| Run | Date | Hare(s) | Description | MapRef | 1:50000 | 1:25000 | 1:10000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Run 527 | 11th April 2004 | Patrick and Henry Directions are: follow signs to Pagham. once in the village turn left into Sea Lane (just before the holiday park) and follow the road down to the sea. Make a right turn into Harbour Road (signposted "Private Estate") and follow the road as far a you can go - there is a car park right at the bottom. | Pagham Spit | SZ884966 | | | |
We began to wonder when we saw the location as to how we would be able to have a hash trail here. No hills, a dry day, a pleasant breeze. An easy hash - wrong.
The signs were laid out really well and everybody found their way to the Spit. The Can Man had done his bit for hash numbers by inviting He Hui and Jing Zhang (aka Laura and Jean) from China and the entire Bishop clan and friends turned up to swell the numbers.
JM Bambi back from illness - you can’t keep a good hasher down - gave up on the introductions on the grounds that he could not pronounce Chinese names and there were too many of the Bishop clan to remember who was who.
So a brief preamble from the hares who gallantly donned rabbits ears in honour of the occassion (it was Easter day) and we were on our way. We stormed forward like Olympic athletes on a training run (well we usually do for the first 100 metres or so) until it occured to us that nobody had seen any flour. It was then noticable that the hares had not come with us and they were sitting smugly at the start. Even hashers of very small brain (and there are a lot of those) began to suspect tht this was not the correct way. Soon enough Hash Flash found the correct trail and we were off across the fields and down to the shore of the lagoon. Two quick checks and then a long run and regulars realised that some of the younger and fitter newcomers were charging on at great speed. To make it worse it was the ladies in the lead. This slur on the honour and fitness of our middle aged and mediocre pack could not be tolerated so we did the only decent thing and had a regroup.
Under the guise of letting back markers catch up everybody else had a breather.
The Can Man began to hang back as it was clear that the Chinese girls had been told this was akin to a gentle stroll (well it usually is!) and were beginning to feel the pace.
Another check or two and then a very long run until a large R told us to regroup. A passing walker said that she thought it stood for rat poison and did not let her dog near it.
This is obviously stupid as the average rat can read much better than most students these days and to put R for rat poison gives the game away. Home office detectives have been told that it stands for refugees and to our knowledge are still staking the place out. It was at this juncture that Eva asked what the hashit was and how you avoid getting it. We explained slowly (not slowly enough it seems) as she then proceeded to short cut the next corner and gain a hashit nomination.
We then began to head back into Pagham village and through the housing estates (especially commissioned by Lego) until one more check led us to the On In. Even then the crafty hares had one last twist of the knife by making the last 400 metres cross some nasty shingle.
So the pack struggled in and the JM called them to order. Whispers nearly received the hashit for having his 40th birthday a day or so before but as he was already suffering from celebration fatigue the JM did the decent thing and awarded it to Eva for showing the intelligence of an American President and shortcutting in front of the master!!
A good first trail by Patrick and Kevin - well done!
Humble Scribe
on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-