Going down to the Hoo-HaMassanutten 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)
