Puget Sound H3 Trash
This running adventure began late Wednesday 02MAY01 when I checked my email. Lo and behold, from your beloved On Secretary DIM SUM, I received a note that I initially hoped would be a belated May Day present.... arriving late as he is oft inclined to do things. dim SUM requested MIDGET MOLESTER to scribe the next day’s event. He was late indeed; but fortunately, I indeed did have today Friday 04MAY01 open so I could report this fine function produced by the Balls Brothers, both Snow and Muddy. Today, at the Four Seas Restaurant @ 714 South King, I spent my lunch eating dim sum (no pun intended), chicken feet, cow’s stomach, fried wontons and drinking Bo Lay tea trying to reconstruct my memory of the previous night’s events; so here goes.
The paid attendees from the absent Hash Cash WHERE’S were:
ABORIGINE, BUDMAN, CAPT HAZELWOODY, GALLOPIN, PUSSUCKER, HEAD NURSE, HALF 'AST EDDIE, MANHANDLER, MR ROGERS, MR SPOCK, DOUBLE JERK OFF, MUDDY BALLS, SNOWBALLS, ‘KIN CRAZY and MIDGET MOLESTER.
The runners met in the parking lot of the North Bend Golf Course just off Interstate 90 Exit 32. The Hotline was clever with background music and very clear driving instructions; the flyer distributed at the previous run was clever and clear too. These were good omens for a fine function; however the Brothers had held this Mexican national day run for the past few years and they have moved down the learning curve rather remarkably. The pack did not rise to the invitation to dress to the run’s theme; sartorial splendor included: trademark black socks on HALF ‘AST EDDIE, MANHANDLER and MIDGET; ‘KIN CRAZY’s Mexican shawl; the hares’ sombreros; and MIDGET’s Hispanic Madrid HHH #1000 t-shirt. Both MUDDY BALLS and SNOWBALLS conducted the run instructions; here the event became somewhat suspect when there appeared to be some doubt whether three consecutive marks constituted ON ON. The rest of the marks were rather pedestrian and historically consistent with many PSHHH runs. Our Religious Advisor HEAD NURSE welcomed two Peoria/San Diego hashers, DR. SPOCK and MANHANDLER; but he only determined that they hailed from “Exit 69” when their more important California connection remained a secret to the pack. HEAD then proffered a rather weak invocation missing an opportunity to link the day’s run to a rich Mexican history….. he’s just learning and we are patient.
THEY’RE OFF. The hares had placed the ON ON arrow of the run instructions pointing north then commenced to direct the hounds to go SOUTH ----- go figure. Down the road tens of meters, then right into the jungle bouncing around before exiting onto the road again. Approach a river bridge, follow a gravel trail down by the bridge foundation to an “O” check. The pack broke right following the gravel trail beside the river for a couple hundred meters to an “X” end. Confusion followed so back to the “O” check. Maybe HEAD NURSE was first over the bridge sensing fresh scent. Now over the river bridge to a ß (left arrow) downhill into blackberries and other impediments. MIDGET continued uphill hoping to parallel some roads seen below while the pack went down. Near the hilltop, a side road offered an opportunity to go down, so MIDGET swiftly moving on the pavement (versus thrashing through stickers) followed the curve downhill until suddenly HEAD NURSE looked up from his uphill running to simultaneously see both the MIDGET moving downhill and the “X” in the culvert. Ooooops. Wrong trail; back to find the others.
The trail found again and followed roads. Down a road to an “O” check, further on to a dead end and a couple side street opportunities; a real cluster ensued for minutes and minutes. Alas, an easement path between two houses at the dead-end led to a gravel trail passing by a small lake surrounded by large houses. More gravel trail; another “O” check and hounds scattered everywhere. PUSSUCKER and MIDGET unable to try neither new ideas nor new directions proceeded along the gravel trail then over another bridge; PUSSUCKER checking a white * (spot, hash mark) went right; MIDGET still couldn’t try a new direction ….. until he arrived at the hares manned tequila check and, yes, CAPT. HAZEL WOODY was already there…. The rest of the pack soon arrived and savored the sweet surprise of sour lime and the acrid Jose Gold.
THEY’RE OFF AGAIN. Under the freeway to a à (right arrow) scrambling up under the freeway bridge and up to the freeway shoulder, along the freeway shoulder for maybe half kilometer with traffic buzzing by but no cops to wreck havoc with the hounds. ‘KIN CRAZY and MANHANDLER skittered down the embankment from the nice level roadside into a jungle of uncertain footing and tree branches striking at their faces. Another à along a paved road to a ß leading to a huge clearing with sand/gravel mounds as much as ten meters tall. There were white * in many directions over here and over there. Major cluster. Hounds called “Checking” from every possible direction. This prevailed for minutes and minutes. CAPT. HAZEL WOODY found an arrow that lead to “BN”. The pack arrived, found no beverage but did find the two hares’ Subarus; the pack stood and stewed and sweated and searched and swaggered along the roadside looking for signs. Someone called out and all followed through an iron gate down to the riverside where theme-consistent Coronas were served. Happy hounds exuberant!!
THEY’RE OFF AGAIN. MIDGET seized the opportunity to be FRB (a tale of the trail crime not noted by the circle later). Straight along the roadside; straight along the roadside more; turn right, straight along the roadside; straight along the roadside more; join a major concrete paved road and an “O” check. Just like before, MIDGET still could not change direction and followed the highway. The pack scattered looking then found marks to the left; then another of those huge clearings with white * in every direction. Major cluster again. Trail found. Straight along the roadside (had we done this road running before??). Over the freeway and on home.
All return to point A, our point of embarkation. A few colds are cracked. All pack and caravan to the Mount Si Tavern just a few miles away. Here the hares had made superb arrangements for the circle site in the tavern’s beer garden. The faculties included: tavern-supplied covered BBQ, tables, deck, cold beer (usually of the dark variety and not nearly enough mountain fresh Rainier) and a fantastic view of Mount Si, still daylight. The crowd rustled and visited. DR. SPOCK discussed the fine aspects of fine wines found the previous night at the Assaggio Ristorante @ 2010 Fourth Avenue, Belltown. Hounds enjoyed the provided tossed salad, bread as well as cooked the assortments of sausages, veggie burgers, chickens and cows they had brought. MIDGET provided for all a full rice cooker of Mexican Rice with Mint from Gourmet Magazine MAY01.
HEAD NURSE and SNOWBALLS convened the circle:
The hounds of the Puget Sound Hash House Harriers look forward to the next event on 17 May 2001, the Norwegian national day; hoping to see all of you there. Now I’m off to the Roanoke Park Place @ 2409 Tenth Avenue East on Capitol Hill to crack a few colds and visit with PUT IT IN SLOW.
Respectfully submitted,
MIDGET MOLESTER
Grand Master Rain City HHH @ Seattle, USA
Bandung HHH2 Run #1000 Committee @ Indonesia
Interhash Goa 2002 Committee @ India