Run 877 - The Assendons
Run: 877
Date: Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Venue: Rainbow Inn, Middle Assendon
Hare(s): Golden Shower
Hounds: Plod, Twitcher, Big Stiffy, Eric, Pressganger, Pyro, Rear Admiral, S/Shoveller, Penelope Pitstop, CS Gas, Lonely, Little Prick, Hash Crim, Wii Wee Waffler, Rubber Sole, Preperation H, Clare, Hutch, K9-1 Meg, K9-2 Whispa, and just for the beer: Highlighter and Tigger
Scribe: Plod
There was a definite lack of enthusiasm as people started arriving, and when the Hare gave the shout ‘Check it out’ he almost had to push people to get moving. Knowing that whichever way we were going it meant a b***** great big hill, may of course have had something to do with it. And so it was. The ON was straight up the Hill at the side of the pub. Twitcher kept chuntering on about a Barn Owl - but I think that was just an excuse for not running. But then nor was anyone else. But Twitcher kept it up – to the point of distraction even – half way up, two posts sticking out about 3 feet out of the ground and he goes a*** over t**: ‘I was looking for the Barn Owl’, as he lay on the ground. Quick as a flash, WWW was there, with a bandage. But his enthusiastic and expert first aid assistance was declined. I think it was the embarrassment.
Getting back to WWW, I do believe that he had purchased the bandage that very day – with his own money!!!
Up the Hill we continued and on into the woodland and out the other side to Bix Common and then Bix itself. There we crossed the main road and headed back into the woodland, continuing in a big loop via Bix Manor and a failed promise of seeing some antelope. This brought us back down to the bottom of the Hill, by the Cemetery. We gingerly crossed the road and of course were on the road back to the pub. Straight back, maybe?
But no such luck. Instead, we turned right up the Fawley road and turned immediately right again – not only going uphill up the other side of the valley, but going in the exact opposite direction from the On In. Steep it was but fortunately for not too long before we turned left along another track which seemed to be going in parallel with the Assendon road, was reasonably on the level but more importantly was now heading in the right direction. We passed some nice big houses – which provided a bit of a distraction. And eventually we ended up back on the Fawley road by a picturesque cottage and a pond.
But now we were on familiar territory, as those who participated in Golden Shower’s previous trail here when we visited the McAlpine Estate in Fawley were able to recall. We could almost smell the beer. Diagonally across a field and then down a progressively steep hill to arrive opposite the pub.
A beautiful trail, Golden Shower. No complaints at all. The Group stayed together and for once the Regroups were obeyed – and that’s not an observation of mine – that was from WWW. And, to the surprise of most if not all, there were chips to boot – and lots of them, courtesy of S/Shoveller (65th birthday, just past). The Land-lady, happy soul that she is, came out to check up on our welfare and initiated a rendition of Happy Birthday. I’m not sure whether it was S/Soveller’s convincing tale of woe as he ordered the chips, or the influence of Pyro, who was greeted rather enthusiastically as she arrived before the hash, But I got the impression that the land-lord got over-ruled on the Chips issue. However he made his presence felt by ‘beating up’ Golden Shower with Health & Safety, when he stood on the seat of one of the benches to speak.
WWW wanted to tell a hash joke, but was over-ruled by first Hash Crim and then Little Prick!!!
So, misdemeanours? Well, WWW is starting to take this hashing too seriously. Not content with just hashing, he’s into swimming and cycling too. End product? He’s actually getting FIT and starting to run! OK, that final hill, it was probably gravity – having started to run he probably couldn’t stop. But I noticed on the trail, he left me standing several times. Keep going on like that, you’ll be getting a down-down for over achievement, young man. I did notice that his chip eating hasn’t diminished, mind you.
Now while canoodling on the trail is frowned upon – so is having a domestic. Did anyone else notice that Hutch and Rubber Sole couldn’t sit any further away from each other? I did hear hear some raised vices as they made their way to the pub at the end of the run. ‘Domestic?’ Says I in my usual diplomatic style. ‘Domestic?’, says Hutch, ‘Nay, I always do as I’m told.’ Have a virtual down-down for that.
Ok, that’s it for this week. Change of venue next week. We’re not at Hampstead Norreys as per the Run Sheet, if anyone’s still got one. We’re actually at Sunningwell, at th Flowingwell Inn – though, are we doing the right thing. It looks a bit p-o-s-h on the internet. Oh, well, watch this space. See you next week.
Plod