Should Auld Lang Syne...

For the last run of 2016 we will be returning to one of those run sites from which everybody knows every trail...except that we haven't been there for the thick end of a year, so auld lang syne (whatever that is) may have been forgot. The hares however will not have been forgot; Details are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1854, Saturday 31st December 2016, 3:00 p.m. (Wha? Yep, 3:00 p.m.)
Hares: Egghead, Harram, Ma Mick and Thing on a String
Misdirections: From the Ko Yo intersection take the new Yala Road for 800m and turn left. Go 800m to the National Library and turn right up the hill to the Home of Faith then continue up behind it for a further 1.2k to the run site on the right (7.117893 N 100.600058).

The early start is to facilitate whatever comes later which at time of writing seems likely to be a bar crawl around Songkhla ending up at midnight, together at... well the Hot Bread Shop which has been our host this year would seem like a nice idea.

Sunday's HH3 run is being set by Robocop and details are awaited...watch this space.

50 Christmas dinners and a run to go.

The scene at the beer stop before the hordes arrived.

The hordes

More hordes

Meanwhile back at the run site, Thani gets into the food early

The Egg Towers fantasy factory yesterday upheld its fine tradition of culinary sentimentality by serving Christmas dinner to the somewhat bemused vernacular contingent at HH3, who had anyway produced their own local feast, but then managed to eat most of the Christmas fare all the same, taking the remains of  the Christmas pud with them when they left. Meanwhile the Farangs tucked into the grub and polished off the vino thoughtfully provided by Inchdick. Sex Teacher and SOTM Wannabee, with the result that the consumption of beer was somewhat lower than usual, and much of the beer disappeared when Sex Printer, Robocop Tsunami et al left sometime after eight, leaving the Farangs and Scud to polish off the slab of Nouveau Leo thoughtfully donated by Star Soccer.

Before all that of course, there had been a run, which chief cook Kai Jeow had somehow found time to set between roasting the chickens and glazing the carrots. The 6,4k long run featured time-saving "checks" to avoid all that messy business of setting F's, and they were successful in keeping the pack together at least until the beer stop. Meanwhile, the short run joined by Lady of the Lamp took a short cut between the 5th check and the beer stop, reducing the run to 5.4k and the front walkers were there marginally before the long amblers as Saturday's rather more demanding run took its toll. From thereon in Sex Teacher took on the role of front runner managing to get home ahead of both LotL and SOTMII, who seemed to be ailing more than most.

Thanks to everybody who contributed to another great Christmas run, particularly to the HH3 chefettes, Sexy, Sex Si and Donkey and to Smoked Ham for the soup and bread. Let's do it again.... next year!

Songkhla in Hatyai, Hatyai in Songkhla

Our festive season runs are swapping home turf this weekend with the Christmas Eve SH3 run being down Poonakan way and the Sunday, Christmas Day HH3 run being at Egg Towers. Both runs are 'normal' runs (whatever that entails!) which means that the beer trucks will be in operation and selling beer at both runs and all contributions of food to eat after the runs are welcome although both sets of hosts will be providing something a little special. But as a special dispensation if  anyone thinks that they will want to carry on-on after the beer truck runs out, then extra beer is always welcome and bearing in mind that the hosts' food contribution on Sunday will be Christmas dinner, British style  contributions of mince pies and mulled wine would not go amiss and there will be a BBQ available for anyone one who wants to add to the meat pile although Cherie the goat and the cats are strictly off the menu!
The SH3 details are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1853, Saturday December 24th 2016, 4:30 p.m.
Hares: Sex Sprinter and family
Misdirections: From the Ko Yo intersection take the old Hatyai road for 4.7k and turn left for 8k then turn right at Wat Keow Kloy for 8k. Turn left into Soi 10 and go about 200m to the runsite in Superpig's auxiliary house on the left. From Hatyai take Poonakan for 3k from the Kanjanawanit road intersection and turn right into Soi 10.
Sunday's HH3 run is at Egg Towers. From the traffic lights at Kuan Hin on the OHR (Ko Yo intersection, 4k, Ko Hong intersection, 13k) turn left or right respectively and go 5.2 k (bearing right with the road at 4k not straight ahead) and turn left thru the temple arch at Wat Borogam. Go ahead 200m then turn right and go 200m keeping the temple wall on the left, then turn left at the T junction for 100m and turn right to the parking area. Park on solid ground i.e. the road or the newly filled area as there is a lot of water around!

Pussies on high

So, armed only witb a GPS loaded with some speculative tracks from the Yardo database and presumably a large quantity of fried chicken, six (count them: Budokhan, Moo Sahb, Sexy Cop, Damage, Sexy Chef and Eeyore) hares  set off with hope in their hearts and chicken in their bellies and produced this masterpiece. Yes masterpiece, because allowing for the lack of a short run, forcing the short runners to tackle the whole 7.5k, this was a great run appreciated by all, particularly for the challenging up trail and the down trail that had Inchdick and Knobshot first to the well placed beer stop (sponsored by Sex Printer) and again at the end of the run, closely followed by Four Wheel and Donkey, proving that the short run are actually a fair match for the long run. The top of the hill was about 270m with the total ascent about 350m. FROP was home in about 1 hour 30 minutes with the stragglers from the short run who shall be nameles (ok, All Black and McMucky?) returning on the back of the beer truck in not far off 2 hours 30 mins. A real circle followed resulting in the declarations of two Xmas party runs on Saturday (Hare::Sex Sprinter) in Poonakan Soi 10 and on Christmas Day itself chez ouef (Hares: Egghead and the Borogam junior mafia)
It don't get much better!

The nine signs run

...which was what it took to direct people to the run site rather than what was needed to get them round the 7.5/6/5 k (with/without F's) long run and the 3.2k short run. The long run got up to 260 meters for whoever found the 5th F or 250m for lesser mortals. The total ascent was in the region of 300m with the actual climb accounting for two thirds of that. The short run meanwhile reached 100m just before meeting the long run and their total ascent was about the same.
The beer truck tragically failed to appear in time for most of the short runners who must have been motoring...or maybe BTDIII, whose 650th run this was, was otherwise engaged. Meanwhile Stick Insect's undercarriage failed and he was forced back to the run site to join late arriving elements of the short run in time to reach the beer stop which was by then in place The arrival of the depleted long run pack occurred somewhat later by which time BTDIII had resumed his disturbed sleep in the front seat of the Egg-truck.
Back at the run site, dinner was served courtesy of Only a Yolk and Crackwurst just before the rain arrived to render the circle ...wet. But it was successfully completed with the aid of several umbrellas most of which were provided by Chao Ngor. Kan Kai, Hot Buns and Curry in a Hurry were welcomed back and CiaH was given his delayed 5-run shirt; Yardstick got his 550 run shirt and BTDIII woke up for long enough to acknowledge his 650th although not gracing the ice with his bum. The hare was awarded faint praise which was probably just about what the run deserved.
On on to better things and the pussy run on the morrow.

Aaaw! So cute!

So, this piece of kitch serves to announce that this is an Egg and Pussies weekend. Saturday's SH3 run is likely to be an intimate affair, i.e. a lot of people are either away or have departed for Trumpland! But the hare (ahem!) is promising an appropriately modest run which will not cause unneccesary pain or spoil the rest of your weekend.
Details are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers run #1852, Saturday 17th December 2016, 4:30 p.m.
Hares: Egghead, Harram, Ma Mick and Thing on a String.
Misdirections: From the Kao Seng intersection take the old Yala road for 16k and turn right just before Wat Khun Thong for 3.5k, then turn left just after the big tree and go 150 meters. Bear right (yes, right this week!) following signs through the village for about 800m then turn left at the T junction onto the concrete road heading for the hill. After 200m take the third turning on the right just before the chicken farm and follow the dirt track for 1k to the run site. Park considerately as there is not a lot of off road parking. Coordinates are: 7.025486N, 100.619056E or thereabouts. From Hatyai get to Tha Kham and go east for 6k then turn right just before the big tree and follow the directions above.
Sundays Pussy thing is being set by Moo Sahb, Budokan, Damage, Sexy Chef, Eeyore, Uncle Tom Cobbley and all, and the run site is the big sala at Hing Kliang: From Songkhla take the old Hatyai road to the 4.6k turning and go left for 6k (to Tha Kham) then turn left (east) for 1.5k, then right for 500m. From Hatyai, get to Tha Kham then ditto. Coordinates are precisely, 7.034488E, 100.589985N.

A run of three halves

Yes, three halves, as in it should have been about two thirds as long!
Even with Stick Insect's almost short cut to beyond the beer stop cut out, this monster was ten and a half kilometers and precious little chance of a short cut once the first beer stop was reached by fair means. By some miracle none of the long runners got lost, with many opting for a walk down Poonakan from somewhere after the alleged second beer stop which many did not even find and was anyway short of any actual beer! Last home were Toy Boy and Man U who manfully stuck to the paper but arrived long after dark.
The short run(5.5k)ners were less fortunate as the later to be named Roti (a.k.a. Ha Roy Rupee) and 'er with the yappy dogs (Toa Ngork?) became temporarily displaced and had to be rescued by Sex Teacher and Luk Long, driving Inch Dick's pick up, who then also got lost on the way home and had to be talked back to the run site via a gruesome road accident.
No, this was not a run for the faint hearted! Hares: Sex Si, Sex of the Man and Sex Tour X; be warned they are dangerous!

Sunday's HH3 Run

This is Lady of the Lamp's representation anyway, which seems to be a pretty accurate depiction of the actual paper trail. I'm really glad Palm Job & I decided to just run down the road.

The Pee Wee & Olive Oyl Farewell Run

And of course farewell to Soi Boy. Is there anyone I have forgotten, …oh yea, Kii Leum.

The run was a short-cutters paradise, with many opportunities for the 13 long runners to be the “winner” to the beer stop at least. But surprisingly not a single successful shortcut was observed. The out and the in trails were never more than about 300m apart, and in several places just 50m or less. Beavershot where were you when we didn’t need you?

The long run had a total length of just over 6.0km, NOT including the 7 false trails and 1 checkback, and boy what a checkback that was. I recall one hare mumbling repeatably “this is ‘orrible, this is just ‘orrible”. The total upwardness was about 320m to a maximum elevation of 220m. The short run meanwhile, had a total ascent of 100m over a distance of 3.5km, and also included the beerstop.

Speaking of beerstops, many thanks to Pee Wee and Olive Oyl for the most generous contribution of beer, which surely compensated for the nasty run. Best of luck with your new job in the Toy factory Pee Wee, and hope you all fare well in the land of Trumpism.

I would like to say a special thank you to Ork’s Dork for the many late late nights she has put into at work, to make shreddy for our hash runs. And to R2D2 for the countless & thankless hours of sitting on the beer truck, selling tokens to the increasingly inebriated hashers. All this to provide the revenue to pay for the ‘free’ water, soda & ice we all enjoy. A big thanks to Sex Sprinter and his helpers, especially Buk Toy, who have stepped in on many occasions to set runs when it seemed we were going to be without hares. And not forgetting our perennial hare, Egghead, who always seems to be setting SH3, FMH3 or HH3 runs, as well as fiddling (with) the books on a weekly basis. And of course all those other hashers who stepped up to set a run this year. Thanks, now can we do another relay run.



This week's hares are....

SH3's run details for this week are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1851, Saturday, December 10, 2016, 4:30 p.m.
Hares: Yardstick and Kii Leum
Misdirections, from the Kao Seng intersection take the old Yala road for 16k and turn right before Wat Khun Thong for 3.5k. Turn left just after the big tree and go 150m then bear left and follow the road through the village for 700m to the run site on the old football pitch. from Hatyai, get to Tha Kham and head East for 6k towards the big tree then turn right just before the tree itself and go 150m etc.

Sunday's HH3 run is yet to be declared so details will be added later.

More depravity from Gin Lane

Let this be a warning to you the next time you feel like reaching for that gin bottle!

Gin Lane

An artist's impression of the scene late on Saturday evening at the PMH3 gin-soaked orgy. (with apologies to Mr. Hogarth who probably never ran a hash in his life!)

Report? As in police report? Oh, you mean write up!
Well, we all got there - and that was in doubt as the rain fell on Thursday night and well into Friday morning. But by 6'ish Malaysian time the magnificent thirteen were all at the hotel in Penang and ready to party. Which we did with considerable aplomb until the gin arrived and then for some reason it all went (as can be seen from the picture above) "tits up".
This, by the way, occurred during the run itself, which featured gin and tonic stops, and since we apparently didn't finish off the mother's ruin during the run, we were served pitchers of the stuff at the party which followed, most of which was consumed by our harriettes, with the result that some of them had to be escorted back to the hotel a little earlier than expected.
Those who remained, thereafter became the center of some rather over-enthusiastic male attention, at what was a predominantly batang affair and the departure of the remaining SH3 contingent was accompanied by some testosterone-fired gentlemen who had taken umbrage at the fact that the young ladies who had been the center of all the attention, were actually not completely free of husbands etc. A mild rumpus followed during which Yardo narrowly avoided being mugged and All Black's new shoes 'became missing'.
A shame, because up until then it had been a lot of fun and PMH3 made us very welcome at an excellent event featuring some great food, loads of beer and .... oh yes, gin and tonic.

Penang piss-up

No time for a report (maybe one of you others can post one?) but here's a quick pic of last night's post-run dinner. Suffice to say there was a lot more drinking than running.

Not Penang

Not going to Penang? In fact most people aren't and there are only a small number of regular runners who are going, so SH3's run will only be mildly depleted. So please do go along and support the hare who has stepped in at short notice to make sure that the loyal stay-at-homes get a good run. The beer truck will be running as usual so anyone needing transport should get to the Hot Bread Shop by 3:00 p.m. or for a pick up en route give R2D2 or Stick Insect a call (see side panel for contact details).

Details are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1850, Saturday, December 3, 2016, 4:30 p.m.
Hare: Sex Sprinter
Misdirections: From Songkhla take the old Yala road for 16k and turn right at Wat Khun Thong then go for about 4.5k (1k past the big tree) and look for a hash sign on the left either just before or opposite the Sai Kao Resort. Follow the track etc. for as far as necessary to get to the run site.
From Hatyai, get to Tha Kham and go East for about 4k then look for a hash sign on the right either opposite or just after the Sai Kao Resort. Follow the track etc.

Sunday's HH3 run is being set by Black Sexman and Sex Si, and it is expected that all the renegades who are going to Penang will be back in time for the run. The run site is off Poonakan not far from Tung Ngai School. From Songkhla get to Wat Keow Kloy and go 6k then turn right and follow the road for about 600m, past the school then take the track straight ahead as the road bends right and follow it for 300m to the run site. From Hatyai the turning off Poonakan is on the left, about 5k from the intersection with Kanjanawanich Rd.

Penang '16 update

Penangers and wannabees... Just in case there's still anyone out there wishing they could go, I'm going to be booking another room a the hotel today as Superpig wants to go, so there is a spare berth if any one decides to join us - the room sharing arrangements could be rigged to accommodate either a man or a woman..

Going on!

The hares advise.... There is building work at the big sala which necessitates a small change in the run site: From the old run site, go on for a further 300m (1.4k from the turning off the old Hatyai road) and at the T junction turn left for 250m, then turn left into the run site.

Going up!

Saturday's SH3 run is from behind somewhere that looks like this:

 and will probably involve going up something that looks like this:

Details are:

Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1849, Saturday 26th November 2016, 4:30 p.m.

Hare: Sex Sprinter

Misdirections: From the Ko Yo intersection take the old Hatyai road for 6.5k past the CPF factory and do a U turn. Come back 100m and turn left for about 1k to the big sala. Park in the car park behind. From Hatyai take Kanchanawanit road for 10.5k from the Ko Hong intersection and turn left just before the CPF factory.

Sunday's HH3 run is being set by Robocop: From The Keow Kloy end of Poonakan go about 5k and turn left just before Wat Tungnai, then go about 1.5k and turn right to the run site. Hatya'istas should go up Poonakan for about 5.5k and turn right etc.

Finally, the last quiz night of 2016 will happen this Friday, 25th November at the Office Bar when the hash team will have its final opportunity to post a victory this year against the evil teachers who seem to have been winning forever. An announcement will be made about how much money has been raised for the blind school this year, so come along and help to boost the figure.

All you ever wanted to know about the hash and were too lazy to ask

The hash stats and archive are now available for review on line on Onedrive, here and the individual run records from May 2005 to the present can be viewed in 3 files, here, there and everywhere. Is there anyone out there in the blogosphere who happens to have retained a digital copy of the hash stats file dating back before 2005? A long shot I know but there are some anomalies in the hash archive that it would be nice to resolve.

Penang '16: update

With a little under 2 weeks to go there are now 14 people confirmed as going down to Penang for the PMH3 run. But it's not too late to join us and anyone who wants to can still (at the time of posting) be accommodated at the hotel for around 870 Baht with the run itself setting you back 100 Ringit or about 850 Baht. The plan is still to travel by train with the cost certainly not exceeding 500 Baht both ways. Looks too good to miss!

It's all gone buckin' wee wee!

Buck has flown into town especially to set this Saturday's SH3 run after warming up by making a cameo appearance at Tuesday's FMH3 run on which it is widely believed he was responsible for successfully preventing Stick Insect from becoming spatially discombobulated terminally retarded. (Thanks Beavver!)

Details are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1848, Saturday, November 19th 2016: 4:30 p.m.
Hares: Buck and Wee Wee
Misdirections: From the Kao Seng intersection take the old Yala road for 9.1k and do a U turn then come back 100 meters and turn left after Ban Dan School. Follow the road to the run site at the end or the road in about 2.8k. From Hatyai the easiest if not the most direct route is to get to Tha Kham and head East for about 6k to the big tree then  go straight ahead for another 3.5k and turn  left at Wat Khun Thong, then go about 7k and turn left after Ban Dan School.
Sunday's HH3 run is being set by Robocop from the quarry beneath the virgin who formerly had three tits: from Songkhla go 16k up the OYR and turn right for 1k to the run site on the right, or from Hatyai follow the directions to Saturday's run as far as the big tree then go straight ahead for 2.5k then turn left into the run site.

The virtual full moon run

Here is the hare's track from Tuesday's full moon run. Most of the paper had disappeared into the ground by the time the hounds actually set off so full marks to both the short and long runners for managing to follow the trails as far as the final F before hitting the road, and even to Stick Insect with Buck in tow, who managed to get delayed for the second time in three days, eventually having to resort to asking for directions to get home from the last aborted F, from which no one - not even the hare with the aid of the GPS, could find the in trail. The short run was 4k and the long run 6.5k, and they  took about an hour, and an hour and a half respectively, to walk as running was difficult. The conditions suited Big Foot a.k.a. Gan Yao perfectly as the virtual absence of paper meant that he could follow the trail without compromising his creed of never knowingly being on paper. A good turn out for a FM run enjoyed a late view of the supermoon which found its way out of the clouds as the pack enjoyed the copious food  and a couple of slabs of Leo.

Supermoon +1

This month's full moon run will happen on Tuesday evening, a day late for the supermoon but still close enough, weather permitting, to bring some light to our darkness.
Details are:
Hatyai Full Moon Hash House Harriers' run #132, Tuesday November 15th, 2016, 7:00 p.m.
Hare: Kai Jeow
Misdirections: From Songkhla, take the Old Hatyai road for 4.7k past the Ko Yo intersection and turn left for 6k then turn left at Tha Kham and go east for 1.5k then turn right for 500m to sala Hin Kliang. From Hatyai. either get to Wat Keow Kloy at the top of Poonakan and turn left for 1k then turn right and follow the road for about 1.8k to the sala, or get to Tha Kham and head east for 1.5k etc.
Usual stuff applies. Bring a hand/head light if you intend to run and some food if you think you will be hungry. Beer will be on sale at 40 Baht a can but if you prefer bring your own and share it with your mates.

The run that ate Stick Insect; part 2 (or 3 or 4 or...)

And here is the run on which he did get... well let's be charitable, temporarily directionally misguided, since as with last weekend's dislocation, he claims to have been on paper the whole time albeit that he might not necessarily have been going in what for the remainder of the pack and for the hare, was the correct direction. Still, all's well that ends well and he made it back under his own steam, leaving the search party desperately pursuing his cries of on- on! in the faint hope that he would stay in one place long enough to be rescued. For the record, the all up length was 8.2k which reduced to 6.5k without the generous assortment of F's and X's. The high spot was the upward X at the 2nd check, which reached 206m and the total ascent was about 350m The bulk of the pack made the beer stop which was only 700m from the run site, in about 1 hour 15, by which time the short run were all safely back at the run site having completed the 4k in about an hour including a brief sojourn at the beer stop.
So, Sticky, three in a row at tomorrow nights Full Moon H3 run (of which more anon)?

Saturday's run

Here's the track of the only run this weekend on which Stick Insect didn't get lost. Oh hang on, he was the hare. It started as a pretty normal circling of the hill, then on the way back headed right up to the top for the benefit of a beer stop on that big black rock with its view out to the gulf. Unfortunately by then it was getting too dark to enjoy much of either the beer or the view, but full marks to the hare for dragging the beer up there. Length was about 7.5km as I ran it.

Penang '16

Remember this splendid bunch of miscreants? They are Penang Men's H3 and they visited us and ran from and partied at Thung Jaeng back in September last year, and were generally agreed to have been excellent value.
Although they are a men's hash the experience of running with us has clearly had a positive influence as next month they will be holding their 20th anniversary run on 3rd December and it will be open to hashers of all genders. They have invited us to join them but we need to give them an idea of whether we are coming and if so, how many of us will be going. Yardo, the Egg family and Softy and Temp have all made positive noises so how about it?
The suggestion is to go on Friday, 2nd December as a group (barring Softy et al who would drive up from KL) and return on Sunday, travelling by train from Pedang Besar, which is cheap (MYR11 each way, or about MYR30 for the bookable and faster ETS service) and comfortable, and to book a hotel for the whole group (which I can do). The cost of the hotel in Georgetown close to where the run takes place on a double room sharing basis is likely to be about 400-500 Baht a night and the registration for the event is MYR100 per person. So altogether leaving aside food/beer and entertainment (other than on the run itself) would be about 2000 Baht per person.
For more details of the run visit PMH3 20th anniversary run. We probably need to decide about this over the weekend so could anyone interested either add a comment to this post or let me know at either run this weekend.

Where the runs are

This week's SH3 runsite will be in the no-mans land between the football pitch and the Wat at Kao Lam: Details are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1846, Saturday November 12th, 2016: 4:30 p.m.
Hare: Stick Insect
Misdirections: From the Kao Seng intersection take the old Yala road for 11k (1k beyond the OYR/NYR Intersection at Angthong) and turn right for about 1k to the run site on the right.
Sunday's HH3 run is being set by Kai Jeow, and from Hatyai is best approached from Route 43. If you are coming from the Klong Wa intersection, the turning is 20.6k on the left, but for those who prefer their directions via Poonakan Rd, at Wat Keow Kloy, turn right and follow the road for 5.8k until it meets Route 43, then turn left for 7.8k to the turning  on the left. Follow the road for 2.8k and turn left then go 200m and turn right into the run site. (Map below).

From Songkhla head down the Old Yala Road for 17.5k and turn right at Tan Khwai school. Follow the metalled road through the village for 2.1k then at the crematorium, go straight ahead onto the track and follow it for 1.2k, then turn right just before reaching the hard top and go about 170m to the run site on the right (see map above). The run site can also be reached from the turning by the mosque at 19.3k by following the road through the village for 2.7k then turning right at the hash sign. However that route will not be signed so you're on your own!

Impressive Erection

Here is the proof of All Black’s winning entry of 17 cans in the continuing beer can tower competition. Shown in the other photo is the proud author standing behind one of her earlier less lofty entries. But not enough praise and appreciation was given to the hard drinking contributors who made this all possible.

Yes, an eggsellent run and not only because he managed to lead Stick Insect astray (we should avoid saying lost, apparently).
By SI’s  account he has finally proved that there are in fact three hills in that area, and not the two as accepted by the general populace. Apparently he retraced the out trail back to the top of the first hill, after his infamous sense of direction was confused by the second false trail.

Haven't we done this before?

Three quarters of the way round setting this little number, I had the distinct impression that somewhere in the previous 221 lays I had set an absoluely identical run. It just all seemed so familiar; which it hadn't on the recce earlier in the week when every trail I half remembered seemed to have disappeared or become overgrown and what the hell was that road doing up the northern end of Kao Lam?

But come the day and the tracks were there as they should have been; and that road? Falsie! The all up length was about 7k and without the 7 F's and the single X, which was added later just to get to the magic number of 14 checks, was a hare's breadth under 6k. The top just after the 3rd 360 was 200m according to Mr. Garmin although measley old Google Earth lopped 5m off that. The total ascent was about 250m. The short run, which missed out the hill and the fore play was about 4k and All Black and the other intrepid short hounds, who made it to the top of that falsie up the new road to enjoy the spectacular view of Kao Wong, reached about 100m  The first short runner to reached the beer stop was also All Black in about 30 minutes with the rest arriving before Short Screw headed the long runners thence in 54 minutes. Notable by his absence at that stage was Stick Insect, who was assumed to have made his own way home (as he knows this country so well!) so the beer stop closed without him taking refreshment.

Back at the run site the packs had or were in the process of arriving home on paper, bar  the unlucky Vinay, who having been blagged into doing the long run on the birthday run, on his second run had the misfortune of running into Short Screw in short-cutting mood. The pair were eagerly egged on as they made their way from the end of the final F across the muddy morass formerly known as the lake, and were later iced for their pains.

Stick Insect's absence began to cause more concern than amusement as dusk fell and motorized search parties were sent out. SI was fairly quickly found by Innuendo who conveyed him back to the run site, by which time the other search party in the Egg-truck had come to minor grief in a ditch, extricating themselves with some difficulty and a few minor modifications to the layout of the vehicle.

A circle ensued run by Throbbin' Hood, who seems to be in the throes of taking over the GM's mantle from Keeling, who is apparently trying to avoid living in Songkhla anymore! Then most of the assembled throng made the short trip to Egg Towers to polish off the beer followed not long after by the rain which had held off all day. A rump steadfastly persevered until about 10:00 p.m. but the event which will live in the memory of a not unmemorable day will be All Black's final triumphant act of the construction of a 17-can tower of the empties. of which photographic evidence should no doubt follow.

Thanks to everyone for a great 66th birthday and thanks particularly to Sex Sprinter and Super Pig, Frozen Nuts and Fan Nu Dai, and Crackwurst and Meals on Wheels for the gift of beer which was much appreciated.

Clickety-click, three little ducks.

This Saturday's SH3 run will be Egghead's clickety clickth birthday run which coincidentally will be his 2-2-2 lay. So the run will be.... moderate, with challenging interludes, the primary intention being to have everybody back at the run site long before dark in time to enjoy a few well-earned celebratory beers. Sadly, OaY will not be joining us as she will be on family duty in Bangkok but she has promised to leave a large vat of chicken curry for the pre-circle feast. And in view of the proximity to Egg Towers there will be a couple of cases of beer on ice there if the mood takes us to carry on after the circle.

Details are;
Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1846, Saturday 5th November 2016, 4:30 p.m.
Hares Egghead etc.
Misdirections: From the Ko Yo intersection* take the old Hatyai road for 4k and turn left for 5.2k (bearing right with the road at 4k rather than going straight ahead). Turn left opposite the temple arch at Borogam and go 500m to the run site at the big sala (7.074609 N, 100.606418 E). From Hatyai take Kanchanawanit Rd. from the traffic lights at Ko Hong for 13k  and turn right at the Kuan Hin traffic lights. Go 5.2k etc.

(*To avoid the mess at Ko Yo, about 4.5k along Kanchanawanit Rd. from the Sam Rong traffic lights turn left  under the temple arch for Wat Bang Dan and after 60m, turn right onto the dirt road. Follow the road across the old railway lines for 1.8k until you hit the NYR, Turn left for 7.4k then take the right turn just before the new unused double carriage-way section of the NYR and go 500m, then turn left on the metaled road towards Ban Napong (don't take the dirt track 30 meters before which leads up to the pig farm). After 800m, at a T junction, turn right and follow the road as it turns left for 300m to another T junction at which turn right, then immediately left and follow the road for 400m, then turn right to the big sala after 150m. Map below for the adventurous.)

Sunday's HH3 run details are now, as promised added below. Subjetct to confirmation, the details seem to be turn left at the OHR 4.7k junction and go about 11k, passing Wat Nern Pijit in the process, then look for and turn at a hash sign on the left and go 400m before turning left  into the run site. Hares are Black Sexman and the real Sex of the Man.

Two sprints and a sticky quiz

Sex (S)printer is setting both the runs this weekend. First up is Saturday's SH3 run for which the details are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1845, Saturday 29th October 2016, 4:30 p.m.
Hare: Sex Sprinter and friends
Misdirections: From the Kao Seng intersection take the old Yala road for 16k and turn right before Wat Khun Thong, then go 1k and turn left to the run site.
From Hatyai, get to the Tha Kham intersection and take the road East for about 6k to the big tree, then go straight ahead towards Wat Khun Thong for 2.5k and turn right into the run site.
Sunday's (30th October) HH3 run will be from Superpig's house behind the abattoir on Poonakan Road: From Wat Keow Kloy go about 10k down Poonakan and turn left into Soi 10 for about 200m to the runsite on the left. From the turn off Kanjanawit Road at the bottom of Poonakan, Soi 10 is about 1k up and the turn is on the right.
Before all that there is a quiz night at the Office Bar on Friday (28th October) evening at 8:00 p.m. for which the quiz master will be Stick Insect. The hash team is hoping to attract a defection from amongst the ranks of the opposition to fill the hole left by SI, but all comers are welcome.

Saturday's track

Here, courtesy of Beavershot, is a track of Saturday's long run which got up to just over 200 meters and was 7.5k as the Beaver runs. Impressive use of the countryside by the hares; so impressive that a number of alleged FRB's were reduced to the short run at HH3 yesterday!

Men with sheep (and today's HH3 misdirections)

No comment necessary, but what about that T shirt!

Today's HH3 runsite is on the road heading up Kao Long: From Hatyai get to the Tha Kham crossroads and head East towards Sai Kao for 5.4k. Turn left a under the three quarters-built temple arch and go 600m then take the left fork for a further 1k to the run site on the right. From Songkhla, the quickest route is from the old Yala road on the road that goes past Wat Kao Lam (right at 11.8k from the Kao Seng intersection, or 1k South of the Ang Thong Junction of the new and old Yala roads). Follow the road for about 4k including across 2 crossroads and as it bends gracefully through 2 villages, then at the junction with the Kao Long road turn right for 1k to the run site on the right.

Men without goats

SH3 celebrated its midlife crisis in style yesterday, starting with an excellent A-to-B run followed by one of our biggest circles in recent years, thanks to our Samui H3 visitors. Then there was food and drink aplenty, carrying on till midnight for the hardcore. Really the only thing lacking were the promised farm animals. Apparently the resort had the good sense to lock them away for the duration. Here are a few shots from a somewhat impaired photographer.

The Hatyai and Songkhla GMs oversee the beer supply.

Two of the three hares return from their lay.

The Conebrain family arrives.

The serious drinking begins.

Short Screw licks the Knob.

Sex Black Man, or as Yardstick calls him, Black Sex Man.

Men without goats . . . it's not a pretty sight.

Bus-ted

The hares have announced that tomorrow's birthday runs (both of them) will be A-B so we will be departing from the run site at 4:30 p.m. sharp and borrowing our guests big green disco bus to get to the A sites. Therefore if you intend to join either the short or the long runs, please try to get to the restaurant a bit before 4:30 so as not to miss the transport.

For those not intending to run, the restaurant are very happy that we hang out there and take advantage of their facilities (but that doesn't include taking advantage of the goats, In-u-endo!) The circle will follow the runs, probably at around 6:00 p.m.and dinner will be served at 7:00 p.m.

Incidentally, our guests from Koh Samui H3 will be around town tonight so if you see them say hello and make them welcome.

SH3's 35th Birthday

This week's run is Songkhla Hash's 35th birthday run and will take place at Suan Ahan Gor, a Goat! (กรกช) and is open to all comers.

Gor, a goat! Blow up of the petting
zoo for those with a goaty inclination

There will be a run, dinner, tasteful entertainment and free booze  and a haute couture addition to your hash wardrobe designed by Yves St. Oeuf. Regular SH3 members who have done at least 5 runs in the last year will pay 250 Baht (kids, 150), or 400 Baht for named runners with less than 5 runs to their name this year (kids 250 Baht or 150 without a T shirt). Guests and new runners are 700 Baht (kids 400) but anyone up for naming on the day gets to pay only 400 Baht. Got all that?

Details are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers' run #1844, Saturday, October 22nd, 2016, 4:30 p.m.
Hares: Throbbin' Hood, Pee Wee and Olive Oyle
Misdirections: From the dreaded Ko Yo intersection take the new Hatyai road for 7.5k and turn left into the entrance to the restaurant. To avoid the Ko Yo intersection, which is likely to be bunged up as usual, take the lake road out of Songkhla and at the traffic lights at Songkhla Hospital, go straight ahead, then follow the road for about 3k onto the New Hatyai road. Do a U turn immediately and follow the NHR west for 5.1k to the restaurant on the left.

From Hatyai, take Lopburi Ramesuan Road for 11k from the Big C turn off and do a U turn (beyond the restaurant which is on the right hand side of the road). Come back 850m and turn left into the restaurant.

The beer truck will be operating as usual if you don't fancy driving and will leave the Hot Bread Shop at 3:00 p.m. There will also be a bus load of guests from Koh Samui Hash joining us, so anyone wanting to return to Songkhla after the party should be able to hitch a ride back on their bus.

Sunday's HH3 hare is Sex Printer but details of the whereabouts are currently unknown, i.e. if we were told we've forgotten, and will be added to this post later.