Butcher Boys rarin' to hare
HM reads Sassoon poem after silence
Missed beer stop opportunity?
DE makes notes for next year's quiz
New RA, but same old RA tricks
Has the fat lady sung for Queen Vic?
Knobber leads pack in cracking weather
Abettin' heads queue at style
Count and Knobber, new RA's first victims
Thanks to the GM as he steps down
With the Queens Head due to close on the 5th Jan it made sense to visit it for a last run asap. The paths and lanes around that area lends itself to good routes, mostly off road, with plenty of shiggy and stiles!!
With few of the newly elected officers in view, it fell upon our retiring GM Pongo to get us on our way. But in keeping with tradition the newly re-elected Hash Mattress Nik Nak drove into the circle at 10:59:45 and, with it being Rememberance Sunday, supervised a minute's silence and read a 'war poem' to a rather depleted group.
False trails caused some confusion, but we eventually headed ENE towards Wingfield. Some of the trail was rather faint after the rain and that caused The Count and Knobber to inadvertently miss 2 back checks before having the cheek to wait until the 'back' was 20 yards away before doing their duty.
Aiden 'n' Abettin' covered most of the parish of Chalgrave checking out the false trails and when the front runners reached the Plough at Wingfield there were cries of 'is this the beer stop?'
At one stage Blow Felt reached a number check, but quick as a flash whipped out his (no not that) exemption card, which raised a laugh !!
The trail passed the village cricket pitch and it was only Milly who showed the knitting circle the way through a hole in the hedge. The short cut sent the walkers down the Tebworth Road to the Pub and the rest including Gorjoyce and Nik Nak did the loop around Hill Farm and 5 stiles!! Well done.
The route went through a garden and finally headed back via a rather indistinct path and sheep meadow to the Pub. The 'snug' was warm and cosy and cake provided by G-Globes was well received.
Down downs were awarded for various offences including sex on the Hash with Pussies, Blow Felt, now RA, kept up Forking's habit and awarded one to himself, and DE disappeared without trace!
Footnote. The pub may be saved, as rumour has it that it was bought at auction and the buyer may continue it as a local. Shame! as the old Landlord has been there nearly 40 years. Also some of the paths were VERY overgrown and I had to spend a visit to clear the way at 2 locations, and I suppose that 'If you do not use it, you lose it'. Shame.
On On to Wooton.
Bangers, for Forking.