I have vague memories of EVIL Big Top’s wise decision to buy 3 large Leo’s just after most people had gone home – leaving me, the sipping BT and the slurring Horny Monkey to consume them appropriately… Needless to say I wasn’t feeling too good this morning – I wasn’t feeling too good this afternoon either, and by run time I was feeling decidedly unsure about the whole idea.
Oh well, I’ll give it a go, and set off to the familiar ground of the Ag Centre – afterall I could always short cut if it didn’t work out… I wasn’t the only one who looked reluctant as we set off – the hare brief was more of a hare encouragement – for once nobody was chomping on the bit to get going, we could have easily stayed there a bit longer. Nope, it was on out, and I walked along with Chuckie discussing the relative merits of a ‘brisk walk’ over all that checking business.
Around the corner and there was the first check – true to my brisk walk intentions I sauntered along the dam – over 100m, but eventually I spotted some powder. Nice, I kept up the walk until I got to the next check just ahead of Mr. Poo. I had first pick and went up over the old run site on the hill, again taking my time to inspect the blob of white stuff on a rock to ensure it was the expected trail consistency. “On On”.
The pack followed and it was on to the next check – where I’d started the Santa run from. I mosied my way over to where there was a squarish looking piece of paper, and called back to Angry Inch for his recommendation. “On On”. A pattern was forming. I found the trail off each circle, ambled my way to the next check ensuring I had first pick so the chasing pack were forced to do the extra distance.
I had every intention of short cutting, but found myself tracking along nicely. Finally Chuck Wao and HRA caught me up and when I finally picked wrong at the last circle, the pair of them turned the run into a race and sprinted off. As I passed the On-In I found Graven Image, Mr Poo, Angry Inch coming from all directions after their badly disguised short cuts. Meanwhile the troopers like Humperdick and Unplugged did the whole run.