| Date | Hare | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Nov 2022 | Viv & John | Colin |
How to trash a reputation. Sunday dawned unusually warm with a bit of autumnal murk but dry, so as a gentle ‘warm up’ to today’s hash I decided to get an early 8am 12 mile run in, on a known route where I wouldn’t go wrong, ready for the big event of the day which was another John & Viv Aldbourne special. ‘Special’ because hand in hand with Aldboune, our hares have, in the deep distant corner of my memory, a reputation for getting people completely lost here (fortunately the evidence survives see #324!).
A good number of hashers and lovely clean dogs were gathered in anticipation outside the Crown as we arrived (unlike Navy Mike, who for some reason was in Ashbury at the Rose and Crown!), ‘we’ being my wife Sue, who decided to come along and see what value following vague splodges of flour had. ‘She’ was also the reason that I decided to walk on the ‘dark side’ and not join the runners as usual.
At 11am on the dot, outside the Crown Inn, our hares welcomed us to the hash with the usual pleasantries, hazards, distances and observations about spindle trees, hoping that we’d not notice that one of them was missing. John, it transpired, was still out in action somewhere on the downs, flour bottle in hand still blobbing his way across the trail, due to a late and casual start to the day, having only left the house at 9:30am, probably in his PJ’s.
The route took the mob, past the post office and many pretty Wiltshire cottages, out of the village to the south and into the tranquillity of what a runner doesn’t usually experience on a hash….tranquility and calmness, polite conversation and observation of the miniscule.
It was at the first hill however, that I discovered what an unconditioned bunch the KVH3 walkers actually are. As runners, we pride ourselves on speed, fitness, conditioning, diet and enormous self sacrifice devoted to the dedication of being a KVH3 hasher with hunger for kicking out flour, whereas at the first hill the walkers were soon scattered from closely knitted gossiping mob, into a wheezing trail of folk, bent double at the waist, hands on knees and faces flushed, staring out at the challenge ahead. Forging on in an attempt to distance ourselves from the ensuing embarrassment of the situation, we separated into a leading and faster, walking group, made up of ex-runners and walkers with less debilitating ailments.
The route took us along muddy byway, climbing for some distance, we could see the runners up in front until we were eventually met by a cheery John, not in his PJ’s but flour in hand looking lean and mean, having just finished laying his leg of the trail toward Ramsbury and fortunately prevented us from taking a wrong turn. The short / long divide took the walkers through a beautiful beech wood looping out high on the down with views over Bear Grylls house below and across the downs beyond with a long downhill back toward the village with views of the imposing church tower in the distance, past the old malt house with its keeper in the roof and ‘On Inn’ back to the pub.
As mentioned previously, one aspect that can be commended to being a KVH3 walker is the polite conversation and gossip that can be had. Whilst having been sworn to secrecy on the gossip (and there was plenty), I can divulge the benefits learned of U3A in retirement. Whilst this benefit is unfortunately many years away for me, I discovered how Caroline plays Ukulele in several groups, who showcase at festivals and concerts around the UK. As the mag writer, with a captive audience, I’ve promised to plug her next events and she’d be delighted for as many of us as possible to come along to the concerts to show our support!
3 Dec – 3pm @Medieval Christmas market, Pewsey church
11 Dec – 2-4pm @ Hungerford Methodist Church
Walkers and runners and all survived this well laid trail, returning to the pub with black muddy dogs and smelly wet feet. Time is obviously a healer, and with age, comes experience and wisdom. Reflecting on #324, I think we can agree that John and Viv have come a long way in their trail laying, reputation truly restored. Maybe, just maybe, if Maurice hadn’t been at home nursing a sore hip, he might now forgive and forget that unfortunate event.