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NOTES ON DH3 RUN 321 ON WEDNESDAY 28TH
JULY 2010
FROM TWESELDOWN (GR: 822518)
Hare:
Richard McAllister (Mountain
Rescue)
Hounds:),
Steve Nagel (Silvier), Les Salmon (Ever Ready), Sarah Nagel (Petal),
Tony Case (Fruit & Nut), Chris Farmer (Bidet), Sue Figgis, (Centre of
Attraction), Derrick Gray (Prime 8), Ron Peasley (Hi Hat), Libby Ralph
(Old Thumper), Flash Gordon (Cruise Control), Lizzie Gordon (Fast
Ahead), Tom Gordon (Hot to Trot) , Alan Jewell (Easy Rider) and Stu
Lusher (Dumpling).
A short brief
of easy to understand information, an indication of direction to start
and Silvier shoots off in the wrong direction, heading straight for the
‘In trail’. Called back by Old Thumper who was listening to the brief
brief, the pack as one made off up the start of Beacon Hill. At the
first available opportunity, the trio of Gordons led us into the woods.
Their downfall was being at the front for soon they came to the first
back back and they found themselves now at the rear of the group that
had abruptly turned into deeper woods. The trail wound its way through
the trees to a major track. OT was off on the wrong track while Easy
Rider went in exactly the wrong direction. So it was Cruise Control who
took over once more and he could be seen far, far away along the path
going well. Until, that is, he came across his second back back.
Silvier Fox was soon up there going off on the wrong track. By now,
Centre of Attraction was at the back and had more time to observe the
undergrowth around her and she took up the lead as once again the trail
changed direction and disappeared into thicker undergrowth. We wended
our way through the trees into more open ground and paused at a major
cross tracks. Fruit & Nut went left, Cruise Control right – both were
wrong. Silvier went straight on and was almost on track but missed the
flour leading over freshly mown grassland where the returned F&N spotted
the trail and took us to the next regroup. CC caught up having gone
wrong and Dumpling now took a lead off to the right while F&N took the
left. The latter managed to find the false trails and go off in a
circle on to the already completed outward trail, while the former found
a false trail but had the sense to investigate another path while in
that vicinity; good move – he soon had us off again and we followed a
broad track to another check. By now Hot to Trot was taking the lead
while Dumpling investigated a well covered path to find he was ‘on’
again. The hare anticipated the next check would be more difficult and
was somewhat pleased to see the pack well spread out, mainly in the
wrong direction. CC wandered so far it is thought he had discovered the
‘in trail’. Silvier was getting warm but was beaten to it by F&N who
knew the hare’s thinking too well. The trail now went steeply uphill to
the well-known trig point and the first regroup. Dumpling had the
misfortune to check down the wrong track, HtT was off along the ridge to
find Silvier returning from another false trail and ‘someone’ called the
pack down the correct trail where some enjoyed the grace with which Hi
Hat sat on his backside (everyone had been warned it was slippery). It
was eagle-eyed Hot to Trot who now spotted the trail going off down
amongst the bracken and called everyone on again. Another false trail
for Silvier, and another call from CC and HtT who this time failed to
spot the sudden change of direction that OT picked up and took us
through some scruffy sunlit trees. Into close countryside, the trail
turned again and took us to a one spot check that was supposed to hold
up the pack. But HtT now really had the bit between the teeth and
queried the possibility of the trail following the boundary of the old
reservoir. He was off and soon everyone was following the trail that
eventually led to the second regroup at the top of the hill in the
pleasant sunshine. Now we realised Petal and Fast Ahead were no longer
with us. We waited, Silvier did his husbandly thing and set off to look
for them but they were not far behind and were soon with us again.
Something a little different now- the trail actual reversed back the way
we had just come and OT with Petal were soon leading us back down the
hill, around the old reservoir and along a defunct drain. CC was
unfortunately at the front to find he was now following a back back
while the rest of the pack dropped over the edge and down to the lakes.
Again, it was OT who took the lead around the lakes and up the hill on
the far side. A pause while the pack thought and some actually sought.
Up the trail went for the last time. The hare, having taken a short
cut, arrived at a crucial junction just in time to witness Silvier run
straight past the change of direction of the trail while accompanying
HtT’s eagle eyes once again came into play. Silvier had better local
knowledge and quickly picked up the route home, while closely following
CC and son seemed to be having a bit of a race home. Back at base we
soon realised that three were not with us. Did anyone care? You bet
your sweet bibby they didn’t. In fact there was some relief that F&N
was one of the missing for it meant a quick get away to the pub with no
down downs. So we thought. We should have known better for twenty
minutes later, F&N arrived with a tray of drinks: one for the Hare, two
for Fast Ahead and HtT for being absent for so long and one for Petal
(can’t remember why) who was already into her wine and really didn’t
want a beer – one sip and the rest went back to and into F&N… On On
‘til next time. |
NOTES ON DH3 RUN 320 ON WEDNESDAY 14TH
JULY 2010
FROM TUNNEL HILL (GR: 918558)
Hare:
Steve Nagel (Silvier).
Hounds:
Richard McAllister (Mountain Rescue), Les Salmon (Ever Ready), Sarah
Nagel (Petal), Steve Osborn (Wally), Tony Case (Fruit & Nut), Steve
Booker (Dickhead), Colin Croft (French Leave), Chris Farmer (Bidet), Sue
Figgis, (Centre of Attraction), Derrick Gray (Prime 8), Ron Peasley (Hi
Hat) and Libby Ralph (Old Thumper).
In some 45
plus years of Hashing, your scribe had a new Hash experience this day –
no Hare. Not only no Hare, but no one from Deepcut at all – no trail,
no Hounds, nothing. Checked the grid reference, checked the other car
parks in the area but all to no avail. So, Silvier gamely volunteered
to lay a live trail while others thought ‘straight to the pub’. Anyway,
Silvier set off with a couple of small containers of flour, promising
nothing too long. Six minutes later the pack started off in the rain to
try to follow the new trail but were stumped at the bottom of the first
slope. The pack split and tried the different uphill tracks until Old
Thumper called the on. By now Mountain Rescue was almost at the top of
his hill and was not going to go back down only to go up the next one.
In the event, he beat OT to the check, but made the wrong guess at the
next junction. It was now Wally who could be seen through the trees
making for the hinterland. So with all the pack now on track (except
Bidet who was walking wounded and making his own way complete with dog)
we came across Wally returning from what he thought was a dead end.
Perseverance would have paid off, for he had been on the correct trail.
It was now MR, uncharacteristically at the front, who plunged down a
narrow, overgrown and dripping path over the tunnel itself, and there
was the flour once more. On rising and descending on the far side,
Bidet appeared with the advice that there was no flour the way he had
just come, so it was up to the open ground beyond the railway line.
Here, there was a definite pause. OT hunted one way, a disorientated
Dickhead another. Wally tried. And MR. French Leave was seen to leave
the pack but was soon deterred from the search. Then there was
short-lived relief when MR came across a check and one blob, but no
more. We looked, we hunted, we searched and got further away from each
other – apart from the main group who were happier standing around
waiting for the FRBs to solve the problem. Eventually OT called the on
only to be overtaken by Wally who had now stumbled on the trail the way
the Hare intended. And so it continued until your scribe found himself
a long way from the rest of the pack (and now, possibly, ahead of the
Hare who was hiding in the undergrowth watching intently for the chance
to escape). Oblivious of the proximity of the Hare MR continued on his
now lonely way to where he reckoned the trail would exit the trees. The
rest of the pack could be heard in the distance with Prime 8 worried
that he would not get back in time for the circle. That’s how it
ended. The Hare actually made it back first after some 35 minutes with
the pack following in due course with even Prime 8 getting back in
time. Wally threatened to take over the Down Downs if F&N went on for
too long but it was a short welcome for the Hare whose efforts were
rewarded with many a Bravo and nods and sounds of approval. He got his
Down Down and was accompanied by Petal for no real reason. Old Thumper
threatened not to attend again if she got a Down Down every time she
attended – she got one this time as a very professional Hasher. Ever
Ready had one for his lack of observation and failure to find any
of the trails, and finally to Prime 8 for fearing a late return for the
circle. The White Hart in Pirbright was our very pleasant watering
hole.
So, ‘til next
time (at Tweseldown)…
On On and
please, Deepcut, try to get some representation!
|
NOTES ON DH3 RUN 319 ON WEDNESDAY 30TH
JUNE 2010
FROM VICARAGE ROAD, BAGSHOT (GR:
905632)
Hare:
‘Flash’ Gordon (Cruise Control)
Hounds:
Richard McAllister (Mountain Rescue), Alan Jewell (Easy Rider), Les
Salmon (Ever Ready), Karen Allen (Designer), Sarah Nagel (Petal), Steve
Osborn (Wally) and Tom Allen (No name yet).
The small pack
started celebrating the absence of Fruit&Nut when they appreciated that
there would be no down downs at the end of the run! From the car park
the trail went straight into the woods and down the long, wide track.
Mountain Rescue was left trying to dislodge and ingested fly but managed
to get rid of it in time to see Petal leave the main track and plunge
into the cool of the woods proper. On the way to the first check there
was some genuine shig and soon the pack was trying to find the way on.
The trail led intro some more open country. Wally now set his pattern
of taking the wrong road and it was Easy Rider who, with a reassuring
nod from the Hare, found the way on to the original path but much
further on. Once more we found ourselves rising until we came to a
check. An attractive hole in the fence led Mountain Rescue to
investigate, only to find deep shig, and the on was called with a
reassuring bellow by the Hare, taking the pack uphill again and in the
opposite direction with Tom Allen leading the way to the next check.
Here, Designer decided to let her son do the hard work while she rested
with the remainder of the pack. Wally was off down the hill while Tom
returned having not found anything. We had a short spectacle of Wally’s
ballet movements before he disappeared round the bend (an apt
expression) and the Hare once more helped the pack by confirming Wally
was right this time. So, we all trotted off in pursuit following the
trend set by the Grand Old Duke of York. (And, boy, were there some
hills in the area – not only steep, but plentiful). Soon, we were at
another regroup but there was no sign of Wally. Had we lost him? Had we
really lost him? If we had it was not for long for Ever Ready was now
well up the next slope yelling his head off and Wally reappeared at the
bottom of the hill. The Hare was now particularly unhelpful as we
searched once more for the trail. The most attractive way was past a
sign forbidding entry by unauthorised persons into the ‘Euroforest’
whatever that may be. Anyway, the land now became rolling forest – and
what rolls! With Ever Ready still at the front (it was, of course a
small pack) we now struggled up the steepest bit of land in the area
with Wally trying to persuade himself that it was ‘Flat, flat, flat…’.
Daft beggar; it was about as steep as could be climbed without
crampons. At the top, things opened up a bit as we hit a confluence of
major tracks and the penultimate regroup. It was here that the Hare
warned us that at this stage he was running out of flour and that we
would be nearly home when we could see the church steeple. Not that it
was apparent from the amount of flour and the false trails leading away
from the check. So we set off following the track previously checked
out by Tom whose mother accused him of being blind. Helpful Hare again
got us going, but not for long because the now overconfident Ever Ready
was forced to return to the point where the actual trail deviated left
and followed Tom. However, he made up for it by spotting the next
deviation that took the pack steeply down through the trees and back up
again to join the track we had just left. Up on to a flat area with two
marvellous views; and, yes, we could actually see the arch of Wembley
Stadium from where we were. “It’s all downhill from here…” lied the
Hare. Tom set off down the hill in the direction of Wembley, Wally
wandered off straight ahead and it was Mountain Rescue who stumbled on
to the trail. But not for long was he at the front because there was a
myriad of small tracks going every which way. Wally now reckoned he had
he dog trained to sniff out the flour as he found himself back on
track. However, said dog didn’t see the sudden change of direction as
the trail turned almost back on itself. Here, the trail then vanished.
Completely disappeared to the human eye. “I laid lots on this corner.
Honest,” to quote the Hare as he pointed out slight, very slight
variations in shade of off-white marks underfoot. As we now moved
through some delightful, shady woods, Designer and Petal were expressing
their appreciation of the cool. As we came out of the woods for the long
road run for home the Hare returned to ask if we had actually seen the
deer. “What deer?” “The one with the white moustache. He’d been
eating all the flour!” was the defensive response. As we set off along
the road, we passed the Pennyhill Sports Centre and realised we were not
so close to home after all but soon, the church steeple came into view
and we had made it in quite good time. Straight to the Pine Ridge Golf
Club for refreshment and in the case of the Allens, huge chunks of
chocolate caramel cake and ice cream. How much better that was than a
down down…
|
NOTES ON DH3 RUN 318 ON WEDNESDAY 16TH
JUNE 2010
FROM BRAMSHILL PLANTATION (GR:
759613)
Hares:
Tony Case (Fruit & Nut) and Colin
Croft (French Leave)
Hounds:
Alan Fiddler (Outrider), Richard McAllister (Mountain Rescue), Derek
Gray (Prime8), Tony Soane (Sony Tone), Alan Jewell (Easy Rider), Brian
Langford (Cyclone) and Les Salmon (Ever Ready).
It was
wonderful weather but a small turnout – but what a bunch; two Fab Hares
and The Magnificent Seven! It started as before by crossing the road
and heading off up the main track. The Outrider veered off half left
leaving Ever Ready and Easy Rider to follow on while Primate looked on
disbelievingly. Outrider was on and the more reluctant runners wandered
in slow pursuit trying to gain some enthusiasm and inspiration. Along a
pleasant shady path we moved with our original FRBs still leading. At
the check, even Primate was there waiting for ‘someone’ to give the off
once more. Ever Ready was soon back from a dead end and it was Outrider
who was soon held up once more by yet another check. Now it was
Mountain Rescue who went astray as he tried to get others to ‘buck up’
and find the trail. Shortly, the trail surface deteriorated and we
found ourselves following along what appeared to be old motorbike tracks
that had hardened in the sun – not easy running. Then it changed again
and we found ourselves in amongst great deposits of fallen branches and
twigs that snapped and cracked as we moved over them. We spent quite a
while now searching for the trail, but find it we could not. Even Sony
Tone and Cyclone gave up chatting for a moment or two as we started
widening the search area. After five minutes we still hadn’t found our
way. Outrider once again came to the rescue and led us across to a
decent path and regroup. Ever Ready had the luck this time as he led
back out into the sunshine before soon going back into the shade along a
broad path that led us to a wide open area. Although Ever Ready found
the trail, somehow Mountain Rescue found himself way out front until he
came to another three-way check. Easy Rider picked up the trail and led
the pack towards home. However, the way was booby-trapped by clouds of
flying midges and the prize for the biggest mouthful went to Outrider.
Easy Rider led the pack home followed by Ever Ready, MR and Outrider.
But then there was a five minute gap before the rest of the pack turned
up. Having arrived home, the Hares informed us that we had all missed
out a loop of one and a quarter miles; apparently, during our extended
search around amongst the debris in the woods, we picked up a part of
the return trail, thus missing the loop. Oh, joy! The Hares got their
down downs for their efforts, Outrider and Mountain Rescue received
theirs for ‘camouflage efforts’, and Sony Tone in order to finish the
beer. We repaired to The Hatchgate for resuscitation and jolly
jabbering.
‘Till next
time, ON ON… |
NOTES ON DH3 RUN 317 ON WEDNESDAY 2nd JUNE 2010
FROM WELLINGTON MEMORIAL (GR:
853511)
Hare:
Alan Fiddler (Outrider) and Andy
Rogers (Sky Hi),
Hounds:
Richard McAllister (Mountain Rescue), Tony Case (Fruit & Nut), Sarah
Nagel (Petal), Steve Nagel (Silvier Fox), Derek Gray (Prime8), Colin
Croft (French Leave), Sue Figgis (Centre of Attraction), Tony Soane
(Sony Tone), Frank Farrell (C17), John Elder (Seis Matters), Ron Peasley
(Hi Hat), Mette Sorensen (Leg Over), Sharon Harvey (Olympic Feat), Flash
Gordon (Cruise Control), Alan Jewell (Easy Rider), Brian Langford
(Cyclone), Les Salmon (Ever Ready), Zoe McAllister (Kanchi), Denise
Catlin (Flying Doctor) and Dave Strauss (Straddle Various)
I t was a
truly lovely afternoon for Hashing; warm, bright and with great company
in a familiar area that was to produce a really good trail. The
briefing was short and we were off and up the hill to pay our respects
to Wellington then down the other side. Through some quite close
countryside we went, ducking and weaving through the undergrowth until
we came to some open ground that sent French Leave off in the wrong
direction. Meanwhile Silvier and Seis were searching out the trail and
were soon off again until we met up with the Bourley Road and the first
regroup. Taking advantage of the pause was Hi Hat who sat himself down
to conserve whatever energy he had and Sky Hi (who, as a Hare, should
have known better) and Prime8 had to be called back from making a poor
choice of ‘Left or Right’. Over the road for a couple of hundred yards
before diving, nay plunging, into the dense undergrowth on a trail that
was fraught with nasty spiky bits. Your reporter at this stage was
keeping to the clear path that seemed to be running almost parallel to
where the pack was moving only to be accosted by Straddle Various who
came down to check out the area – he was wrong, too. Then we swept up
into the more hilly but more sparse woodland and Silvier with Seis
continued their lead that took us to the top of a sandy hill for a
check. With most of the pack assembled at the apex, Prime8 (who hadn’t
quite made it to the top) was accosted by ‘the military’ who wanted to
use the same slopes for some driver training. Silvier was the first
down (again) and soon there was a file of runners following him. Now
they went right into some significant undulations in a shadier part of
the countryside. The short cutters and contour followers were joined by
Olympic Feat who had a sly word from a Hare and they were on again only
to plunge down into the depths carefully watched by MR who was as
reluctant as ever to lose hard-gained altitude. After a while he (MR)
realised he was being followed by Easy Rider who didn’t really want to
waste energy. Flash was living up to his name as he sped across our
front to join the descending pack. Then Easy Rider realised he was
being followed and soon half the pack was sticking to the high ground.
Shortly, the true followers trudged back up the hill only to have to
revert to their lower elevation once more. Easy Rider decided to take a
‘bold step’ to join the pack. Eventually there was a cry from the very
top of the hill and we assembled at the next regroup to admire the
view. From the top we descended to the lake to another check that took
a bit of solving with Silvier and Straddle going the wrong way. With
‘On’ called we all ended up at the top of yet another hill but from
where we could enjoy the views over Farnborough. Having got to the
bottom, we were confronted by what can only be called a precipice – near
vertical up where we had the third and last regroup. Once again, it was
Hi Hat who found the seat but Centre of Attraction who declared she ‘was
out of condition’ collapsed on the ground beside him - but then most
were feeling a bit knackered. The ‘On’ now took us down the hill and on
a route to the return over the Bourley Road. From here it was a fairly
simple run home past the stock car racing circuit. Down Downs went to
the Hares although only Outrider remained for the ceremony. Flying
Doctor and Straddle Various got theirs for being on Bourne Valley Run
the night before and Centre of Attraction for turning up on time with a
dog and Cyclone for turning up with his four legged friend. Kanchi (an
exuberant returnee all the way from Australia) and Mountain Rescue (a
jolly good fellow) got theirs and the rest of the family who happened to
be nearby got theirs for just being there. Finally, Old Grouser was
there and received his tankard as the retiring Grand Master. The
Tweseldown was selected to be allowed to offer us refreshment and a good
choice it was on a bright, sunny and warm evening.
ON ON! |
NOTES ON DH3 RUN 316 ON WEDNESDAY 19th MAY 2010
FROM RUSHMOOR ARENA CAR PARK (GR:
850517)
Hare:
Richard McAllister (Mountain
Rescue)
Hounds:
Chris Farmer (Bidet), Tony Case (Fruit & Nut), Sarah Nagel (Petal),
Steve Nagel (Silvier Fox), Derek Gray (Prime8), Colin Croft (French
Leave), Sue Figgis (Centre of Attraction), Tony Soane (Sony Tone), Frank
Farrell (C17), Paul Armstrong (Back Up), Steve Booker (Dickhead), Kath
Bradshaw (Twin Peaks), John Elder (Seis Matters), Alan Fiddler
(Outrider), Ron Peasley (Hi Hat), Libby Ralph (Old Tumper), Andy Rogers
(Sky Hi), Mette Sorensen (Leg Over), Neil Warren (Armoured Farmer), Stu
Lusher (Dumpling), Martin Woods (Top Secret), Sharon Higham (Olympic
Feat) and Katie Male (Spring Along).
The weather
certainly brought out the crowds today… The RA greeted everyone,
particularly the new Hashers and the returnees who hadn’t been with us
for some time. The brief was relatively quick and only once interrupted
by the RA. The pack set off down the well trodden path that leads to
the Arena tunnel where it paused while some checked out the potential
leads; for a while, with no result until the dulcet tones of Silvier
were heard. He had stumbled upon the trail having once again ignored
the stop line. He soon got his come-uppance but very sadly no one
witnessed the incident. It was the mud all down one side that gave the
game away. The trail went through some of the rare shiggy and rose up
to cross over the driver training circuit. Silvier repeatedly got to the
front and then complained about repeatedly following all the false
trails. The trail now turned and twisted through the trees to the first
regroup. The slower ones caught up as planned and the race was on again,
crossing a lot of similar and confusing tracks. A check marker delayed
the pack as the more adventurous Hounds checked out. Silvier went off
in the wrong direction (again), Old Thumper took another wrong one and
kept going. Fruit & Nut likewise selected a false trail but persevered
to where it actually joined up with the correct trail (but he didn’t
twig) meanwhile the rest chatted. Eventually the message got through
and Fruit & Nut called us on out into the open and up a sandy track
until it veered off into the gorse. The trail then led back down
eastwards towards the Fleet Road and turned north to a back back that
split the pack, most of whom backed in the wrong direction. Old Thumper
did her path finding bit once more and was over the gate and off around
the lake with most following – in fact all following except Outrider who
was certainly riding out and doing his own lonely thing. From the
regroup, it gave the Hare great pleasure to see Silvier go off in
totally the wrong direction (and the choice was either right or left and
he went right which was wrong). The front runners had already been
warned to look carefully for the trail, but did they? You bet your
sweet bibby they didn’t. But again Old Thumper was there to get them
going again and it was over some pretty rough ground that we went.
After wending their ways through the difficult undergrowth, the pack
split with most following the trail but many doing their own sensible
appreciation of the situation. Bidet held forth about people coming
from every direction but there was great confusion until Sky Hi found
the trail as a reaction to Outrider’s cross country cry of ‘On On’ (yes,
he was still doing his own thing). At the end on the long uphill winding
track there was more confusion. Bidet got the right idea but went off
180 degrees out and who was it who picked up the trail this time? Why,
it was Old Thumper again this time supported by Dickhead who complained
about some of the twigs flicking around his head. Then it was down to
the main valley bottom and this time Silvier got it right while Hi Hat
rested his weary self on a convenient log. Through the trees to another
regroup where we all met except for Outrider who was still doing his own
thing. The pack tried to tempt him back by going off in the wrong
direction and he nearly rejoined the pack before about turning and going
back to where he had previously spotted the trail. Twisting and turning
back through the woods, across another couple of tracks, into the jungle
for a time, along the main nullah for a while and soon we were back
home. Well, most of us were but the Hare had to go back for the rear
four who were delayed by losing the trail. Down Downs went to the Hare
for his barely adequate trail, to Stu who got his tag ‘Dumpling’, to
Katie who will for now be known as ‘Spring Along’ for that is the way
she moved. Centre of Attraction got hers for turning up on time with
Bidet who’d forgotten his knee pads. Old Banger and Olympic Feat
received libation for their late return to Hashing, while Petal was
called forward for being famous and getting her photo in the local paper
– her retort that it was time the RA went to Spec Savers said it all.
Finally, Frank Farrell became ‘C17’. Then it was off to The Tweseldown
for resuscitation where a weary and subdued group of tired Hasher tried
to recover…
on,on,on,on,on…
|
NOTES ON DH3 RUN 315 ON WEDNESDAY 5th MAY 2010
FROM PUTTENHAM CAR PARK (GR:
919462)
Hares:
Chris Farmer (Bidet) and Martin
Potter (Goofy).
Hounds:
Tony Case (Fruit & Nut), Sarah Nagel (Petal), Steve Nagel (Silvier Fox),
Brian Langford (Cyclone), Derek Gray (Prime8), Colin Croft (French
Leave), Sue Figgis(Centre of Attraction), ‘Flash’ Gordon (Cruise
Control), Alan Jewell (Easy Rider), Richard McAllister (Mountain
Rescue), Les Salmon (Ever Ready) and Tony Soane (Sony Tone)
“Which way do we go?” asked Cruise Control
standing on and ENORMOUS arrow. Once the mirth had subsided the pack
moved off in the directed direction all the way down to the bottom of
the hill where we turned sharp right and ran all the way back up again.
Only Bidet failed on this unnecessary expenditure of precious energy,
using the excuse that he had to await the (late again) arrival of Centre
of Attraction. Once we had all joined up it was over the road and down
to a now familiar sunken path. Silvier soon came back from his checking
and a helpful hare marked the way ahead and that took us back up the
hill only to have to descend once more. Silvier and Cruise Control now
seemed to take the lead as the pack followed some severe undulations
through pleasantly wooded countryside. It was a good half hour before
the first (of three) regroups was encountered. Goofy was all for the
pack setting off before Prime8 had caught up but in the frequent mode of
Deepcut, it was a while before any enthusiasm for checking was
generated, by which time Prime8 had caught us. There was quite a pause
while the trail was checked out, spreading the pack far and wide (well,
wide, anyway). There was now some more mountaineering but the cool
weather encouraged some exertion. A touch of shiggy was encountered on
what was otherwise a dry trail. By some error of natural events and
some unwise short cutting, MR found himself at the front of the pack and
the query from French Leave was indicating that technically that made
him officially an FRB. As regular readers may recall, it is not a
position in which MR likes to find himself. Now we neared the lakes (or
are they ponds?) where BT were at work. There was disappointment
expressed by our rear runner that it was not a beer van. So, with some
outlandish guessing the shepherd led his flock off around the pond. Not
convinced, MR went the other way, an option approved by the Hares.
However, it put him in the FRB position that does not agree with him.
We have been through some close country before but this was close!
There was holly trying to get at every exposed bit of flesh, the ground
was uneven, overhead cover low. There was barbed wire, water, brambles
– the whole lot. Most survived relatively unscathed, but not so Ever
Ready who lost the argument with the barbed wire and was soon well
bloodied. The trail led the FRBs off in the wrong direction and they
had to be called back to follow the rest of the pack who must have
received directional aid from a Hare. As your scribe was one of those
called back the threat of vitriolic reporting was brushed aside by Bidet
who expressed a distinct lack of remorse and certainly no care for what
was written. Moments later, a softening of attitude gave a clue that
the trail need not go up ‘that’ hill yet again, at least not at this
stage. So MR managed to stop Fruit & Nut from calling all the rest back
and together with Bidet and Easy Rider enjoyed watching Petal and
Silvier with Cruise Control and Cyclone pounding their way up to the
third and final regroup where we didn’t actually regroup. And that was
the end of it really. Silvier wasn’t the first one home, nor was Cruise
Control, nor even Goofy. Nor Bidet. Nor…
Down Downs went to the Hares for their
excellent and entertaining trail, to Silvier for his warm up dance
routine, and to Centre of Attraction for her cause of the initial
special circuit. Prime8 got his for hugging himself half way round, and
Easy Rider for being the new Hare Razor. The Harvester provided us with
ale and a place to relax and bullshine and for Weeks-to-do Sony to re-empasise
his imminent retirement.
On On |
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