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Our runs start somewhere in
Hampshire area (Or wherever the Hare likes!) And start on Mondays at 6.45
pm.
Just before the 'Off' the Grand Master calls the hash together in a circle.
The Hares usually waffle on a bit about potential hazards on the run, like
livestock, narrow roads, unfriendly landowners and other such things.
The Hares then indicate the general direction for the start of the run.
After that the Pack set off looking for the first signs of the trail.
The Hares will have laid the trail the previous day, or in the case of
really fit Hares (a very rare beast) they will set off before the pack (a
'live' Hare) and hoped not to get caught. The idea is to lay a trail that
should take about 1 hour to run by the pack.
The trail starts and finishes at the same place - The 'On Inn'.
It is compulsory (And courteous and sensible!) to approach the pub landlord in
advance and ask his/her permission to run from there, and fill his/her car
park up with hashers cars.
Only public footpaths and highways are used for a trail. NEVER private land
unless permission has been granted by the landowner.
The main trail is
marked with blobs of white floor.
The Hare's aim should be to lay a trail that keeps the pack together. Those
hashers that are fit or youthful (known as Front Running Bastards) will
obviously leg-it off much faster than the sedate pace of the elderly, infirm
or just plain lazy hashers who will dawdle along. Therefore decoy or false
trails (falsies) are used that are found by the FRBs, who then have to
retrace their steps to find the true trail, allowing the laggards to catch
up.
Completion of the
trail is indicated by the 'On Inn' sign.
After the Off, as soon as the trail is seen by the lead FRB he or she (oh
really) lets the pack know by hollering the famous hash cry of 'ON ON'.
Whenever the trail is found the pack must follow the On On. While the run is
in progress a very important hash person will be watching out for hashers
breaking the hash rules.
This is the Religious Adviser (RA) - he who will punish the miscreants
later.
The Hashing Rules:
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There are NO rules in hashing
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The W word is not to be used on the run (work)
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Sex on the hash is banned (no holding hands)
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Crop busting is really banned (stay on the paths)
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Don't wear a hat in the circle
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No short cutting (unless you won't get seen)
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Always follow the On-On
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Hashers exhibiting signs of competitiveness will be punished
The hash trail is followed until the On Inn is seen. As hashing is
non-competitive there is no recognition of arriving back first, second etc.
Once everyone is safely back at the place or pub, a cool-down period is
observed, assisted by thirst quenching beer, lager, ale and softies for the
girlies (Not necessarily the Harrietts !)
Following this, Circle is
called again by the GM/HM. Here the ritual of awarding drinks known as
Down-Down's to the Hares is conducted, as well as down-downs for other
deserving hashers like those celebrating a birthday or anniversary etc.
Then the RA is given centre stage. He/She will pontificate about the
behaviour of the pack during the run, often scattering inappropriate
metaphors into his/her sermon which usually fall upon deaf ears or at least are
as much use as a one legged man in an arse kicking contest.
All those guilty
of a hash crime are given a Down-Down which they must consume in the time it
takes to sing a little ditty that insinuates that they have doubtful
parentage.
Usually followed by the miscreant showing an empty glass - By tipping
it over their heads
After that, either everyone goes home, or they don't have a
home to go to.
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