you say you raced "down in the hoo-ha"?  He he.  And also the event it's self...we have heard reports of it being raw, backwoods single track; the type of courses we like and thrive on.  It has typically occurred on the same weekend as another race that we ALWAYS attended, but that regular race happened to be canceled this year so off to the Hoo-Ha we decided to go. A fun name and a course of our liking sounded like it would be a good adventure for the Nankmans.



Camping was allowed directly on race site, another bonus about this event.  All three Nankmans climbed in the van and headed down the afternoon before the race. We arrived at the race site to find one of our other van traveling friends Scott was there and we made a little "vanlife city" for the night.  Dinner was made and enjoyed while watching the sun set and the fireflies come out all the while with good conversation and catching-up with a friend.  It's not only the riding and racing we enjoy; it's the experiences, the ambiance, and the friends it brings into our lives.


The next day racers started pulling in and all sorts of other friends we hadn't seen for a while were there.  It's always great times catching up with people. Other racers from Trans-sylvania Epic were also there (which ended just the weekend prior), and it was interesting to compare and contrast how recovered our legs and bodies were.  Just before the start potential disaster struck- I was warming up and realized my fork was not working!  Yikes! Luckily Joël with his excellent mechanical skills was able to fix it. Whew, sigh of relief knowing this was going to be a rocky course, I needed a well working fork.


The race was all it was expected to be. Big climbs, lots of rocks, and sketchy descents.  There was a fair amount of walking, both up hill and down hill.  There were some parts of the course that just plain sucked, where even walking was a challenge.  Due to this, at times, lots and lots of swear words came out of my mouth. Little did I know after a rash of slips and slides, almost crashes, and lots of cursing I was in front of a high school racer during all my potty-mouthing. Sorry to whom ever that was for setting a bad example of improper language.  But on the flip side, other parts of the course were awesome, like the purpose built single track that was in conjunction with the cross-country race course. This was super fun, flowy but rocky, and had some great places to catch air.  It was definitely a course that brought out all the emotions; some cursing, some almost crying, along with hooting and hollering and smiling.  After all was said and done it was a challenging but rewarding course.



But what made this event really worth it?  The post-race happenings. With multiple races going on, there were many racers of different abilities, ages, and racing categories hanging around together post race.  Food was supplied to racers and the burgers hit the spot!  Awards were done at a central location with a awesome podium display and many racers and spectators stayed to watch.  Cash was awarded to some races, prizes to others.  It was great to see so many people just hanging out, talking, and enjoying the day post race.



A race I would recommend but be ready for it!


- Jess (with input from Joel and Clifford)

April showers bring May rocks-IIGO Relay, Rattling Creek, Bakers Dozen, French Creek

April showers bring May rocks
IIGO MASS Relay, Rattling Creek, Bakers Dozen, French Creek on the Rocks


IIGO MASS Team Relay (but ridden solo by the Nankmans)
Marysville, PA; April 7, 2019
no results for this race, just a fun event

Rattling Creek Off Road MTB Marathon
Halifax, PA; April 14, 2019
Jess 2nd overall female
Joël 2nd single speed

Bakers Dozen 13 hour
Leesburg, VA: April 27, 2019
1st overall solo women Jess
2nd overall open men Joël

On the Rocks at French Creek 4 hour
Elverson, PA: May 11, 2019
Jess 1st overall women
Joël 1st single speed

It was a fun filled Spring with many of the Nankman's favorite races.  We had done all of these before, liked them tremendously, and were looking forward to racing them again. Many are Spring time classics in the Mid-Atlantic mountain bike racing scene , getting riders together again for racing, fun times, and comradely after the long and cold winters.

IIGO MASS Team Relay (5 hour)
MASS stands for Mid-Atlantic Super Series, and this race officially kicks off the race season for this organization. Held at a private farm, the three-ish mile course is meant to be fun and inviting, but also have just enough technical stuff to challenge the seasoned racers.  It it primarily a team event but a select few, like Joël and I, do the five hour event as solo riders. We look at it as a way to get in a good day of training at a fun event where we can chat with and ride with all of our friends.  There are no true results for this event, riders are ranked via a strange and never really understood handicap system.  Never does a five hour race go by so quickly...riding with friends, being heckled and cheered for by fellow racers, and the excitement of seeing others after a dreary winter makes the miles just tick by.

Rattling Creek Off Road Marathon (50K)
The past few years this race has had terrible weather; cold, rainy, sleet and snow, windy; just something not fun to race in. Sure, Joël and I still raced in those conditions but we were not excited about it, in fact it was dreadful.  So this year we decided that we would wait until race day to register; we would wait and see what the weather report was and make our decision based on that.  Race day came along and it was a beautiful, the sun was shining and the temperatures warm so off to Rattling Creek we went.  What more can I say about this race than rocks...rocks, rocks, and more rocks.  For those that like technical single track this is a race for you. This course just make me smile from ear to ear and has me always looking forward to the next trail and the next single track.  But besides the race what else makes everyone smile at this race- the post race food.  Food is provided by Friends of Wiser and it is amazing!

Leesburg Bakers Dozen (13 hour)
Unpredictable is probably the best way to describe this race. It has been cold and raining.  One year there was so much mud the race was cut short. Last year the race was rescheduled due to snow and then the re-do date was hot and dry.  This year is was beautiful, sunny, and the course was almost perfect hero dirt. Just a wonderful day to be on the bike.  The solo competition at this event is always intense, bringing strong racers from all over the mid-Atlantic area.  But at a race like this the key is perseverance, to keep a steady pace and just ride and ride.  Both Joël and I were very happy with our efforts at this race, we were able to keep a strong pace and to keep it steady. We feel this is always a good training race to get into the rhythm for upcoming 24 hour races. As an added bonus, we enjoyed the weekend away with some vanlife adventures along the Appalachian Trail and in Harpers Ferry.

On the Rocks at French Creek (4 hour)
Another no-miss favorite of the Nankmans.  This course is just so much fun! Many of our friends and riding buddies also race, so it's a great time just riding along and being able to talk with others makes for a fun race. As the name implies, this is a technical course, with some intense rock sections. It also has a few fun bridges, speedy gravel roads, and a steep hike a bike (OK, maybe ride-able by a select few). During the four hour marathon, three different XC races also take place, which means the course can get crowded but also gives more people to chase down, out ride, and race against.  Many other Saucon Valley Bikes racers also compete which means hanging around in the team tent post race enjoying food, beer, and conversations with friends and fellow racers.  Always a good time at this event.