Where have all the Young Men gone? So goes the old song and so goes the Hash sometimes. By the time we all assembled there were 15 ladies(?) but only 4 guys. Even Billy Whizz, the co-hare, had failed to turn out. Pressganger reckoned that getting him away from his PC to help lay the trail on Saturday had been a miracle, but two days without his fix was just impossible. Our numbers were however amply swelled by 8 visitors from Berkshire.

The weather was in complete contrast to last week’s run at Blewbury. Today the sky was clear, temperature around 7 degrees and sunshine all the way. The Hares had laid a cracking trail, mainly through woods, for the best part of 5 miles. The only thing was that thanks to all the recent rain we were knee deep in shiggy most of the time (where was FBJ on such a day?). But once their shoes were wet most people decided to stop trying to pussyfoot around the puddles and just plough straight through. With the exception of Piscine who continued her "tres elegant" tripping of the light fantastic through the birch trees. Very dainty!

Without going into too much detail, it was a great trail in brilliant sunshine with the song thrushes singing and the new flowers pushing up through the undergrowth. It was more like Spring than mid Winter. Eventually it was back to the pub where we were even able to sit outside with our drinks. No chips this week but Hotlips stood in for the GM and the RA and said some brief words. This included a naming for Jill, who henceforth will be known as "Scrumptious" for reasons I didn't catch, and Call-Girl gave the knickers to Hotlips for some transgression or other to do with puddle jumping. Gatecrasher gets to keep the paddle for another week for failing to carry it on the trail.

On On

Twitcher

Hares: Pressganger and Billy Whizz

Hounds: Big Stiffy, Hotlips, Noddy, Call-girl, Zorro, Piscine Down, Pyro, Gatecrasher, Scrumptious, Twitcher, Scribbler (W), I'm Late, Skinny Dipper (B), Penny Pitstop (B&D), Wave Rider (B), Lungs (B), OP (B) and Miss Whiplash (B)

Distance: 5'ish miles