Hash 1495

It was a still moonlit night not too cold ideal hashing weather. The seniors gathered inside the pub while the juniors hung around outside in the cold. Consequently we missed the intro from our hare, but I did hear there was plenty of flour which proved to be true. Dez had never seen such a magnificent ON INN and as the shorties didn’t seem to have the map that Dick promised it was just as well. But that was at the end. Now to the beginning.

We set off down the road leaving more flour for Sarah to play catch up. We soon found a lovely muddy field where I had several offers to oil my squeaky shoes but they were silenced as the mud stuck to the soles. There was so much it was quite disconcerting and balance was very difficult. However I was relieved that the soles weren’t about to fall off! 

Now you would expect your hare to come with a decent torch. But as we slipped and slid across the mud with our “elephant feet”, his borrowed torch began to fail. GM to the rescue and as we careered along a disused railway line (Matt says and the map confirms) our hare came speeding past on full beam, thanks to Roger’s spare battery. What a good boy scout he is!!

We soon crossed a narrow bridge over some water. Back in the day Matt had to wade through this on his school cross country run. (He’s a local boy you know?) There was no bridge then. 

So we were now on the Wendover Arm of the Grand Union canal. No it’s not a river Dez, notice how straight it is. Very straight and no checks so we made good progress. Meanwhile Sarah had caught up at a cracking pace set by Ant on one of his sprints.

A couple of swans looking very serene, were picked out in the torchlight and paid us little attention. We could hear there was a bridge ahead as Ade’s dulcet tones rang out through the still night air.

A kindly Vinegar (what predictive text is that!) no Conehead, waited to warn those vertically challenged to beware, so that would be our hare then, wouldn’t do for the hare to lose his head on a hash. 

--colbreak--Thence to a regroup where Simon took the dais to preach to us about the pros and cons of short/long and paying attention to one’s hare. 

Us shorties were led by Dick through some trees to a road, where he left us to flounder as he returned to the Longs. We coped Mr. Cope “thank you” without the map. We can do checking you know. But we did have Matt who has local knowledge!

It was a nice flat run through the paths and alleyways of Wendover and we were soon back at the pub at a very early hour after 3.5 miles. Perfect. 
But where were the longs? 

On a mission to Weston Turville it would seem. Not all the way to Aylesbury on the Grand Union then. We had scoffed sausage rolls, thanks to Elaine and cake, thanks to Dez (Happy birthday!) before they returned at about 9:30. What only 5.2 miles. Simon says “put your hands in the air” all you hashers that chat too much and don’t get on with the job of hashing!

Must pause while I change trains at Finchley Road........

Mike was put in the ‘Naughty Corner for eating too many cakes’. Then Oodles of chips appeared from the chippy up the road. Even Mike struggled to get through them. Thanks Simon for that and a lovely hash.

Sorry Roger I haven’t got time to find jokes I have some packing to do..............

See you in 4 weeks folks. Good luck to Jo and Glen have a wonderful trip.