Hares: Hump the Shark

Location: Elliston Park SE

2402 68 St SE, Calgary, AB T2B 2N4

https://maps.app.goo.gl/mHSgvtWde2UnZakx9

RA:  Hardly

Attendance: 21

The Beginning

With Stampede over, it was time to get back to a normal schedule of hare raising and run setting. It is summer, and hares are in short supply. Thankfully, Hump the Shark volunteered to set trail and had great plans to introduce the group to the margins of the city. He selected Elliston Park SE for the start location, at the East end of 17th avenue (International avenue). Close to the finer neighbourhoods of Forest Lawn, Penbrooke Meadows and Applewood Park.

The Park location includes the site of the former Hub Oil Refinery, which burned down in 1999.

The weather has been variable in recent days, and the run happened to coincide with massive rain. Some of us were delayed in getting to the run start due to road flooding on Glenmore Trail. Thanks for the pictures of the run start with Dastardly provided.

Apparently, the number of umbrellas indicated that the group was prepared for the weather. Some semblance of a circle formed and the enthusiastic hashers tested their waterproof qualities. Here are some of the “after” pictures masquerading as the “before” pictures.

Apparently, Slow Clap ran the circle as our Hashmasters are absent using travel or adventure as the reason for not being available to keep the Hash on track. A fine job was done and the Hare was called in to describe the marks that were all now washed away.

The mention of flagging was reassuring. Flagging survives the rain where other materials do not. Hopefully, some evidence of the trail survived.

The Trail

The walkers went one way, and the runners fanned out to find the marks. The hare had chosen to run the pack through the vast grasslands surrounding the park. Plenty of deep grass, puddles and mud to enjoy.

A full featured run with open fields, roads, pathways and playgrounds. A bit light on evidence as the rain was drowning the camera.

After much wet trail running, we circled back to the starting location. A longer run extended the enjoyment of the wetness. The regroup location was a welcome view with some makeshift rain protection.

It was decided to do down down’s outside, as everyone was already wet and miserable.

Down Down’s

Hardly was selected to do the RA duties (Religious Advisor). He had a cunning plan to move this along quickly.

Hardly started with the hare, Hump the Shark, and a suitable song was delivered.

Hardly then went through the group and called each hasher out for something done on trail. The ended up as a mass down down, using your own beer.

Hump the Shark was called up again, and was called out for something special. He managed to finish the down down, and tipped the vessel over his head, subsequently filling the hood of the jacket with beer foam.

With the down down’s completed, we were declared “on the piss”. The group then headed to the local pub, Boddum’s , to dry out and enjoy food and drink.

Scribed by Skewbic Hair.

Trail Summary

A fine wet trail of between 7 and 9 km’s. We appreciate the work that went into setting a great trail in the fine neighbourhood. The puddles and the mud were epic!