23rd March – CH3 – Humperdick

Hare Humperbert (sic) teamed up with Squrootley (sic) for a creative, scenic set from the circular reservoir above the orchard behind the hillside Buddha temple retreat. Getting there was a bit fraught as my wingman Yankoffallot goes 25 mph max on his bike…and I don’t. Despite being passed by the Songtaeo on Hang Dong Rd we beat them to site as they turned up the Night Safari link to Canal Rd.
Beer Monster TipToe was delayed and various lightweights depended on Chucky for 4 WD lifts to get up the dusty, rutted hill.
First check was a bastard. Stiffy and YoA checked up the hill with Alice confidently advising it was the only possible option. What do I know? Very little, as the trail was back 30m and off to the right heading down on a track strewn with macheted saplings.
C Wao, Graven, and Stiffy shared FRBS duties as the checks were pretty sneaky and had Rooter written all over them according to Sloppy Rod!
Baldrick made a surprise appearance and all was going well under leaden skies as we headed down a burnt path to a powder circle check and that’s when the world started to unravel.
I checked right up a long, steep path in on orchard and heard others shouting faintly from elsewhere. Figures scuttled around below me but progress was not being made. Suddenly a faint on on in the wind and everyone disappeared! I made my way down and the heavens opened and a gale set in. I found the almost washed out circle with central stone but no paper anywhere! Yikes. The pack had disappeared, swallowed by the tempest.
I tried to follow the path on the left side of a steep ravine and checked into the abyss for sign of life or paper when I could. Suddenly a green figure on the hillside above me and a washed out check on the burnt soil bank. YoA was also left behind but on paper. Together we bashed into the horizontal rain, desperately searching for paper at every cross path. The weather worsened, trees bent level, paths were under water, chalk washed away and hail rained down like bullets. It was not a good time to be out on a hillside with little idea of how to get back….
Somehow we managed to find trail and the forest offered a little protection. A familiar ish 5 way junction, must be a washed out check, but luckily small squares stuck to leaves leading up. Down over the grassy hummocks, well marked with paper, finally, and onto another flooded pathway. Nothing to the left, one half piece of paper right after quite a distance and a surviving splodge of powder. Relief. It was gloomy and still hammering down as we followed trail by luck and judgement until we hit a barb wire fence and went through onto another winding hillside trail under the trees but into more open ground. As we split again to trudge through the mud checking for signs, I suddenly saw the welcoming sight of Sloppy, Rooter and Humpers? on a rescue mission. Sloppy and Alice still managed to turn the wrong way back towards the W-R split before a 180 and a soggy trudge back to A.
Circle was fairly low key, Alice enjoyed catching up with Sups, Suckit with new bits, Kwazi with old bits, Baldrick etc. Good nosh at Yabba Dabba Do and an appearance by Frozen Dick. Lots of regular hashers notable by their absence, hopefully clearer air will entice you back! Not to mention Alice and YoA’s challenging trail this coming Saturday!
On On,
Alice