QH3 Run 853. The Plough, Ashby de la Zouch

RUN #853 Jingle Balls Hash

Date : Sunday 21st December 2014
Location: Plough, Ashby de la Zouch (LE65 1JU)
Hares: B*gger and Goblin
Weather: Cloudy but mild. Where's the snow? 
Pack size: 12

Anyone seen our reindeer?

While hashers washed their socks last night,

The hare laid flour on the ground,

And B*gger to the Plough came down,

and set a trail all around.

"Fear not," said he, for mighty dread

Had seized our feeble minds;

"A hash of great joy I bring

To you and all hashkind".

"To you, in Ashby town, this day,

We can promise you pies and mulled wines.

A trail, which has shiggy and sheep galore;

Just follow the usual hash signs.

Mince pies at a 'MP' check you'll find

For all true hashers displayed,

Made by Goblin, along with shortcake stars,

And on the garden table laid".

On the trail we saw some real mean looking
sheep that looked like this, the Texel breed

Today was our annual 'Jingle Balls' hash trail. Perhaps not as well attired and documented as the High Wycombe Santa Hash but we were all in the Christmas spirit. Shame the RA couldn't arrange a bit of snow. B*gger ignored several river crossing opportunities early on but instead led us through a paddy field and later sent us down a stream and under a bridge.
I saw a dog-walker with the longest lead ever - must have been 25m. That was shortly after a field of the meanest looking sheep you can find. They looked like a cross between a sheep and a bulldog. However, without Too Tuf's encyclopaedic agricultural knowledge and Barritone's inside info on sheep (both missed today's trail), I was unable to get a positive identification. 

Captain Oates Christmas list found out on the trail

Cpt Oates was uncharacteristically doing a lot of front running along with Trianal and Steve (QH3 hash virgin). I did find part of Cpt Oates' Christmas wish list whilst on the trail (see left).
We've come across some interesting furniture on our trails in recent weeks. It seems as though hares must now include a sofa or a chair somewhere on the trail.

Astroturf  chairs spotted on today's trail

A new type of check for the QH3 - a 'MP' stop - the promised mince pies and mulled wine at B*gger and Goblin's house. Wallington had already short cut there and was well into the wine.

Mince pie and mulled wine stop

Having set the tradition last year Durex, the Hash Cash, deemed this was a free hash. Too bad for newcomer Steve, you never have to pay on your first run either. The circle was led by our RA Butt Plug, who out of respect for the earlier mulled wine, awarded mainly soft drinks.
Skids and Malteaser had a blonde moment, both managing to get lost travelling from inside the pub to the yard at the back. This was also Skids' 'farewell' hash having moved up to Liverpool. Steve had a DD as a hash QH3 virgin. Durex was honoured for his 501st run but refused to take off his 501 Levi's until he got his timer shirt. Captain Oates used some excuse about having to go to work - he would have got a DD for the stamped-addressed piece of toast he sent to Too Tuf. Did it arrive?

Happy Christmas and a Hashy New Year
to you all from Durex

The hares were awarded a staggering 35% for an excellent trail that had all the ingredients for a good hash. 
Well that's how I saw our Jingle Balls Hash today. On On into Christmas......

Trail as done by Durex