Winter Gale in Uxbridge Hash

Run #976, Dec 20, 2004

Hare:  Basket Boom Boom

Location:  Uxbridge, MA

Weather:  Lower teens, Windy with fresh snow

Present:  Dr WHO, Dry Foot Fairy, Bondo Jovi, Tinker, WIPOS, Oozing SD, Seamus.
Non-runners: Async, Dogmeat, Jody.

The Run:

The hare set trail in fresh snow in Uxbridge MA. This is an area with nothing whatsoever to recommend it. But there you are. No consideration or planning went into this one. As usual. A small group of the stalwarts gathered at the end of a small dead end road off 146A at the borders of Uxbridge, Millville and North Smithfield, RI. After some excuses and instructions, they were off.

No marks were seen at first. The hare had instructed them to cross 146 on Coppola Rd, so they turned northeast and after crossing, picked up some faint red powder marks in the wind-driven snow. But it was enough as Oozing led southeast on Providence St and then at a check, northeast on Quaker. They were pretty much together as they came to a powerline. Trail was found heading northwest.

The trail was now a prolonged run through unsheltered freezing winds, with all footprints and most of the flour/chalk blown away. The hare stayed with Oozing, WHO and the Fairy at first, but as they continued downhill into the wind, he stayed back to let Tinker, Bondo and WIPOS catch up. They were heading downhill, but their gonads were heading uphill. The leaders came through some brush onto River Rd and a check tempted them to cross the Blackstone River. But Oozing, WHO and the Fairy continued west to an old Drive-In Theater and another check. The trailing pack had by now decided to pack it in and they were already on their way to the cars. The hare decided to stick with them.

Oozing and WHO continued on the road, and finally found a mark. This led to a check that seemed to lead to a tractor-trailer depot. But no marks were seen. They tried back on the road. No marks were seen. They found Dry Foot Fairy. He had seen no marks. After much debate, they decided that trail must have crossed the depot, so they climbed over a berm covered with tires and refuse, entered a backyard, and made their way through a field back to 146A. No marks. They decided to head back, and they ran passed the (closed) Hannah’s (with a sigh of regret, as WHO had brought ample cab-fare for more than one pitcher).

A mark was finally seen as they passed a Sand and Gravel pit on the left. WHO tried to follow east, but there were no more marks. Oozing tried west, but it became clear that they were backtracking, so the three returned to the pit and spread out over the snows. Finally a check was discovered at the bottom of the pit, and traced up to a RR grade heading east-west. Oozing tried east. Dry Foot Fairy tried west. WHO ran back and forth aimlessly. Through a stroke of luck, the Fairy found the beer along the trail, with no markings. He called the others and they started the BC. Interestingly, as beer was being sipped, ice crystals formed and enlarged rapidly so that the beer consisted of large ice balls by the time they were half finished. But they persevered and even started some songs. But headlights appeared below suddenly. The hare had arrived to pick up his beer, secure in the knowledge that no one could have found it on this night. Ha!

He claimed to have been out searching for the trio. He tried to look concerned. He said he had checked the whole trail looking for them. A likely story. At any rate, they packed up and drove back to the cars, and then convoyed to Burrillville. The others were already by the fire, watching TV, and well-lubricated, so it took some effort to get the circle underway. This occurred after some food. Ratings for the run were mixed: poor marks, but great weather; prolonged powerlines, but loss of 50% of the hashers; lack of shiggy, but lack of Async; lack of bimbos, but lots of beer-sicles at the Beer Check. Total:+0.69. Hashit to Bondo. Why not? As they finished the circle and the food, the football game came on, and another evening ended.

On On