Chiang Mai Saturday Hash House Harriers
Drinking and Running Since 1991
Hash Trash 1528
Grand Master – Skid Mark Haberdasher – Juicy Fruit
Historian & Awards Master – Superman Hash Cash – Titty Smoker
Joint Master – Just Cumming Beer Monster – Deep Throat
Religious Advisor – Chuck Wao Hare Raiser – Bushy Tail
Deputy Beer Monster – Sheep Shagger On Sec.– Stumbling Dyke
Run # 1529
With tropical storm Noul, a storm of potentially biblical proportions, raging havoc all around Vietnam, Laos and Thailand with many areas in the region experiencing severe flooding, landslides and all manner of climactic devastation. You could be forgiven for thinking that the likelihood of today’s run being a complete, absolute and utter washout, more or less, a certainty. How wrong you would be. As the run time approached none of the adverse weather conditions had manifested themselves over Chiang Mai. Although overcast, the only other evidence of this monster storm was a slight, misty and refreshing drizzle present in the air. These are conditions conducive and required for perfect hashing. So it’s once more ‘ a big hats off ‘ to our illustrious RA The Venerable Chuck Wao for orchestrating such favorable weather. I’m genuinely beginning to think, given his current record during his time in office, that he does possess some kind of divine control over the elements.
Today’s run was brought to us courtesy of Snowballs, making his haring debut on the CSH3. What were we going to be in for? Well, the first surprise was the location. The A bucket was at the entrance to the boy scout camp at the bottom of Doi Suthep. A place many of the long standing Chiang Mai hashers would remember as one of the favored areas for setting runs until we were banned from there some 15 years ago. But it was great to return to this beautiful location.
Around 25, or so, hashers assembled for the hare brief. Brief not necessarily the best description as it seemed to take about 10 minutes. But it did provide good entertainment with Snowballs, in his inimitable lugubrious tone, recounting the minutia of his trail setting experience. Notably, recalling the fact that he had had some guy following him collecting up his trail of paper.
We all set off into the luscious greenery of the forest. As we were close to the bottom of Doi Suthep it could be logically deduced that we were, from the start, going to ascend the mountain. But it would have been a wrong supposition as we immediately were sent down a very steep trail towards the road only to be confounded by a false trail. Then we did an about turn and then the real uphill struggle started. The trail took us past an old dilapidated building where I could hear the smashing and cracking of tiles as the hashers ran over them. When I got to the other side of the building I could see the tiles were asbestos which if it were in any other country would have triggered an almighty biohazard alert. But this is Thailand where every other building seems to have asbestos roof tiles.
We all endeavored up up and up the mountain with the usual puffing and panting and the odd profanity being uttered in regards to the precipitous nature of the trail. We came to a point where we had to cross a waterfall. It so nice to see these waterfalls, once again, cascading water as they have seemed to have been dry for so long. That being said, it does make them perilous to traverse. Running with Rat’s Arse and Hot Nipples we negotiated the slippery obstacle without mishap. We carried on the trail through the forest and were rewarded by some spectacular panoramic views of Chiang Mai.
We started to descend through the greenery down some pretty treacherous trails until we got to the bottom of the hill and all too soon back to the boy scout camp. Although I only clocked up 2.25 km and it took me under an hour it was a great run, set along good trails, spectacular views and a good workout being achieved. Going to prove all runs don’t need to mega marathons. Great effort and thanks for taking us back to the scout camp.
OnOn Stumbling Dyke…