Dancing Queen stood in the car park, video camera on his head, shivering from the cold.  And he had only just arrived.  Poor Epic Fail had laid the trail, got home with only enough time to start thawing out before he had to venture back out.  He was trying to fill his flour container in the pouring rain - good plan??

Once CS had arrived we all wanted to get moving - although Wimpey was not keen to put the large golfing umbrella back in the car despite being fully clothed in waterproofs.

Left out of the pub, down the road, across the first junction (Featherbed Lane where no-one wanted to check!) then left onto the footpaths.  On we went to the Solar Farm entrance where we turned right.  From here we ran down hill to the woods on the edge of Steventon.  Through the woods we turned right to head along the edge of the field, then left up the track to the highest point in the area - good choice, Epic!  Luckily there was a huge pile of hay bales for us to shelter under before setting off again down to the bend in Featherbed lane.  At the end of the lane Wimpey and Professional Peach decided to turn back.  This took the 10 Little Indians down to 8 who crossed the main road and set off towards East Hendred. 

At the next junction Epic pointed a few of us straight on, but not until CS and Dancing Queen had set off towards a fish hook.  Half way up this hill Epic fell over - mud everywhere.  He blamed the back wash caused by Zorro passing him at speed!  We reached the edge of East Hendred before turning left and completing a loop (past where CS and DQ had just been) and back to the main road.  One more leg and we could see our goal. 

How we all managed to get dry I don't know.  Many a contortion carried out in the back of a car.  Poor DQ was so wet he couldn't decide where to start so just put a fleece and joggers on top of his running gear!  Lemony had forgotten another coat so had to run for the pub - carefully though as her joggers are somewhat ill-fitting and she had also forgotten a change of knickers!

We ordered chips and CS praised Epic Fail for the lovely country trail fit for a warm, long, summer's evening.  Shame we had to do it today!  But what a great way to start the year. 

The Down Down shirt went to Big Stiffy for having his birthday hash at the height of the flooding which meant that CS, who attempted to cycle to Sandford, ended up wading chest deep through flood water at Culham (please don't try this yourselves, we all know he is a lunatic) then getting a puncture, arriving very late at Sandford and feeling very sorry for himself.

Does that seem fair?  Oh well, this is hashing after all.

On On

Date:  1 January 2014

Hare: Epic Fail

Hounds:  Dancing Queen, CS, Big Stiffy, Rocket Ronnie, Professional Peach, Zorro, Menstrual, Wimpey and Lemony Snicket

Distance:  4.5 Very Wet miles