| Date | Hare | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Nov 2015 | Jeremy | Mike |
“Lovely day for a hash” said Annie as we watched the hurricane force winds driving squalls of torrential rain horizontally across the garden. “Poor Jeremy – nobody except the slightly potty or those training for the SAS will be going hashing on a day like this”. We went of course (as we are slightly potty) and on arrival at the Patriots we were delighted to see 20 enthusiastic runners and walkers in the car park. I was proud of them.
By 11 o’clock the rain had stopped and so Jeremy gave a short practical brief (Five miles for the long, three miles for the short and plenty of wet slippery mud) and we were off down the main street, through the suburbs of Chiseldon and out into that scrubby wooded 
area that lies between the Calley Arms and the motorway. I was, at this stage, running at the front and going like a train. I should explain that that is because I’ve got this ventolin puffer thing which you breathe in before you run and it stops you getting out of breath. The effect however does not last all that long and so I began to drop back as we ran over the road over the motorway and across a couple of very wet boggy fields towards Coate. Amazingly, the wind eased and the sun came out as we ran around the lake and turned right towards the twirly pedestrian bridge back over the motorway again. I was now at the back with Brian who kindly ran slowly to keep me company and we put the world to rights as we trotted back through a different part of the aforesaid scrubby wooded bit and uphill back to the pub.
The Patriots is a good hashing pub – the landlord welcomes hashers – none of this “you can’t park in the car park as customers might want to park” approach – and the beer is good and there is space for all of us to sit together even though there were twenty odd of us and the pub was busy. The après was lovely with everyone feeling a sense of real achievement after having braved the mud and the weather together. Brian thanked Jeremy for his splendid trail and he had an enthusiastic round of applause as is our custom and nobody seemed to want to go home.
Thanks Jeremy.
I agree with all the sentiments below. Congratulations to Jeremy for inspiring such a jolly and loyal turnout, and for his stoicism in laying the trails in such formidable weather! It was a wonderful venue for an apres too. Very glad I got to be there.
It was my turn as hare, so I had to be there to lay the trail.
For everyone else, attendance was voluntary, so I was amazed and pleased that so many of you turned out – many thanks, it made it all worthwhile.
Fully agree with the views already expressed!
GOM Brian is absolutely right. Whoever invented hashing was a genius.
Post hash I am wondering (as I have done so often these past 16 years since joining KVH3) what is it that is so uplifting about hashing. I can try to disassemble it into some basic elements such as the exercise of running; the fresh air; the ever changing rural seasons; the many and various locations and pubs; the wonderful company and perhaps even the après hash drink. However, putting them altogether doesn’t seem to come close to the enriching experience that I feel so ofttimes. Jeremy’s hash began in a wind swept gale. The going was slippery, muddy and often waterlogged. And guess what? I loved it. Thank you Jeremy, thank you everyone for being there. From the merry din of the après hash there is no doubt that all those there enjoyed it too.