Run # 774

Monday 3rd July 2006

Ringer's Gaff, Dunstable

Hare: Ringer

HASHERS: 9  APRES: 0  NEWIES/RETURNEES: 1  MUTTS: 0

Veni, Vidi, Hashi

A smallish party circled up at the ancient Roman settlement of Durocobrivis, half a day's march north from Verulanium. NikNak arrived, almost early, in a red, sporty chariot, accompanied by daughter Carly, who records will show, probably last ran with H5 in Roman times.

GM Capt. Fantaastic called the Circle. Herr (sic - Ed. please note) Ringer explained that during the geological age between the Jurassic and the Thorassic periods, known as the Lutonian, the whole of the region had been covered by a vast wheat field. Since there was nobody to gather the rich crop of flour that falls every year from the wheat, it fell to the earth and over many eons built up in layers into huge beds of flour, many hundreds of feet thick. Today in many places, the tops of these beds are very close to the surface, where they are known as flour beds. This is also from where the present County of Beds, takes its name. There is a flour mine nearby, where the ancient flour is once again extracted from the ground.

Seeing as the Hare was going solo (that's solo, not commando), there would be lots of number checks - inscribed of course in Roman numerals. The Onnus Beginnium was called and the pack set off into the blistering heat. The evening was a world première event, as no Hasher in the world had ever run the trail before. Private Parts and Underlay checked in opposite directions, PP finding a T. Shagpile figured the usual path up into the hill-climb field was a certain bet, but also found a T. A run along the road, somehow leaving Count Roadkill adrift, brought us to a check where the majority vote was "It's got to be uphill hasn't it?" Usually yes, but on this occasion no, as proven by Private Parts. A handy underpass took us safely under Watling Street, along which run many fast chariots.

A large field adjacent to the Manshead school campus had to be crossed, with Lady Penelope leading the way across much of it. This in itself created a new world record as it was a number check, so Lady P found herself as an FRB, turned round and heading to the back of the pack. A difficult climb up a steep hill caused many a groan and a grumble, with more number checks to be negotiated on the way up. Turning off the road into open fields yielded a pleasant meander to a yet another number check, at which Capt. Fantaastic picked the false trail and checked its full length. A long trail, slowly climbing, led to the first of two view checks, the second, at the top of Blows Downs, offering magnificent vistas in nearly all directions. What goes up must come down, in this case very steeply to a number check at the bottom. This had the number One in it and Underlay was first past the post. She must have been pleased since as she passed me she commented, "Thanks a lot". A long falsie caught out Capt. F and Count Roadkill, but from then on, it was a fairly straight run in, although some Hashers missed the On Inn by making up their own end trail. Almost back, we run into White Rabbit, who having arrived VERY late, attempted to run the trail in reverse (White Rabbit - if you're driving from Offley to Dunstable, you don't need to use the M1)!!!

Down-downs to Ringer for Hare and birthday, and to Carly for gaining a 2:1 degree. RA Shagpile awarded down-downs to Lady P for failing to flash properly (if at all), to Capt. F for something obscure (he was desperate for ideas), to NikNak for being overly motherly. The new super-trendy Hashit skirt and sequined top went to White Rabbit for, well what else?

OnOn to 777
Ringer

P. S. especially for Shagpile - "In girum imus nocte et consumimur igni"