The run commenced on the road below the temple and headed straight uphill through a park littered with the refuse of picnics and previously-digested picnics. Check 1 was at the foot of the staircase leading up to the temple, from where the trail continued around the hill to the east. The pack quickly reached holding check 2 at a road junction, at which point the runners bade farewell to the walkers, who would not be seen again until the only other holding check, #8.

The runners set off up a small stream valley to check 3 near the water. The pack was misguidedly exploring in all directions (Hurry Krishna and your scribe went up a large, loose landslide, hoping to find paper on terrain that might prove unsafe for Horrors), but a crafty backcheck left led the way up a steep hill to paddies and Check 4.

Paper then followed the road around to check 5 near another road junction, and the pack again took some time to sniff out the trail heading uphill through the trees. Check 6 was gained when the trail crossed the road's next switchback, after which more climbing brought the by-now-walking pack to Check 7 just below the peak of the hill where the trail met the road at its zenith.

Keeled Over and Hillary continued up toward the summit, but paper was lying instead on the road that descended quickly from the pass to holding check 8 near a firing range, which strangely was not being used at that moment. The walkers had beaten the runners to this check by following the road around the hill, and from there they completed their circumambulation and weren't seen again until the very last check just above the cars.

Runners continued through a small village to check 9 just above a stream, picked up paper again on the other side, then climbed straight up through another village to a dirt road which led on to check 10 next to a school. Hurry led the pack up through the pine forest until he picked up paper again on the road, and the pack headed for home. Check 11 was just over another little pass on the road; paper went straight downhill, cutting the switchbacks until near the bottom, when the home arrow brought everyone back to the park via the road.

After a brief period of nothing much, the Hare, doubling as stand-in GM, got thirsty and called the proceedings to order so he could get his down-down. There were grumblings about the Hash being too short, too flat, and not having enough human fecal matter to see, smell, and step in. In the end, though, a magnanimous pack gave this challenging, very scenic run a 9.9.

. . . and returnees Jason and Ben, who somehow can't ever make a run while attending school in the wilds of New Baneshwar but graciously consented to join the pack during their winter holidays

HIGHLIGHT OF THE AFTERNOON: King Arthur must have been pulling a little too hard on Excalibur because all of a sudden he went ass over elbows right off the stone pedestal upon which the circle was taking place. The pack, of course, showed little sympathy and immediately bestowed upon his majesty a down-down. Mitigating factor: in spite of falling four feet and landing on his back, Arthur held onto his beer bottle and managed not to spill a drop. Apparently, this was such an obvious eventuality that most of the pack didn't see fit to comment upon it.

King A claimed he fell when he jumped back to avoid being hit with the backwash from Keeled's previous down-down. As a result, medical advisor Dr. Hillary is mounting a public-health campaign for the pack to tighten up its management of down-downs and force miscreants to actually pour any extra hop juice on their heads. Also, she says, it's good for the scalp and hair.

The pack finally put its collective heads together (bringing the total IQ up to about 53) to solve the problem of the Hashit's whereabouts. After much argument, it was agreed that the missing mug is neither in Afghanistan with Rotter, nor in Vietnam with Grumblewald. Having ruled out two of a possible 50 suspects, the pack called it a day and awarded this week's Substitute 'Shit' to Ravi for a bewildering array of offences, including Hash Crashing on Xmas and then leaving before the circle, being directionally challenged, and spewing forth an unceasing spate of general loud obnoxion.

Jalak agreed to set the next week's run and the pack dispersed to their cars and, in the case of the Hare, his bicycle. A few hearty souls stayed behind to help Tibet Gal empty her thermos of chang. Doma has said she's happy to share the recipe, but your scribe listened to her go through it for about half an hour on the ride back to the city and his eyes glazed over when she said you couldn't make it without a cheesecloth as big as your dining room table and several bits and pieces to ward off the evil spirits. Better that we just encourage Doma to bring a huge jug every week.