Samford Hash birthdays go off with a bang!

Hopalong was not the only hasher celebrating a birthday on Sunday - Urass and Nipliquor are also a big year older.  Their birthdays all went off with a bang - in fact with several bangs...and crashes...and lightning flashes, and a downpour and wind squalls.  All in all, it made for an exciting and memorable excursion....

The walkers found shelter in the home of a local Good Samaritan, while the runners cowered under the awning of the Institute for Molecular Bioscience.  We gathered eventually - dripping but cheerful - at Superhacker and Hopalong's for the on, on, and learned a bit more about pirates.  Will the full truth eventually emerge?  Thanks to our hares - they lay a great run!

There are some pics of the storms here, and some more here (including one from Taringa - where we were at the time....)

The days are drawing in - the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is upon us - so we'll be moving to our winter start time of 4 pm on the 7th April!  Leave Pass, please take note!

Next run details
When: Sunday 31st March, 5 pm (Easter egg run)
Where: John Scott Park, Samford Village
Hares: Toss O'Coin will set the run; Pot Luck will cater (please bring something to share)

On, on!

Birds of Samford

Payback and Haughty met 3 twitchers - loaded with cameras and binoculars - while they were setting the run/walk.

"Have you seen any spotted quail thrushes?" they were asked.  Were the twitchers having them on?  Is there a real bird with that improbable name?

The answer is - yes, it's a real bird.  For the curious, here are some good photos and recordings.  It's also described as a very shy and reclusive bird - not likely to be seen on a Hash walk/run, especially one that included some of our doggy members....

You couldn't describe the Samford birds that headed off this weekend to Sydney as shy and reclusive.  They had a great time raiding the shops and bars and flocking to the beaches and parks.

Watch out, Sydney - here we come!  (Thanks to Topless for the photography.)

A girl needs to eat and drink:

And drink and eat:

Breakfast - remind you of anyone you know?

None of our girls needs this stuff:

In the course of the weekend the group also met up with members of the Canberra sub-branch of Samford Hash - Hot to Trot, Wizbanger, Slammit and Upfront.  The boys are getting pretty grown-up - unlike the rest of us....

And some of the group were abducted by pirates (a bit dark below decks, me hearties!  Phone cameras don't do too well....)

It's Hopalong's birthday this coming Sunday!  (And it's time to start thinking of moving to our winter start time.)

Next run details

When: Sunday 24th March, 5 pm

Where: Robertson Park, Taringa - corner Lambert and Indooroopilly Roads, Taringa

Hares: Superhacker and Hopalong

On, on!

For some unfathomable reason

our hares didn't take us through any of the sloshy bits of Keperra this Sunday (and there were plenty of those.)  We stayed dry-shod all the way - and, as promised, it didn't rain either!

Our younger members enjoyed the playground at the park - along with a large crowd of their contemporaries - and we all enjoyed the classic Dublin coddle.  Thanks to our hares!

Here are some pics from the Tenterfield German beerfest.

The traditional band:

The traditional sound techie:

Talented dancers:

And a taste of the entertainment:

Next weekend eight members of the group are heading off to Sydney for another Girls' Weekend Away.  They'll have a great time - and let's hope the Sydney retailers and bars are prepared for the onslaught....

Everyone else - including any Swedish backpackers who happen to be in the vicinity - is invited to join the abandoned blokes at Lomandra.  Bring some mossie repellent!

Next run details
When: Sunday 17th March, 5 pm
Where: Lomandra picnic area, Samford Road.  (The Away team is planning a run/walk along the Bondi beachfront)
Hares: at Lomandra - Payback and Haughty.  At Bondi - ?

On, on!

Home and away

B&W and Trudi Fruti were moving house this Sunday, so the best way to get out of helping them was to head for the hills.  Some went as far as Japan, and others to the Gold Coast.  A number of Hash members took off to Tenterfield, using the German beerfest as an excuse - and had a great weekend....

The weather on Saturday would have made the granite slabs very iffy, so instead of walking as we had planned, we topped up our cellars at local wineries and visited some local tourist attractions.

Charcoal was in a long wait: the last train left in (I think) 1989.  We'll post some pics of the festival itself once they've been expurgated.

As a result of all these other things going on, it was a relatively small group who turned up for Sunday's run/walk - just 10 bipeds and 2 quadrupeds.  We've had bigger numbers on our Wednesday midweek run!  But it was a good introduction to hashing for our latest Hash hound, George:

Those who didn't turn up on Sunday missed out on an enjoyable excursion around a Bunya lake, some toothsome Chinese chow - and all the good luck dispersed through the fortune cookies.  Many thanks to Shockjock and Miss Demeanour, our imperturbable hares!

Next run details

When: Sunday 10th March, 5 pm

Where: Leslie Patrick Park, Arana Hills

Hares: Jamesbondage and Redbreast

On, on!