Well lets start by being honest! A few of you were aware I spent the whole of last weekend getting poor fools married and so therefore, missed both the run and one of the better piss up's of the year or so I was told.When Helen casually mentioned the number of beautifully roasted pigs that had to be eaten, it brought tears to my eyes. Not for the piglets but for myself, who missed this lavish feast. Anyhow enough of my sorrows. The run as described from the back of the pack by the supposed Co-hear of the previous week was as follows:
The run started on time although, as the scribe decided she needed a bit of a head start on the pack for the short run and so set off in advance ( like 15 minutes in advance !! ). This being the case she did not actually see any of the happenings at the run site until the pack actually arrived at the first check, where it seems she had parked herself .She claimed she did not try to break the check as she did not wish to spoil the enjoyment of the other hounds, for me I am still trying to remember the last time I saw Helen actively attempting to break a check ( I guess I will be banished to live on our balcony for the rest of the year ) for these remarks.The first check turned out to be a circular broken forward and left in oil palm, the second check was by a small creek with the paper on the far side and up, after this yet anther circular check. I must say Uncle Robin since last week seems to have taken a big liking to circular checks. The paper went forward, past some open ground and a housing estate. Check four had a bunch of possible options and was broken in reasonable time. The paper went on up a latterite road to check 5 and eventually joined up with the long run paper which lead both runs home for about 2 km down a nice road to the run site.
The party as described by my other unofficial scribe, the Balloon man from China, who it seems works with me is as follows:
I quote "It had all the ingredients of a great night. The food was good and there was plenty of it.There was heaps of beer and it was well chilled, the music was good, the shows where fun." As for his performance with the balloons, well it must have been a great night as he looked like shit the next day. The party seems to have concluded around 4am and he thinks he left around 3am with a memory of a young Harriet's breasts still on what was left of his mind the next day.
All in all a great event. Every comment was a good one and knowing how much work goes into an event of this proportion, I would like to say a big thanks to everyone that was involved in making the event the tremendous success that it was.
ON ON to Run Number 2,000
RB.
Venue : Batang Kali (Ulu Yam) Football Field
Hare : Ron Brooks
Co-Hare : Helen Brooks
Scribe : John Robertson
Every cloud has a silver lining…and after braving the slow crawl of traffic from KL to the run site we were to be rewarded with our silver lining in the form of a gem of a run set by Ron Brooks and his able and illustrious co-Hare Robin Cox.
In view of my duties as Scribe, I had attempted to ensure that I had all the necessary equipment (i.e. pencil and paper), particularly in lieu of my inherent inability to distinguish between one part of jungle and the next, to fulfil my obligations and accurately document the day’s events. Unfortunately, somewhere between KL and Ulu Yam I managed to misplace my ideal writing implement (one of those small pencils you “borrow” on a permanent loan basis from IKEA) so I had to settle for an inferior pen borrowed from Chai Leng. I suspect that she knew she might never see that pen again and as such made sure the one she gave me had no ink! So from here on in it’s an account based on my pre-Alzheimer’s memory.
The run started shortly after 4.30 with the pack charging off into the palm and then crossing a small creek more than once before settling in for the first check. Being a bit of a plodder, the first check was well and truly broken before I had even finished negotiating the creek. The second check slowed the front-runners down, particularly as many seemed engrossed in debate as to whether Ron had the athleticism to leave the trail and set checks in the high ground, and allowed the short-cutters and back markers to amble on. At this point I was still desperately trying to get ink out of Chai Leng’s pen to no avail before realising that everyone had run on and I was by myself. I made a concerted effort to burn a few calories and catch up with the pack.
I will spare you from the details of each check (only because I can’t recall them) but what I do recall is that the run made excellent use of the terrain, with some clever work such as the circular combined with a short false trail that ensured that for the majority of the run the pack was not too dispersed and the front-runners well and truly exercised. Of course there were some classic checks such as the one set in a deep ravine that slowed the front-runners enormously as they were forced to bush bash their way across and up the ravine. Just how did Ron lay that check? Given the area is well known to many the hares did an excellent job in setting a very challenging run that is hard to find fault with.
Towards the end of the run some short but high gradient slopes helped sort the men from the boys before a nice run home was enjoyed (or rather endured). First runner was back in around 1 hr 30 min and the mixed looks of exhaustion and exhilaration on the faces of the following runners was a testimony to the good efforts of the hares.
A quick circle was held at the run-site before adjourning to the on-on at Lucky Like. As per the norm, down-downs were given to number of guests and virgins as well as to others for sins and issues ranging from mosquito bats (aka Japanese instruments of torture) to chastity belts. Ron was given a bithday song to celebrate his 50th but spared a cake due to the absence of Dave Settergren. However, If anyone should develop a complex from the day’s events it would surely be likely to be Mike Clarke who endured a barrage of down-downs that started at the circle and culminated with his naming at the on-on as “(Paul’s) Fierce Gay Boy”. I can imagine that Mike is probably still thinking that with friends like Paul Smith who needs enemies!
The run was judged as a well deserved T-Shirt and Ron donned his new second skin to the cheers of the crowd (if only to cover his body up and spare some of the more refined (if there are any) members of the Hash from trauma counselling). Well done to the hares and happy birthday Ron!
On On!
Hare: Lewie Dekker
Co-hare: Salim Dhalla
Run-site: Sungai Batangsi, Semenyih
Scribe: Stephanie Choong
On that day, it was fine weather but there was a terribly long traffic crawl which lasted almost an hour to the run site. Saw Guiness’s car and Ramli’s beer wagon a couple of cars behind. I was following very closely to Jimmy’s four-wheel drive and was speeding very fast at one point. Noticed one side of the wheels wobbling for a few seconds. Luckily nothing happened.
Back at the site, Jimmy was seen directing traffic for some last minute hashers to the so-called parking area. While approaching the beer wagon, a couple of black hair strands were found strewn nearby presumably cut from a pony’s tail someone remarked. Lots of guests/visitors were seen arriving. Two motor bikes were spotted in front of the beer wagon. Come 4.30 p.m. no sign of the GM yet. Overheard a lady remarking Ah Wan is picking up his old flame and obviously he will be late.
Eight minutes has passed, still no sign of the GM, saw Jimmy giving some hash instructions, flagged down and off we go. Here we began with an uphill climb steep and long amongst rubber plantations. Groan! I realised it’s a killer hill. Gasping for breath, managed to find the first check and heard the on call to the right.
Breaking into a run at the second check when overlooking to the left, saw Dave running with his 2 dogs and a few others behind were following along a very deep and wide land clearing towards our direction. Heard him calling his dogs to behave.
At third check I could hear the horn blowing ahead. A tractor’s sound was roaring from behind, obviously clearing some land for palm trees. Dennis was telling me that our run started from back there and so we have been running in circles all this while.
About an hour later, Collin King and Paul Kirkman were zooming past followed by Arnie and Marlev. After a couple of weaving and winding in between rubber trees, past some jungle growth and down a very steep hill. By now I’m not sure how many checks we have covered. At one point while going down another steep hill Dennis was shouting to us to beware of dogs guarding the area nearby to the left where there were a lot of trees where we could hold on to. Nevertheless, the first runner out was Charles Lee with a record time of 1 hr 28 minutes. Length of run was 10 km with a total of 7 checks.
At 7.35 p.m. circle was called. GM Terry was given an on down for arriving late, Jimmy for being in Phuket and Collin King in Singapore. Dave charged GM for being in Hong Kong last week. YK (Charles) was charged for starting a bonfire causing smoke throughout S.E.A. last week. Jimmy called Jean a VIP wearing a big hat with Guiness as driver and Kwan as bodyguard in a BMW. So all three were given an on down. Alistair and Peter Brookes were on down for running past Jimmy 6 times. “Rat You Up” as Jimmy said with many hashers being called up and pointing after one another as latecomers.
Good food was served all round at the On On, only RM10 with the rest subsidised by the hare Lewie Dekker no doubt. Jenny, Fen Fen and Ah Wan were on down for plucking Tongkat Ali from the trees at the run site for Ah Wan. With that Ah Wan was named ‘Ah Wan Tongkat Ali’.
Terry was awarded a “Sheriff Star” for arriving late and being able to finish the run and got back so early. Dave charged Paul Kirkman for running back and forth 4 times. We also see Terry, Jimmy and Dave being on down once again for going away last week when we were all having a good time with Oprah, Nan and Don singing along the Ramadan song in the 12 days of Christmas version.
Finally, the time has come for the hare’s fate. Hare Lewie was given a round of applause for setting a good run and was awarded a T-shirt. He received a number of boos from the floor while changing into it. On On ended with the Ramadan song being sang again to cheers from the others.