The Canucks Redeemed

The Royal Nepal Army personnel proved themselves TOTALLY lax when the let ALL 44 runners through the Mul Paani checkpost. The sunny afternoon, but chilly winds, kept the pack jumping as the signing-in took place.

We were soon off east to the river by various routes, some even with a little paper on them, to the usual Check 1 at the river. The trail seems to have started downstream and crossed a little bridge, but most of the pack unwisely forded the river and scattered across the east bank. Paper was found heading down stream. It was probably a false trail being run backwards, but it would do. Most of the gang scampered straight up a shortcut, while Sideways took the more law-abiding on an easier gradient. All got to holding Check 2. Again paper went straight up to holding Check 3. Several more creative runners chose other routes, but most got to holding Check 4 at the Changu Narayan Temple, a site steeped in history. (See attached notes - GM.) Thanks to the two holding checks on the way up, the pack was not too wiped out, so enjoyed looking at the ancient temples and saying their prayers. This is the oldest existing historical site in the Kathmandu Valley, so deserves another visit with more literate company than was present this afternoon. One should also note the plethora of Hash History connected with the site.

Paper started north of the main gate, and soon had us racing downhill again, through Check 5 somewhere, to Check 6, back at the Manahara Khola. A mercifully flat, and well marked, trail, took the wiser right back to the chariots, while the rest climbed west, crossed the Sankhu road to Check 7, and then had a long run home.

There was great praise in thanks for the hares' kindness in providing uphill holding checks, great views, real history, cool swimming for one of the mutts, and a serious home run. They deserved the Deserted Fox score of 9.8 from the official replacement scorer plus 0.1 from the GM.

The pack welcomed virgins Gavin and aerobics instructor Chiring. Then returnee Rodent, and a delayed down-down and first hash mention for last weeks newcomer Duncan. Sideways got the Hashshit for holding onto all the new hash paper that Jodi got from the American Embassy. He is now the only person with enough paper to lay a hash. It is therefore fortunate that he is such a man of leisure these days that he has volunteered to set next weeks run. Nevertheless, the GM is desperately paperless and threatens to award him the Hashit until he hands some of his stock over.

The Fox