Hangzhou Hash House Harriers

Sunday December 2nd – 15.00 – The Disneyland Run featuring Hares Miki Mouse and Pluto the Dog(gie) Style – The start is from the T intersection of Yan’an Rd and Hefang St, at the southern end of Yan’an Rd. Under the stone arch in the raised square. This is Doggie’s last run before heading back to Pommyland for a month.

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Hares: Gerry, Push-up (Bra) – Hashers: Bottom feeder, Pelagic, Rhian, Lillian, Kevin, Skidmarks and virgins Eva, Miki, Jessica Wan

It was a pleasant November Sunday, perfect hashing weather. The pack assembled in front of the Holiday Inn, and I showed up late though I am the one who lives nearest. The trail started out innocently enough just along the Feng qi Road leading to the Fengqi crosshead Bridge, then we passed a small park, and an overhead pass above the railway. Soon we entered the agricultural university, and the most of the remainder of the trail wove around inside it (good trail, hares!), where a long time search for arrows on ground and trees commenced. What we found were two tricky circles on the ground, and one even with wavy trace inside – indicating swimming or boating? With Bottom Feeder’s guidance, we successfully found the way out. The well-hided arrow passed through a building and leading a way to one side-gate of the university, which was just another “ FT”. The hares then proceeded to take us through a series of buildings and a mulberry garden, and back to the gate we previously entered the university. The way back was surprisingly uneventful, travelling along the Kai xuan road, North Huancheng Road, Xin hua Road and back, just unlike PushUpBra’s usual style (Is it because PushUpBra was Gerry’s assistant this time). No other memorable occurrences, however, maybe the last notable event was the chalk mark 24^th floor on the ground, but it turned out we had to climb down another three floors before we eventually ended up at Gerry and Rhian’s house. Bottom Feeder gave out the down-downs as usual. Down-downs went to the hares as usual: Gerry and PushUpbra Virgins: Miki, Jessica Wan and Eva. PushUpBra was called up for his common mistakes – calling people with real name. I was given one for I went home for a quick shower before the down-downs – not hasher style. Down-downs also were also given to other people with reasons that I forgot.Supporter: Jessica Wan’s little daughter – she showed more interest in beer than in milk. The circle was closed by Pelagic’s Christmas song rather than the usual “sweet chariot”. Then it was the dinner time. The impressive moment in the night must have been when the dinner was served, turkey, mash potato, pumpkin pie, corn etc. The turkey came out perfect, even the white meat was flavourful and tender. We enjoyed each other during our delicious dinner, talked and laughed together, and were all thankful for the nice time we had. Also, It was my first thanksgiving, every moment of that dinner was fun and have become unforgettable memories.

Thanks to Gerry and Rhian again, for your wonderful thanksgiving dinner.

On on     Lillian

2007年11月25日的下午3点，秋色灿烂，阳光普照。跟往常一样，hasher们又开始要出动了，所不同的是，这回的集合地点是在繁华的市中心–建国北路的杭州假日酒店前面。这次自告奋勇当兔子的是我们可爱的新手- Gerry先生, 而向来热心的Pushupbra则当起了Gerry先生的助手。素来喜好迟到的我照常迟到，虽然我是离的最近一个（说出来自己也不好意思了，呵呵）。开始了，转弯跑向凤起东路，Bottom Feeder打头，几乎毫无悬念的一直往前跑，穿过一个花园，越过一座桥梁，来到凯旋路，进入了农大的校门，然后猎狗们在突然之间失去了野兔的踪迹，除了地上的两个圆圈以外，毫无头绪。猎狗们无奈的看着两个圆圈，思考着其中的奥妙：一，校园里面应该有两个环形线路，并且很有可能故意被标记成了交错状（两个狡猾的兔子），所以得认真找；二，其中的一个圆圈中有波浪纹，这又代表什么？难道说当今的兔子进化到可以游泳了？正苦思无良策时，bottom feeder的声音远远的传了过来，他找到兔子的踪迹了！原来那个关键并且要命的箭头，穿越一座高高的房子，安静的躺在了另一侧，怪不得搜索了这么久都没有发现！（事实第二次证实：这是两个狡猾的兔子）一路接着往前跑，Miki发现了偏门的“FT”， 然后我们迂回跑向一片桑树园，并成功的找到了一个出口。正当我们欢呼雀跃之时，却沮丧的发现我们回到了农大的正门！！被捉弄了，饶了一大圈还在兔子们设的套中，可怜的猎狗们，跟中国的股民一样–深度套牢。于是，大家只好转身走回校园里面，继续寻找真正的出口。然后，这种关键时刻，我们总是需要真正睿智，聪明的英雄，她就是—我，她成功带领大家找到了前进方向（哈哈，感觉在唱党歌）。接下来的路走的很顺利，完全不像Pushupbra的风格（有些人让他当助手，他就顶不乐意了—呵呵，开玩笑的）。我们一路往回跑，Miki说我跑的很快，这着实让我心里偷偷乐了一把，不过不是我王婆卖瓜，除了bottom feeder，我跟kevin是跑第二的。终于我们来到了终点，地方清清楚楚的标了24楼，我们于是乐不可支的跑去坐电梯。第一次觉得，有了电梯的世界是如此的美好。然而，刚一跨出电梯们，就发现事物果然不能光看表面的，可恶的箭头出现在了楼梯口，天那，莫非让我们爬回一楼！（第三次证明，这是两个狡猾的兔子）幸好，Gerry的家就在21楼，我们很快就爬到了。Gerry的家很大，很漂亮，也很干净，属于我很喜欢的那一种，而且由于楼层高，向外眺望，风景旖旎。而这都是其次的，最重要的是，可爱的主人们，竟然已经为我们精心准备好丰富的感恩节晚餐！烤箱里还躺着一只大大的火鸡。趁着在等大家回来之迹，我就偷偷溜回家洗了一个澡（结果就因为这个原因，在后来的罚酒中，我被罚了一杯。）罚酒开始了，照例是Bottom Feeder主持，初次参跑人员先喝酒（Miki虽然是第二次，但是鉴于他第一次参加时，正好碰到了Doggistyle被野猪夹夹了，所以他仍然算为第一次）；两位可爱的主人喝；最后跑回来的女士们喝；Pushupbra继续为他经常叫错名字而喝酒……最后，我们以一首圣诞歌结束了罚酒，并开始享用丰盛的晚餐。其实我是一直很激动的在等待着这一刻的来临，毕竟这是我第一次有幸在别人家吃感恩节晚餐。虽然除了火鸡，其他食物我都不认识，但是都很好吃，酒也很好喝，还有餐后如此可口的的甜点。最后，谨代表大家再一次感谢两位可爱主人的热情招待！妖妖

Lillian

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Run #26 – Sunday 25th November 15.00 – Hares Gerry and Pushup(bra) – The Holiday Inn, Jianguo Rd corner Fengqi Rd - There will be a surprise after this run (oh, and it can be guaranteed that there will be no hills)

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25^th anniversary run - Some of us were more wasted than usual this Sunday, as we assembled at the Maya.  Essentially, the farewell drinks for Cigar started on a Friday night at the 1828 bar on Nanshan road and didn’t end until early Sunday morning at the Maya bar, where a few hashers were spotted boogeying after some heavy-duty beer challenges and tequila shots.  Cigar’s famous words before departing were “Don’t cry girls, you are all sooo dehydrated”.  Indeed.    

In any case, it was the 25^th anniversary run for HZ HHH and what better location than our good ol’ favourite – the Maya Bar for the start of the run.  More

Hangzhou mag had also planted a not-so-inconspicuous undercover scribe Jackie to cover the event.  Hares Pelagic and Bottomfeeder breezed in to the Maya at ten to three to find yours truly and Tonsil hockey already there nursing a hangover with some hot coffee, and missing Cigar already.  The rest of the pack soon arrived, and it was a larger than normal turnout with at least 4 virgins – which no doubt pleased our RA Bottomfeeder.  

It was a light and breezy run through Baoshi Hill, with a large enough pack to actually warrant a regroup.  Phonebox and Pushup(bra) led the charge as usual, and we tore through the various caves and little shrines where some OAPs were having a leisurely afternoon playing cards.  An FT placed at a rocky outcrop provided an excellent photo op, with a view of the West lake.  It was also during the run where Gerry described his issues with the size of Hangzhou bathroom cubicles and confessed to importing an oven all the way from the

UK, no doubt causing Tonsil Hockey much grief if she found out!  Hares Bottomfeeder and Pelagic had procured a larger than normal amount of beer for the special occasion much to the chagrin of Chocolate princess shivering in her shorts.  It soon transpired that it didn’t take much of a misdemeanor to warrant a down-down in an attempt to finish the sweet amber liquid.  Yours truly suffered one simply because her shaky hand (tequila withdrawal symptoms) poured too much beer into Rhian’s glass – ah well, any excuse to drink eh!  Virgins, first and last hashers were duly recriminated, and Sylke’s naming marked the first ever christening that required flash-cards, courtesy of Doggie-Style.  She is henceforth known as Qipao (“cheong-sam” or “strange-runner” depending on how poor your chinese accent).  A re-enactment of the Slovakian beer-drinking competition (minus the Slovakians) led to a victory for the boys (finally!).  As always, the spirited circle ended up with some nosh at a chinese restaurant near the Maya, where it was observed by Doggie-style that the waitresses looked far more attractive than the ones at Fengdu.  I’m sure we’ll be back again then.   (Editors note : discussion in restaurant “where’s Kevin, wasn’t he coming”, “guess he buggered off”, “anyone see him leave?” various shrugs, but in fact Kevin ducked into the air-raid bunker loo at the Maya emerging to find not a hasher in sight, they having all vanished around the corner. His grid search then failed to include the private room in the restaurant 2 doors down, so much for solidarity).On-onAcro

Cigar, if you are reading this, I’ve found you a hash group in

Rotterdam http://www.hmhhh.com. On-on!

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Sunday 18th November – 15.00 – The Maya Bar – Hares Pelagic and Bottom Feeder – Hangzhou Hash is 25 runs old, the quarter century already, and the pack is back where it started all those eons ago, the Maya. As an anniversary run, there will be that special reason to turn out and bring new blood, any variety will do.

The bad news is that Cigar, Monika to some, departs China this weekend, so the Friday farewell drinks, all welcome, are at the 7 Club from 7.00, then on on to the Family Liu Restaurant in Baochu Lu at about 8.00 and then on on somewhere else.

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There was so much detail to this very long weekend that it will test scribe’s capacity to report, but we’ll start at the Paradise. Firstly Acro was so keen to bring on the weekend she fronted theParadise on Friday evening at 6.00 rather than the scheduled 7.00, easily convincing an unnamed hasher to join at this early hour, that victim departing finally some 6 hours and an inappropriate number of pints later facing a 6.00am start for the Vasque relay start. The Friday night carb load meals were tasty enough, but may have lacked in the volume department, more than made up by the Carlsberg accompaniment. Cigar sadly broke the good / bad news of a new job inRotterdam. Some of the good crowd that turned out seemed to be unaware of their responsibilities the following days, only Gerry doing the right thing and turning in early, mind you whilst still at the

Paradise. Doggie’s concerns notwithstanding, scribe did make it to the start of the Vasque mountain race, dismayed at the sight of so many hard looking characters. The start was a sprint to the university followed by the 700 steps to the top of the range, then a bash along the top of a few peaks. At one point, Luo called from behind that all those in front were shortcutting the summit of one peak by contouring on an earthen track, forcing scribe to take the depressingly pure route over the top. Anyway, Acro was on time and in place at the top of

Northern

Peak to effect the number changeover, so scribe’s last act was to fork out 5 and make a special prayer for the relay team at the peak temple. The prayer was returned, recipients unknown. Acro had to fly across a couple of peaks to descend to cross Meiling Rd and ascend to the top of the next range, mostly on broken and earthen tracks, a tough little project. Doggie in the meantime had toiled up from Longjing to make the next change and enjoyed a scenic undulating ridge top run with a pleasant descent to Nine Creeks, still smiling to himself about the way he rigged the draw. Pelagic was in place for the next change, and had a bit of work to do to make it up the next couple of rises, passing and being passed. Bottom Feeder in the meantime impatiently went backwards on the trail to meet Pelagic, and then took off on a helter skelter stone path descent down many stairs, which he long-jumped to luckily locate Tonsils who was re-parking her bike for later retrieval. Tonsils is no slouch and took us home in 4.27, 30^th overall. The second half was over in a flash, Tonsils finishing while Acro, Doggie and scribe were still in MacDonalds; sorry about that Tonsils. After quite a bit of slouching around after the finish, it was over to the Kebaberry on Yugo Lu, and after that to the Maya. It was well and truly dark before each parted on their separate ways, some for restoration, others for less certain outcomes. Bright and early for the Sunday morning half marathon were Cigar, Tonsils, Acro, Doggie, Yuyu (Tuesday runner) Karin, scribe and Ernie for the lake circuit. The masses hit the track filling Shuguang Lu, and then Baochu Lu, before halving in number as the Beishan Lu circuiters peeled off, but that’s all scribe can report because of an equipment failure. Those ks were 33 kwai each! Ernie was the first hasher in sight with a lake circuit in 1.34.53 while Cigar tidied up her sojourn in HZ with a 1.52.42 time for the half, 6^th woman home, with Caris not far behind in 10^th place. Doggie came home with Karin in about 2.12.20 while Acronymph completed her first half in 2.33.04 The first home overall was the first of 5 Africans in 2.18.02 and the first woman, a Chinese athlete in 2.33.10, all pretty impressive stuff. After the obligatory photo snappery, it was over to the Maya for the Bottom Feeder and Pelagic BBQ. Thanks to the Maya for the BBQ and use of the bar as a servery, because it was a beaut; Pelagic alson a culinary find of the first order. The troops trailed in, numbers swelling by Simon Deep Throat Grimmer Vasque 3^rd in 2.54 followed by Sunday’s 42k, Amy Guard Vasque 1^st Woman in 4.06, Rankas and Bonny, all down from

Shanghai for the weekend. Pelagic and Bottom Feeder, hares for the Armistice Day run had a few tricks up their sleeve. Firstly, the pack missed the eleventh hour minute’s silence, but a new found formula whereby the celebration of any anniversary be held in the time zone of original occurrence, the minutes silence was put off until 5.00pm China time. In the event this was also missed. The run was a demanding kind of thing to the shop and back, which Phone Box missed by a minute, and under pressure from the pack took off to complete the trail but completely disappeared, then followed by guilt ridden Acro, who then also disappeared; who would know? The circle, under the guidance of BF, took off on a life of it’s own, and numerous sorties to the shop kept the beer up to the down downs. Details are scant of the many transgressions that were punished, but Tonsil Hockey was finally christened in a ceremony by the RA. Either it was a very quiet afternoon at the Maya or the rowdy crowd in the forecourt chased any new customers away, but the pack had the place to itself. After the temperature fell the pack moved indoors, where the on on continued unabated. Scribe has no knowledge of theShanghai crowd actually leaving, so maybe they didn’t, but it is recorded that Pelagic base jumped from the door of the Maya without a chute, and woke to discover appropriate bruising and contusions the cause of which couldn’t immediately be remembered. Now don’t forget that the 25^th anniversary of hashing in

Hangzhou is being held again this Sunday at the Maya, but there’s no guarantee it will be quieter.

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Saturday November 10th 7.30am 2007 - Vasque Hangzhou Westlake Mountain Race – nomination details at http://race.fxoutdoor.cn/ which works a lot better if you read Chinese. If not, register with Luo on 0571-85922881. It’s a 28km run around the Hangzhou mountains, starting from HuangLong stadium, which is either an individual event, a two person relay or an exclusive hash 6 person relay as patched together by Doggie and agreed to by the run organisers. That means that Doggie, Acro, Tonsils, Pelagic, Bottom Feeder and Pushup are in and on on. In the amazing event that the baton will be actually changed by this geographicly challenged crew in the mountains, then the last runner will be back about 12.15. There is little doubt that there will be some post-run celebrations, think Maya, afterwards. Come join!   The G Earth image of the route and a map is in the gallery, under Oddities.

Sunday 11th November 8.30am Start of the Hangzhou Marathon – HuangLong Stadium – It may not be too late to register for distances from 1.6km to the full monty. www.hangzhou-marathon.com You may have to go direct to the organisers’s office, rather than use the cumbersome system provided. There are none of the hash or Even If It Rains group doing the 42k but quite a number doing the half and 8km, so Bottom Feeder is organising BBQ materials for lunch at the Maya at say, 12.30. Now because BF will be arranging the food, it’ll be great value, starters can pay him on the day. All of which brings us to…….. 

Sunday 11th November – approximately 4.00pm - Run #23 – The Armistice Day Run Hares Pelagic and Bottom Feeder – The Maya Bar approximately 4.00pm - following the post marathon BBQ – You are promised a memorable run.

p.s. there’s bound to be some Friday night drinks somewhere as well, with curfew!

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Jiuxi, down by the

Qiantang River, was a virgin location for this week’s hares Skidmarks and Phone Box. Such confidence exuding from Skidmarks, “I’ve never been down there before, but we’ll be right”; the famous hash quote uttered before many and varied disasters the world over. Scribe was taking lunch in Nanshan Lu before the run and contemplating the difficulties of finding a cab on a Sunday afternoon, when a Y4 bus was remarkably forced into frame, and the transport solution laid bare. Therefore in due course Scribe joined Lillian in the next Y4 on track for Jiuxi. Next on the scene was Bottom Feeder with flattening battery. Doggie must have been on the K5, because he missed Jiuxi by 2 long stops and arrived at the non-scenic bridge a bit later, so that was it, 2 hares and 4 hounds. There was much to discuss; the events of the previous Friday evening and Saturday morning still being trawled for explanation of missing body parts, memory, common sense and phones. Nobody came unscathed out the affair other than Lillian who had dithered about coming out and finally wilted when confronted with the cold snap. To the run; the trail led up through the picnic areas of Jiuxi, FT up a hill, further up the road, easy to follow, then amazingly into a tea field! Tea pickers must have more exciting lives than are apparent, because scribe has never seen one turn an eye to the goings on of the pack in the search of flour on the terraces. The trail exited the tea field right into boar trap country, then fallen timber, then it disappeared. Doggie found it up in an adjoining tea field, and the pack reformed to follow a good looking trail across a wooded hill. Good looking trail my foot; it terminated with a descent down a sub-tropical rain-forested earthen cliff, at the maximum angle at which earth can hold before land-slipping. Bottom Feeder loved it, falling from tree to tree down a couple of hundred feet until he exited the forest cover with a free fall down to an ancient stone tea pickers track, luckily not leaving another body part on the stump half way down. Some time elapsed before Lillian hove into view, attached to the earth and trees at all times at 6 points, 2 feet, 2 hands and 2 buttocks. Disappointingly to those already at the bottom, Lillian and Doggie manage to descend the last 20 feet without loss of limb. From here, the hares had envisaged another mountain crossing, but time intervened and the pack was spared another climb and descent in the dark, as it would have turned out. So back to the bridge in an hour and five minutes; not too bad hares Skidmarks and Phonebox, no recce, no map, and definitely no concern for the life and safety of the pack. A surfeit of transgressions kept BF in particular emptying his (clean) glass.  So then back to that new garish restaurant east of the Maya, where the hares did a great job on the ordering for not much more than the FengDu, and Bud instead of formaldehyde. Caris turned up at the Maya, after return from Huangshan with unidentified male companion. Good stuff hares, good stuff.

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Run #23 – 15.00 Sunday 4th November – Hares Skidmarks and Phone Box - Jiuxi (Nine creeks in misty forest) – Take Buses Y5 and K4 to Jiuxi, which presumably travel via Longjing Rd passing Dragon Well – Jiuxi Rd also runs off Zhijiang Rd alongside the Qiantang River if you’re coming from the distant end of town

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Hares: Skidmarks ,Pushup Bra – Hashers: Acronymph, Bottom Feeder, Pelagic, Phone Box, Rhryn, Jerry, Amie, Lillian. On this beautiful and cool autumn Sunday, the news of Doggie’s special hash experience didn’t scare the hashers away. A pack of 5 hashers and 3 virgins gathered at Meijiawu again. To crack your stiff bones, breathe fresh air, explore the city, overlook the lake and other places you’ve been, have fun…. and of course have a good drink, come to hash! We were ready, but the unpredictable trail didn’t bring the hares back in time, so on getting the instruction to start, the pack hit the road. Through the noisy and crowded tea houses, along a shallow creek , the trail turned to the foot of a hill on north. OK, let’s start Skidmarks’ Pushup-style running. Up on the hill, after a while of hiking on steps, we came to a flat place. With Acronymph’ guidance, we chose the uphill northeast way instead of going down to Daqing Vally to find a “FT” or “CB”. Ahead of us, dozens of meters away was a boar trap! Fortunately and with a little disappointment, it is a hole trap, covered with crib , which is not very solid in the center (supposed to break off when a heavy boar runs on it). This couldn’t be missed in the gallery. So Pelagic and Acronymph were shot individually in the hole. Hmm…two good preys could not be more dangerous. In the following trail, the views could be fantastic on sides of the ridge, but couldn’t be seen because of thick bushes. Only at a RG, we took a look over the tea fields on the bottom. To our surprise, both the heat and billions of mosquitoes vanished in one month. The cool breeze and the sound of leaves made by wind were quite enjoyable. As it was getting dark and the remote trail seemed endless, we became eager to go down. A pair of parallel arrows jumped into our view and led us to a covert path down to tea fields on the other side of the tea village. Although I don’t like downhill road, specially the slippery ones, it was good to go back. Brushed by thorns, I did my best to rush. At last I was still 15 minutes after the first two arrived. A new record was born, the longest gap between the 1^st and the 2^nd since the HZH3 was founded. To be serious, Pelagic was the first getting to the start point. After the racing, during down down held by Grand Master Doggie Style, who came right in time for drinking, it was revealed that you could be the 1^st if you ask for it. At least, for Pelagic, it works on BF. Hare Skidmarks “escaped” with an excuse before everybody came back. But kind Pushup Bra gave her all the chances of getting credits, said “It is Skidmarks’s running”. At dinner, we were impressed again by Acro’s skills in ordering Chinese dishes, not only for the tasty food, good prices, proper combination of meat and vegetables, and also some special dishes beneficial to man’s sexual abilities although she doesn’t know it. How lucky that I won the honor of writing this report competing with Acro by playing “scissors, stone, cloth”! On on Phone Box

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