The Hooper Hustle
Event: Mountain Bike Race
Approximate distance: 1 lap = 5 miles
Lap time: 34:50
Temperature outdoors: 96 degrees
Humidity 99%
Heat Index: felt like 100 degrees (perhaps celsius!)
Insects: mosquitos actually tried to carry off one rider who stopped for too long on the “Dagobah/Swamp Trail” Seriously… you can’t stop out there… no amount of Deet keeps off the swarms.
Mud: present in multiple locations, enough to make spectacular flings.
Water: generally tends to be on a least one side of you at all times… at least I suppose it was there… you couldn’t really see any for all of the green scum on top.
Roots: ha, you haven’t seen roots till you’ve ridden these trails (and I use “ridden” lightly… sometimes it is more of a rough heave and a “jounce” over and over and over them… oh, my aching quads!)
Women: besides myself, one wife there for moral support, for a grand total of 2
Fun Scale: 8… would have been SOOOOO much better if #1. I knew ANYONE there. #2. I wasn’t the only girl racing. #3. it hadn’t been SOOO hot and humid!!! #4. It had not been on a Sunday morning around church time! #5. If I had some cheerleaders there!
Rankings: #1 in Womens First Timer ( I was the ONLY one!!! stiff competition for that!!! HA!) #2 in First Timer category (men and women) The plaques are on my wall already! 
Fastest lap time out there was 24:16, first timers did 1 lap, beginners 2, and sport did 4… no one raced “expert” 5 laps. A 15ish year old boy did a lap in 25:10, put me to shame!
Sounds like fun ( Sort of) I am going to work on my cardio so I can do some of this with you.
Comment by Glenda — May 28, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
I would LOVE to have a partner out there!!! It really is a blast. We need to set a date for Tunica Hills!
Comment by Holly — May 29, 2008 @ 4:10 pm
Hey Holly, I didn’t know your e-mail, so I wrote you this way. Just wanted to say hi.
Comment by Christine — July 18, 2008 @ 12:46 pm