Run 1275
Monday 24 August 2015
The Five Bells, Cople
Hares: Underlay and Lady Penelope
HASHERS: 14 APRES: 1
Those hard earned exemption certificates
Anniversary copper for Catch It and Clap Trap
Capt F is baffled by RA logic
Not much beats a hash-centred weekend for two keen harriettes! So having had a thoroughly fabulous day on Saturday doing the hash cycle pub crawl in glorious weather, laying the trail for our last Monday night run of the summer on a sunny Sunday morning seemed a pleasant prospect. Particularly as our reward at the end of it was to visit Frost's annual chilli festival.
10.30 saw the intrepid Underlay and Lady P armed with healthy wholemeal and scarlet chilli-coloured flour setting off from the Five Bells in Cople. Ringer had already advised a short snappy trail on account of British summer time being well advanced and lovely as it is, the chilli-coloured flour is far from luminous. By the time it came to Monday night there had been virtually 24 hours of rain to not only wash away all trail markings but also to deter all but stout hearted hashers. So it was with great relief that when Monday night arrived the car park quickly filled up and numbers reached the grand total of 14 to start the run. Underlay had devised cunning loops and falsies in the copse of trees just south of the A603 which proved a good ruse, beautifully followed by Ringer and other stalwarts.
From here the trail eventually led along the brook to the Cardington/Cople road where the pub could be seen clearly. Ha ha! Just when joyous exclamations went up in anticipation of a short run a la Ringer, we crossed the road and hooked a dog leg leading south of Cople and the trail carried on. The chilli red flour was coming into its own by this time and the pack, being fairly spread out, ran on into open stubble terrain.
Thank goodness for CRK's luminous socks as darkness was rapidly closing in despite the rain having stopped. A sneaky exit left took the pack into a secluded area with a choice of three trails. The hares were delighted that all were tested before the middle way led through to a previously undiscovered picnic spot (easily passing the Pongo challenge to come up with an untrodden Cople trail).
In the fullness of time the pack joined the road, leading past the posh Cople residences to the fiery red On Inn. In a hop and a skip the pub was reached where the landlord must have been chuffed to have us, considering the only other customer was LeRoy's lame twin brother. Once the glasses had been charged we braved the dark damp beer garden for down downs.
Birthday Hat for Edwina 123
Down down for Double's back double
Ringer says Double's been around the block
Secret RAs, CRK and Rapid, came up with some very coherent banter (watch out Forking - days could be numbered) none of which the hares can remember apart from Claptrap and Catchit having a one-straw communal down down (times is 'ard) for failing to realise they had a copper (nine years) anniversary and Edwina for having a birthday later this week. Answers on a postcard if you think you know the magic number. Nothing much else happened so it's On On to next week's run from Rowney Warren.
Underlay and Lady P
PS The Chilli Festival was a tongue warming affair highly recommended for 2016 if you want to sample amongst other things: chilli fudge, chilli chocolate, chilli beer, chilli jam/marmalade, chilli balsamic, chilli chutney, chilli sauce or chilli relish to Blow Your Cock Off (their terminology not ours).