Hash 488 – Trout Inn @ Lechlade

As I get older I seem to get somewhat absent minded, or distracted, or is it just plain forgetful? I’ve always had the usual problem of going upstairs to get something and on arrival not for the life of me remembering what. So I traipse back down and hope it returns. And as for people’s names, useless. It’s even more embarrassing when I don’t even recognise them either.

However, the one thing that I do remember that didn’t happen on the hash is that GOM didn’t ask anyone to be scribe, so I volunteered a few days later and then promptly forgot.

So here goes eventually, the hash.

Where was it? What happened? Why does God exist? No, I’ll leave that last one for someone else; Richard Dawkins perhaps, or Justin Welby or even, what’s her name, that daft celebrity Katie Price – she’s sure to know.

Anyway, it’s slowly coming back, I can start to picture the hash in my head.

It was Sunday, and Sue proposed running without her top on. No no, that was our Runch at the Red Lion, and whilst we all agreed it was a super idea and GOM stripped to his waist to show off his suntan and how prosperous he is at the moment, it turns out we had all misunderstood what she said.

Back to Sunday. Oh yes, Maurice enjoyed it immensely, so much so that he added on a extra couple of miles at the end, immediately after the ON INN sign. Was that his senior moment, or was he merely being his normal gallant self, off to help a lady in distress? But that was at the end of the hash and surely something of interest happened earlier.

David was there before me, having ridden all the way from Wanborough in around 90 minutes. Puts one to shame really; and he bought us all chips at the end. Beer and chips, just what the doctor orders.

GOM was there of course, laying the trail, and possibly he did it a bit too well this time, especially when taking us through Buscot lock. Now there’s only one way across the lock, along the path of course, but he was being meticulous, a bit of flour here, then some more, and more and more – flour practically every yard along the way. There was less towards the end, but I think he was getting a move on at that point, being chased by the lock keeper for making such a mess. So no chance of anyone getting lost; apart for Maurice of course, and Matt, who turned up late. But no one else turned up late, not even John and Margaret, they just turned up at their normal time, a bit late.

We did meet a group of enterprising young children in the middle of nowhere, offering drinks and biscuits. James kindly gave them a whip he’d found on route, so no doubt they are now finding it useful to beat their pony.

And then we all ended back at the pub, except for Maurice, and sat outside drinking beer, eating chips and enjoying ourselves after a great hash. Many thanks Brian.

If you want to help with Dementia Research please play the game Sea Hero Quest created by researchers at UCL and UEA. You can download it for free onto your tablet or smartphone. It’s fun, and tests people’s spatial awareness – so that rules out half the population.

Right, now where’s my list of things to do?