A glorious rainbow was visible from the South East as we all drove on towards our rendezvous point.  But luckily the rain was moving away.  The excitement didn’t stop there. The tension heightened before we even left the ‘car park’.  Pressganger lost Qualcast in the field of horses and he totally ignored her instructions to “get back here”.  The hours of doggy training have certainly paid off.  Then a cheer met the arrival of Henry V and A Cruel Joke finally who, having been to the pub once, decided it was the wrong one, and drove another loop just to make sure.  Thank goodness they missed the pot holes and kept the cake safe (more of that later). Epic Fail flaunted the Paddle of Rebuke – insisting on carrying it tucked into his shorts.  Lots of comments there that would be censored!  Announcements started – Gnome Alone had run 50 miles on Saturday evening, Hotlips and Lemony had managed 6 miles on Sunday, it was Northern Soul and RSB’s 36th anniversary and Hutch’s birthday!  Hutch said the trail was 5 miles when he measured it but longer when he laid it.  It looked like a dangerous trail judging from the iodine treated cut on the front of his leg.  “Is there a short cut?” asked Eric.  “Yes” said Hutch turning to show her the wound on the back of his leg.  “But I’m not telling you where it is!” After all that, we finally left the pub at 7.20pm.

The run was lovely, despite the hare(s) following our RA’s practice of laying it One and On and changing their mind on one occasion which left a few hashers miles up the wrong track. 

There was mud up to our armpits and numerous shoes nearly got left behind. 

As we ran past the tennis court CS sat on a bench and requested a G&T.  Obviously his vision of young ladies in short tennis dressed had blurred his eyesight as he jogged off and put his foot straight into a rabbit hole!  The first of many injuries.

Ringer twisted his ankle badly and left Tinkerbell in the safe hands of her older brother, Dingaling.  Tinkerbell then slipped going up the hill to John’s Gate but recovered well.  Gnome Alone complained that the only kissing that went on was between the Anniversary lovebirds.  Neither John got a look in!  And Hotlips arrived back at the pub covered in mud.  But that’s another story.

There was virgin territory, the most beautiful view as the light started to fail and cast an amazing glow over the fields and silhouetted the power station beyond.  The subtle hues even struck us hashers dumb. What a pity that Zorro had taken a short cut with the hash camera and no-one would admit to having a phone.

The pub delighted those who had not visited there before.  A Cruel Joke describing it as a thrilling place to visit.  The cake flowed freely as Rubber Sole and Dakota (yet another friend from Australia) had made a delicious banana cake and Henry V had made an irresistible chocolate one.  Much appreciated as the pub does not serve chips.

We gathered outside for Hash Words.  Ringer insisted on climbing onto the bench despite his twisted ankle.  “Are you OK to drive home?” came a concerned voice (only the one I noticed) “Yes, it’s fine, I don’t have a crutch – I mean clutch” came the reassuring reply.

There were no vests to award as Rubber Sole had left hers at home.  The suggestion was that it was in the Slap and Tickle Trunk.  And the look of optimism on Hutch’s face seemed to confirm this!

Epic then awarded the paddle.  He couldn’t think of much to say so was going to make it up – just like a normal police statement came the barracking cry from our illustrious GM!  Undaunted Epic continued.  He had noticed Dancing Queen and Dobby talking shop and Ringer in his Hugh Heffner jacket but decided to award the paddle to Dingaling for looking after his little sister – “you should have left her!”

On On

Hares:  Hutch and Rubber Sole (co-hare, all she did was walk behind me and moan!!)

Hounds:  Epic Fail, Dingaling, Ringer, Tinkerbell, Big Stiffy, Hotlips, Zorro, Wimpey, Lemony Snicket, B’Cider, Rubber Sole’s Buddy, Northern Soul, A Cruel Joke, Henry V, Gnome Alone, Cheating, Wilson, Dobby, Dancing Queen, Eric, Pressganger and Qualcast, Bootsie and Inca and Dakota

Date: 12 August 2014

Distance: 5 miles