City Of Exeter Hash House Harriers

In complete contrast to last weekends poor turnout of 6, this weeks joint hash with Isca for their Roman Away Weekend turned out to be the biggest turnout of the year. In excess of 70 hashers were bused to Woodbury from all over the country. The hare, Groucho was set to prove that you can have a successful hash with more than 1 trail and with help from his 2 trustee assistants (Blobhoblin and Tampa) had laid 3 trails to choose from. A pink trail for any youngsters (or hashers who had over-indulged in the frivolities of 2 nights at the ISCA away weekend), a clockwise trail and an anti-clockwise trail. This involved hashers splitting into 2 groups to run the trail in differing directions. Checks would have to be interpreted carefully as they would be kicked out the way you had just come from, and there were plenty of double edged fish-hooks! Blobhoblins Group set off with Radiohead (honorary visitor) setting off in the wrong direction. I guess this is what happens when you drive for 24

Well, what can I say, where were you all comes to mind? Two trusty hares waiting at the car park with only Baglady for company. Shortly after 11 up turned Blobhoblin, then a visitor from Taunton, dotCom. So, three hashers, two hares. Mmmm. There was then a bit of excitement as a van towing a banger car couldn’t get up the hill, making plumes of smoke as his wheels turned to no avail. DotCom helped him get on his way and the stream of traffic backed up behind could move on. This must be the rest of the hashers we said. No, it wasn’t. At 11.15 we thought we’d better set off and who comes screeching round the corner – Twice Daily with Pebbledash and Runs Again on board. Hooray! In one car they had doubled the pack. Deciding not to wait any longer, off we went on a perfect trail through the woods. It was a perfect run, even if I do say so myself! Well, no-one else wanted to do the blog so I may as well blow my own trumpet! It was decided to call an amnesty as there was no sherrif, no GM,

We were graced with 24 hashers today plus 2 four legged friends,but no Sherriff,was he sailing the seven seas we all wondered, or perhaps drinking Pimms on the deck.Anyway up stepped Spocky and offered to be acting sherriff, is he good at acting then someone was hear to ask ! Tampa explained in Tampa-speak the finer points of his trail or was it trial then off we went, well we didn't go far with many of the pack pretending to look for the trail whilst the gallant few went on searching.After about ten minutes the trail was found, on a route that Spocky had already checked out, so he told us.Everything went well for the next five minutes until we hit a bog with islands of turf for us to jump to or suffer wet feet, many of the pack were not good jumpers and many choice words could be heard when entering the water.Woodpecker was not happy with one aspect of cunning adminstered by the hare which involved a back arrow swiftly followed by a check-back, that's not right, he was heard

On arriving in the car park at 10.55am we were a little thin on the ground, 4 hashers and 3 hares!!! By 11am though we had managed to gather about 17 hashers in total. It was to be an interesting day in the world of hashing as the first thing we were told was that there were 2 trails laid today with a total of 4 hares!!! Usual hash organisation then! Big Bangers and Ditto had laid their virgin trail but Groucho and Blobhoblin had also laid a trail. Tampa, in his absence, was blamed for this confusion as he was apparently meant to inform Groucho that Ditto had confirmed he could hare this trail....but he didn't! In Tampas defence (no this won't happen again, make the most of it!!) it was on the blog as Ditto being the hare, (more by luck than judgement!!!!). Anyway, after much bartering as to whose trail would be the best, Big Bangers had homemade lemonade, Groucho had fruit pastilles and liquorice allsorts, Big Bangers had strawberries and chocolate, she won! Though I think t

The hashers all started to arrive in the farmyard of yet another of Woodpecker's friends. We couldn't hear the instructions very well, as the road right next door was so noisy, but I'm sure Woodpecker said there would'nt be any fishooks as he didn't believe in them and our feet would definately stay dry. I suppose no-one said he had to tell the truth on his birthday did they? On was called over the road and into a field with a lovely pair of horses. We'd been told to keep dogs on a lead with sheep and cows, but no-one mentioned the horses. Here came the first lie - straight into a stream and we had to trudge along it for a little way. A bit cold, but not too bad since we've been having good weather lately. Up we went into another field. Lots of beautifully untouched fields of clover as this was a hash "by kind permission" of course, and not necessarily on footpaths. Dr Jekyll was moved to run straight through the middle of one field a la