We can proudly announce that the Tien Shan HHH is starting to be a runners’ hash again, now that the two Elenas have joined the running pack. Comment of one of the Elenas: ‘It is a lot more interesting to be with the runners, we get more exercise and do more exploring.’ And yet some unfaithful hashers had ceased to believe that there would again be more runners than walkers in this hash! Lesson to be learnt: never give up hope.

And yet the hares had given up hope while setting the hash. After running close to the river towards what seemed to be a bridge, they discovered that it was just a wall on the other side of the river, then tried out a sort of bridge made of pipes –putting their own life at risk for the sake of the trail, then faced a barbed wire fence, at which point they decided to do the undoable, that is: have the hashers return on the same path. Shame on them, and both Eata My Pussy and Super Sneaky Stalker were duly charged later for that non-adventurous behavior.

Luckily, long-standing hashers such as Tootsie Roll from Calgary (or Kyzyl Orda, he couldn’t get his story straight), Stinkfoot and Jackmaster knew better than the hares. Followed by the two Elenas –who kept asking the hare: ‘Is this the right trail?’, they just ignored the flour marks prompting them to run back and decided to keep going, occasionally sliding on shiggy (hash term meaning any mixture of mud, dirt, etc). And were so vigorous about it that Stinkfoot managed to find a way to enter the fenced zone and cross the river.

Would their vigor take them all the way to Big Almaty Lake? No: they ran down towards the dam again, to be welcomed a little later by a familiar sound: a hasher shouting ON-ON! It was Mighty Mouse as chief of the stroller brigade, who greeted the runners and even ran with them back to the circle, where the hare had decided they would start again in order to run the final part of the official trail. Amazing coincidence, at the foot of the dam they met the walkers; perfect timing for a few words exchanged between fellow hashers and some complaints to the hares, Pedfac for instance who cried out ‘It was too dangerous!’

Then the circle was convened, a few violations were pointed out, for example the two Elenas
(Please, name them fast, this confusion is unbearable!) for shortcutting, Tootsie Roll for having sex in the circle, not one, not twice, but three times, and Super Sneaky Stalker for smoking (but everyone got to admire her brand new white socks, hash respect seems to filter in her at last). Your obedient scribe forgot what was the reason for her down-down, but dutifully poured the remnants of her drink ON HER HEAD when she was not able to finish it on time (note: it is an excellent conditioner). Tony -- who should get a down-down next time for repeating many times ‘I am not a hasher’, was a very generous hash piss so things get a bit blurry after this, and my memory fails me. The hashers had received a print-out of some of the Hash songs; there will be no excuse anymore not to sing them. The circle did a splendidly imaginative rendition of the Almaty leaver’s Song, in honor of Jackmaster and Mighty Mouse who are going to Tashkent. Red Menace volunteered to organize a day-long hash in Kapchagay with someone else, to be designated next week.

The on-on was at Mad Murphy’s. Where we’ll see you all next Sunday at five!