Just the inifinite passion of life. Apparently this is a quote from the great Federico Fellini, whilst I was thinking of ELP lyrics of a similar content.
Well, it is December the 31st again, another Hashing year has passed and I am taking a deep breath trying to reminisce about this outgoing year. A toast goes to absent friends, especially The Wolf, Hashing legend in his own respect who passed away earlier this year during a Hashrun. And another toast to all those left standing to carry on.
A hard habit to break ia the Red Dress Run, which here in Vienna always goes along with the LCC Silvesterlauf once around the Ringstrasse which is about 5,4 km. In the absence of Free Willie who in previous years always paid admission and always in vain tried to win the Hash Mobile (first prize for the winner), it was Mind the Gaps turn once again to bring along that Cimbing Rope to which the small crowd of 15+ duly held onto, yet again. The number of runners at the LCC Silvesterlauf is usually more than 3000.
I had the dubious honour to be ze front runner, given the state that this geriatic bunch is more and more slipping into, we presumably will have to be carried around the Ringstrasse in a few years time. Many many people took pics and videos from our jolly and often singing running group and it was a certain pleasure when the main announcer of that run at the finish line was asking me "Who are you guys?". My answer:" Well, the Vindobina Hash House Harriers" Q:"And what are you all about?" A:!A drinking club with a running problem". Then, 5 seconds silence and then a giggle. And that was our Red Dress run,, look for the pics at the usual Hash Flash Page and a couple examples here.
The end is beer
The circle was a relaxed affair inside the Ringstrassengallerien, and after the last Down Down in 2010 was handed out, everyone went over to Flanagans (including very late ones King Ralph, Ze GrandMeister Stormin'Norman and Ice Queen) to drink the remainder of 2010 away.
And right now Ladies and Gentlemen, after the Christmas tree has been decorated and the little one is to be taken home in an hours time I feel it is the right moment to put in a short summary of the best Christmas run in 2010 out there in Guntramsdorf.
Fond memories of the run in 2002 with its heavy fog and heaps of snow are still lingering on, with Dr. Shitfaced, an American Hasher from Taiwan being our guest back then. At the OnIn at the nearby Thallern Restaurant three of us soaked that poor fellah so badly in beer that up to this day we don't know if he ever caught his flight back to Taiwan the next day Especially after Munk kicked him out at the Schönbrunn U Bahn stop late at night.
On our present occaasion the sun out in full splendour at -10 degrees Celsius and we the Hares Tickpleaser Sex Energy and yours truly couldn't help but set a short and mild run that just lasted for a bit more than the hour and mainly led uphill through all that snow to a viewpoint where we prepared a Schnapsstop and after that downhill again on the other side of the Eichkogel. Lots of familiar faces such as the Famous Pimpsqueak and his Scarlett Pimpernell, No Mercy Mistress, Deodorant and others came along. Hash Flash extraordinaire My Pint of View even tried out his Cross Country Skis before the run but unfortunately did not put them on during the run.
To see is to believe
Two cans of coke burst in my gardenshed when I stored all the liquids for the run there two days before the run and there were little icicles floating in the down down cups. A lovely scenery altogether. After a short circle it was on off to the restaurant where good food and drinks were had by all.
Well, time flies and I am herewith wishing everyone out there a very Merry Christmas. Stay safe and healthy. See you around at one of our runs or in the Schweizerhaus even?
So it was December the 17th (one week ago actually) and with time on our hands and the little one staying over at Grandmas for the night we decided to visit a High Quality Full Moon Hash (by its own definition) once again.
There was some decent snowfall going onin Vienna on that day and hooray even Lord Glo Balls' Google Map directions worked out fine. Upon getting to the quote vast Allerheiligenplatz it was a bit of a challenge to find the kids playground but even 25 minutes late the other 7 Hashers were duly waiting for us.
Anyhow, the falling snow somehow covered everything, the good, the bad and the trailmarks, some sort of reddish polenta(?) were absolutely invislble, yet the comfortable side of all this was that tha pack of 9 stayed together at all times. And, after quite a while of walking through the snow and alongside the Augarten, the Glühweinstop in the Bunkerei with some hot Salsa music and Glühwein senza Sugar must have been the highpoint of this evening.
The long way back made another GrandMeister of another significant Hash say: "Tbis is way too long, let's just have one Down Down for the Hares and another one for the rest of us!"
Shoe be Doo
Right next to the Root C.Anal palace the short circle was held, Lebkuchen and more homemade Glühwein made up for the length of the run, and the OnIn at the nearby Pizzeria was nearly tasteful and yummy.
At a time when I should have stayed at home and watched TV / or just consumed some Zirbenschnaps it was tinme for No Balls Prize and Harry (the) Tosser set the second of their Swedish inspired Santa Lucia runs starting from the centre of town, not far from the Kursalon Hübner.
Everyone (including former Local Hero Ground Control) dressed up as was decorated as a Lucian Disciple and it was most pleasant to see that the charming Royal Butt Diver herself had been chosen as Lucia herself.
Vindobona Lucia in 2010
To make it short, there was not much of a run since a) have we become a bunch of bleeping Geriatrics (nothing wrong with that!) and b) was the weather, well, a little bad with some scattered rainshowers.
A highpoint was the crossing of the Karlsplatz Christmas Market where we briefly lost Ice Queen, Slush Puppie and Richard Kopf.
The main point of the run was the Schwedenbomben feast right next to the Musikverein and I honestly canÄt remember who succeeded that Noble task of eating the Schwedenbombe without using their hands. Maybe time will tell.
Eat it up!
Well, since the starting point of the run was quite near then and it still continued to rain there were a few good souls including Marathon Man, Munk and myself who couldn't care less but get back to point A if only to find the gate to warmth, beer and dry clothes locked.
So what can one poor boy do but take yet another Glühwein? It took another long while until all the runners (Tickpleaser, Ground Control and consorts) made it back and then even longer for the main Hare No Balls Prize to open up the beery gates. Since time was not on my side this time, I had to leave the circle early. But thanks anyway.
And once again it was up up and away to the often tested and proven worthy location Martinsschlössl in Viennas 18th district for the annual Hash Chistmas Party. Was it the usual number of partakers of around 55? I remember this number usually fluctuates between 50 and nearly 70. More important is that everybody seemed to be having a jolly good time , ably assisted by the Hash Band, consisting of Just Ken on Lead and Just Chuck on Rhythm Guitar and vocals, our very own "I don't slap" Septic Yank on Bass and Disco-Bob No Balls Prize on Drums minus the Floor Tom as "I didn't want to carry so much stuff, you know?"
And the band plays on
A set before and after the awards speech, this time featuring our Dearly Beloved GrandMeister, made people dance (and romance?) and was it the fantastic bouffe that regulary makes us come back to this venue or what could possibly be the reason? Might be that there is hardly a better place here in Vienna to be found to host us all. Besiedes, the most regarded price and medal for the worst run in 2010 went yours trulys way!
Please take a few minutes to check out the Christmas Party Pics and think about joining the Vindobona Hash in the near future !
Before I continue with further updates place check out this wonderful piece of music by Luis Miguel. I first got to know this song in another wonderful version on a CD called New York City Ache by Bobby Sanabria.
I want to listen to and see something cheerful as I learned that one working colleague with whom I had worked on a foreign assignment for a few years and whom I knew at least workwise quite well passed away yesterday.
My condolences to Claudias family, all non Hashers.
Si pudiera expresarte Cómo es de inmenso En el fondo de mi corazón Mi amor por ti
Este amor delirante Que abraza a mi alma Es pasión que atormenta A mi corazón
Siempre tú estás conmigo En mi tristeza, estás en mi alegría Y en mi sufrir
Porque en ti se encierra toda mi vida Si no estoy contigo mi bien No soy feliz
Es pasión, delirio de estar contigo Y yo soy dichoso mi bien Porque me quieres también.
Well, here is one more piece of support by a regarded Mister someone who goes by the Name of Mind the Gap, covering the run on December the 5th up on a very crowded Cobenzl on a very cold day.
Quote:
"Written by Ghandi Temp.
Krampus run (its never too late to do the run of the year !!)
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Despite the treacherous road conditions and the cold weather a pretty large group of Hashers were gathered Sunday afternoon ready for the Krampus run. It would have been a larger crowd but, because the Christmas market had gate crashed the location, parking spaces were difficult to come by and a number of Hashers were cruising around in their cars (nothing new there) waiting for that lucky break or even parking their car further afield - in fact almost in a field (more later).
Maybe they were cruising around still changing into their red underwear which was a stipulation of the run.
Eventually most souls made the group and we headed off through the bemused crowds into the snow. All except Tick Pleaser who still hadn't been able to find a spot - but he would race after us later - he needs the exercise anyway !!
Almost immediately we were a) in snow, b) going up hill and c) without markings as the many sledging kids and trampling feet had wiped out the second check. But that did not matter because the hares in their wisdom had decided to set the trail where no sledger, trampling foot or normal person would go - up past the end of a sledging trail, steeply (what more steeply ? Yo !!) into the woods and even deeper into snow. The first casualty of ths deep snow seemed to be St.Norman, aka Stormin' Norman.
Since G-String was not present at the run, MTG decided to be the hero of the day and go back on a S + R mission only to receive the news that St Norman had short cutted to the front of the pack and was in no danger. Making a mental note to himself to award himself his fourth Hero Of The Hash medal MTG went up that damn hill again !!
And so it went on, up and up through the trees, then level for a while to the great relief of the pack and finally down hill to the song check and many choices of where to go next. All that is except MTG who was at the back with Glo Balls making sure he didn't fall to his death or get eaten by one of the bears, wolfs of squirrels that inhabit the woods. Think about it - first he goes off to rescue a saint and then protects an OVH - surely saintly behaviour - maybe soon another title will be added to the already impressive list that is the Prof. DDr.'s own.
Obviously when they reached the song check the pack was long gone - Glo Balls was dispatched to the shortest, safest and steepest route back while MTG attempted to catch up with the pack. And catch up he did (via the hard core route which as it turned out only 4 others had done). What a hero !!
The pack seemed to be in good shape, no losses (note to hares: make it more difficult next time), even Mindphuck, aka Souvenir, aka Rita was enjoying herself and we all know that the last time there was snow was Tasmania was during the ice age. And Mindphuck wasn't even there then. Luckily for the pack it was more or less down hill from then, except of course for the sting in the tail that was the final slope back up to the the lookout point on the path that then lead the pack straight back to the car park.
Perfect planning allows this kind of trail laying ;-) Back at the car park, beer was dispensed along with Krampussy (is that a word?) things like nuts, dried figs, tangerines, chocolate things, and more beer. After a period of indecision a spot was found for the circle. By this time it was bitterly cold and surprisingly No Mercy Mistress was in the circle. It transpired that her car was stuck not in a field, but a snow bank. Since help from the Hashers would not be forthcoming until the circle was over NMM had to stay.
The usual stuff in the circle: hares MTG (saint? quadruple holder of the Hero Of The Hash medal? even OVH ??? who knows !!) and KUTY-PI were given thanks and punishment; visitor MindPhuck was honoured (honored for our retarded american cousins!!), and, and, and finally the Red underwear police were on the scene. KUTY-PI and MTG showed how it was done, followed by St. Norman, MyPint Of View, Root C Anal, and many others (see the photos) but the black sheep of the Hash was King Ralph with black underwear for which he of course drank. No Balls Prize blinded everyone with last years Green skiing jacket so no one could see the colour of his underwear.
We know what's underneath!
Mercilessy, since bitterly cold had turned into f*cking bitterly cold, Richard Freiherr von F*ckkopf (aka unofficially as XXRARK) kept the circle short, even MOM managed to control his pouring instincts, and after rescueing No Mercy Mistress's car, we gathered at the on-in nearby for some beers, good food and a lesson in how not to get your guests to pay for their food (you had to be there!!).
So: run of the year? By the time you read this we'll all know."
Unquote.
I don't really mind the cold since it usually IS cold in winter but abusing a location where we had most of the aforementioned disaster already on previous occasions? Once it was so cold that the beer froze in the Down Down Mugs before it could be put to good use. Kein Witz.
Here is yet another example of worthy contribution by the now already well known and established secret Co-Contributor Tickpleaser. This covers the run he and I set in and around Mödling on the 28th of November, covering a pretty area which is small parts of the Naturpark Föhrenberge and parts of the Liechtenstein hill (not the country of the same name!)
Quote:"
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Or so they say. Well, all the signs were not good that this would be the case for run #1495 after the Hares had to change the D-Erections a few days before, due to a proper run taking place in Mödling on the same day. Perfect planning, as always. Safe to say that there were a few more participants in the Adventlauf than the Hash. But we all know who had the better time, don't we? The weather was perfect with the first winter snow freshly fallen and reminding us that Christmas is finally around the corner. MTG was not there to tell us exactly how many days it was to Christmas as he had disappeared to spend the weekend in Zagreb with a few other turncoats (or seasoned travelling Hashers, depending on your point of view). With three Zagrobians celebrating their 70th birthday, plus a 77th to boot, the Zagreb Hash makes even VH3 seem youthful - which as we all know is quite an achievement.
The run started in a car park on the outskirts of town just next to the forest and sure enough went straight on up and into the trees. (Where there's a hill, there's a Hash?) Thankfully for all concerned the destination wasn't the Anninger, at 650M the tallest hill in the region, and the trail soon turned right and on to the top of a ridge, before a steady walk down a lot of steps and with a great view of the aqueduct that supplies all you lucky Vindobonans with nice fresh mountain water. En route, the hares Marie Tamponette and Tickpleaser showed their obvious inexperience (I change that to imcompetence, Note Marie Tamponette) by forgetting where they had laid the trail just a few hours previously. Luckily there were enough hardy souls present to take charge and lead the bewildered pair on towards their own markings.
The Hares had wisely (and somewhat surprisingly) remembered to use a dash of polenta here and there so the markings were visible despite the patches of snow and other cold stuff. The run skirted along the valley floor next to the Mödling-Hinterbrühl main road (Brühler Straße) and, surprise, surprise, then ran up the hill the other side to the top of a second ridge. Thankfully most of the pack failed to notice (or more likely didn't care) that the trail was very similar to one a year or two ago from the same Hares, and sure enough it went past the Schwarze Turm, that slightly strange tower come unusual house, which sits over Mödling brooding like a fat maiden aunt at a wedding.
The promise of a Gluehwein stop was enough to get the straggling line of Hashers moving again, following The Famous Pimpsqueak - whose keen nose (or was it local knowledge?) had already sniffed out the impending stop. Sure enough, a few minutes later all were happily warming their hands round their mugs thanks to a small Weihnachtsmarkt next to a church on the way down to Mödling itself. From here it was a short trundle back through the pedestrian zone and yet another Weihnachtsmarkt, with a final walk uphill along the Goldene Stiege and back to the car park. Needless to say, the beer was for once properly chilled thanks to the Austrian winter weather and those hardy few who braved the On-After left Gasthaus Bockerl to find their cars under a few cm of new snow which very politely waited until the end of the circle before coming down to earth.
