Hash Trash for BHHH2 Run 1336 Bongkasa Andy Rowson Memorial Run

A Non-Stick-Poking Turnout

It was a respectably sized crowd that showed up for the Andy “Manchu Fukka’’ Rowson memorial run at Bonkasa last Saturday by any measure, a woodwork crawler if I ever saw one. People that hadn’t shown up on the Hash for months or even years descended from the heavens. There were literally people that I thought were dead and gone resurrected and resuscitated, perhaps exhumed, for the occasion materializing before my very eyes every couple of seconds up to the muster and send-off.

In fact every Saturday Hash I’ve been to lately has been pretty well attended. All this led me to the baffling conclusion as we jogged away from the wantilan and into the pleasantly scenic surroundings that we, as Bali HHH2, must be doing something right. Is it possible? Can it be? Are we? Then I’m stuffed if I know what it is. It’s not as if we’re doing anything all that dramatically different.

Okay, there’s the 4 pm start, maybe that’s helping; but the run and beer are the same price, we’re running in the same areas, the circle isn’t that vastly more entertaining recently than it ever was. There just is no magic elixir, no easy explanations, in fact no explanation at all. We can tinker away with the configuration of the committee, the maps, the website, circle, price, change the paper, the beer, whatever. The bald fact is – with all due respect to all the fine Hashers who are now putting or have put a huge effort into the club in their various ways and without whom we’d be comprehensively screwed – attendance figures are as random as buggary. A few years ago we would get crowds of over a hundred on a weekly basis under practically identical conditions as now (given a bit of inflation)…the answer my friend, is blowing in the wind, but it looks like it’s blowing in the right direction at least.

It was a bloody good run, too, last week. Despite being told by one of the hares (there were six of them, in the spirit of the occasion) that it followed a completely different course than it actually did. Really, nothing says ‘gullible’ like a Hound asking a Hare for directions and I should know better by now than to try to prise the lowdown from one. However, my lips are sealed as to his or her identity. All I can reveal is that it starts with “Agent” and ends with “Orange”, but that’s as far as I’m prepared to venture.

It was muddy enough to be diverting and blessedly cool to the point that it gently rained on us from a lowering and overcast slate grey sky. Plenty of ups and downs that were not severe enough to stop us in mid-climb gasping for breath (those that weren’t me anyway) and an array of “non-checks” convincingly check–like enough to be virtually indistinguishable from the genuine article. The only things missing were yer actual Xs.

There was mass confusion in mid-run as we were guided to a weir by arrows of a seemingly genuine provenance to the spectacle of a crowd of Hashers milling around like lost souls in Dante’s “Inferno” (or shoppers at Hardy’s, Sanur). Scouts were sent off in all possible directions to paper desolation. “Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot?” we all thought bubbled until an alert Harriet realized that the chalk wasn’t white and yellow as advertised by Hare Parashit, but white and gold. The local kiddiewinks are getting better at subterfuge and paper re-arrangement though, be warned.

There were two (how many?) run highlights last Sat. One was the black-and-white-fabric-and-umbrella girt massive banyan tree that made the ones in “Avatar” and “Lord of the Rings” look like potted bonsai, and the other was of course the bamboo bridge that was so cute you wanted to tickle it and say “coochie coochie coo”. There are photos of both posted on the BHHH2 website in case I was hallucinating (a possibility to this day). There are also photos of partying Hashers clutching the amber ambrosia that will give you an idea of the tone of the occasion (in case, like me you were there)…yes, well.

Andy’s relatives from Britain made circle appearances and were given hearty rounds of applause. Various other entities such as The R.A., the Grand Master, Hash Master, Jangle Balls etc. also took the floor but weren’t given the clap they so richly deserved. Maybe next time. Stay tuned for another exciting episode on Saturday at Bukit Jati with Hare Kuchit. That’s right folks, don’t touch that dial.

No, wait! Breaking news! This just in! Touch that dial! It’s in Sobongan! Too many exclamation marks!

On! on!

J.B.!