Man I'm already in jail
Don't they know that my life
Is just one big cell
Despite his lack of rage Brandon Hoff still felt like a rat in a cage.
Having been sent home mid-March to work as coronavirus began to spread - along with the rest of us at MotoSport - Hoff was ready to ride.
The genius behind all the emails you (hopefully) get from MotoSport, Hoff discovered working from home featured some, shall we say, drawbacks. The dining room table for a desk, one computer monitor as opposed to three, dogs interrupting his day begging for attention. And his wife. OK, not his wife. She's cool. But she was working from home too.
Government mandated home confinement feels much like wearing an ankle bracelet monitoring system, something Hoff had past experience with thanks to a few run-ins with the law. OK, just kidding. That's all false but when Hoff sent me a message last week saying he felt like he was in prison I wondered if perhaps something happened pre-MotoSport that I knew nothing about.
After all, he does ride dirt bikes. Has a tattoo, too. And raced against some of the gnarliest veterans of the sport. Think early 2000s. He didn't fare all that well though. Which helps explain why he currently sends emails to MotoSport customers as part of several functions that come with being the Email Marketing Manager. I can tell you he's damn fine at his job and at the most recent companywide virtual meeting his name was written on a computer screen (for all to see) as one of the greats helping to guide MotoSport through this time of trial.
Hopefully you've made it this far because I am getting to the point.
Even vehicles were social distancing at Washougal MX
Last week the sorry state of Washington with its press conference loving governor began to loosen the restraints on people trying to earn a living. Alas, some businesses were allowed to open. Then on Thursday, Hoff relayed a message to all of us in Marketing plainly saying that he was and I quote "Taking a day to get away from the home office."
He didn't even tell us where he was going. We already knew.
Washougal MX Park. Home to one of the great Motocross Nationals in the world. (And not just because MotoSport sponsors it. That certainly helps, of course, but you get it.)
Once Washougal figuratively yanked the dangling metal chain on the neon LED "Open" sign in the window, word spread quickly. Indeed, Washougal was open for business. Open for dirt bike riders to haul the mail up Horsepower Hill and once again fill the Pacific Northwest with the smell of race gas.
Only one person allowed in the tunnel system at Washougal MX
Hoff hit "send" on his last email to you and got ready to ride. With Anthrax's "In My World" filling the airwaves (he wasn't really listening but the lyrics above I sent to him really hit home) in his garage, he got his gear bag ready, did a pre-ride check, ensured he had gas and loaded his 2020 YZF in the back of his Promaster.
I literally fictionalized that last paragraph because as it turns out Hoff led me a bit astray. He went mountain biking on Friday. Seriously, who goes mountain biking when Washougal opens up for the first time in months in the middle of a plandemic, I mean pandemic? It was sunny and 80! So no, he didn't go to Washougal as we all thought.
Brandon Hoff rolls the throttle after getting too close to other riders. Ha! Unlike CBS we admit it, this is an old photo. See below for Brandon riding on Saturday. No agenda pushing here.
But he did go on Saturday as he woke to a bright sunny day and quickly grabbed a cooler of snacks and water, hit the nearest Starbucks on the way out of town and enjoyed coffee, tunes (ya, no Anthrax even after I tried empathizing with him) and fresh morning air for the near 40 mile trek to Washougal. Hoff also didn't have to do a pre-ride check (something we write about frequently as the handful of regular readers to our blog can attest) because he had everything ready weeks ago, like an inmate waiting for his release date. Planning like a true dirt bike rider! All he had to do was load up the van and Saturday morning could not come soon enough.
Brandon Hoff enjoying a ride at Washougal MX Park on Saturday
Hoff joined about 100 other riders at Washougal on this bright and sunny Saturday. There may have been more, it's hard to count, he said. Hoff printed and filled out the usual entry form the night before to limit human contact which he efficiently handed over at the entry gate along with the riding fee. In addition to regular six-feet or more social distancing, riders were also required to park their vehicles 15 feet away from other vehicles to help limit contact, and Washougal limited the number of spectators on site to only those in riders' household.
Everyone complied with the rules. (Hear that Jay?)
Washougal held six different practice sessions split by skill and age. The track was well-groomed and looked great. Other than the distancing practices, Hoff said the day felt like any normal practice session but an overall sense of happiness and hope permeated the air. Everyone was smiling and good moods were had all around.
After a great afternoon of riding, Hoff chatted with a few friends before heading home. Once back at his temporary office he unloaded his bike, sat back and enjoyed a frosty cold one.
Life is good.
We can ride Motocross again.
