GFH3 Run #1,691; 6 April 2013

Was it the beautiful weather -- warm, dry and sunny?  Or the frequent absences of Heater Beater and Suck Squeeze Bang from our hashes, making hearts grow fonder?  Or the thrilling possibilities of acres and acres of unexplored fields and not-quite forests?  Whatever the incitement, about 40 people drove for hours and hours and hours to get to what has got to be the westernmost-edge of Chantilly for today's hash from the Beater-Bang family's business address.  And many, many of us remembered to bring outdoors chairs as requested, which we set up in two or three circles on the back lawn, where we could reap the full benefits of that shining sun.

SSB was off picking up the vittles (with help from Peanut), so HB offered up a hash brief of commendable brevity, assuring the runners that their two crossings of Gum Spring were designed with the safety of hashers first in the priority line.  Then everybody headed south, the walkers determined to stay on just the one side of Gum Spring, thanks.

Warm-up exercise.  That football will later come perilously, and swiftly, close to the refried beans.

The runners got a lovely route that mercifully bypassed the plentiful brambles in the area, but gave everyone an opportunity to squish through a bit of mud and straddle a forgiving and flexible (and elderly) wire fence.  And the runners did a lovely job with the route, with the usual-suspect FRBs getting home before the walkers returned, and the more leisure-minded loping in a long time after that.

Lucky for them there was plenty of Peruvian chicken, rice and beans waiting, plus an actual Peruvian.  Jorge didn't run due to illness, but he did eat and drink and socialize.  The Duck Sucker was all of a doo-dah about the Tecate, though (maybe a little bit because?) it ran out early.  And SSB kindly grabbed the small amount of eggplant parm the initial horde hadn't molested and hid it for the lone vegetarian, still wandering the woods with camera in hand.  Much appreciated, SSB; very much appreciated.

Everyone is thinking, "Oh, it is so warm and nice.  If only this moment could last forever."

Mufti bellowed the roll, revealing Leita's #2, BC3's 490-something, and Joyce's 98th.  There will be a meeting of the executive committee the next time we see Joyce, so get those thinking caps on, exec commers.  Let's see... she's a dentist...  she has a daughter named Tasty Cakes...

About 30 minutes later, Mitch realized he'd missed roll call completely and approached the Mufti with the appropriate humble reverence to request his run -- good thing, too, as it was #33, the double threes, ooooooooh.  And then the sun started to duck in and out of the treeline, and everyone started to get chilly, and in ones and twos and fours, drove away.  See you next week at Greg's!

Pictures?  Sure, I got pictures.