Chaos in Little Compton

Run #953 July 19, 2004

Hare: Tinker

Co-Hare: Bill the Beak

Location: Simmons Mill Pond, Little Compton

Weather: High 70’s, Humid

Present: Bondo Jovi, WIPOS, Oozing SD, SESYB, Dr WHO, Async, Fuwangi Boner, Basket Boom Boom, Ben, Seamus. Visitor: Joystick (some Osuckahara H3 in Japan). Virgin: Just Ryan (still unofficial as he left before the circle).

The Run:

One of the larger groups lately seen on a Monday evening in the RIH3 met at the parking area for the Simmons Mill Pond Management area on Colebrook Road in Little Compton. Geographically speaking, this is about as far as you can get from Burrillville in the state of Rhode Island, possibly accounting for the good attendance. Both a visitor and a virgin were able to follow the directions left on the website. (Naturally, they followed Dr WHO’s directions rather than the hare’s, as both were available, but only one was intelligible.) At 6:30, there was no sign of Basket, so the pack hurriedly started down the access road into the management area.

The road led southeast to a first check-mark. Dr WHO turned right into some fields, collecting a swarm of deer flies that would persist with the group for most of the run. Oozing went straight and SESYB wandered over to the side of the Mill pond while the rest caught up. Finally true trail was found on the east side of the pond, past the abandoned fishing shack turning north then east. True to form, the hare was conserving flour and there were several checks without checkmarks. Async caught on first and they turned southeast over dried spillway between two ponds. They then encountered a wet spillway, providing the only shiggy of the night. Trail wove around the four ponds, and turned back west, almost to the Mill Pond before angling further south.

The group although spread out, was still on trail until they came out to a tree farm and a patchwork of fields. Trail initially appeared to lead back into the woods, but it was noted that all the marks on this bushwhack were on the backs of the trees. After completing a circuit and ending up back on the same trail that had brought them to the fields, the hare admitted that he had made a mistake. While setting trail, he had become lost and had not intended the pack to follow this loop. He gave some helpful advice such as “I’m almost sure the trail is around here somewhere!” and “I wish I could remember where I went at this point.” After a disorienting tour of the various fields, which confused even the deer flies, Async, Bondo, Joystick and the virgin promptly repeated the loop. WHO followed briefly, but decided to stick with the hare who was sending Oozing off scouting in all directions.

Even though the hare was completely lost, Oozing somehow stumbled onto the real trail. With Fuwangi, he led, choosing to mark his passage with atonal, off-key singing. The trail was a good bushwhack, through skunk cabbage and barely moist swamp southwards. It would have been prime after a few good rains. As it was, even the deer flies were parched. SESYB, WHO and WIPOS followed close behind. The hare hung back trying to call Async and the others back on trail. But they had met up with late-comer Basket, and unaccountably decided to follow his advice. Async should know better.

The lead pack was firmly on trail now. The beer check was finally reached, at an unremarkable spot on the side of Amesbury Lane. No physical features, no hill or rock, no water, only a small patch of poison ivy was present to distinguish the choice for a beer stop. But it was hot, the beer provided by the cohare was cold and welcome. They, or rather the half of the hash that had made it, enjoyed their beers on the road (while intermittently ducking back into the woods to avoid discovery by the infrequent cars passing by).

After a prolonged wait at the BC, they decided to proceed without the rest, and turned east on the lane, which soon turned south to a check on Pottersville Rd. WHO checked east. Oozing checked west. The hare led SESYB and WIPOS straight, through a gated driveway. They came together along this road, running past some exclusive houses and then turning west just above the tantalizingly named Quicksand Pond. An arrow and a check led to some needless confusion in the fallow fields, but they soon regrouped and continued west on Quicksand Road to Long Highway, where they were met by the hare in his car.

The hare offered a ride, but fearful of the Hashit, Oozing, WHO and Fuwangi continued to run, while SESYB took advantage of the hare. [Possibly in more ways than one. She has been spending a lot of time with him on the runs lately. But I digress.] At any rate, it was a short run south on the Long Highway to the corner of William Sisson Road, and the plaque commemorating the birthplace of the Rhode Island Red. Several vehicles were there, as well as the entire company of lost hashers, and a cooler of beer.

A beer check was staged, with photo opportunities commemorating the visit to the sacred shrine of the Red Cock. The cacophony of excuses, not just from Basket, but now also from Bondoand Async, was too much to bear. So after a few songs, they packed up and drove back to the starting point to collect their cars. The On On On was to be at Bill the Beak’s house in Tiverton, and apart from the wise virgin (who made excuses and promised to return soon. Right!), they all managed to drive north without getting too lost.

At the Beak’s there was more beer, and Bondo Chili/Dynamites cooking. The circle was joined in the backyard. Ratings for the run were good. Complaints included: good weather, no shiggy, missed opportunities for a swim in four fresh-water ponds and the brackish Quicksand Pond, and autohashing. On the positive side: deer flies, loss of 50% of the pack at the BC, Historical monuments, and at least temporary loss of Basket and Bondo. Total: 6.9! Hashit went to WHO for planning to participate in the Big Man Run in Somerville the next week, as if that compares to the egregious sins committed by the others that night! The circle closed with the usual chaos, and they ate and drank well into the night. The hash departed, secure in the knowledge that there was one visitor and one virgin that they would never see again. Well done!

On On