Johnston County

A new year is upon us, and with it came the opportunity to run with a hash club I had not hashed with for more than 22 year. I just happened to be driving up the East Coast USA, and thought . . . there are plenty of hashes along the way, let’s see who is running today. There were only two close enough and had a hash scheduled for New Year’s Day. I had previously run with both, Carolina Trash in April 1996, but opted for Sir Walter’s H3 as I had time to get there, and it was farther up the coast. I had done a previous drive by on them back in July 2000.

Due to a tragically slow gas pump, we ended up arriving there a few minutes late . . . but lucky for us they were on hash time, and were still circled up for chalk talk. After a quick change into hash gear, we joined the circle in time to pay, and hear most of the instructions. Soon enough, we were off on trail. Starting first by a lap around the school track, trail was found leading off into the woods. From there, we enjoyed a most excellent trail of shiggy through the woods on single file bike trails, some general bush bashing through the woods, and eventually found our way to beer check #1 (which if you know me, meant nothing). I politely asked one of the local hashers, who looked like they knew, if we were required to hang out for any period of time. The response was . . . No, you are free to continue whenever you want. That is all I needed to hear, and was off looking for trail.

I figured I would get down the way a quarter to half a mile and the pack would have run me down, but that was the last time I saw anyone on trail. From the first beer check, trail went off into the woods and soon slipped over the ledge and down to the river for the first of two water crossing. As you may recall, less than two weeks prior I was dipping my wick in the South Ocean off the coast of Antarctica, where the water was a brisk 32F (0C), so this water, although it was waist deep, did little to damper my enthusiasm for continuing on. Wet now, I followed trail though the woods until we reach the bike path and another check. Finding a false to the left, it was back to the right, and trail made its way around the local lake until the second water crossing was found (oh yea, and also passed beer check #2 with absolutely no fanfare 😊 ).

The second water crossing was only knee deep, and then it was up the hill where beer check #3 was found, and again I barely broke my stride as I blew right past it. Need I mention that this was the third beer check in less than 3 miles? 😊 It took a moment to find where trail went after that, but soon pink arrows were found in a nearby parking lot, and from there it was more dirt trails along the lake before eventually running back into the parking lot and the finish to this most excellent, well-marked, fun trail.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vQvxprLNrBv

I did have to wait for about 20-30 minutes for the pack to arrive, but it was a fairly warm and sunny day, so enjoyed the sunshine while I ran an extra mile+ to round out my day (Have set a goal to run 1000 miles in 2023).

Soon enough, I had a beer in hand, and it was not just hash piss, it was some local craft beer . . . a splendid Porter, very nice. Circle commenced when all had returned, where the hares got their just reward, lots of accusations had various hashers doing the square dance that often happens when half the pack ends up getting called in for being a GM, a kilted hasher, a red head, or any other innocuous personal trait that is easy to say . . . WHEN ONE !@#@#$3 drinks, they all drink.

Several great hash songs were sung, including some new ones I had not heard before by one of the local members. I threw a couple more in, and then the sun went over the horizon, and it was time to continue the drive north in the nice warm vehicle. Many thanks to the Sir Walter’s H3 for letting us join you on day 1 of this new year. You are all AWESOME. So nice to start the year with a great pack, on a great trail. Hope to catch you on another drive by, but less than 23 years from now like the last time. On ON!!Read more