We came, we conquered - we're sore

Of the 32 we counted at this year's Oz Day run, about a third conquered Mt Lawson! At least another third made it to the drink stop at the half way mark! And those who didn't make it that far at least conquered the driveway to sample the drinks, meal and fun and games....It was good to see these numbers, despite the absence of some of our regulars - in Tamworth for the music festival...in Girraween for a long weekend...and in Hobart for a dirty one.

This was not the first time we attempted the ascent, and this description of the route from 2008 is still reasonably accurate:

On Sunday 28th May [2008] a small but intrepid band set out from Base Camp at Haughty and Culture's, undeterred by a storm that had swept the summit shortly before. The route followed the south-western arete to the saddle, where a short but tricky northerly traverse above the cliff line took us onto the upper snowfields. From here an ascent following a diagonal line led to the summit ridge. In the great Australian tradition, any climbers who felt ill were left for dead.

Here's this year's Oz Day group - "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...Oi! Oi! Oi!" (thanks to Topless for the photography)

Competitors in the thong-toss dispute the distances thrown:

And a young competitor receives some coaching:

It was good to welcome Superhacker, back from the Old Country (or what an older generation of Aussies would have called "Home".) We also welcomed a number of visitors, including Diarrhoea - all the way from "Home" (on his last visit he joined us for our 21st Birthday Run.)

A Japanese visitor celebrated her birthday with a Lamington cake - what could be more Aussie than that?

In honour of the occasion, Hash Cash provided some Aussie sparkling wine (produced by a UK-based, South African brewing company.) This complemented the home-made South African sausages (produced using a German-designed, Chinese-made sausage machine) as well as the meat pies (bought from a German supermarket) and the Chinese-made Aussie shirts and flags:

In preparation for our 25th Birthday in February, we've been reprinting some early run reports from 1991. The following excerpts from the "Samford Hash International Times" describe Run 4. This started at "Haus McDowall", which I'm told was in the somewhat hilly area behind the Samford Transfer Station. Those who have run on those slopes are invited to compare them with Mt. Lawson....

The first hill, sorry elevation, that the pack had to tackle was the driveway at Haus "Roddy" and "True Blue". It was no mean feat getting the car to the top but well worth it as I could then watch everybody else attempt the same. From the view of the huge balconies to the breezes and the gathering dusk it seemed as though God was in his heaven and all was right with the world and somehow I was lulled into a feeling of eagerness to get started on the night's gentle stroll. Meanwhile of course God was building a cliff immediately behind Haus McDowall and covering it with small pieces of cardboard sporting arrows! I am absolutely convinced that the cliff was not there before we arrived. 

It was time to leave and that nice friendly "Roddy" chap was actually showing us the way, which was, naturally, up the only HILL in the run (one hill, easy run, 3 Hold Checks.) The pack charged eagerly at The Hill and fought to maintain a steady pace for almost ffteen metres. At this point we were distracted by a family of wobblies who disdainfully hopped around The Hill (I am sure there is something to be learned there). And so 'on up' we ventured, supported by the hare's cry of 'This is the worst part' and 'nearly there'and 'only one hill' and sundry other lies. 

At what appeared to be the top was a hold check again pointed out in advance by our hare (maybe he is nice after all) at which we paused to allow our bodies to acclimatise to the meagre oxygen levels. Here was a decision, left or right? Well obviously as there was only One Hill and the way left appeared to go back down and our friendly hare led the way, we all turned right. Here we explained to our new runners Paul and Pauline that this was not a lack of faith in the hare but simply a defect in the language of the Scots concerning the definition of 'hill'. Following the track we ran up a mound, two ascents, a small rise, a wee brae and some rising ground but no more hills. There seemed to be no real decision to be made (apart from how can I buy some of this land?) and we crawled up to hold check 2 once more abetted by the hare who even told us which way was 'on' as we arrived. I could not believe the generosity of the man. 

After a brief rest we all powered along in the allotted direction with "Fu" leading the way followed by "Roddy" and your scribe plodding along with "Arctic" and "Stud"; we met a mount, a knoll or two, a hillock, a gentle rise and just the one tor followed by a tiny eminence but no more hills! At the last of these elevated locations the hare returned to form and called ON BACK much to our dismay and we said things like 'Dear Me 'and 'Oh Gosh'.  

Thundering back down the now descending plains we managed to convince Leslie Heap, who joined us this week, that we did know where we were going and was it nice to be leading the pack? All the way back to the second hold check where we met this week's walkers "Rattletrap" and "True Blue" brandishing large sticks presumably to fend off tumbling hashpersons. ON ON past hold check 2 down a gentle slope, and a precipice or two until the hare called an impromptu Hold Check in case anybody missed the arrow nailed to a very distinctive piece of tree placed very clearly on the floor next to a small forest of distinctive trees.  

When we regrouped the run was back on and down past a very familiar looking road which seemed to be where we started (and I think I spotted God dismantling a cliff but it could have been a trick of the light). We ran along sealed roads (Ah luxury) for about 1 Scottish kilometre or seven sassenach miles to Hold Check 3 clearly marked in letters almost 3 millimetres high and nailed to a post at about the height of the average leprechauns kneecap.  

From here we were told was a very simple run past the Samford­ Environmentally-Friendly-Unwanted-Articles-Recycling-Outstation-Facility along a soon to be completed driveway and were we met with the sight of the Hash beer lurking across a small ravine the two high points of which were NOT HILLS.

Back in 2016, our next run will be a Pot Luck Mitchelton one!

Next run details
When: Sunday 31st January, 5 pm
Where:  Teralba Park, Mitchelton (meet at the Scout Hut parking area on Pullen Road. A map!
Hare: M.  Promptu will set the run. Potluck will cater (please bring something to share)

On, on!

Mind the flying balls

Our hare Escargot took us on a winding trail through the suburbs first and then had us scampering home across the golf course, avoiding sand traps, water hazards and flying balls (golf ones, of course.) The runners were bamboozled by the second check which provided an intelligence test out of their league, and were both pleased and surprised to pick up the trail later. The circle featured an impromptu hashion parade with supermodels Where's the Beef and Tinkerbell showing off the very best in Hash couture. The rest of us felt very dowdy...and what a pity there were no cameras at hand! Many thanks to Escargot and her trail marking assistants Urass and Bigtop,

It was good to see LFC and Tinkerbell and Co. on the run. Le W*nk asked if we could make it a Samford Hash rule that newcomers and visitors are not allowed to outrun the elderly (like himself.) I remember someone else trying to establish more Samford Hash rules a while back - without much success. After all, we already have 2 rules:
1. There are no rules.
2. Refer Rule 1.
Surely that's enough?

Our annual Ozday celebration is coming up next weekend, so dig out those blue singlets, zinc up your noses and show off your bumcracks. There'll be prizes for the best costumes as usual, and for the champion tossers (of thongs.) For some ideas, you might like to review the events from 2015 and 2014. We'll be attempting another Mt. Lawson ascent for this year's venture and planting an Aussie flag on the summit. Less intrepid souls can take on something less challenging.

And in our continuing series of reprints from early run reports, here is an extract from the write up of Samford Hash's Run Number 3 - dating from March 1991.

Worrying about the daylight (or lack of it) we gathered slightly earlier at the house of "Rattletrap" and "Superbrat". With the early start the numbers dropped from the previous outing. Those that did make it were keen to get going. 

Once again we split into 'them that runs' and 'them that don't'. The latter were "Keg Guard". "Rattletrap" and Jenny "True-blue" McDowall. "True-blue" has graced many an apres, but this week decided to work up a thirst. 

'Them that runs' were down to four, and set off at a cracking pace, but mostly in the wrong direction. "Fu" make the mistake of following "Roddy" along the first and second falsies. The second checkback sign was neatly placed at the top of a hill and was greeted by a stream of bad language (All in a Scottish accent, I must add - Ed.) "Arctic" managed to pick the proper trail and soon was only a speck in the distance. "Fu" cursed at the FRBs and accused them of training! 

The first hold check was a welcome one. The FRBs were well rested before the pack of two caught up. "Superbrat" was given the customary greetings for having set such a hard run. "Fu" prolonged the hold check by chatting to a passer-by in a car. He later denied that he was trying to hitch a ride back to the keg. 

So it was ON ON. "Arctic" picked the next falsie and scaled a hill for his troubles. But he soon joined the others as we headed back to the keg. It was about then that a new hare's trick was uncovered. Q. When is a check back not a check back? A. When "Rattletrap" and "Superbrat" put out the trail. In true Hash tradition "Superbrat" blamed whoever it was that handed him the sign to put on a pole. After all nobody told him to read it! Worth a Down Down? 

After this we reached the last hold check and from there it was back to the keg. 

The ladies were not far behind us and had worked up quite a thirst. The numbers may be down but the Apres are going well - the sale of p*ss shows this.

Don't ask me about the "sign on the pole"...I wasn't there, and in 25 years (when Samford Hash turns 50) our 2016 posts will probably be just as incomprehensible.

Next run details
When: Sunday 24th January, 5 pm - our annual Ozday run
Where: Andy Williams Park, Cedar Creek Road, Cedar Creek (approximately 7.36 km from the turnoff.) A map!
Hares: Culture and Haughty

On, on!

A stroll along the prom, prom, prom

3 visitors joined us for a seaside saunter at Sandgate this Sunday. The 2 Berliners had to leave immediately after the run (we hope to see them again), but Taiwanese visitor LFC joined us in a game of Find the Food.

It was a lovely afternoon at the beach but we resisted Le W*nk's invitation to fully explore the false trail that led out to Moreton Island. Instead we joined the crowds of Sunday trippers on a scenic foreshore route that took us south around the headland. Back home again we queued for a very traditional Hash meal of snags and very healthy raw onions:

Le W*nk: "Raw onions? What's wrong with that? Tony would love them!"

Starting them young: 2 two-year olds joined us for this week's walk.

Many thanks to our hare Le W*nk for a very pleasant afternoon!

Remember our 25th birthday run - coming up on the 14th of February! Last week we reprinted the run report from the Samford Hash Haus Harriers inaugural run 25 years ago. Here is the report on run number 2 - dating from the 21st February 1991. Once again, the names are different (and who was Viv Richards?) but otherwise things sound pretty familiar....

In the gathering gloom a small but hardy pack gathered under the shelter of the CWA to await the words 'Short run, No hills, No falsies.'

It was then ON ON towards the village with the pack checking in all directions except the correct one. Eventually the first sign was spotted by the hare (who else?) and it was off down Main Street towards the garage.

This week the pack was in two groups, them that runs and them that don't. Them that does consisted of "Roddy", "Fu", "Uriah", Steve "Superbrat" Tennant, Phil "Stud" Chamberlain, Leon "Arctic" Stepowki and new boy John Croft. Them that don't were "Keg Guard", Leanne Tennant, and Janet "Rattletrap" Tennant. The obvious disparity between the two groups led to many cries of 'Come back Raeleen' especially from those backmarkers who only had the arse ends of the FRBs to follow.

Back on the run the trail led up Samford Road towards Brisbane before a turn into the scout park. True to form the considerate hare had found a most convenient hold check but the pack was not yet in need of relief.

It was then ON ON across the green sward towards the inevitable creek crossing. ('Well, I didn't say No Water' - "Fu"). Across the creek the pack was confronted by something akin to the north wall of the Eiger only steeper and more slippery. Those in the know followed the hare on a traverse to an easier climb leaving "Roddy", "Stud" and "Uriah" to perform Sherpa Tsensing impersonations.

The trail wound in across the rolling acres of Baden Powell Park with the pack spreading themselves like fielders when Viv Richards is batting.

The hare finally called the pack together for a gentle canter through virgin rain forest and along the Samford Creek before emerging at the second Hold Check behind the Samford Scout hut. From here it was one of the shortest ON HOMEs in HHH history with the apres site being at the most 300 metres away.

A much better apres this week despite the rain. Even a visit to the Samford Oasis was required to stock up on supplies. Maybe our new boy is a bit of a PA on the quiet which would account for a lesser number of people drinking more than at run 1. Stay tuned for further details.

ON ON.

Now back to 2016...we're at Keperra next week for the first time in a while. There aren't any hills there, are there?

Next run details
When: Sunday 17th January, 5 pm
Where: Dash Street, Keperra. A map!
Hare: Escargot

On, on!

Auld acquaintance

About 30 or so auld acquaintances gathered at Ironbark Gully for our 2016 New Year's run. Mile High and our welcome visitor Tinkerbell turned out to be auld work acquaintances, so they had plenty to catch up on. And Floater and Legover announced that they are tackling the Camino in Spain together this year - they'll be really good auld acquaintances by the time they've hiked 900 km side by side....

This Sunday's excursion was a typical Ironbark Gully one - fla-a-a-at as a pancake. We lost only 3 runners on the way out and only 3 walkers on the homeward stretch (the really worrying thing was that one of these had the key giving access to the drinks.) Potluck (as usual) did us proud in the food department, and Hashcash provided New Year's bubbles!

Here are 2 of the wayward walkers - not looking very contrite!

And here are some more members of of the group, desperately replenishing their precious bodily fluids after the beer became available:

We ended up with 13 in the running group - which was a lot more than hares Payback and Haughty had anticipated. Thinking that they themselves might be the only two runners at this time of year, they'd neglected to mark the runners' loop. This was a bit embarrassing for them, but it was great to see numbers like this to kick off our Silver Jubilee Year!

Yes, folks, our 25th Birthday Run is coming up soon - on the 14th February, in fact. Mark your diaries now, perhaps....

And in preparation for this event we'll review some 1991 run reports over the next few weeks. To start the ball rolling, here is a report that appeared in the March 1991 edition of The Village Pump. It describes the first ever run of the "Samford Hash Haus Harriers"  on the 14th of February 1991. The names, phone numbers and start time are all different, but there's a familiar ring to what went on:

A small pack braved the weather to run in the inaugural run of the Samford HHH.
The trail was set from haus Goff on McLean Road and wound along the forestry trails before emerging at the end of Sutton Court.
At this point some of the pack led by Derek "Roddy" McDowall and Rick "Uriah" Heap tried to lead the remaining runners down a vertical cliff despite the large "Check back" sign telling them they were on the wrong trail.
Luckily Raeleen Keynes spotted the sign attached to the tree which was supporting her husband "Milton" as he regained his breath. Even then, "Roddy" had climbed half-way out of the gully on the other side before he could be persuaded he was on the wrong trail.
The pack finally regrouped at the intersection of Sutton Court and McLean Road before charging down the last 500 metres to the keg.
Our hosts provided us with a traditional Malaysian curry to celebrate the inaugural run which was quickly devoured by the now recovered runners.
"Roddy" McDowall was awarded the Hash foot of ale for his contribution to the art of orienteering. This was downed accompanied by mutterings of "Wait until it is my turn to set a run."
The venues for the next few runs are: 4th March - John Scott Park, 11th March - Haus Tennant, Wight's Mountain, 17th March - Haus McDowall, Ashwood Court, 24th March - to be decided, 1st April - Car treasure hunt in Samford Valley Country Club.
If you wish to join "the drinking man's running club" drop in at any of the venues around 5.45pm on run days or ring Pete on 289 **** or Steve on 289 ****. On on.

There are more early run reports to follow over the next few weeks....

Next run details
When: Sunday 10th January, 5 pm
Where: Corner 4th Avenue and Flinders Parade, Sandgate. A map!
Hare: Le W*nk (supported by Amazing?)

On, on!