What do you expect from Skiddy, particularly when he picks a factory out in San Kampaeng rice field country? As I pulled into the runsite the rain started, and it continued through the harebrief and out onto the run where Snail Trail set off with an umbrella! Along the road for a long way before we saw paper dripping, hanging off a tree – was this how the run would be? Finally the rain eased and we paddled our way through muddy paddy fields – Chuckie was hating every minute, while Piggy was like a Pig in Shit, running along ahead.
Various checks passed, and at each I found myself either checking the wrong way, or slipping and sliding my way along behind. The run hinged on a single check that must have wasted 15-20 minutes. Over a little bridge and a circle check that had hashers spread out across yet another rice field. Chuckie and I checked the less obvious options before the bridge, while HRA found paper in a trail, but lacking confidence in a senior moment decided not to call it and to carry on checking instead… Finally we called Skiddy and with some inside information we got back on trail.
Finally we hit some nice running trail, and it was enjoyable briefly, until we we back into the paddy fields scrambling through the scratchy weeds that have grown in the off season. The lead swapped around and at one point I found myself on the wrong side of a canal that was too far to jump or paddle. Fortunately there was a way across a bit further up, and I lucked out with the checks. Trail difficult to spot in the rice fields as the hare used up all his leftover papers and that brought us all back together shortly before the On-In. I didn’t see the On-In as I took a detour to avoid yet another balance beam.
Could have been a much nicer run without the rain, and without HRA thwarting our efforts!