22nd Jan – CH3 – Pussy Whisperer

Mae Jo H3 convened for the 7th time in ten runs in….Mae Jo! But this time the hare had a surprise or two for us. A new A site! And yellow and black HHH signs that totally confused the beer monster who drove on auto pilot to the dam. D’Oh! Infact they were well placed but prove tricky to see if you’re looking for red on white. Alice did his Joan of Arc impression and biked back to the road to fetch the errant Tiptoe and bring him in.
The run was a real challenge, varied and all in all a proper CH3. Qudos to the hare and his paper person!
Early on in the piece Piggy went down a rabbit hole and luckily didn’t snap his trotter. He swore Brownie put the shoulder into him but thankfully was up and running straightaway. After the field we headed for the forest and I checked left at Graven’s suggestion. Always a recipe for tears. We wove deeper into the woods and hills and one circle at a ravine stood out. Alice, Graven, possibly Strangely and Cameltoe checked left while OnOn was called from within the ravine I think. Our trail looked too good to leave and both GI and self reckoned it might continue and turn right linking up with true trail and save us the pain of reversing and he Shiggy ravine. Strangely went back to the call, Cameltoe followed us incredulous. And with good reason as we swept around to head the pack off as they emerged from the depths onto our lovely running trail behind us.
Next major issue was a hill. It was steep. And very rocky. Paper was clear and left up the worst incline. Decent rocky trail went right. Broken easier trail straight up. Graven checked right in case of a False Trail while Alice clambered straight. Strangely followed paper up the worst of it. At the top a lovely cross path and a straight on option which apparently dropped down into nasty stuff. Alas OnOn was called left on old cream paper and everyone scrambled across. Apart from Graven who silently continued right found paper and continued on in Turkey alike mode.
Up and down, round and round we went, stony paths, steep paths, sandy trails, more stones and roots, onwards until we came to a very steep hillside with colourful elephants browsing contentedly in the forest above. The pachyderms turned out to be Sups, Tiptoe and Frozen. Cartoon does his imbecile impression and follows Frozen off paper up the steepest section. Wtf you doing? I enquire of the Frozen one. Traversing! is his reply. In a straight line up, mmm, funny traverse.
Back on walkable/ runnable trail we hit the familiar hill in these parts and start to career down.
A circle is kicked out straight and a gaggle of FRBs mill around 200m down the track. They’d found cream paper and OLD PW paper. Then it ended. They seemed confused but it was obvious. This is not today’s trail paper. Go back to circle and check the only other MAIN path off. Bingo!
Cartoon and Cameltoe found trail, we relaid the link and were off again. We being Alice, Strangely, Cartoon, Cameltoe, ABB and Bonesmoker and that was it. Everyone else, taking their cue from Browny’s confusion and Graven’s insider knowledge, just ran off trail and shortcutted back to the A.
A Falsie got Cameltoe and I explained why we need to take off paper to mark true trail to help those behind. He was bouncing along in fast spurts and Strangely was eating up the yardage in front. Suddenly paper two ways but left was again old PW strips, slightly grubby and discoloured.
Eventually emerging by the square lake to find Graven barking about FRBs over there or something unhelpful, trail went off the south west corner and soon we came on On In in powder and a longish uphill yomp home.
Top set, tough and hugely enjoyable. Especially as Pussy said we were his heroes for returning on trail!