Run # 751

Sunday 22nd January 2006

The Old Sun Inn, Ampthill

Hare: F'Ka Duck

HASHERS: 25

The old saying that it's better to be born lucky than rich was on my mind as I walked around the parks and footpath of Ampthill. The sky was clear the sun was shiny and warm and you could soon get lost in the moment and just carry on and on, but all we would have ended up with is a run straight out of the MLP / Pecker book of short runs. However after several hours of aimlessly ambling around I finally achieved a run I was happy with.

I woke up in the morning early with a great idea to fool the hash (more of that later) so left early to change the trail around. On arrival at the Old Sun Inn I found some early bird hashers had already arrived (warming up I think): Shagpile, Pongo and Capt Fantaastic who had arrived on his bike to be followed by the slower cyclists, Pecker, G-String, Nobber (sic) and WWW who spent some time trying to workout how to tie their machines to a tree then spending time staring admiringly at them.

By this time the rest of the hash had arrived and the circle was called. After a brief description from the hare the pack was off. Strategy of the hare was to keep Smiffo in sight at all times, get him to lead and the rest would follow. Off he went down Dunstable Road with the pack behind him thinking he knew where he was going (he didn't) so it was left to the stay-behind Screamer who had seen it all before to lead the way on to the first check. The trail led through the back streets of Ampthill for Pongo to admire the view onto the second check. Off this check it was found that the main trail and the short cut went the same way leading off into the town centre where we lost Smiffo (again).

We left the town behind via the side of the church to a check next to the main Bedford Road. Listening to veteran hashers telling others that the trail was over the road and through the gate I had a wry smile to myself, the trap had been sprung. FRBs ran onto a check. After checking four paths – all were Ts – we paged the oracle (Shagpile) for a ruling from the book of rules, sorry non-rules, and in cases such as this a back check was needed. The correct trail was found and followed into Ampthill Park. It was FRB Screamer who led the pack down the hill and the same Screamer that led them back up again – perhaps she's on something – to meet up with the ramblers at St Catherine's Cross and heading for home.

With most of the hash following Smiffo the long way round the Nature Reserve to track down the hill to finally catch up with Pecker, Hash Bike and family waiting for us at the bottom. With the news that we only had 6 minutes to make the pub for opening time, standing pub side of them was not an option. Off they went lead by the Count. Very impressed by his sense of direction, I was unaware that he was parked right by the on inn.

In the pub the landlady provided us with sarnies and hot sausages which went down very well and welcomed by us all. The circle called, down downs were awarded to Smiffo for being 43 again Nic Nac (sic) for telling the RA he was blind and Pongo for explaining to the hash why he has never bothered about being an FRB.

On/On
F Ka Duck