Victoria Hash House Harriers Runs - 2022

The '29^th Annual 12 Stops of Christmas' Run
With some questions with regard to whether the VH3 was going to follow recommendation of health authorities or not, but with all mandates dropped this year's 12 Stops of Christmas threw caution to the wind and ran as if the pandemic was over (which it is not).  We had 21 hashers show up.  Not our lowest number, but maybe 2 more than our lowest number.  We had nice weather; not too cold.  Someone from Mismanagement told the Hares that the Hash had lots of money to spend, so they didn't skimp on the boozy stops.  We had a naming - our 3^rd and last for the year.  Just Jason was named "Beer Buster".  I didn't stay for the pot-luck dinner and gift exchange, but I read in our Hash Scribe's write-up that someone didn't follow the instructions to limit their gift cost to "$15 max" bringing as a gift a bottle of Remy Martin VSOP.  Maybe they really didn't like French Cognac... who knows?  I wonder who was the lucky person to win that gift? I wasn't there so it's easy for me to say if I had been there and won it the host would have got it.  Hash Flash has sent me a few teaser photos and promised to follow-up later with more.

The Annual General Pissup Run/Walk and Vote
I think Dikkus (our Grandmatress) decided that the pandemic is over (even though it is far from it), and he had enough of this use of technology to include hashers in the vote.  I missed the run, as I had another thing to go to, but made it to the AGPU.  That was a small room.  Last year we had  43 hashers vote at the AGPU because the voting was done digital using LimeSurvey, but the room we  booked at the Bent Mast Pub for the in-person voting might have held 16.  Only 11 hashers turned up at the run/walk, but a few more turned up to fill the room.  The attendance number for 2022 compared to 2021 show and end of year decrease in attendance by 9%.  Why that is Mismanagement this year might need to tackle.  This year we had 2 additional runs over last year, and the totals number of participant were still lower than last year's total.  The 100% increase in cost for hashers to attend came in half way thought the year, on July 16, affecting runs from July 30^th and onwards.  The average attendance in the period before and after the increase fell by 21%, and over the same period last year attendance fell 35%.  The new Hash Scribe has provide us with his first write-up, and the first since run 795 in 2021 - the 2022 Hash Scribe didn't do any write-ups. I have 2 more write-up to publish; a write-up for a Dark Side run which in its history has ever only had 1 other write-up; and a 12 Stops of Christmas run.  For the AGPU result check the 2023 Mismanagement page.  I have no photos for this run, just the write-up.  Our Hash Flash couldn't attend nor was she able to find someone to be her proxy for the voting.

The 26^th Annual Goldstream Park Run I have no photos for the Gold Steam Salmons run this year, even though I remember photos being taken.  We had 23 hashers turn-up, it was dry and not very cold (seemed warmer than past years).  The drought was showing its effect on the height of the stream.  I think the number of walker and runners were about split.  These Goldstream hashes often attract less often seen 'old-time' hashers, but also brings in the occasional visitors.  We didn't get any visitors this year, but hounds who were runners-up (well, maybe 'walkers-up') to my 'most rare-hasher'  observation  goes to Mucksucker, Bad to the Bone, and Deep Shit (this was only their 3^rd hash this year), but the easy win on rarity goes to Double Hump - this was his first run this year, and he was last seen at the 2019 AGPU.  It was great to see him and the other 'medium rare' and hashers.  Of course Deep Shit and Ice Breaker did a excellent job with the trail.  The only bit of 'tail from the trail' that I remember was with Sir My Cocks A' Fallen for started-off as a walker, got so far ahead of the hare 'leading' the walker he got lost, and found the runners.  From that point on he became an 'runner' and finishing the trail that way.  I suppose the trail was sufficiently clever to slow the fast runner and speed along the slow runners because SMCAF turned up at the BC in good time.  There we had the traditional blue berry tea etc..  On-afters was at Four Mile House Pub.

The 'Anonymous Hash' Run was supposed to have hashers come with masks, and a few hasher did, but I know I couldn't find one, so maybe that was the case with others.  On this run the hares, who are from the Whitehorse, shared the WH4 habit of Fireball shooters and a game of Egg Russian Roulette (click the left image for an example with Ryan Reynolds).  Despite it being sunny and relatively mild for early November we only had 13 hashers out.  I did the walkers root - my injury is being worked on by the medical community -, so I can't speak to the runners' route, but the hares had the runners overlap enough to have them skillfully converge at a common stopping point. There hasher got Fireball shooter - a common treat of the Yukon hash - and a short introduction of Egg Russian Roulette, where the loser get a raw egg on his forehead.  In this case that loser was Speedy Whorezales who ended the search for the raw egg early in the challenge.  Bearded Lady and Cream Card visit Victoria for school and work in the winter and return to Whitehorse in the summer.  I believer the WH4 had there 300^th this August, and Bearded Lady was there, so if I got that wrong he can correct me.  The VH3 was founded April 24, 2008, and runs every 2 weeks in the summer and occasionally in the Winter.  I have no photos from this run, so in a way the theme of anonymity of the run remain intact.

The 'Oktoberfest' Run  I was wondering how many Oktoberfest runs the VH3 has had as it seemed a natural theme for hashing - beer being involved, and the love of sausages.  I mean, one of our hashers was named 'I Dream of Weenie' for stopping for a sausage while on a hash and that wasn't on Oktoberfest.  I had to go back 16 years (!) to find the last time hashers had a sausage themed hash.  I mean...it's not just for the beer that we have an Oktoberfest run, otherwise every run would be Oktoberfest  every month!  It's got to be the sausage.  Some might say it's an exuse to wear strange looking shorts with suspenders.  No one wore leather, but Stoolie made a pretty good effort to come attired in shorts that looked like lederhosen.  A pair of true leather lederhosen will set you back $130 dollars, and being leather are described having 'a slightly tighter fit in the beginning, these lederhosen trousers will widen and adapt according to your body shape'.  That means, unless you are a lederhosen enthusiast and had a well broken in pair you would probably expience some chafing as you ran and swet in your hosen - chafed sausage.  The past Oktoberfest were in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, and 2006.  This revival of the VH3 Oktoberfest had a sunny day and 21 hashers out to the promis of sausages in buns with condoments - alway practice safe sausaging.  As many walkers as runners got treeted to a wander through the grounds of UVic with a BC in the woods across from the rhododendron gardens.  Hash Frash didn't make it to the run, but I got Bearded Lady to share with me a photo of a neighbour's sign next to one of the hares on-ons saying, 'Warning! Unidentified powder. Don't let your pets eat it.', but they left the four there.  Maybe the illustration on the sign were not graphic enought and leaving the unknown substance there provided the opertunity for a further example when a pet did consume the substance.  In anycase the bratwurst and condement were a nice addition to our usual selection of craft beers, and no hounds or pets ran afoul of the hares' flour trail marks.

The Crafty Graffiti Thanksgiving Hash  was an attempt to show off some of the murals, especially those at the Leland Building (corner of Bay and Douglas Street).  This was the 3^rd run it a row with only 10 participant.  Despite this event having lots of VPs and a craft beer stop included in it - setting the trail Wet Taco and I bumped into 3 hashers who said they would turn out, but didn't.  Whereas we had 30 hasher come out in the 3 VH3 hashes leading up to Halloween, last year, in the same period, we had 50.  This year we have had 20 fewer hashers come out, a reduction of 40%. Last year's Halloween hash had 39 hashers come out, so based on our current stats we should expect about 23 to come out this year.  Despite all the work it took to set this special trail, searching out all 11 VP stops, selecting the pub stop etc.  I think all those who did make it out enjoyed the trail.  It was a relatively warm sunny day - almost an extended summer.  Hasher enjoyed a pub stop outside at Herald treet Brew Works and on-afters only a couple blocks from religion.  I could not have been better planned.  We even have photo!  Check out the trail map and photos at each of the VPs link to at the top of the gallery.

I missed this run out at PKOLS, or Mount Doug Park.  The VH3 Participation Spreadsheet shows another relatively low turn out of 10 hashers.  The night before the Dark Side of the Moon had their 341^th run and 2 full kegs at the BC and Religion.  There was a promised that the Dark Side keg dregs would end up at the next day's VH3 run (this run), and I was going to miss it!  You think that would have been an attraction (the kegs, not me missing the run), but it wasn't.  I had an offer to drink my brothers beer in his backyard, and planned to follow that up making it to on-afters at the Fifth Street Bar and Grill.  I was walking everywhere to get in some exercise, and on my way to the Grill I Dream of Weenie and Oh Candida spotting me and gave me a ride.  At the Grill I got some tales from the trail.  The funniest was a 'hasher half-mind' example where hashers were told to bring growlers because there were two free kegs to be emptied, and Slippery Dick showed up with a full growler.  I was told it was a good trail with eagle and turkey option as well as a walkers trail.  From what I can tell there wasn't a lot of difference between turkeys and eagles given confusion created by some of the trail marks having  been scrubbed out.  At least in the park is really hard to get lost in.  Confused, but not lost.  I walked home with Yeasty and Oh Candida and scored a bit of what was left in one of the kegs.  We couldn't let it go to waste!

Shhhhh! It's in the CRD run!. This run name was due to the first-ever law enforcement cancellation of run 799 (2021) where CRD officials told the hares they would be fined if they didn't have a free Park Use Permit - I think they were actually grumpy over seeing flour dots in the park, but there is no specific by-law against that, and proof of it being a 'nuisance' was not likely forthcoming.  This time there were no grumpy CRD officials.  It was a warm and a bit smoky day with the sun casting mottled orange ochre colour pattern across the trails on the east side of the lake.  The runners actually got to run through part of the area that had burned in a recent wild fires. This wasn't the smallest event, but there were still more hashers at this hash than on Run  829(which had 8).  We had 9 hashers and 4 K9's at this excellent event.  The low numbers were a strange.  In 2019 we had 13 hashers turn up to run 759 when the Hash competed with the 2019 Great Canadian Beer Festival for drinkers.  This year the Beer Fest returned from a COVID-19 hiatus, but entrance fees increased to $45 - paying just to get in was a bit rich for me, when the Rib Festival (also this weekend) has no charge for entrance. In any case at least some loyal hashers did turn up to support our hares' labours, and had plenty of fun.  The only tragedy on this run was Goes Down Well having left her sea urchin flavoured chips that she wanted to share with us in a Shell station washroom.  This was also the first time I Dream of Weenie has been at Thetis Lake, and his first time to 6 Mile House Pub where we did on-afters.  I said the next hash has to have it's on-afters at 4 Mile Pub or 17 Mile Pub as he has not been to either of those pubs too.  Where the Great Canadian Beer Fest might be charging people to experience beers that mostly are about the same, the VH3 is providing new pubs and parks to 'I Dream'.  Hashing one-uping the beer festival. (P.S. I took some photos as Hash Flash wasn't able to attend, and though I forgot I had my camera in my pocket I did my best to fill-in. Those will come soon.)

The 'Boomerang's and Cinderella birthday run on Salt Spring'.  This event turned out to be the biggest one so far this year with 25 participants.  The hares promised, 'The hash will be catered by pony kegs' (A.K.A a quarter barrels).  I thought optimistic that they could safely drink all that beer, but buying either a slim quarter or a pony keg was a nice touch as Boomerang turned 83 and there are 83 12oz cups of beer in a quarter barrel.  Rumours are they purchased 3 of them from Victoria's Phillips Brewery rather than from Salt Springs Brewery - I suppose it still remains a Victoria hash. Turns out they bought 3 quarter barrels (that's 249 beers, or ~10 beers per hasher).  Visitors included Vimeo Dance Queen (Pennsylvania), Dehli Belly (Ottawa), and Bagger (Vancouver Can).  I didn't attend, but I have been gathering stories. Oh Candida's main story was a local seeing the Victoria Hash House Harriers sandwich board arrive to purchase hashish, but was disappointed that the hosts didn't live up to what they thought the sign was offering.  Dikkus main memory is the naming of Just Jessica to "Hotnthornymomager" (according to Hash Scribe one continuous word).  There was also an anything but clothing run at some point, but like the apparel the detail of that are scant.  I hope there were photos (of the regular events), especial as the Hash Flash was hosting the camping etc.  This run was a weekend event with a Dark Side of the Moon 340 - The 'Salty Dark Side' Run happening the day before out of Hash Flash's back yard.  I expect that the quarter barrel was tapped the day before Boomerang's birthday hash during the Dark Side.  I hope the beer wasn't flat and warm by the time this run happened.

The We’re not in Kansas Anymore Run.  I am not sure why this is what the hares named their run, but in someway a theme of becoming lost may  have made it true.  We had another sunny day, and Quarter Cup joined us from Seattle off one of the many visiting cruise ships - he said that he left his wife to tour Victoria while he came out on the run.  This run's attendance will begin to provide real data on the effect on the 100% increase in hashers' run costs.  On this sunny-day run we had 16 hashers, which is 2 below the average run number, and excluding the Sooke Potholes run (which had a number of other cost involved), it still had more hashers turn up than the Tutu Run (Red Dress replacement run 826).  I was a walker, still plagued with a yearlong injury and on a couple wait list for diagnosis the shortest being a only 12-16 week for a sports medicine referral - BTW all sports medicine referral have been drastically shortened now by going through triage at RebalanceMD eliminating pick and choose done by GPs and patients.  Back to the run, it looping around or by Christmas hill, down across Quadra to the Lockside Trail, skirting the north side of Swan Lake and into an adjacent subdivision, and the BC was in Slippery Dick's back yard -  half-block from the start.  The walkers made it halfway up Christmas Hill with Slippery Dick and his young son leading us.  Somehow on our way up the hill we lost Hot Nuts, Speedy, and Just Craig.  Given Slippery's bad luck of getting lost perhaps his karma wore off on them.  On that 'lost' theme, we bumped into a cyclist on Quadra Street looking for Sidney!  At least not in Kansas, we gave her gave her direction to the Lockside Trail which would take her to Sidney.  Eventually the runner caught up to the walkers at the BC and the lost Speedy called on his cell phone to give him direction to the BC.  I had to leave before religion.  Just before turning onto the highway I spotted Speedy and Just Craig entering Rainbow Park a block away from the BC.  He was coming from a direction completely opposite to the course of the walkers trail.

I missed this run, so can only tell you what I know from the few photos received from Wet Taco - I gather he was hash flash for this run.  In short it was sunny and there were not that many people on the run (6 named hashers, and 2 virgins who were relative of Speedy), and they ran along the I had to double check the attentance record of this years 'Sooke Potholes Run' as it seemed to have initialy tied the 2018 Potholes run 731 with the lowest turn out for one of these wilderness run.  In 2018 they only had 8 hashers.  Then I looked again and this run's 8 included Speedy's cousin Just Simona and her partner Just Matrhieu who were out on there virgin run.  In 2018 we didn't count the 3 virgins who were on that run, so comparing the two run Flowline. including the virgins 2022 is the lowest Potholes run attendence that we have on record.  Stoolie Andrew made it out on this run, and  he has to be given honourable mention for having set 9 out of the 12 Sooke Pothole runs that we have had of which 4 he set on his own.  He set his first assisting Pumer's Mate on run 436 in July 2007.  The first Potholes run was run 410 set in July 2006 by Plumber's Mate.  Like that first run this one was sunny and warm.  The Potholes runs skipped 2021 and 2020 due to COVID-19 with the last being run 757 in 2019.  

Another wonderful sunny day's run in glorious Victoria.  We named this 'The Moss Speedy Weenie  Run' as it started at the Moss Lady, and travelled across Beacon Hill Park  to Cook Street Village, and across Fairfield to travel along the Annual Moss Street Paint-In, and went to the top of Moss Rock Park.  Even though the start was pinned on the map some hashers needed to do a bit of searching to find the Moss Lady.  It was another spectacular day, and the mini-donuts (some of the walkers stopped for these)  and art at the Paint-In were great.  The BC and religion was at I Dream of Weenie's condo, a wonderful example of preserved Mid-century Modern Architecture, with a 60-70s style tiki bar, and a spectacular panaromic view of Victoria from it rooftop common room and viewing area.  This was the last VH3 run to charge $5.  Mismanagement met for a pre-lube before the run and decided that all future runs after 828 will double hashers' cost to $10. On-after was at The Bent Mast.   Despite the number if summer event and vacations going on we still had 17 hasher show up which made this a summer success.

This run was an anniversary run repeating the trail set for run 798 in 2021 hared by Cock-a-Leeky and Goes Down Well.  See Cook-a-Leeky's memorial page here.  This was kind of a memorial hash, as well as a post-Canada hash.  Hashers were encouraged to come in your best Canada gear, flag, etc.  As the COVID-19 pandemic is not over GDW responsibly set the on-after on the patio of the Driftwood Brewers where, along with suds that they brewed, hasher could sample some of the best asian dumpling (supplied by the Dumpling Drop Resaurant) and other similar light fare. I couldn't make it to the run, but found the hash at the beginning of the religion back at the start running late - I was on my way to catch them at the Diftwood.  I got a down-down for being the blab (though I wasn't even able attend).  It was a sunny day, and about 22 hashers showed up.  This was Just Craig's virgin run.

The 1^st Tutu Run
I missed this run so have little to say about it.  The hash has been rapidly changing its tradition and so this year's Red Dress run wasn't the second Black Dress run, which last year replaced the annual Red Dress run, but now we have the first annual Tutu and Blue & Yellow themed run.  The blue over yellow theme represented support for the Ukraine.  Donations this year were to go to Canadian-Ukraine Foundation, or Just Lucy's GoFundMe.  This year 14 hashers showed up, which was 6 fewer than last years Black Dress run, which had 4 fewer then the last Red Dress Run.  I don't know if the tradition of collecting donations from hashers did as well this year as we did last year.  No one has told me. The list of Red Dress / Black Dress / Tutu run can be found here.  If I get photos from this run I will post them, and if someone tells me how we did for donations, those too I will post.

The Return to Lizard Lake Weekend Campout and Run I missed this event but I can tell you what I know of it.  This was the second little brother of these Lizard Lake camp-out weekends events.  The first was on a warm weekend, May 27^th, 2017, and was an add-on to our regular roster of runs, thus getting the 699b run number - in the VH3 not all numbers are numbers, and they are not always sequential.  In 2017 enough hashers wanted a run but didn't want to have to travel to the wilderness with the necessity of camping out to go on the run, and the regular run date was May 20^th, a certain hasher's birthday, and he was setting the run, so we held two 699 runs.  Ironically both 699a and 699b had 20 hasher show up to each.  This year's Lizard Lake had 10 hashers (so little brother).  This Lizard Lake weekend include hashers breaking bones.  In 2017 Sticky Wicked broke her leg, and this year Shiggela broke her wrist.  Other than the destination perhaps broken bones were the only similarities between the two, as the photos from 2017 show a warm summery May weekend, whereas this run hashers had to contend with some precipitation and cool weather.  My understanding was the broken wrist came about due to an unfortunate slide and fall off a wet slipper round of wood used as a stepping stone in a stream.  I look forward living vicariously off Shiggela's photos.  Hopefully the next Lizard Lake run will skip the broken bones.  Third time's the charm!

Hats-off to Hardhooker for setting this great run, with all the bits and pieces that she and Sexi Lexi had planned, but without her co-hare to help set and run the trail, keeping to the plan with both walking an running routes.  Sexi came down with a bug, and had to bail on the day - no sense risking passing the pathogen onto other hashers.  It was a sunny day with the trail wandering past Quadra Street Village, Downtown, and North Park neighbourhoods with the BC at Central Park.  This being a Hardhooker trail there were three hooks, and I got at least 2 of them.  At the end of the trail I got to meet the hares charming mother.  She was busy doing some chores in her backyard,expecting and ready for hashing invaders.  She seemed to enjoy the company of a larger group of crazy Hashers.  There were 18 of us, so that backyard seemed small when we lot circled-up for religion.  On-afters was at the new Pluto's at 2709 Quadra St., where San Remo used to be.  Dino Petropoulos, the owner of San Remo had renovated the old building for decades, but eventual permanently closed, allowing Plutos owner Brun Dahlquist to sign a least in early 2021.  The original iconic and fantastic example of Googie architecture, at it's 1150 Cook Street location, had been Plutos home for 33 years, and before that a Pacific 66 service station from the early 1960s.  It was converted to a kitchen and for a short time operated as the Armadillo Restaurant.  The new Plutos opening in April of 2021.

This run signaled an end of an era - I'll get to that.  Gary Glitter and Wet Taco runs seem to have there humorous component, and I hope they keep it up.  There are the late desperate phone calls to me for help getting in contact with the other hare (last time), or what happed to the Beermeister calls (this time). It was sunny, but with a cool La Niña breeze.  After the FRBs found the one hook not more than 300 meters from the BC, they headed back to find no other runners behind them.  Unfortunately for the FRBs Garry Glitter had decided to short cut the rest of the pack - or long cut the pack as the trail at that point was almost an on-in!    That can pose a problem with a hook, when the rest of the pack are no longer on the trail.  In any case the FRBs got to the BC last as they spend some time fruitlessly looking for the rest of the pack .  This is the last time an event can happen in Wet Taco's back yard, as it has been sold!  If you search the web site for the Victor Street address you will find the following events starting in 2013, VH3 runs: 583 (2013), 620, 710, 723, 742, 758, 765, 770, maybe 792, and maybe one or two bike hashes, and maybe a Dark Side of the Moon events.  There was a group photo taken so once I receive that I will post it here.

The Two Buck Fuck Tale Trail  I Googled this name and got the wrong impression of the theme. I know there are a lot of deer in Victoria and Oak Bay, but it turned out that was not what this hash was all about.  There was a HH and VP at an older waterfront home that once was a brothel.  There Icebreaker impressed us with his vast knowledge of one of Victoria's higher-end brothels of the 19th century.  He knew the base price of servicing clients,  and even the additional charger for a finger up your but for a prostrate message.  That must have taken some research.  He even told us that the authorities finally cracked down on such institution through the introduction and enforcement of liquor licensing.  In any case it was a glorious day, and unlike the previous hash a good 18 hashers showed up.  We even had Mooster Fister visit us from Anchorage H3. On-after was at Christie's Carriage House Pub.

Visiting while working in Vancouver and Victoria Tighty Whitey from the Calgary H3 offered to set a Victoria Hash on the a mid-regular-run Saturday at the regular time.  There are no rules (except the start time and cost), so the run got posted as a regular run.  Maybe Victoria hashers are really stuck in there ways these days and couldn't handle the idea of a run happing more often than every two weeks (unless it's a Dark Side of the Moon run).  In any case culture won-out, and so only 4 die-hard hashers joined Tighty Whitey on his run.  A bit of a shame, but a benefit for those who did spend time with Tighty.  He was a really great guy.  He set a good trail through downtown Victoria, and this was one of our better hashes of the year.  The run starting with a pre-lube at Phillips Tasting Room, then a beer check at Herald St. Brew Works where the first round was bough by the hare.  There was even a eagle/turkey split.  Dikkus was a good sport to be the only hasher taking the eagle trail.  On-afters was split between Phillips Tasting Room and then Superflux {Cabana} for food, where hangs Sandro Botticelli's The Birth of Venus (but Superflux style) over their bar.  I couldn't do dinner with them, but Superflux is a great place to go.

I didn't go to the hash, so if the Hash Scribe went either he will or will not comment on the run - likely won't.  Hash Flash has sent no photos either.  The run did happens as our attendance records show 22 had shown up.  It was the virgin run for Just Tim (made to cum by Shigella), and Just Don (made to come by Primped Pump).  The one rare thing about this event was the on-afters was a pot-luck event with a keg of beer.  The fist since the COVID-19 pandemic had started.

This was a rare run with no beer at the BC, and no real religion at the end of the trail.  Parking was at capacity by the time we started out due to a parking lot closure at Matheson Lake Regional Park, that links to Roche Cove via the Galloping Goose.  The hare were not parked there.  They had decided to hide the beer in their Subaru Forester, on the edge of the forest at the entrance of an access road, in a nice secluded place.  It was a mild sunny day, and 19 hashers started off on a well planned and executes trail taking good advantage of the paths in the Roche Cove Regional park.  It had some promised mud and water, and the FRBs were nicely slowed up with some cleverly placed check-backs and back checks.  In the end walkers and runner met up at the BC.  With all that planning you would think that this would have been a perfect hash event, but that was not in the works.  Some local thieves working in the area spotted the Subaru, which was nicely out of view of the road.  They had broken the front seat passenger's side window and taken Boomerang's wallet and the Hash's cooler and all the goodness inside of it.  That was the last of our u-brew beverage, give the place we got it from had recently gone out of business.  Perhaps in shock of the dastardly deed, hasher simply congratulated the hares for their effort, and that was it for religion.  Hasher just travelled the 3KM to 17 Mile House Pub and Liquor store, and hung around in the pub's parking lot for an hour waiting to be seated in the busy pub.  The hares headed out to file report with the police, and start the effort to get the window replaced.  Photos to come.

Cock-a-Leeky Memorial (click on the title to see the memorial gallery)
When I saw the title of this hash, I had to think hard as to why in March.  CAL passed away on  November 1st, and normally a memorial (like the recent February memorial for Gispert) is set on the date the person's passed.  A beat later I realized that Saint David's Day is March 1st and it was on the that day in 2012 that Cock-a-Leeky was named.  So in a way the memorial is kind of both for her and her naming on Saint David's Day.  The hares didn't mention this at all in the information sent to me for the website,  but they asked everyone to bring a leek (Saint David's personal symbol), and this was the closest run date in March to March 1st.  Lots of leeks were brought, with some amusing anecdotes:  One hasher allowed her leek to be run over.  The symbol of a saint smashed into the parking lot gravel, but she got down-down for it.  Another hasher admitted that, after having a week in advance purchased a leek for this occasion , having forgotten said leek in her refrigerator.  To that confession her husband remarked that he was glad he didn't drink her leek mistaking it for juice. She was dutifully punished.  Another fellow hasher had me come to the grocery store to seek out a leek, and once there it became very obvious, that while standing in front of the leeks he didn't have a clue  which vegetable was a leek - and he could have read the signs.  That hasher got a down-down.  One hasher admitted only at the on-after that he had taken what looked to be pictures of leeks from a colouring book, coloured them green and bought those instead.  When if came to tossing our leeks into Saanich Inlet (the sea) on the waterfront of Gowlland Tod Provincial Park he fortunately didn't.  He cleverly escaped being punished.  To be fair the hares didn't say it had to be an actual leek, but at a cost of 60 to 80 cents, the time spend colouring  a paper leek was at best describe as a labour of love, rather than efficient  I did the walkers route.  At the 'leek tossing' CAL was toasted with very small shots of whisky, as the hares had underestimated the turnout - my guess is 33 hashers came out - or were economizing.   There were more walker than runners, and a few backsliders. We had no rain, which we had the days before.  Despite the groomed trail for the Walkers, but shiggy and steep ground for the runners, we had one mildly twisted ankle amoung the walkers - probably the law of averages, or, as it was amoung those two who had brough the paper leek, maybe Saint David was being a bit vengful. Cock-a-leek is a scotish soup, and despite that not being what she was named after, I suspect CAL would have suggest we save the leeks for soup, but still have been grateful for all the fuss.  Stoolie Andrews was honoured for having taken care of her while she was unable to, and being there for her.  On-after was at Brewskys Taphouse in Brentwood Bay.

The lead-up to this run seemed to the Webmeister to be well organized, with starting information sent to me by Slippery Dick many days in advanced of when I needed it - ussualy I receive such, often after having to remind the hares, 3 days before the run.  A few days after having posted the starting information I recieved an email from Wet Taco on how he might get in contact with his co-hare, as he needed to get together with him to plan the trail etc.  Good thing Wet is such a relaxed guy, and happy that Slippery had at least the start in hand.  On the day of the run I was deep into doing houshold chore, and arrive late to see hasher heading off crossing Herderson road.  Not a great problem, but I couldn't find my hat, and was just far enought behind the runners to lose track of them, but passed the walkers at the Ring Road gates of Finnerty Gardens.  From there on as the DFL I was doomed.  The hares had dutifully solved all the checks, but none of the back checks.  One particular back check on McKenzie just east of the fire hall, with a corresponding check on the Alumni Chip trail where it cross the paved path from Parking Lot 8 left a huge number possible trail option to check out.   I eventually found a trail on the other side of a closed gate lead through a person back yard.  Maybe they had persmision from the owner of the property.  No one was home. I followed the flour, unitl I received a good long stare from a resident of another peice of private propery, so I nonchalantly waited for the resident to go indoor, before following the trail though that condo's propery.  Eventually I found my way to the BC at the old pump station at the south end of Mystic Vale Trail, and as Relgion was held there I arrive just as the pack was cirling up. The pack knew I was out there, and was wondering what took me so long.  There was an average turnout.  The rain held-off.  No one got arrested for tresspassing.  On-after was at Smuggler's Cove Pub.

Gispert Memorial Hash
I believe this was the 80^th anniversary of Gispert's death.  There was a scarcity of parking anywhere longer than 2hrs, and I grumbled to myself while searched for parking "all this to memorialize Gispert, but on the date of his death and not his birth" - he was born July 31, and its warmer then.  Actuall it was warm for February.  I waved at Geri Bait as she was being dropped off by Shiggela, also looking for a parking spot.  I hoped she would tell the hares there are more hashers out there, circling for parking.  I had to settle on a 2 hour spot strategically placed close to where I suspected the BC to be, and that paid off as my guess was correct.  In 2012 our first recorded Gispert memorial run (at least found on the website) was run 555 (the 70^th anniversary), followed by run 637 in 2015, and 692 in 2017.  In 1992 if the hash did a 50^th anniversary run it wasn't worth recording on the website.  I suspect that more of our hashers in the early days were all young  and not at all thinking of death.  It was a great day for a run through the streets of Victoria.  Part of the run was by the misguided and honking, truckers parade/protest full of noisy misinformation. Shigella had worn her red and white, 2017 VH3 700^th/Canada Day shirt, and was mortified to be mistaken for a trucker convoy protester/groupy by guys in big trucks, with big flags, honking at her as she ran to the hash from where she had finally deposited her vehicle.  The BC was a Happy Sperm and Frogger's backyard, a little more than a block from where I parked my car - I could move it before I got a ticket.  They hadn't been out for a while, so it was great to see them.  All -in-all a perfect run to memorialize Gispert.  On-afters was at the El Furniture Warehouse at the bottom of Yates.  I'm still waiting for more photos, but I am promissed that they are comming.

The Robbie Burns Day Run
Kitty was able to set the trail, but wasn't there for the run!  Rumours abound.  I believe thought that no Kitties were harmed in the making of this absence.  In any case I arrived late, but found the BC at Anderson park.  There were about 27 people there - according to the VH3 participation records.  Lots of hounds and no Kitties.  It's an hourable thing to set a run, but unfortunate if all that invested time doesn't result in the hare watching the hound get lost on a clever trail, or even enjoying a beverage or two with you fellow kennel members.  Premature Evacuation (McPreemie) brought the beverages to the beer check, and no one swept the trail, but as far as I know, no one got lost either (despite all my lone efforts).  I wasn't very cold, and it was sunny.  On after was at Christies Pub where we all missed our hare.  Maybe the Kitty found other more important things, celebrating that promiscuous other trait of Rabbie Burn.  Before his death at age 37, Burns had fathered 12 children with 4 women including 9 with his wife.  I suppose at the time lots of bonking was necessary to continue the species.  Of those 9 children he had with his wife, only 3 survived infancy.   No photos for this event.  At least that the webmeister is aware of.

The snow had generally melted everywhere, but there are some piles in Langford. This was an overcast winter day's run in the burbs.  Compared to the small number of hashers who came out for our New Year's Day run, once the snow has been removed, despite the start being a 40+ minutes drive out of town (for some hashers), hashers flocked to the run.  We actually had nineteen folks turn out. Weather was relatively mild, and no rain. The pineapple express had come and passed, and spared the hash, but left Langford with 8+ degree temperatures.  It was a fun trail.  At one point a false trail had been set ironically behind a closed gate (obvious open when the trail had been set) behind the gate of the Open Gate Church. Obviously the 'open gate' was only a metaphor. Hounds followed Hardhooker confidential up the wrong trail, looking to catch Overthehill, who was with the rest of the pack. Getting to the top of a slight hill we looked over it for Overthehill, but couldn't see Overthehill over the hill, at which point Hardhooker phoned Overthehill, and that finally convinced her we were off-flour - though it was obvious. Back to where we had taken the wong path was an arrow that Hardhooker herself had set pointing to the true trail.  We haven't named anyone since run 807 (saddy Hardhooker already had a name), so Just Pierre's normal, but tame, expletive got him named "Holy Macaroni".   As with the last run, photos are still to come.

The 'Surrogate New Year’s Day Hash!'
There is a Yiddish name for the mess leading up to this year's run, and that's 'schemozzle'.  Not only did Mucksucker and Bad to the Bones discover that their start location was gated off to them, they discoved it too late for them to make alternate plans, and they hadn't counted on both having nasty side-effects of their COVID-19 booster shots taken the day before they were to set their trail.  Subsequently they had wisely bailed on us - they weren't even well enough to turn up for a down-down.  Happily Jonners and Lakey helped us 'pivot' to organize a 'live hare' run in their neighbourhood, calling it a 'surrogate' hash.  In the end they pleasantly surprised us with a wonderful set trail with a whisky stop, an optional polar bear dip - which no one did, or were insane enough to do -, and even ketchup chips at religion - ketchup chips are quintessentially Canadian.  I mean, they know how to live it up!  The trail they set was both devious and predictable where two FRBs were conned into climbing long stairs, and an unnecessary hill - one did both, following Stroke.  At that point the least predictable was the right trail.  No rain, no snow, and it wasn't even as cold as it had been in the days leading up the event.  Sadly we only had 14 hashers show-up, but on the other hand, the rock on which we held 'religion with a view' probably wouldn't have accommodate many more hashers.  Maybe an omen for the year to come, a successful schemozzle.  I am waiting for one more set of photos to come for a nice but small gallery.