THE “HIDDEN HARE” HASH
Run Number: 405
Date: Mon 30 Jul 07
Time: 80 minutes
Distance: About 8.8km
Run Location: Okeford Fitzpaine
The Pub: The Royal Oak
Pub Links: To follow
Weather: Warm, dry, sunny
Hares, Hounds and Hash Stats
THE WORDS
One Hare and 12 hounds met on a flaxen summer’s evening, alive with breathtaking views, bugs and …at least two bearded gentlemen, advancing from the shadows. (Well, you can’t have it all!) We had assembled at the picnic spot car park on Okeford Hill, about a quarter of a mile above Okeford Fitzpaine (…any the wiser? Never mind, let’s move on on!) Silent Running gave a splendid no-nonsense briefing, introducing new BH3 hound, Andy Cheney, who joins equipped with Hash handle “Muddy” (as inherited from previous experience). Hare also welcomed back Pet Rescue and Pete Fuller, now with handle ‘Emptier’. Points of emphasis (which later became clues) were, ‘Let’s have plenty of effort with ‘On! ‘On! calls tonight…’ ‘Some dabs will appear on the right…’ and as a friendly parting note, ‘Please check for ticks’, as the area is renowned for such critters.
One dab and we were on; this found by the glimmering eye of a grinning Walt, who was starting like a cavorting gazelle and was surely to continue in style? Thus the trail had begun, across the road and directly ahead continuing on a nice dry bridle-path, cutting through fields with the legendry Beacon to our left. The first check came on the corner of a small wood (perhaps a “copse”, or “thicket”?), efficiently dealt with by the ever gallant Warthog, and comrades Jibber, Kinky Bugger and Ronlet, soon finding the On, straight ahead. There quickly followed a succession of checks, one continuing straight, before a devious left, at a four-way wooded junction. This time it was Jibber who had struck lucky, leading the troop down a fairly long slope, forming an elbow curving right and ultimately onto a welcomed whip-in. On Hare’s arrival, non panting hounds Warthog, Pet Rescue and Emptier soon found the On left, where we joined the Wessex Ridgeway, decoding more checks leading straight and sharp right, to the corner of Blandford Forest. Everyone was now into to the spirit of things, calling ‘On! ‘On! at every dab and ‘Are you?...at very hopeful checker. This was almost tuneful at one stage, but I don’t think Grumpy, Bashful and Sneezy need worry at the thought of losing their day jobs…
Now the atmosphere grew dark and mysterious as we trotted rather tentatively deeper into the forest. Following a 4 way check, soon masterminded by Quelque Chose, Ronlet, Warthog (again!) and Jibber, the On was established left, leading the group along a wide gully, soon to find a “mega-check”, splitting no less than five ways. Many shouts of ‘checking’, followed by an eerie silence, whereupon Hare quietly enquired, ‘has anyone tried the little path?’ Two Shoes set off with a slight reluctance, knowing that 9 out of 10 “Hare suggestions” turn to bad dust and was smugly surprised to find the eventual On. He promptly rang his horn …sorry his best ‘On! ‘On! call, leaving some of the group not certain which of the many paths this was coming from. Soon, the woods became alive with enthusiasm, mud …and sweat, now chasing Two Shoes’ Nike boots; a jolly pelaton led by BrEW and Madness, with Muddy (still spotless), and Kinky Bugger bridging the gap for those catching up from that last check. Two Shoes led on to another timely whip-in, and although temporarily revived, the beers were still miles out of reach …GASP!! But not to worry, just a simple couple of right turns, plus the odd dog-leg and we’d be back at the car park… Not so, as the fun had only just begun. After a couple of cunning checks leading left …and left again, we were heading straight back to that familiar 5 way check! So what now, surely we weren’t expected to run around in circles for the next 20 minutes until Hare called it quits and gave us the final On out of the forest…? Oh no, this was proving to be something more devious, but no one, was entirely sure what Hare had planned or indeed, where the next On would lead us!
Well, the magic of Hare returned us to that 5 way check point a comical …5 times and by this time, not only were we impressed by his sprinklings of magic dust (perhaps he’d used “fairy dust” instead?), but most of us had clicked that a third party had been employed… Was this Dorset’s most intelligent squirrel, or a series of bionic bunnies? …Was Hare lurking at the back and laying fresh dust, or indeed, doing some very fast and very silent running? Many whisperings followed amongst frustrated hounds; here we had learnt a valuable lesson, to always keep an open mind.
At one point, it would have paid Walt to have kept a slightly more focused mind. Running boldly along a muddy track, he spotted a dark, real ale coloured puddle that unfortunately for Walt, was not remotely ale flavoured. He tried a majestic “straddle” motion, which ended in a spectacular Fosbury-Flop. There was a screech of mud, followed by a tangle of ankles, knees, ears and then a resounding “SPLOSH!!!” Clearly, Walt had lost his gliding waltz-like step and had rock and rolled with muddy waters, from his head down to his toes. …One or two witnesses felt that this made up for Walt’s “Quagmire Hash” from the previous week. Hard luck Walt and we sincerely hope your hand injury recovers soon.
Onwards, and just when the hounds felt that they couldn’t be teased any more, there followed another session of dust symbols mysteriously changing from a whip-in to a check and of course, crosses diminishing to single dabs…. But it wasn’t long before we were spared any further puzzlement, as out from the forest appeared a familiar looking man, with a large pack on his back, moving with a distinct stride about him… Yes, it was Strider, Hare’s son, secret accomplice and, assistant Hare. Although, on this occasion, Strider had expertly carried out the role of “Hidden Hare”!
Less than a mile from here, the hounds arrived back at the car park and soon greeted, cheered (and hissed, pantomime style) at Strider’s reunion. His skills had certainly made the Hash all the more challenging and later in the pub, he was doubly awarded with refreshments and a well earned tankard for his 25 runs – well done Strider, and well done Silent Running; a baffling but brilliant Hash!
HARES, HOUNDS, AND HASH STATS
Hare(s): Silent Running & Strider
Hounds: Birdseye, BrEW, Emptier, Jibber, Kinky Bugger, Madness, Muddy, Pet Rescue, Quelque Chose, Ronlet, Two Shoes, Warthog
Social Hounds/Puppy Hashers: Not this time
Real Hounds: Not this timeHounds
Back to The Words
MUG & T-SHIRT RATINGS
(??*) - Denotes attendance by those not Mug Rated (social hounds).
RED T-SHIRT AWARD (100 AND OVER) ….when we get them
Andy (Warthog) Goodman (203); Bronwen (Ronlet) Jones (166); Brian (BrEW) Errington-Weddle (129 + 2*); Ed (Birdseye) Sadd (121); Terry (Walt) Disney (113); Terry (Buggalugs) Canham (108 + 1*); Tim (Silent Running) Bryning (101 + 1*); Mark (Jibber) Humphries (101)
GOLD T-SHIRT AWARD (50 AND OVER)
J-F (Entente) Lechanoine (79); Jason (Kinky Bugger) Wareham (71); Tim (Classic) King (69); Martin (Madness) Lawson (69); Duncan (Day Glo) Ray (64 + 2*)
MUG AWARD AND CAN WEAR BLUE T-SHIRT (25 - 49)
Sylvie (Ça Va) Lechanoine (44 + 2*); John (Semaphore) Carr (42); Tom (Jock) Moncur (38); Frances (Stop Watch) Canham (35*); Ruth (Typhoon) Canham (35*); Jim (Forget Me Not) Forrest (25 + 6*); Helen (Elle) Goodman (27*); John (Strider) Bryning (25)
NEED MORE HASHES OR POSTING ORDER (10 - 24)
Gail (Tour Guide) Sadd (8 + 16*); Tom (Two Shoes) Gillard (24); Mark (Shady) Vincent (22); Steve (Bob the Builder) Pritchard (20); Gordon (F Med) Rafferty (18); Rowland (Pet Rescue) Stibbards (17); Lesley (Tinkerbell) Bryning (14*); Edward (The Wanderer) Vincent (12); Ben (The Slobby Uno ♂) Sadd (11); Sarah Bryning (1 + 9*)
NEED MORE HASHES (5 - 9)
Graham (Hidden Depths) Plaice (9); Emma Sadd (8 + 1*); James (i-Plod) Vincent (7); Patrick (Sloe) Ginn (6); Clare (The Slobby Uno ♀) Sadd (4 + 2*); Peter (Emptier) Fuller (6); Ombeline Lechanoine (5*); John (Nokia) Noraika (5); Wendy Stibbards (5*)
KEEP HASHING (1 - 4)
Jean-Baptiste (Pierre) Blandenet (4); Nikki (Xtra Miles) Brooks (3); Heather Terrington (2 + 1*); Steve Thornton (3); Jenny Fuller (2); Pierre (Quelque Chose) Leroy (2); Paul (Crazy Fool) Kadoch (2); Steve (Cloth Ears) Lomas (2); David Orriss (2); Rod (Dyno) Thomas (2); Janice Vincent (2*); Chantelle Wareham (2); Mary Burden (1); William Burden (1); James Carr (1); Julie Carr (1); William Carr (1); Andy (Muddy) Cheney (1); Ben King (1); Manuela Leroy (1*); Rebecca Leroy (1*); Gabbi Lomas (1); Colin McGrory (1); Hilary Naylor (1); Fiona Ray (1); Robert Carr (1*); Sandie Disney (1*); Kate Forrest (1*); Renee Ginn (1*); Alf Sadd (1*); Fiona Vincent (1*)
Back to The Words
Note from 'On Words
Did you know that there is a Canadian style, cherry flavoured beer called “Quelque Chose”…?
La Quelque Chose a vu le jour en janvier 1996 et titre 8% alc./vol. Cette bière a été spécifiquement développée pour en faire une bière hivernale et à cet égard elle doit être réchauffée à 70°C afin de rehausser toute la richesse de ses arômes et de ses saveurs.
Il s’agit de cerises macérées pendant des mois dans une bière légèrement aigre avant d’être mélangées à la toute fin dans une bière aux malts hautement torréfiés pour générer ce qu’il est convenu d’appeler un authentique nectar. Cette bière, la plus originale de la gamme Unibroue, est fortement appréciée par les amateurs de sports d’hiver.
So there you are!
Price: SRun/Strider # 405 |
