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The start of a new era – Frozen has gone, in with ABB. All week we got emails advertising his run and I got there expecting something special. Meaejo – the low hills before the Tiger Head. I am somewhat familiar with the area – and it is always a good run.

I set off ok, getting the first check or 2 with Piggy not far behind. Then a circle that I just got plain wrong. Most people passed and I slowly caught people as we climbed up the hill towards the tiger camp. Inevitably we got to the 5 trail junction and Poo was leading Piggy there. Normally hares put a circle right at the junction, but Sloppy mixed it up and went 50m down a trail before putting a circle. Bluff? Double Bluff? Triple Bluff? Poo turned back and checked back from the junction (twice). Piggy was a long way off. Kwazi appeared short cutting from another direction, which left me to do the “obvious” trail past the circle. I was On and clean away as the trail turned sharply down the hill. I accelerated with dreams of grandeur.

Sadly I got some checks badly wrong as we got to the bottom of the hill, and while I had some gap ahead of the pack, they quickly caught up as I ran backwards and forwards. The whole pack swept past and I had nothing left to give.

Excellent set that had the FRBs repeatably confused. Pretty much all of the pack came in close together (and ahead of me!). Job done!

Square Rooter, the wily old fox, outfoxed this hasher today… I know the area fairly well – so I think, so I predicted the route and figured I had SR covered…

We set off as usual up towards the TV station, but then a surprise circle. I got it right but then called Rooter’s bluff at the 2nd circle – it was a double or triple bluff and I was headed up the wrong trail – I’d been right before that strange circle… So it was up the regular “Pilgrim’s Trail”. Ahead there was Lanky Yanky, Chuckie, Mr. Poo and Piggy. The trail headed off to the right and people were checking a circle. I know this area – even if the main trail was wrong, you HAVE to get back to the main trail, or there is no way back. I carried on figuring I’d intercept sooner or later. Rounded a corner and found Mr. Poo taking an opportune shit in the bushes. He encouraged me to go back, but I continued my plan.

I could hear calls off to my right, so continued my pilgrimage. Finally I got to the temple – there was no sound of anyone, and I knew completely that I’d fucked up – badly! I just uploaded my trek to strava though, and it has me as the 2nd fastest ever on the trail to Palad temple! WTF!!?? Just 21 seconds slower than the fastest! Enough about that – I wasn’t racing – I was trying to get back to trail… So when I hit the road, I headed back down the hill for a km or so. It was great – the first time in a long time that I’ve felt comfortable running – it was much cooler. Finally I found a trail and cut across and sure enough hit a circle check – sadly it was fairly early on the trail and I was a long way behind having done a 3km detour… Anyway, I was back to black ants biting on Rooter’s trail.

I kept moving along, and got to the W/R split. Decisions, decisions…. I went wimp – it was already 55 mins… The trail cut down and finally I saw Frozen Dick, Tip Toe, Cuckold and Belly Dancer down below. When Belly heard me running behind he figured I was the first of the FRBs on the Rambo trail, and decided to try to outrun me…. Hehehehee! Oh his disappointment when he found out the rest of the pack were already supping beers at the finish.

Nice set… bad screw up!

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