Keyboard Ken (who plays guitar and runs with High Wycombe) had joined us.  A welcome addition as he had run the same route with Wycombe earlier in the week and we were sure Zorro would just have copied that.  All this talk of being out in the dark until 2230 - no-one really believes that.  No wonder the flour was a bit thin in places.

Zorro gave an interesting briefing and then sent us off in the wrong direction.  But apart from that we got off to a fine start, with the bugle blowing well.  The route was VERY hilly.  We set off west towards the reservoir.  Lovely surroundings and undulating.  Then came the leg to the top of Watlington Hill.  Only Buzz made it all the way up, with Ken doing next best – that is Ken, not Keyboard Ken who still had his woolly hat, gloves and coat on at this stage.  There was a long Down from the hill, obviously!!!!  This split the pack a little.  The athletes were catching their breath at the bottom when an old chap with a walking stick jogged into view.  It was Wimpey who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon.  Eric was most concerned with his athleticism, worried that he might do himself more damage.  Zorro just thought he looked like a grumpy old farmer and was expecting the shout “Get off my land!”.  We followed the foodpath out of the woods and then went south east to Watlington Park and up another hill.  This one looked a bit like a ski jump or maybe the preparation for the next White Horse chalk figure.  Very strange.  Again, Buzz was the only one to the top without stopping.  Down through Lower Deans Wood to the road where the front runners went straight across to do the extra loop.

We couldn’t find much flour but Keyboard Ken’s knowledge of the local area stood us in good stead (?).  Lemony had a map but we were soon off the edge of that! But Big Stiffy came to the rescue with the immortal words “It always goes that way”.

Back at the pub we met the rest of the pack who had had the common sense to avoid the extra loop.

The pub was busy so couldn’t serve chips.  Maybe this is why B’Cider decided to try to slam the bar door in the face of the waitress carrying three plates of roast dinner?

The Yellow Shirt nearly went to Buzz for dancing round the mud.  But it went to B’Cider for moosing.  (That is falling over and going OOOO).

A lovely, if challenging, run and beautiful weather.

On On

Hare:  Zorro

Hounds:  Wimpey, Buzz, Rubber Sole’s Buddy, Northern Soul, FJB, Eric, La Crease,  Professional Peach, Keyboard Ken, Big Stiffy, Hotlips, Lemony Snicket, B’Cider, Florence, Ken, Pressganger, Gatecrasher and Weirdo,

Date: 25 January 2015

Distance:

5.3 miles