Good turnout, though Tao was very late again. As we always said, one runner leaves, two more join, Luke brought one Aussie runner, Jami, who used to be the world No 3 triathlon althlete. Mini showed up with Miki, but left before the run with the excuse of being shy. Shagger came with two Sichuan beef jerky in pocket, wishing to give them to Alice, Deep Throat tried her best , still only one was given her to eat. Other hashers were Bestiality, David, S&M and Ivy. An on on was called and the path went around some houses with more than the usual quota of dogs, the pack quickly found ourselves running past our first RG accidently.Then a path through the tea field brought the pack to the stone steps, and then more steps and then steeper steps, then some narrow steps followed by one RG. Considering the heat and the mosquitos that we were desperately hoping to avoid, this RG’s waiting was extremely long, finally the later runners arriving after ages without revealing their bush loo story. Then the pack went up along a stone path again and then along and up, and down a bit then up, then along a bit then up, then up, then up. Along the way the pack regathered with some mosquito convention. So bad was the constant buzzing that the RG was immediately skipped once later runners arrived, which made Deep Throat complain a lot. Torvill wiped ” n’t” off “don’t hate us” left by guilty hares on a stone bench . As a former triathlon runner, Jami was always pushing from the front, and he even had to run back every now and then to cope with our pace. Soon the pack passed a pavilion and a stele which enabled us to be absolutely sure we were on Southern Peak, then some more steps which led to a wonderdul lookout and a RG circle combined with the CB circle, also the Peace Day circle. Whereupon the pack went back down and found the correct flour trail down straight.The final stretch was relatively flat and uneventful, after passing a village, it was back on Santaishan Road for a very long run back to the start.As a driver, david shot off immediately to avoid a down down before a circle was formed. Several wrong name infractions, virgin down-down, Luke’s new shoes violation (he refused last time), so the beer was quickly consumed. As per normal, passerbys were curious of hairly laowai with shirts off. We were warned to leave as soon as we can this time – the restaurant was worried about the parking space we stood on a lot. Later on, the crew went off to Shuguang Road for dinner. So that was Run 67, proper road, but numerous ups and downs, and long, typical Acronymph’s style. Scribe was also appreciative seeing Battery Operated made her hare job after many days apartment looking and today’s removing; good xiao mei. on on

Long weekend, wet day, people away; not a great recipe for a good turnout. With Bestiality and virgin hare Tao Tan in the chair, the rain seemed to hold off after 4.00pm  meaning that there would certainly be a run, but whether the trail could be followed or even found was the question to be answered. The run start was across the road from Pancho’s and brought memories to mind of one trail set by Doggie after a late night and on a 40 degree Sunday in 2007. All today’s hares had to do was to survive a comparison with that murderous run, and they’d be well in front. So the vastly reduced pack of S & M, new runner Tiger, introduced by Deep Throat, and today’s scribe Pushup took off with careful confidence outbound through the parks next to Tianmushan Lu. Sevenup also turned out for the run, but without runners, which had the effect of reducing the pack by 25%. Initially the trail was defined by a series of flour dots which survived the rain quite well, until suddenly red and blue chalk appeared as well as the flour, so the trail was easy to follow. Then the trail took the pack across to Xixi Lu and then back east with a couple of teasing false trails towards Laohe Hill. Finally of course the trail had to climb said hill, and the pack went up a rough track over a few rocky sections and then past a series of tombs. One spot was very familiar as it was here that the pack descended with some trepidation last January in heavy snow and ice, culminating in the snow ball fight of the winter. So finally the summit of Laohe Hill was attained with a RG, hardly necessary with the pack of three. There was some confusion at the ascent of Jiangjun Hill, with no trail found either on the direct route up, or the contouring track. However flour was discovered on the summit, so the pack can’t be accused of shirking the climb. So it was on on south along the ridge, until again the trail was lost while the hounds were discussing some canine issues, but which was found after some backtracking heading straight down on a rough earth track. By now it had become quite dark and so the descent required some care, and Tiger was concerned about the effect on his spanking new runners. This track came out in a run down old part of rural Hangzhou which then led to the back gate of the University just as the rain started falling. It was then a nice jog back through the university grounds in the dark and the rain, the pack being unable to see or follow the correct track which did a few loops around the uni. The hares and 7 Up were relaxing in a coffee shop when the sodden pack arrived. The chosen Chinese restaurant was too busy, so the pack chose Korean instead which turned out to be floor job, RMB50 per person and perhaps not the most inspiring cuisine, Titman joining for the meal. Afterwards it was the 7 Bar where Creature, Torvill and Luke with some visitors provided momentum for another over-the-top finale to a wet Sunday. The down down competitions were memorable, Luke’s mate Michael proving the nights winner with an honourable mention for Tao Tan who finished the night with a litre down down. So, hares, it was a well constructed trail in familiar territory with some original ideas and easily followed even in the rain.
on on – Pushup

Commentary on last Sunday’s run must indeed start some three days earlier when On Sec got the venue, which was Hangzhou Zoo by chance. After knowing the coincidence, Torvill re-located the venue to Xinyi fang just one hour before his 29th birthday celebration at Shanhe teppanyaki. When scribe arrived Sunday evening at Xinyi fang, Torvill was wearing an apron with a stuffed penis given by virgin hasher Luke as a birthday gift. Apparently, he was excited to find the fake pubic hair attached up the penis. Turnout included Pushup, 7Up, Hentai(

Hares: Acronymph and Phone box

Two virgin hashers, one pair of new shoes and new venue was this Sunday’s run. Good thought, Phone box, who carried a Coke bottle packed with hash flour and came back with natural colour looking hands, and one thing has to be mentioned here is, the Coke bottle was packed with millet, which could be the substitution of flour in rainy or snowy days. Poor Shagger arrived with pain suffered from wisdom tooth extracted out this early morning. And after last week’s lovely Alice, Hentai brought one new handsome male hasher, whose name was Wang Zhennan. Others were Sevenup, Pushup, Slowsucker ( a visitor from Berkshire), Tao, Bestiality, David, and Creature Comfort. The trail set off along Hupao road, after passing the first check just on the other side of the road, and the very obvious second check at one road junction, the trail turned to Manjuelong road. When running between a mixture of buildings and shop houses, one illusion jumped into scribe’s mind, seems scribe’s virgin hare run started from here, but the disappeared shop which Pushup bought his lunch peanuts finally confirmed scribe’s poor navigation ability again. One left turning, and began the ascent of a tea field, which then followed by the wooded hill without any checks or CBs. An unofficial RG was called, two later runners, Bestiality caught up through a bush shortcut according to the voice direction, while Creature failed and came back along the proper trail. Then on on up, soon reaching a stone path, and then the  pack re-gathered at a pavilion on the top of the mountain. There, Alice couldn’t help herself to touch a poor hungry three-leg white cat, while Hentai surprised everyone by emptying the trash can trying to feed the poor thing. The trail down was uneventful, with one RG effectively re-gathering the whole pack. We descended through the Hupao spring, which become known as the best water for Longjin tea, and then came out at Hupao road. Unprecedented cold water quenched most of our thirst except those who grabbed frozen bottle, and Skidmarks joined us before the circle, cleverly avoiding mountain climbing again. Virgin Tao was given a down down, and followed it up with a new shoes violation. Shagger couldn’t make the run because of doctor’s orders, and no beer either. The reason we figured out later was all due to sheep chasing motivation. The most numerous offenders were always being those who called hashers other names. Luckily or maybe unluckily, we were the only guests at the restaurant we chose, though experienced Acro still organised enough food out of dish limited menu for all those hungry hashers. I simply do not believe any bars will exist inside this lonely dark mountain area, but the new 7bar do sit at the end of a long gloomy path near Nanyu Hotel, where the bar owner and two of his friends were the only customers before we arrived. It was a surprise to find a sexy city bar stuck here in the side of mountain. The pack generally agreed that the trail was well set, despite lack of checks in beautiful country with fantastic views.

Hares: Shagger and Creature

Just south of HeFang St is a recreation of an arch from one of the old city walls which were all removed in the late 19th century in the name, presumably, of progress. Shame really, but the HZ fathers have since been kind enough to re-build one of the towers, the landmark from where Shagger and Creature set this day’s trail. The pack began to congregate, Bestiality first, then the Anglo Slovak accord, the hares Shagger and virgin hare Creature, 7Up, the cyclists Torvill and Xuda on a very sparkling new pink number, Acronymph, the Cunning Linguist, virgin Alice, Oscar and then cyclist Hentai who was calling in for directions when he was accidentally seen cycling past and hailed to a halt. Surprisingly the hash icon of on-time, Phone Box, was late, but unsurprisingly, Deep Throat, in a final release from Olympic duties, also called in late but alas too late to make the start. There was the usual concern of the hares; was it too long, was it too short, enough marks, too many etc etc, but experience will out, the more you set, the more it all makes sense.

The trail set off along ZhongHe Rd, past a mixture of buildings and shop houses, all of which were being given the magic Marco Polo treatment with the addition of doors and window treatments; quite charismatic. Then the trail turned west and began the ascent of the wooded hill which turned into being a labyrinth of paths, lookouts, paved areas, constructions, memorials, tombs, picnic areas, public buildings (somebody please explain what all these public buildings are used for). The sculptures near the war memorial were most impressive, not the brass reliefs but the stone jobs. There were innumerable checks and CBs, FTs and the like, none of which was very obvious because the trail could have been heading anywhere. By clever trail laying the front runners were often turned into back markers, and the trail, either chalk or flour was always quickly located when lost. When arriving back at the start Oscar was shocked to find that the run had concluded in just 40 minutes, he still remembering the 7Up trail to Tianma Hill.

Shagger’s cold beers hit the mark, and it was a biggish circle who saw the punishment of various offenders, the most numerous being those who were noted using hashers other names. Virgin Alice was given a down down, and followed it up with a new shoes violation, neither of which were slow to go down; been in the UK too long. There were actually 3 namings on the day, one of which was the Cunning Linguist finally discovering the similarity of her name to cunnilingus, the meaning of which was beyond the powers of scribe’s description, at that moment. It was an obvious extrapolation then that fellow Pole Oscar was christened Fellatio, which required no particular effort to describe. Xuda’s new bike was worthy of comment, not many hot pink ones were sold that day, so Barby Xuda now is. Shagger had in mind a particularly popular little restaurant around the corner, and it was lucky there were only 12 at the table for the whole group would have ended up dining one floor below, such was the state of the floor. After that top meal, the remnants headed for the House of Pain to watch the rest of the closing ceremony (and the F1 -ed). Full marks to the hares, good run, good on on