Run 861 - Great Milton
Run PhotosRun: 861
Date: Sunday, 4 January 2009
Venue: The Bull, Great Milton
Hare(s): Eric/Lemony Snicket
Hounds: S/Shoveller, Penelope Pitstop, Gnome Alone, Bootsy, Lonely, Pressganger, brother Brian, Pyro, Big Stiffy, J-Wax, Baldrick, Finger Flasher, Gatecrasher, Pony Express and, just for the beer, Plod
Scribe: Plod & S/Shoveller
A crisp winter's morning greeted those who braved the elements today. Some new faces today, Finger Flasher, Gatecrasher and Pony Express, ex Oxford H3, and Pressganger's brother, Brian. A quick reminder that the first hash of each year had been designated as a memorial hash to those who had departed to run those much pleasanter trails up in the sky. In the case of Didcot, of course, we were thinking of Dingaling, Gentleman John Campbell, and Aunt Sally, or Idris. The Hares then gave a briefing - I don't think there was anything worth mentioning. I mean, there might be crosses there might be bars as falsies, flower might be on the left but then it might be on the right. Oh and there was a dangerous road crossing.
And then you all disappeared up the track alongside the pub, while I was left to wander about the village. Not before I witnessed what could have been a serious domestic between Lonely and Bootsy. Where are I my trainers? asks she. You can use these, says he, offering her a pair of rather gungy size 9s. Far too big. So he then offers up mine - size 11s!!! Wellies she was wearing, wellies she would have to run in. So the last person down the track was Lonely.
Five miles later, who was the first person in: Lonely, closely followed by Balderick. I did see an OS Map of the route so I know that you crossed the A329 and headed over to Great Hazeley before turning round and coming vack. I am reliably informed by S/Shoveller that the distance was just over 5 miles - a bit far for Didcot. I know that at half twelve I very nearly called it a day. But no complaints so thanks to Eric and Lemony Snicket
The Pub was nice, was it not. We cleared up the venue for the next trail in two weeks time: the King William at Hailey. Hash Cash will run a bar tab for those staying for a meal afterwards. The Hares being S/Shoveller and Penelope pitstop.
Talking of whom, a little bird told us that this was trail 2222 for one of our number. S/Shoveller, of course.
Brian, Pressganger's brother has run with us before. There was a suggestion we ought to give him a name - despite the fact that he actually had a hash name: Sonic Boom. Aparently he hashes all over the world - currently in Angola. So the best brains on the Hash got together but the only ones they could come up with were no better then the one he already had. In the end, we renamed him but the name wasn't because of what he'd done or not done, but the Didcot hash's failure to come up with anything more suitable. So, Brian, henceforth you shall be known not as Brian, not as Sonic Boom - but as Dyslexic Brain
Now for S/Shoveller's notes - entitled:
The “3 Degrees Below” Run
Today’s gathering was a somewhat drawn out affair with hashers arriving in ones and twos every few minutes or so after the Clock had struck 11:00 and continuing so, even after the run had started. “Happy New Years” were exchanged in clouds of exhaled misty breath.
Plod called us together and said he wouldn’t be running as he’d had the flu (or was that too much Christmas pud?) and that being that we ambled out of the car park onto the village green. The Hares watched, with some glee, as we spread wider and wider in all the wrong directions before calling us back on to the trail down the side of the pub car park.
We all started to jog along steadily with Gnome Alone somewhere in front and fast disappearing down a long path which was to prove to be a false trail. The correct trail had forked right over a stile and we jogged on down, after the newly mended Big Stiffy, past the famed Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons of Raymond Blanc and the ‘H’ set in paving slabs for celebs helicopter arrivals. Nothing so dramatic to witness today and the place was very still and quiet.
Then came the crossing of the dangerous A329 main road which the hares had warned us about – traffic fairly hurtles along this road but we all made it safely to the turn off into the fields. Earlier an hot air ballon had landed near our crossing point and we speculated as to how cold it would have been up in a balloon on a day like today. Probably not so bad due to the heat from the burners.
As we turned into the field path a couple of desperadoes were spotted in the distance trying to catch us up – one tall one and one short one with an odd shuffling gait. Later these proved to be Lonely and Bootsy who was shuffling along in her posh ‘Hunters’ (nice and warm boots as they are padded inside). Seems like Lonely forgot Bootsy’s running shoes!
From here on the trail was both interesting and not predictable and the front runners got the checks wrong more often than not, i.e. “it always goes this way” didn’t work too well today.
We soon ran into pretty Great Haseley village and a few minutes later we ran out again in completely the opposite direction to where ‘home’ was. A pretty loop into the countryside followed before we re-entered Great Haseley again – this time passing the huge Manor House on the rise. Along the road and around a couple of corners the Plough pub beckoned and Lonely shot off to inspect it – unfortunately for him the trail had turned right and up the hill but it wasn’t long before he was back with us again. At the next check the Hares tried to cajole hashers to check out all directions whilst the obvious and actual route was around the field to pass by the remains of the Great Milton Windmill. Hare Eric was even heard to say “Oh alright, I’ll take pity on you, it’s this way”
We re-crossed the A329 and soon we were heading back into the car park we had left 5 miles ago, to be greeted by Plod. Most resisted the urge to change into fresh clothes preferring the immediate warmth of the pub instead. Inside Plod said a few words welcoming the Oxford Hashers and our African visitor, Brian, who apparently was in need of an updated hash name – seems like Plod had been working hard on this while we out on trail as he came up with Dyslexic Brain (think about it!).
Well done Hares – an excellent trail which had everyone guessing and which had many interesting view points and a real pub at the end!
Plod & S/Shoveller