GFH3 Run #1,737; 1 February 2014

HOMEMADE BEER!!!  Really GOOD HOMEMADE BEER!!!

That's all that needs to be said, isn't it?

If you're feeling all detail-oriented, you might care to note that 36 hashers gathered in Sterling this afternoon, under blue skies on a much-less-cold day than the last couple Hashes enjoyed.  There were, like, open coats, and several people not wearing gloves or hats.  Yowza.  The Mufti kicked off the official part of the event, introducing special guest Luke of the United States Navy.  Luke is doing a NEC (Naval Educational Command?) course in photojournalism, and one of his assignments is a multi-dimensional profile.  For reasons of his own, he's chosen to profile either the Mufti or the GFH3, so he may phone you to schedule an interview.  Key talking points if he does:  1)  Mufti?  What's a Mufti?  2)  I have never heard of this so-called organization.  3)  That's not me in those photos and if you ever try to claim it is I'll take legal action.

Then Brent and Melisande explained blue for runners and green for walkers, and handed out maps to any walkers who were extremely unlikely to be able to remember that complicated multi-color schemey thingy, then went inside to drink some of the good beer before the greedy hashers got back.  Rick, having changed out of a handsome cable-knit sweater, bounded across the road and raced past the meandering walkers and caught up to the runners with ease.

"and then follow the squiggly thing that looks like a W..."

The pack started out down Cascades Parkway, detoured onto a stream crossing, and then ziggy-zagged along paved walking paths, through the neighborhoods, shopping centers and elementary schools of prime LoCo real estate.  Somehow they managed to eschew the pavement often enough that every shoe was caked with the clay-mud-muck that characterizes NoVA soil during a thaw.

Their total trail was a hair (or several hares, end to end) longer than four miles, or about 50 minutes.  The walkers got about three miles (you are pushing it when you ask these walkers to traverse three whole miles), mostly along the same route as the runners.  Luke lay down in the mud and leaves to take super-excellent professional quality portraits of runners bounding through the beautiful afternoon.  He is actually a bit of a show-off.  There is nothing wrong with blurry photos taken from behind while strolling along, cursing one's map-reading skills or lack thereof.

COtOD works it, baby, for a professional
photographer who thinks a runny nose
really captures the essence of hashing.

At the On In, there were lasagnas and eggplant parmigianas and really tasty sesame green beans and stuff and did I mention HOMEMADE BEER that Flowerkraut described as, "Excellentissimo!" in a kind of loud-ish voice that suggested she had enjoyed a generous serving of the beverage in question.  There was both Oatmeal Stout and Pale Ale, and this non-connoisseur enjoyed both (small quantities of both, thank you) very much indeed.  There was also commercial beer, fortunately, as by the time Phoenix Rising got back, the custom-made varieties were both gone.  Someone suggested he go and confiscate Flowerkraut's.

Mufti, under the unblinking gaze of the professional photojournalist, called the roll with all his usual sangfroid.  Nelson and Luke celebrated their first runs (99 to the cup, if you're up to it), Rick is just four away from a name despite his desperate struggles to avoid one, and Lori just six.  Thinking caps, everyone; thinking caps!  Mufti is at 1,493.  Bite Me got credit despite leaving early to put her stitches up (stitches incurred in unspecified activity earlier in the day; head wound).

Hash time is happy time!

Thanks to Kimball for help with the snaps, which you can see here.  Now, about that upcoming 1,500th run that one of our members is going to achieve in March...




This just in:  the Mufti and BC3 kindly shared a couple of photographs from their sunny southern California vacation last week.  Whilst visiting Rrocks Starr (whose family hospitality they recommend), they toured the Galleta Meadows Estate Sculptures, including this impressive sea serpent.  You drive between the curves of its body-- off to the right, there, you can see a bit of a gap.

Cool!

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.