I’d describe Turkish’s harings as hit or miss – he sets some truly great runs, but then sometimes misses. Often the question isn’t whether he will fuck up, but just how bad the fuck up will be… It is hard to remember a fuck up this big!
A new area, way out past San Kampaeng, beautiful resort, pool. All set up for a good run, but no hare… Sloppy gave him a call, and he was still out setting trail – perhaps a bit panicked to finish in time? The songthaew just about made it, and then we were set off – in a different direction to where I had sniffed some paper, but never mind! We ran back to the entrance and found a circle check. My legs were slowly warming up, so I was just off the front, but hardly got to the circle when it was called to the left. I was suspicious, as the paper was too close, but ok… We followed paper along road, wondering why we were so far out of the city to run on road. We ran into a funeral party, which just added to the confusion, with paper randomly off to the left, and some stochastic music and people confusing the scene. Again the paper ran out, but ahead someone called a circle. It was pretty clear we were going backwards on trail.
I turned back, suggesting to people we were going backwards, but it was a confusing situation, so it isn’t surprising that only HRA trusted me. I got back to the first check, and checked further the way I had planned to check the first time, only to find Turkish looking frantically desperate. “Why is it kicked out the wrong way? – Go that way!” I bellowed and ONON, and behind me, HRA did the same, but by now we were a km or so from the funeral – a funeral which now had a bunch of lost hashers in bright clothes milling around.
Not much I could do, so I pressed on, going through a few checks with HRA close behind. I got a V check wrong, so joined up with HRA after he got a FT, and we discussed how we should work together as there were only 2 of us now. So… PROBLEM #1 – the In trail was too close to the first check (thats a hare noob mistake). Next we get to PROBLEM #2. HRA and I got to a circle check and decided HRA would go straight, and I would go right. After 100m, we both called “ONON” confidently as we both found paper. Luckily for me, mine was the right paper… Unluckily for HRA (and Sloppy Rod who was following us along with several others), the paper HRA found was from when Turkish was scouting on Monday – he had left paper leading off up to a reservoir. On that trail there were further checks, but it ended with a random circle at a reservoir. HRA and Sloppy spent a lot of time at that check, convinced they were on trail, but futilely hunting a dead trail – they made it back in near darkness, along with some others…
For me, I followed the paper… Around the end of a field, trying hard not to ruin the farmers crops. Past a rotting dead cat. When I came out of the field the trail went left, and I assumed it would loop around and meet HRA, and assumed he had short cut somehow. But, nope – it was a FT, and I was heading away from where I had heard him call. But the trail was well marked and easy to follow – some checks I got right, some not, but it was all good – I was doing the trail… alone…
Finally I saw Sheep Shagger and some visitors, and then Knock Out and Blows Herself, all going the wrong way – clearly resigned to doing the trail backwards. I reassured them the trail was clear and they could keep going – not realising that behind me the trail was now leading them up to the dead end circle check at the reservoir…
From here many of the checks had clues, from those coming the other way, so I jogged on. I realise everyone else was fucked up, but for now I was enjoying it – pleasant trails. I paid my third tribute to the funeral which by now must have been seriously confused as to what was going on.
Overall – it was a really nice set, BUT, there were 2 HUGE mistakes by the hare – and this hare is experienced enough to not make mistakes like that. Ultimately those 2 mistakes lead to a monumental fuck up! Epic Fly By