Run 2335 – Fools on the Hill

Hares:  Abandoned Pussy and Hot Cheeks
Location:  Hulls Wood, Fish Creek Park SE Calgary

Last parking lot before Sikomie Lake at the end of Bow Bottom Trail SE

On-In: Lighthouse Pub, 1140 137 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2J 6T6

https://maps.app.goo.gl/25aFETqTZrM6Ht8C6

RA: Hump the Shark
Attendance: 32

April Fools on the Hill

The Beginning

We should have appreciated that this run was set for April 1, 2024. In some circles, this is know as April Fools day. Who would have expected the entire group to become the April fools on the hill, as the hares had set up a cunning trap which most of us were sucked into.

The weather was delightful. What was ice and snow the day before had now turned to sloppy, wet and muddy. Fish Creek has many pathways to get lost in. We gathered in the Hulls Woods parking lot at the East end of Fish Creek. A good turnout with over 30 hashers. The sun was out and the temperature was mild. What could possibly go wrong.

A circle starts to take shape!

On-In managed to start off the circle. We had a new boot, Matt, some archives and a couple of milestone runs. Good to see the keen interest in the group! Marks were described by the hares, and the pack was released into the muddy trails!

Hashers dispersed to find anything that looked like a mark, indicating the true trail. A majority of us were sucked into long stretches of trail that apparently had marks. This was the initial confusion plan of the hares!

The Trail

Slush, mud and some pavement were traversed in search of true trail. Eventually, the group found something and were off. All was well until confusion set in.

Apparently the pack did not make good choices at the pedestrian bridge. Wandering around in a big circle added extra distance to the trail. The look of confusion on the distressed hashers is apparent.

The bridge was a crucial element in the trail. The hares had devised a plan to dupe the pack. A cunning plan was set to trick the hashers into crossing the river.

And yes, once the majority of the pack was over the river and up to the top of the hill, an enormous “check back” was waiting for us. Making the most of the unfortunate situation, a couple of viewpoint pictures were taken.

Now, all that was left was to blaze a trail back to the beginning to find the regroup. Easier said than done for some. Here are some happy shots from the walkers group.

No hash run is complete without a certain element of drama. With the best intentions, some members of the group found themselves on a “bad” shortcut. The ice bridge traverse was dodgy, but nobody died. Safety is always a consideration on the hash run.

The Regroup

Eventually, we made it back to the parking lot. Outside down-downs were in order, and the group prepared with beer and snacks.

The Down-Downs

Hump the Shark was self appointed as the Religious Advisor for the evening. The refreshments were prepared by Liquor Lots and the ceremony started.

A choir of Lying Sack of Shit and Insane Bolt were selected. Together, they knew about three songs, but that was not a problem. Several down downs were handed out for various reasons. The hares, new boot Matt, returning archives, and two run awards were delivered.

A fine time was had by one and all. The group retired to the Lighthouse Pub for further discussion of world events and commiserate on how they all felt quite foolish.

On the Piss!

Scribed by Skewbic Hair

The Trail

Something like this in the 5 ish km range. This is a bad illustration with the ice-bridge shortcut at the end.

Here is a different version closer to 6 km.