As 11am approached the hashers were already carefully chosing their parking spaces, mindful that Up Yours was still to arrive. Blobhoblin had already errected a special sign saving a extra wide space especially for Up Yours.....and the end she did not show!!
We were asked to circle up and making a second appearance JY Kelly (hash name not requested this week!!) had turned up again. The hares gave numerous mis-leading instructions....was it laid on the right, on the left, fish-hooks are marked, fish-hooks aren't marked and there was a sweetie stop.....but no sweets! And then it was On On!!
The hashers raced (loosely speaking) down the paths, through a marsh and into the forest. Spocky-Bitz was calling On On but nobody could see how to get to him on the other side of the ferns until Stat-Nav and JY Kelly decided to run straight through.
The hashers continued on down various paths and steep ravines which T-Mouse decided to spring down from side to side (reminiscent of Zebedee off the magic roundabout). We crossed the stream, that was flowing a lot faster this week due to all the rain overnight, and along the bank avoiding the slippery tree roots. At least most of us avoided the slippery tree roots....Stat Nav's super grip Soloman were not up to the job and over he went, sideways!
Up the hill and what appeared at first to be an impromptu Hash halt only turned out to be a Spocky prank and as soon as everyone got there he called "back check!" Back down to the adjacent path and through what appeared to be quick sand terrain.....most Hashers choosing to avoid the worst bits.....Blobhoblin braving it and going right in!
Not much further and we reached the sweet stop. At which point, some conferring was initiated and we all agreed that the Hares had stated that there was two Lomg - Short splits (and the longs were long!). So had we missed the splits?
After tucking into jelly babies and fruity allsorts we were sent on our way and quickly discovered the first of the Long - Short splits. and boy was it long!!....all the way around the quarry long!!
At the point we were all due to meet again, Spocky-Bitz missed the re-group sign and carried on running into the distance and over the yonder hill. A second sweetie stop was called and Tampa tried his hardest to pinch the sweets saved for Tuned-In and Fruity-Bitz. We waited for Woodpecker to catch-up and then the Hares called us On On again. The longs soon found Spocky and the shorts headed directly back to the car park. On the longs, the Hares had cunningly placed a fish hook at the top of the hill....but more cunningly Spocky, Stat-Nav and Twin Peaks claimed not to have seen it. JY Kelly let the side down and returned to the Hare waiting at the bottom of the hill (he really needs to understand City of Exeter hash culture).
We crossed the road had another re-group, passed 4 or 5 On Home signs and headed back to the car park, where Tuned-In and Fruity-Bitz were already waiting.
We circled-up again and the sherrif issued fines to The Hares, Tail Lamp, Fruity-Bitz, Spocky, Twin Peaks, Stat-Nav and Tampa (possibly some others but I can't remember!). A very good hash - well done the Hares!!