Stop press: 18.30, 19th August 2005 - Hash rises to Mismanagement Crisis. Notable Hash marathon man, Fast Forward, bottles out of setting tomorrow's run because of nasty spot on ankle. The magnificent Keeled Over steps into the breech to set superlative run to Tokha and back.

Slight panic in the Inner Circle on Friday night following a last minute call from Fast Forward to Towed saying his leg had completely collapsed and he couldn't set this run. He couldn't manage to raise Keeled or Rotts on the phone (it transpired later that Rotts was indulging at an office party, hence his inability (due to a fever, according to Sock Sucker) to attend the activities on the Saturday). Fortunately Keeled was contacted later and agreed to hare this run.

So it was that 45 hashers gathered at the MSF house blissfully unaware of the crisis the previous day or the delights of the run to come. Stand In Hare Keeled was called in by pre-run Stand In GM Towed to explain the run, which he did, but not in full. In fact, there was a number of small untruths in the whole explanation designed to mislead the pack.

First paper was, as usual, out of the gate and to the right along the road followed by a long run out through lanes, alleys and pathways to Holding Check 1 where the trail allegedly split. The walkers in fact went nowhere near this check. From here we followed a variety of familiar trails along the river and through the paddy. There may or may not have been a few checks on this route before we ran through Tokha to a Holding Check at the Bhimsen Temple. From here there were two trails - The Fox got the right one and everyone else, led on by Hurry K, took the wrong one which proved to be a left hand loop of a false trail that ended up back at the check!

Having been a bit ahead of the pack and missed the turn off to the left that everyone else took, it was at this point where I went wrong, having figured that the pack would swing to the right and that I could cut across alongside a small stream and join them. Since they were doing a left hand loop this proved to be a seriously incorrect assumption and as a consequence I never saw another hasher again until I got back to the On-In.

Once most had done the loop, the trail headed east and eventually to a holding check at Peter's Pimple (see map above) and from there somehow back to the On-In. First of the real runners back was, I believe, the disgustingly fit returnee Chrissie. The rest of the pack trickled in behind, with Griot's dog arriving back about 5 minutes before its owner, by which time I'd managed to consume at least one bottle of the sacred ale.

Post-run Stand in GM, The Fox, soon called the circle to order, but not soon enough for the US contingent who, bar Griot, had all legged it early, and the Hare plus his drop-outs were invited to explain exactly what had happened. Whilst Keeled displayed the map that he'd been given and, like a true politician, tried to blame everyone else (for which The Fox awarded an early down-down) and Fast Forward displayed the minor discoloration on his ankle (fortunately stopping short of also displaying a similar blemish in his groin), Left Behind was left to quietly consume her drink. Verdicts were mixed, and eventually an adventurous 9.9 was awarded.

Virgins three were then welcomed and a truly international bunch they were, representing Fiji, Sri Lanka and Norway (might be Handphun's replacement). There were also a few returnees but the only ones I can remember were the Shresthas; one of the junior variety may also have been awarded a crasher's down-down as well.

There being no other reported incidents on the run or other misdemeanours to punish, The Fox swiftly called for the Hashit to be filled and with absolutely no hesitation awarded it to Fast Forward. Sadly his injury treatment of horse pills precluded the consumption of alcohol.

People who should have got down downs, but didn't:

Thanks to Mrs Rotter for the hash catering (and the excellent photos!) and to the Hares for a wonderfully wet run.

More on That Loop: Here is a photo of one page of the three-page map that Fast Forward gave me to set the run with after he had cried off with some minor ailment the night before. Note the large devious loop from the Ganesh temple to prove that it was definitely his idea and not mine. Most people fell for it as like sheep they followed the stand-in hare! The map was OK except that it failed to show the waist deep river crossing. FF said it was on the join between maps 2 and 3! Keeled