EXTEND THE BAGMATI PARK TO THE SOUTH END OF THE VALLEY!
Kathmandu 17 July 2004 (HMH News)

Today, an international team of 16 experts explored the possibilities of extending the Bagmati Park to the south of Chobar Gorge. Despite a few initial setbacks and a couple of dissenting votes, the experts almost agreed that the park extension is feasible.

The run started with a scramble to the water's edge, and a turn downstream along level ground to check 1 at the beginning of dense undergrowth. There was a tendency to backcheck but the kind hare urged the pack forward, and after experiencing assorted prickly and stinging flora, and blood-sucking fauna, Fast Forward found paper along the river bank. Others struggled to follow, bypassing the spot where the hare had earlier slipped on black clay to enjoy a dip in the deceptively deep Bagmati. The trail broke onto wide river bank land, and an easy run to holding check 2 at the mouth of the Bosan Khola -- a perfect picnic spot. Again Fast Forward was quickly on paper, taking the pack up a while, and then down towards check 3. Only hare enemies Grumblewald, Fast Forward, and Keeled Over were allowed to run this section of the trail, while the rest shortcut uphill.

Check 3 found the trio and the Fox again overlooking the Bagmati. The Fast Forward Mutts found the best uphill escape and were soon again on paper, racing to catch up, crossing the Dakshinkali Road below Chalnakhel, and climbing steeply to holding check 4 overlooking the village. While Fast Forward spent fifteen minutes scampering up and down the trail between Champa Devi and Chalnakhel, Lao Lover and his followers accepted some benevolent hare advice and back checked onto paper which dropped them down back across the road, down and across the Bosan Khola, through a pig farm, and up to Tauda Pond and holding check 5.

Run Crafty then lead the pack north while Keeled and Grumblewald headed clockwise around the lake. Keeled had the sense to return, while Grumblewald, ignoring ALL hash rules and clear calls/commands from the rest of the pack, marched on to the road and a short run home, missing checks 6 and 7 -- certainly a hashitable act.

Meanwhile Run Crafty and the pack ran ahead after backcheck 6, allowing Phil and Kiwi Fruit, who proved that sandals are fine hashing footwear, to take the lead. Hurry Krishna and gang soon passed them only to fall into the backcheck 7 trap. A level run got the pack back to the chariots.

The smarter section of the group, walkers Barbara and Tibet Gal, proved that here is a much more sensible way to explore the potential Bagmati Park. They walked along well traveled local trails to enjoy the pond and the Bagmati River bank.

Once Keeled organized the circle, and the pack (almost) unanimously finished singing paeans about the run, Ambassador Jim presented his credentials to the Mismanagement. A veteran of Pakistani hashes, and assorted other less important diplomatic posts, he can now count on hash support as he takes on his new mission.

The pack awarded swimmers/crashers/leech feeders Keeled, Run Crafty, and Fox.

In an act of total hash disrespect and injustice, the pack awarded the Fox the Hashit, passing up the obvious candidates Grumblewald for shortcutting, and Fast Forward as a finally repayment for the half marathon fiasco.

We sadly bid farewell to Phil, off to Darkest Africa, and Fast Forward, who eventually found the chariots, this time certainly Left Behind.