Hare: Azman Taufik
Co-hare:Tommy
Scribe: Laurence
Venue: Bukit Lagong
Another run-site conveniently close to KL, but I filled up my Satria with RM100 of petrol anyway, almost doubling its value, before setting off on the well-trodden route to Bukit Lagong. Luckily it's a very well-trodden route for most of us, because the 'Take the slip-road signposted "Pejabat Daerah Gombak'" instruction isn't very correct/helpful any more.
We maintained PH3's reputation for promptness by starting the run a few minutes early - maybe that was to pre-empt all the short-cutters and walkers who always set off early and clog up the trail.
Those of us who remembered the last run from the same site were expecting something similar: a quick 20 minutes run up the valley and 15 minutes back again. We were pleasantly surprised to drop into the stream for the first check, followed by a steep climb and then a descent to the trail which some of the short-cutters had continued on. The next check led us into the stream again, followed by another steep muddy climb, and then more checks, more climbing, and good up-and-down running paths much of the way. Just before the third or fourth check stood a sylvan durian stall - I don't know if it was organised by the hare, but it was very welcome. The last couple of checks followed tradition by being back-checks (when was the last time PH3 had a forward check?), causing the FROPs to leap-frog each other and helping the pack keep up, but it was all good running down the hill back to the cars.
The front-runners were back in just over an hour, and the pack and back-runners all came out within about 30 minutes of that, except for one poor lost soul. Jane Trane had been seen going in late, and was still missing as we were preparing for the circle. There were gleeful shouts of "Jane's still out!" and "Jane's lost!" from people who had thought she was as invincible as the British Empire before 1942. She soon appeared however, with a child and dog in tow, although Nan didn't notice and was still trying to organise search parties much later.
With our GM absent again, JM Tommy Chin tool charge of the circle. It has been noted of late that, when young Tommy finds himself in the middle of the circle, his composure is affected by the gaze of so many fit young harriettes, so much that he loses his marbles and has trouble following the usual Petaling agenda. This week he introduced his own innovation to the bomoh / charges part - I'm not sure exactly how it works (I was distracted by beer and all the fit young harriettes) but either the last person charged gets to do the next charge, or many bomohs are chosen at random, or something like that...
Either way, it worked well, with much amusement, and no shortage of guilty parties being given down-downs for heinous crimes. Richard and Klaus charged and counter-charged each other - Klaus' crime was striking out on an exceptionally long 'short cut' in completely the wrong direction and leading Richard astray, while Richard's crime was following the 'Führer' Klaus. All I can say is that it takes two to tango, birds of a feather stick together, and there's no smoke without fire, so they're all 100% guilty in my eyes, deserve to be nailed to the shithouse, should never have been born at all, and will never get to heaven in a long long way. I'm not sure what I got charged for, but I'm sure I deserved it!
The hare, Azman, was given cruel and unusual punishments for his own barbaric sins of (a) setting an exceptionally good run; and (b) having a birthday. His ordeals, which are now banned at Guantanamo Bay (and also by civilised nations), involved being stripped, scrubbed with soap and icy water, and generally abused by the hash's keenest sadists. All good clean fun.
I didn't attend the On-On, but it was reported that the food was great at RM15 per head. There were also countless down-downs fro virgins and visitors, including one who was charged for allegedly peeing his pants after consuming too much beer and durian. Still waiting for the medical reports and DNA evidence on that one...
In summary, a great run in a grest location. Although it was fairly short (around 5.5km), there was plenty of hard running and also plenty of climbs, so a good workout followed by plenty of time for drinking beer before the sun went down.