Santa comes again

It's sad to think that Santa only gets to come once a year, despite showering lots of girls (and boys) with gifts. Our Christmas in July event gave Santa a chance to come again - and to hand out gifts to some pretty questionable girls and boys....

The "Dag and Drag" theme gave hashers of all ages and proclivities plenty of scope. Who'd have thought so many could not only wear drag, but also look outstandingly daggy as they did so?

Here's but a small selection of images, courtesy of various members of the paparazzi. (There's a large gallery of yet more pictures here.)

Les Girls:

Prizewinning senorita:

Prizewinning princess:

Payback shows off his inner Bogan:

Scary family:

Indiana (always thought that was a girly name) Jones:

What can we say?

Just good friends:

Blonde bombshells:

Selected dags:

Ooh la, la!

Craftwork:

Christmas dinner.  Where's the beef?

And now a few shots from Santa's grotto:

Remember - there are many more images here!

Our serious partying was preceded by a serious stroll up Mt Lawson.  Leaving Base Camp at Haughty and Culture's, hashers headed up the western face, and then traversed to Camp 1, overlooking the Cedar Creek valley.  Here there was a chance to replenish some precious bodily fluids.  Those who were suffering from altitude sickness turned back at this point, while others roped up for the push to the summit. Congratulations to Nipliquor, who put many of his elders to shame!

All in all, a great night.  Thanks to everyone for their contributions!

Next run details

When: Sunday 4th August, 4 pm

Where: Corner Buranda and Clear Mountain Roads, Clear Mountain (check out the satellite version of this map!)

Hares: Charcoal and Strine

On, on!

The piper on the shore

After what seemed like weeks of miserable mizzle, this Sunday dawned as a near-perfect blue-skied winter's day. The crowds came out in droves along the Sandgate foreshore to enjoy the sunshine, and we had to weave and sidestep our way through them. None of the runners actually bowled a maiden over, but we came closer to it than the Oz cricket team did at Lord's. Way out on the water's edge, a lone bagpiper - no doubt cruelly rejected by his family and friends - practised his art.

The well-marked route took us north for a kilometre or so along the seaside promenade, then inland through the old town centre, and then back along the shore for lashings of tasty soup, fish pie, salad, and a generally jolly on, on. We celebrated Cash Converta's retirement in an appropriate way...she won't be able to complain about her cruel and inhumane boss any more!

3 of the regular runners - Mile High, Hardcore and Payback - had to walk (or even sit) because of injury.  Get well soon, guys!

Finally - rumour has it that Mel Buttle, our favourite stand-up comedian (especially when she tells jokes about her father) is now writing for This Week Live on Channel 10. Check\it out (9:30 on Wednesday nights) - see if she can slip in some familiar references!

Next run details
When: Saturday 27th July, 4 pm. Note - Saturday! A run/walk at 4 pm to be followed by our 2013 Christmas in July function!
Where: Haughty and Culture's bagnio in the bush
Hares: Culture and Haughty. Christmas in July catering as per list.

On, on!

Vive la compagnie!

Execrable accents, wonderfully cliched costumes and a highly suggestive baguette all featured in our 2013 Bastille Day run:

So Frenchy, so chic!

Rain had obliterated much of the flour and left the track to the Mt. Nebo summit more than usually slippery. 2 of the runners ended up hors de combat (BTW, how do you pronounce that?) and were tenderly cared for by the rest of the group, in the hope they wouldn't sue us....

Back at Escargot's chateau, the hares served up a meal that would have satiated the most discriminating Gallic gourmand. The menu (wow!):

• French onion soup
• Snails and mushrooms
• Coq au vin
• Mille feuilles with lavender, chocolate and strawberries!

Thanks, hares!

Our Canberra members Wizbanger, Hot to Trot, Slammit and Upfront were in town this week and it was great to see them. They helped make up the 11 Samford Hash members who took over the public bar after the Wednesday run.  Breaking news is that Hot to Trot is doing a postgrad qual to become a maths teacher. Those who saw her a couple of years ago playing the evil Antonia in the Samford production of The Tempest will have no doubt of her ability to control a class!

Other news is that Hugandkiss won an award for artwork at the Samford Show (well done!) while Payback won yet another homebrew prize.  This is getting to be a bit of a habit, mate...booooring!

Don't forget our Christmas in July celebration, coming up on Saturday the 27th.  There'll be a run/walk at 4, after which we can all dress up for the traditional festivities. If you haven't yet let us know you're coming, it's not too late - but please don't leave it too much longer....

And finally - courtesy of Eweshggr - here's a rare photo of the 1940 Tour de France:

Next run details
When: Sunday 21st July, 4 pm
Where: Upper section of Moora Park, Shorncliffe.  We'll meet in the Swan Street carpark in the upper section of the park.  Please bring chairs!.

Hares: Bigtop, Urass and Hardcore.

On, on!

Wish upon a star

Busy time of year, this. Some of our members had spent the day judging homebrew entries for the Samford Show. Others had fled from a midday Lions' function that ran well over schedule. Yet others had taken part in a long bike ride....But no-one wanted to miss a very special Tanabata festival run!

It was a beaut day for a Sunday afternoon excursion along the Brisbane River, and the crowds were out in force. This proved a bit hairy for those running with dogs past the Cultural Centre and Southbank Parklands, but we didn't knock too many toddlers off their  bikes....

Some great Japanese cuisine awaited us back at the hares' place - plus some Japanese beer, and a Tanabata wishing tree.

Some of the more serious wishes:
"I wish to be normal" (Le W*nk)
"Exotic nights with beautiful women"
"Hope it's only a rash"
"That my cat stops attacking me"

Several wishes were about travel to Japan (a number of these should be fulfilled over the next year) and some shallow, trivial people wished for success at school and business (and I'm sure these wishes will be fulfilled too - all together - aaahhh!)

Our hares, Where's the beef? and In your dreams (he'd risen from a sickbed to set the run):

Other hopeful wishers included...

Loan Ranger, Hugandkiss, Make an Offer

(And in the Specsaver's corner) Jamesbondage, Urass, Bigtop, Eweshggr

Piston Broke:

Culture:

Lion of the Year, Banger:

Plus bunches of other reprobates

By the way, what was so interesting next door?

Many thanks to our hares for a memorable run, their hospitality, the beer, the retelling of the Tanabata legend, and the kanji lesson.  This old blogger has retained this much:

Next week Escargot and Culture are setting up the guillotine at Mt. Nebo for our annual Bastille Day run.  Tricolour cockades, strings of onions, berets and outrageous accents are the order of the day.

Next run details
When: Sunday 14th July, 4 pm
Where: Manorina Picnic Area, Mt Nebo. It's 3.6 km from the Mt Nebo post office on the road to Mt Glorious - or 5 km from the PEI Road/Mt Glorious Road junction on the road to Mt Nebo.  Clear as mud? This is what to look our for:

Hares: Escargot and Culture

On, on!

Just like the old country

It was probably no coincidence that a high proportion of the 14 tough nuts who turned up on Sunday had grown up in places like the UK, Northern Europe and Melbourne.  They didn't really notice the piercing cold and the water falling out of the sky.  "Raining?  Oh, yes, I suppose it is a bit...."  A beautiful rainbow rewarded us for the soaking.

Banger caused some concern when he decided to rely on his GPS unit to help him get home, and so ended up hopelessly lost.  He did the run one and a half times while a search party scoured the area....

For those who have a couple of hours to spare and would like to try making some koeksisters, here is the recipe Haughty used:

Ingredients – dough:
2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 large egg
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup of water
oil for frying

Ingredients – syrup:
1 kg sugar
1 ½ cinnamon sticks
½ tsp ground ginger
1 ½ cups of water
juice of one lemon

Method – dough:
1. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
2. Rub in the butter and mix until pliable.
3. Mix this with the egg and water (adding the water a little at a time).
4. Work the dough well. If the dough appears to be lumpy and sticky, continue to work the dough until it will ball up.
5. Let the dough rest at room temperature for about three hours (under an inverted mixing bowl).

Method – syrup:
Prepare the syrup a day before (it needs to be very cold).
1. Dissolve sugar in the water.
2. Add the spices and lemon juice to this and boil together. Leave the syrup to cool in the fridge overnight.

To prepare the koeksisters:
1. Roll out the dough (thickness 5mm).
2. Cut the dough into strips of 6cm long, 2cm wide.
3. Cut each of these strips into three strips (not all the way through, leave the strips connected at the top).
4. Plait each strip, then pinch together at the end of the strip.
5. Deep fry until golden brown.
6. Remove and drain quickly – then dip the hot koeksisters in the cold syrup (stored in the fridge up to now). The secret is to keep the syrup cold and the koeksisters hot.  It's best to keep the syrup bowl in another container filled with iced water.

Next week - a Tanabata (Star festival) run - Japanese tucker, and a chance to wish upon a star!

Next run details
When: Sunday 7th July, 4 pm
Where: In Your Dreams and Where's the Beef's West End mansion
Hares: Where's the Beef and In Your Dreams

(If you need directions to this run, please email us.)

On, on!