Semester drawing to a close, and more runners back in town, so I headed out to Maejo after work to see what Graven would put together. We were pointed off across the dam, first walking with Angry Inch, and then running along with Brownie, discussing the inevitable circle check at the other end of the dam. We decided it would be too wet to turn left, and Graven wouldn’t have used the hill, so 100% it was a right turn. Nobody bothered looking anywhere else, we just jogged down the hill and hit the powder. No check at the next junction, but I had a hunch it would be right as the hare had told the walkers to wait for hints… There was a false trail off to the left, and I found myself checking straight on, before going back to where my initial hunch was.
We crossed the weir near the Tiger’s head, and headed into the usual trails. Brownie was of course in the action, but there was a youngster who I haven’t met before putting us all to shame – boy can he run!!! I’m not sure if we named him “Gay Bambino” in the end or not, but he had some moves in his finger shoes and bright purple clothes. He is a great runner, but perhaps not the smartest as more than once he went breezing past false trails off into the distance! It never took him long to overtake us again though. Trail headed left, down to the lower trails for a bit, before turning back to the right to start climbing back up the hill. At one check Bambi set off to check up the hill, but came running back down after 50-60m, after spotting paper that wasn’t from today. I was pretty sure we’d be going up the hill there, and so Brownie and I continued up discussing how we could slow Bambi down..!
A T-junction at the top and I was torn – turning right would perhaps be a bit short? but turning left meant going all the way up to the ridge line. No check at the junction, but off to the right Foxy and Cod Piece were staring at a circle check. They headed off away from us, but it took a long time for them to give answers to how they had got there, and if they had seen paper on their way. Meanwhile Brownie turned left and scooted away with an inaudible call. I checked beyond the circle following ABB’s paper for a bit until realising we were headed up to the ridgeline. Damn you Brownie!!!
When I got back to trail I was behind a lot, so excellent check hare, you got me on that one 
I caught up ABB, Alice, Blows Herself, a couple that I didn’t recognise and Piggy before spotting Brownie risking going off paper, because he didn’t want to follow trail to an inevitable false trail… He’d let Bambi do that instead! Of course we knew where the trail was going from here, so having let Bambi do the false trail, we then let him overtake up the steep climb to the ridge trail. As he past, I suggested it would probably be left at the top – knowing of course it could only be right. He took the bait and set off left, leaving Brownie to amble leisurely off to the right. When he decided he’d seen enough paper he gave the call and took off at a sprint!
Piggy was close by, so while we waited for Bambi to overtake again, I said, one more false trail, and then the ONIN. Sure enough, we were left with the steep descent and I hit trail just as Brownie and Bambi skipped back together looking sheepish. I took it as fast as I dared down the hill, but Bambi has no fear and sprinted past. As I past the ONIN I heard someone approaching, and without looking back I knew it had to be Angry Inch – the only other nutcase brave enough to risk a descent like that! I commented that I knew it was him, as he confidently said, I never trip unless someone trips me… Seconds later there was a loud noise, and a humble cry of “that was a slide, not a fall!”
Overall a great set.