QH3 Run 843. The ExperiMENTAL run. Dry Dock, Leicester

RUN #843

Date : Sunday 7th September 2014
Location: The Dry Dock, Leicester (LE2 7TF) 
Hare: Captain Oates
Weather: Glorious sunshine
Pack size: 11



Hashing started in 1938 and in the subsequent 76 years many thousands of hashes have been spawned worldwide. The collective experience means all operate within the bounds of a loose set of rules, rule one being 'there are no rules'. Forget tradition - today our hare decided to experiment with the usual trail format to bring us an entertaining and memorable trail. An experimental trail with an emphasis on the MENTAL bit. Where should I start. So much to report I even had to write down some notes.
Yesterday  our hare was seen at the Ashbourne Hash in Uttoxeter enquiring whether anyone had a map of the south of Leicester. The On Inn had been selected on the basis that the when the hare had driven by it looked a cool place, promised real ales and allowed dogs outside. Only the latter was true, though probably not an active policy of the pub alone. 

New Hash markings for pack 1 and pack 2

The pub car park was a pay-and-display (not popular for a hash) and it was noted that the hare had purchased an all day ticket. Hounds were seen debating whether 2 or 4 hours would be enough. Then we got to the interesting bit. We were introduced to some new hash markings, something akin to html computer coding (see photo). 
The seven hounds present at this location on the southern extremity of our hashing area (it will be closer for me to get to our away bunkhouse weekend in October) were split into two groups. Each group was to follow its designated trail (P1 and P2) with promised fish hooks, holding checks and a croissant stop.

The hare, after previous tuition from B*gger on the
use of waymarkers, kindly provided one of his own.

In my group was B*gger and Diarrhoea and we worked well together to make make progress to the first holding check outside the railway station. Brilliant idea to split an already small pack into an even smaller group in a city area with numerous false trails across dual carriage-ways crossable only at long-delay pelican crossings. It was a glorious sunny day and we wanted to be out running in the countryside. This wish was granted when the hare's master plan(?) became more apparent at the railway station holding check. Earlier, the day became more confused when a third group of hashers (Butt Plug, Chicki and Too Tuf) arrived late having been misdirected by the wrong postcode on the website. Another pre-trail briefing over the phone was necessary but the newcomers mistook the outer bracket on explanatory signs outside the pub as a directional arrow, unfortunately pointing the wrong way out.

Croissant Stop marked on trail

At the railway station it was disclosed that our hare had planned a train journey as part of the trail but for a long list of reasons this would have been totally impractical. Instead, our lone hare intended to ferry hounds in his tiny car out of the city. Luckily, I was in the first group to be transported, a 3-mile car journey where the hare gave a good impression of not knowing where he was going. Other groups apparently got bored at their holding checks waiting for our hare and wandered off. The countryside bit of the trail had some interesting markings including a very authentic waymarker made by the hare specially for B*gger. The redeeming part of the trail was a croissant stop though we did arrive at this point just as the hare was arriving to hide them. Here two groups were reunited and the decision was made to head for home even though the hare hadn't had time to lay the end of the trail. 
At the On Inn could things get any worse for the hare? Yes. The one beer, that well known 'real ale' Doombar, ran out whilst the Down Down beers were being prepared. The hare had a lager DD, done in 3 parts.
Other DDs were given to: Diarrhoea (the only one to have access to a map on his techie phone but took the longest route back); newcomer Meryl on her first Quorn hash was named Heroine, either for directing Too Tuf into the path of a car or rescuing him from it; B*gger finally got his 400-timer shirt on his 423rd run; Chicki as webmaster took responsibility for the erroneous postcode; and Too Tuf had the last DD on the grounds that it would be the last beer he got in this pub.
Normally at our awards night we look for the shortest, longest, shiggiest trails etc. We're going to have to introduce a whole new load of categories for this trail. A trail which will go down in Quorn Hash history and talked about in the same revered terms as Run 557 (two hares and two different trails from adjacent pubs).
That's how I saw it...On On....Durex

Trail as done by Durex