Run No 1
Full Worm Moon
Monday 28 March 2021
Hares Moonie & Tangerine Dream
What a great start!!!
The flyer went out and they came in droves!!
For many, it was a long slog up to Sheung Shui (not really the best location choice for the first run!!).
Kowloon Hash came mob-handed and hired a bus, with their GM Mango Groove panicking that everyone had made it on time before the bus departed Wanchai. At one point he had a phone conversation with one of his brethren (who was actually sat four seats behind him) insisting that if he didn't hurry up the bus would leave without him!
Many arrived early. Hopeless arrived at 1730 (!!??) and some arrived late. In the end there were just short of 50 runners.
I (the hare) arrived at 1830 at the sitting-out area that was the start and immediately took off to check various parts of the run, set earlier, due to pesky villagers interfering with the markings, as I knew they would.
When I got back to the start a small number of hashers were keen to get going (some had already set off!!) due to Covid restrictions and protocols. So the brief was given and off they went. I think the brief was relayed four or five times before everybody finally set off on their merry way.
Off the run went to the first check 100m down the road, which took them right down a village path through Wa Shan Tsuen. With villagers still erasing marks and dogs yapping at heels the pack wound its way through the village and out onto the northern service road for Ng Tung
River. Over the bridge, right to a check back and on into Tin Ping Shan Tsuen. The front runners were totally bamboozled by endless splits and Ts with many of the walkers being passed and repassed on many occasions by the same FRBs!!
South through the village, back to the river and over a bridge further east. The trail then wound up towards the military firing ranges and up into the hills. Up, down, and up again to the old Wa Shan military road built by Gurkha engineers, then following this road for about 1km to a long/short run split.
The short trail went down through a wooded area to the road at the bottom, left and On Home to the finish and ice-cold beer. Those that fancied an extra 3km carried on along the Gurkha road right to the end, down to the road north of Hung Kiu San Tsuen and the long run back along the road to the finish and a well deserved cold beer. A reasonable run on a week/workday with a hill thrown in to get a nice view of the full moon...only it was cloudy and we didn't get to see it!!! Well, it popped its head out later on for a couple of minutes before disappearing again.