We were blessed with both sunshine and thirty plus hashers, the only thing missing at 11.00 (our deadline for starting) was the hare. Several views were expressed as to the whereabouts of the hare, when Tampa suddenly appeared from behind a gorse bush looking both hot and sweaty. At least he was there which was greeted by many sighs of relief.
Our hare informed us that there would be several Easter Egg checks, plus an "Egg Event" has halt involving games with real eggs. We set off and within 5 minutes reached the first egg check. Whoever the hasher was to find the egg kept it which caused the odd scramble. Off once more with one hasher heard to remark "its boiling today". What they were refering too heaven knows, egg on the brain perhaps?!
After several more checks we arrived at the Egg Event hash halt and our Egg-traordinary Challenge:- The Great Egg Throwing Contest. Working with a partner, the idea was that you throw the egg, (in this case real eggs not the chocolate variety), increasing the distance between you and your partner after each successful catch until such time that your egg was no more. The winners received chocolate eggs.
One hasher Oddbitz was not however paying attention to the hare,who was barking out instructions and managed to break his egg before the competition started - he was of course fined. Stat-Nav and Cousteau were the proud winners of a mini cream egg. This event could only be described by the hashers as a "smashing" time.
The hare then decided it was time to move on only to be rather cruel by placing a check-back on the trail once we were all well spread out, followed by a long/short split. The long was certainly a long and it took them forever to reach the next hash halt which happened to be the sweet/egg stop. The hashers were treated to a jar of bon-bons. Stat-Nav and Spocky just about had the sweetie stop in their sight as they spotted hashers at the top of the hill only to stumble across a fish-hook taking them to the back of the pack. They looked a little worse for wear when they finally made the sweetie stop.
At this point Isoleces was noted using technology on the hash (a Blackberry no less!), for which he was also fined.
Off once more to face a long water crossing at Peters Pool which it has to be said some hashers tried to avoid with varying degrees of success. Once soaked from head to toe we continued meandering around Woodbury Common one hasher stated they would fry if they didn't find shade soon!
At last the end of the hash to be greeted with a neatly laid out picnic rug. It was certainly a challenge destined for failure to try to seat 30+hashers on it in one go. Everyone had a drink and refreshment before the fines were collected by the Sherriff who was also presented with the pink handbag for his eggsubrent behaviour during the egg game.
Next weeks hash is Sunday 19 April at Forest Gate Ashclyst Forest at 11.00. To get there from Exeter take the B3181, passing the turning for Killerton take the next right marked Ashclyst Forest.
*** Please note all places are now full for the Autumn Gathering weekend (in the autumn!!) ***