Off to the CH3, and when I arrived (5 minutes before the run, I found Tip Toe looking confused and lonely parked at the A-site… At least I had found the Beer Monster! If nobody else made it I would still be happy! Moments to go, and 2 songthaews loaded with hashers showed up, but no sign of the hare. Jack of all trades, ABB, stepped in as stand in hare, and stand in hash cash, and with the latter deferred we set off moments late. The instructions (2nd hand), were go back the way you came in, and turn right – I estimated 4 different trails that fitted that description, but fortunately we found the right one. I trudged off – first circle I opted to the left – surely we would head for the hills asap, because going straight just meant we’d get to the square lake? I was wrong, but a visitor conspired with me to cut across and get back on trail before the 2nd check. This one must be left, as right just takes you back to the road.
Others seemed less keen to check, so I was ahead again as I checked left and left again, finding clear trail just as there were confusing calls behind. I think some of the pack was confused, but Brownie, Piggy & I set off up the hill, and I managed to hold them off to the next check. Definitely checking right as straight or left take us back home. I was correct, and put my foot down, breezing through the next check, and silence behind me. Nice trails for a jog, and then the trail past a couple of nice trails off to the left. Hmmmz… no check…? Aha, finally a circle…. My gut said go back and check at the junction, but my feet disagreed… I checked left, until the trail ran out, back at the circle, and still silence behind me, on and around to the left, up a good 120m, nothing… back down to the check as Piggy ran past – he wasn’t calling so I went back to the junction and got there just as ABB found powder.
Brownie back in the action again, and he lead us up to another circle at a junction. He opted for left, so I slowed down and let Graven pass me. I followed Brownie to the left, and sure enough he was on… It was about then I started feeling not quite so good… 2nd on trail, but my stomach objected strongly to my exertions, and I was forced to keel over vomiting while hasher after hasher past me by offering varying degrees of sympathy or lack of! Finally when Dogshit caught up, I pulled myself together and staggered onwards. I was tempted to straight line it back to the A, but managed to pick up a steady jog over some great trail and started feeling better.
I slowly caught up and found Lumber Jackoff and Scooby up front with Graven, Brownie and Poo. Scooby was running well – strange his GPS had a km or so less than mine at the finish…? The check was close to home, if trail was left, we’d be in and drinking beer, but no, it was straight on, and onto the nice trail that runs along the edge of the hill. Lumber Jackoff was scampering along ahead, and another check offered the choice of left (towards home), straight (up the hill) or right (no chance!). With LumberJO Lumbering up the hill, Brownie, Graven & I headed confidently left towards home… Graven at least shared my misery when we were wrong.
The next check, and finally it was time to turn left. Now though Lumber was so in tune with going straight there was no stopping him. When I got there, it seemed nobody wanted to turn left, so I ran down the hill with Brownie, and when he called on, I let gravity do it’s work and ploughed on. Left at the next check, and we were getting closer to home. Next check I got to powder one side of the fence before Graven found true trail the other, we ran off. We knew we were close… I just couldn’t quite place where we were… Another check, and I took off right. Graven followed, and the mysteriously stopped (now I can picture him checking his map on his watch). You are only as good as your last circle, and sure enough the hare beat me. Excellent trail, good checks, good circle, good hash!