Run No. 594 5th January 2003

The Plough & Harrow, Harpenden

Runners:  31
Mutts:  -
Ankle Biters:  -
Knitting Circle:  -
Apres:  -
Newies/Returnees:  -

The run was planned from the Plough & Harrow at Harpenden which was a first to this pub and could probably be a last. A good crew was assembled and a number of newies were welcomed at the circle. Welcome Mark, A.N.Other, Cream Puff - a returning Hasher from Aussie - and latecomers who couldn't find the pub. The hares then gave a brief statement and mentioned that they might actually see a real hare on the run, (yes we know it would have done a better job) the invisible RA was thanked for providing superb weather and it was on-on that away.

The pack set off under a railway bridge and through some park land and on to the common. We were joined at this point by BOF who had managed to follow the dust, but not White Rabbit who said later she would have enjoyed a good long run. The first section involved a long false trail ending in cross roads. The knitting circle decided not to run the falsie but they eventually did because the back hare became concerned the pack maybe lost, which was not true but it was shortly afterwards. Where upon the front hare became a little worried that frost on the grass was making it awfully difficult to see the real trail. "Not to worry" says Nik-Nak and hands Major Cripple Cock the bag of flour who then becomes a live hare running up the trail throwing flour about calling On On.

At this point Paintball using his natural ability as a clairvoyant overtakes the front hare and starts running his own trail. We eventually found the true path and crossed the road to a housing estate and despite the hares best intentions the pack blindly ran straight past a check mark and were rapidly disappearing into the distance while the hares are fully aware there is no dust laid up there. An On Back was called and a gumpy pack made their return moaning about the quality of the signs on the trail (the hares were fairly sure now that down downs would be awarded to them) We had now gained Pecker & Bell End and set off again.

The next hold mark was a Dearing check and Ringkisser aided by Paintball set off on another the false trail. Eventually the signed footpath was taken and the pack set off following along the edge of a field. At this point G-String questioned if the trail was part of public footpath or not but before anyone could reply (lie) a local resident helped out him out with cries of "This is private property and what the hell did we think we doing."

In true Hash fashion we kept heads down (looking for flour marks of course) and ignored the said irate resident and carried on running. The next obstacle, which happened to be a private golf course, was duly approached under the cover of brilliant sunshine and thirty or so hashers stealthly sprinted across, carefully avoiding the greens (and praying that we didn't see the groundsman), with exception of Shaggy, who declared it a snob's game while liberally dusting the greens down with fresh mud. By now the hares were fully aware that the run was far too long and that one or two down downs were coming their way.

The final section of the run was through Hatching Green and then over the roundabout to run straight along the road back to the pub where the hares had forgot to put an ON INN sign.

Down Downs were awarded for the hares, newies and visitor, then the secret RA began dishing out the punishments which seemed chiefly to involve the hares. Down Downs were awarded for the following:

  • Trail too long
  • Trail lost in frost
  • Trespassing on private land (two counts)
  • Incorrect trail annotation
  • No ON INN sign

And finally the Hashits were handed out to the hares for good measure - All in all a successful run.

ONON to the next time you lucky people