Run #1810: The Just Pat's Get Out the Vote Hash<br/>
Date: Nov 2, 2020<br/>
Where: Wollomonopoag Conservation Area, Elysium St, Wrentham, MA<br/>
Hare: Just Pat aka The Butler Hit It<br/>
Hashers: Basket, OOzing, WIPOS, Him Wrong Gye akd Mr R<br/>
Hashit: Basket<br/><br/> 

It is now Saturday November 7th and last Monday seems so very long ago. This week is filled with 16 hours at the polling station Tuesday, and then watching the results of the vote taken the day after this Hash, as it slowly rolled into the major news media. We'd watch CNN, switch to MSNBC, switch to FOX, back to CNN. Wednesday, turned into Thursday, then Friday and THEN Saturday afternoon, while taking a break from the TV and joining AQ, Crabby, Hutch and Gabel climbing at Hemlock Ledges I get a text from Dog Meat just as another climber next to us shouts out. "Biden wins the Presidency!" I can't say it wasn't expected after Wednesday evening, but it kept us on the seats of our ass, fixed to the news. Now I've got to try to reflect on something so insignificant as last week's Hash. We'll here it goes.<br/><br/>
Monday was not an easy day. I had to study the rules and equipment I'd be using on Tuesday at the polling station in Harrisville. My neighbor's tree fell down at 4pm, pulling down the telephone pole, causing us to lose power. I pulled out the generator and got that running, just as Short Peck's car broke down in Slatersville and needed me to help him. I got back home at 6:15 just as the power was restored. I disconnected the generator, packed my Hash gear and sped off to Wrentham, MA. <br/><br/>
Texting the Hare on the way, he said he'd mark the checks. I arrived at 6:50, in a dark, dirt parking area at the end of Elysium St. Lake Pear was on the left and I could see reflections off the cars parked in the lot, as I searched for the unmarked lot. <br/><br/>
I started out past the trailhead following flour. The first check went up a steep rocky leaf covered runnel. I followed a thin winding trail in a westward direction, then turning in a northerly direction. The blobs of flour turned into a line through the woods as the trail thinned out and became less obvious. There was flour on trees, flour on rocks, flour on dirt and leaves and branches, but the thin line of flour continued on and on. I'm sure OOzing would have complained that you could have fed a fair number of inhabitants for a month in the state of Jammu and Kashmir with what was carelessly tossed on this trail. At the very least, it would have made a pretty good sized biscuit.<br/><br/>
I continued uphill then downhill towards a lake. Soon I spied a figure tossing flour in front of me. It was the Hare and he, evidently, was not tossing it carelessly, but specifically to help me get to the Beer Stop. There was a Eagle/Turkey split that he advised me not to take the Eagle. I was in front of the pack wandering around the pond, calling RU? and they had a few words for me when they saw me ahead of them. I led the pack across a bridge beside a beaver dam and there was the Beer Stop. A bag was then tossed by the Hare onto the beaver dam. Not to be deterred, OOzing leaped "devil may care" across the 6 foot gap and stuck the landing on the fragile mound of sticks. He then tossed the bag back to me, as he leaped back across the void. It was an act of bravery and stupidity at the same time. I got first choice of beer <br/><br/>
Not that it mattered, no Trillium was found in the bag....but it was full of 16oz Captain's Daughters. Rusty would have wet his pants. Songs were sung and orange food devoured by the wankers. Eventually, we had to move on. Soon we were back running uphill again and then down to the lake again. The marks here were confusing and it looked like the Hare had gotten lost as we were back-tracking. Even though JP looked confused and muttered something about wanting to set the beer stop at here instead and didn't see this area until after laying the BS, he called us back and we found the trail leading on another bridge and back uphill. Eventually, we made our way back to the cars, after a couple more confusing checks. <br/><br/>
At the circle, points for virgin trail, good beer and shit marks were offset with giving the late cumer help to the beer stop, and getting lost on trail. The rating was a solid negative zero. With no backsliders, virgins or other offenses, Hashit was discussed. OOzing should have gotten it for his amazing leap, not getting hurt and, worse, handing the beer to Basket before jumping back himself. He should have, but it went to me. I graciously accepted it and enjoyed some beer. I had a bottle of Bunnahabhain Islay Single Malt and we shared a wee nippy in honor of Dry Foot Fairy. <br/><br/>That's All Folks!