THE “OXFORD STREET” HASH
Run Number: 358
Date: 15 May 06
Time: 42 minutes
Distance: About 5.5 km
Run Location: Sixpenny Handley
The Pub: The Roebuck Inn
Weather: Partially cloudy and mild
HARE(S): Entente
HOUNDS:
Rear Row:- Duncan (Day Glo) Ray
- Martin (Madness) Lawson
Middle Row:- Ed (Birdseye) Sadd
- Tim (Silent Running) Bryning
- J-F (Entente) Lechanoine
- Andy (Warthog) Goodman
Front Row:Not In Photograph:- Sylvie (Ça Va) Lechanoine
Social Hounds/Hash Puppies:Real Hounds:
THE WORDS
Anyone who spent time on Monday looking out of their office window or from some other suitable vantage point would have been concerned by the scudding black clouds and wet stuff that was deposited on the unsuspecting from time to time throughout the morning. I can almost hear the mutterings going on around our erstwhile pack going something like this “Glad I’m not setting the hash today as it looks like being a wet one. What excuse can I come up with for not being able to make it this week?” “Too busy maybe, but that sounds a bit lame and I am sure I have used that one before.” “I guess I will just have to go anyway and pray for some respite during the run otherwise the washing machine is going to be overloaded again.”
So it was with some trepidation and a wary eye on the dark clouds that we began to assemble one by one at the starting point at Chase Crescent. Birdseye turns up so it must be past time for doing the briefing and getting the show on the road, but first we have to exchange a few pleasantries and check out the state of the Hare's shoes to see what we are likely to be running through. This would have been enlightening had the Hare not changed into a clean pair of runners and also clean socks. This led to a short discussion on the merits of putting your runners into the washing machine for a quick clean up or facing up to the unappealing smell in your boot should you leave them to fester there between weekly runs. Not a pleasant thought.
As no other hounds had turned up, and as ever time was marching on, Entente gave us the briefing: Smiley face, two whip ins and blobs on the left hand side except when they were on the right and oh yes, watch out for a short section with brambles and branches trying to fall out of the sky and rip your head and shoulders to shreds. Also a few obligatory nettles would be encountered somewhere along the way.
Having got the briefing out of the way and still no late arrivals, our dedicated group of hounds set off in a rather desultory fashion. Silent Running was the first to pick up the trail or was it Alamein who was on the scent. We were soon gambling along in some beautiful woodland which very nicely set the tone for the majority of the run. The blue bells were out and although the sun was not streaming through the beech trees it wasn't raining either, so that was a bonus! Those that had checked out the false trails at the start were unlucky to miss the sight of 20 or so deer running full tilt across our path to the sound of Alamein's furious barking. At the first check we all split up with Warthog and Birdseye vying for the trail honours. It's a strange thing that when you are deliberately trying to find the wrong trail you invariably are on the same wavelength as the Hare and seem to have an unerring sense of which way to go, but when you are knackered and want the shortest route you invariably pick to false trail. “C'est la vie?”
It wasn't long before Warthog had found the smiley face much to everyone else's delight and Walt had managed to make the right choice of trail to the next check of which I must say there were plenty. Whilst heading in the general direction of Sandroyd School and Rushmore Golf Course Day Glo had managed to hear our shouts of “on on” and had unerringly beelined through the woods to catch us up and our numbers were swelled to 8.
After a number of checks a well planned if somewhat convoluted trail led us to our first whip in on a rather grand forest boulevard lined with large beech trees and the ground bedecked in wild garlic and bluebells. Ça Va had chosen an uphill trail and was somewhat surprised to find that she was on on, with the rest of the pack spread out behind her. However the glory was short lived as Warthog was straight onto the correct trail at the next check followed by Birdseye and Silent Running. We then made a tight right hand turn and seemed to be heading back the way we had come with Alamein and Silent Running battling for the lead. Soon we were back almost to where we had left the grand boulevard, in fact, just a few meters to the south. There were a few comments of Haven't we been here before?
Madness was keen to get to the forefront, but a couple of checks later it was Birdseye who led the way along the edge of the woods trying to avoid the numerous fresh cow pats and over stiles until the main road was reached and an impromptu whip-in called for, Warthog having already established the route ahead. Once we were back together again it was not far to the on home and we were soon back at the cars and congratulating the Hare on a well set run thorough some country that most of us had never seen before.
Having cleaned up and changed were repaired to the Roebuck Inn in Sixpenny Handley where a table had been reserved for us and the doors were open although the pub was not officially open. Pints of Ringwood were soon being passed around and lasagne, chilli and Ham, egg and chips being ordered. It's amazing the recuperative powers of beer and home made food and how short a memory we have of the pain and effort required to get around the hash trail.
So it is on on to the next Hash which is being set by Birdseye from his house next door to the Museum Hotel in Farnham. Meet outside the Museum Hotel at 6.15 for 6.30 pm start. Food and drinks will be provided for those that make it back to Birdseye's house before chucking out time. All welcome, the more the merrier. Oh yes, there is plenty of beautiful walking for anyone who doesn't want to run and there may even be the occasional short cut for those that want a shorter option.
MUG & T-SHIRT RATINGS
(??*) - Denotes attendance by those not Mug Rated (social hounds).
GOLD T-SHIRT AWARD (50 AND OVER)
Andy (Warthog) Goodman (166); Bronwen (Ronlet) Jones (118); Terry (Buggalugs) Canham (108); Brian (BrEW) Errington-Weddle (88); Ed (Birdseye) Sadd (84); Terry (Walt) Disney (74); Tim (Classic) King (69); Mark (Jibber) Humphries (57); Tim (Silent Running) Bryning (56); Duncan (Day Glo) Ray (50 + 1*)
MUG AWARD AND CAN WEAR BLUE T-SHIRT (25 - 49)
J-F (Entente) Lechanoine (46); John (Semaphore) Carr (42); Frances (Stop Watch) Canham (34*); Ruth (Typhoon) Canham (34*); Sylvie (Ça Va) Lechanoine (31); Helen (Elle) Goodman (26*)
NEED MORE HASHES OR POSTING ORDER (10 - 24)
Jim (Forget Me Not) Forrest (24 + 5*); Martin (Madness) Lawson (21); Steve (Bob the Builder) Pritchard (20); Nick (Tri Harder) Bateson (20); Gordon (F Med) Rafferty (18); Tom (Two Shoes) Gillard (15); John (Strider) Bryning (16); Ian (Abdul) Condie (11 + 1*); Lesley (Tinkerbell) Bryning (10*).
NEED MORE HASHES (5 - 9)
Roland (Pet Rescue) Stibbards (9); Gail Sadd (8 + 3*); J-C (Moose Milk) Boisvert (7 + 1*); Sarah Bryning (1+6*); Ben Sadd (6); John Harry (Hot Dog) Ross (5); Emma Sadd (5); John (Nokia) Noraika (5); Nick (The Gnome) Laffan (5); Jayne (Blackberry) Boisvert (5*).
KEEP HASHING (1 - 4)
Clare Sadd (4); Heather Terrington (2 + 1*); Ombeline Lechanoine (3*); Rod (Dyno) Thomas (2); Martin Hughes (1); Colin (tbc) McGrory (1); Kate Forrest (1*); Julie Carr (1); James Carr (1); William Carr (1); Edwards Vincent (1); Mark Vincent (1); Robert Carr (1*); Sandie Disney (1*).
Price: Entente # 358 |
