Monday 27 February 2017

You got to walk that lonesome Valley

Eurohash minus 131 days. Reminiscing about runs in the past up on the Gießhübl I hold fond memories about the Millenium Bug run way back in 1999 (you can still find the old writeup somewhere -> none of us are getting any younger -< ) and another run from January 2005 where the unforgettable Minute Man presented me with special souvenirs from one of his trips to Japan and a visit to one of those 100 Yen Stores. (Explaining pic to follow).

CoHare TwoBob and yours truly set out with no real concept apart from vague memories of that run in late 1999. The Snow and cold have thankfully retreated (just the wind felt a bit chilly) and a very nice group of 30 hounds found their way up to the carpark where even Richard Kopf gave in and paid the obligatory fee of 4 Euros for 6 hours of parking. Speaking of free parking (being of Scottish origin Richard Kopf sent me a text message trying to avoid the payment), the free parking outside absentee Tickpleasers house a a bit further down the hill was that little bit too far away to use.

With returnees Scarlett Pimpernell, The Famous Pimpsqueal and Double Oh Seven (GREAT Chinese army coat!) amongst the fold it was on down the hill for a bit (with some passing through the thick underwood) until there was a drinkstop (pure water only) at the Schneerosenbründl, lovely place.

Kann Ihm jemand das Wasser reichen? / Can someone hold a candle to My Pint?



Further on and after a check for quite a while uphill, a path that made Fallen Angel grouch we reached the Höhenstraße again (the main path through the forest is called just like that remarkable road within Viennese city limits which leads to the Grüß-Di-A-Gott Wirt) the last part of trail led by a huge local stone pit and eventually up a glorious hill with magnificent views and a compulsory Song Stop, with a rousing renditon of The Good Ship Venus. On After at the nearby Bärenhütte Gasthaus, a place to be recommended.

A bench in the park!



Sunday 12 February 2017

This is what we're here for

I just learned that Al Jarreau has passed. RIP and thanks for the music. This song covers some of the core and the deepest meaning. This is what life is all about.


Mystic Voyage

Eurohash minus 145 days. Another bit of Ostrich history, preceded by an important day of Hash History to remember. The Ostrich historic occurence happened just four years before the Mother Hash got started in KL in 1938. Looking up an old blogpost from 2010 shows a reused location that probably no-one remembers anymore. Except for the main Hare Casting Couch (with CoHare TwoBob) and yours truly, that is. Nothing had changed over the past seven years in the mystic village of Hafnerberg (and why, anyway?) apart for a bit milder temperatures (-1 degree Celsius) and a little less snow. Lots of lovely blank ice made up for that in plenty and made Richard Kopf ("I got lost and found an alternative fact - I mean way - back to the carpark!") and Nail Me turn round and avoid lots of slip sliding away. You're realizing that you're no further away from the city centre of Vienna than some 40 or 50 kilometres and you're coming across these godforsaken places, even a Rin Tin Tin impersonation came along out of nowhere, a lovely long haired dog accompanied the Hounds, especially O Sodomia and her doggie for a bit. The only thing I was missing were the tumbling tumbleweeds.


Tumbling along with the tumbling Tumbleweeds



At first it was downhill for an icy bit, then further on a longish flat way through depressive-looking winterland and then a long way on uphill again (Weitwanderweg to Hafnerberg) and towards the end downhill again alongside the stations of the cross back to the cars (I only slid out thrice close to the carpark). A pleasant not-too-long circle in the cold, featuring returnees the Famous Pimpsqeuak and Scarlett Pimpernell concuded the proceedings. All the best from this point to our great and glorious Grand Meister who had to undergo urgent medical treatment. And lastly, greetings to our friends from the Zagreb Hash who held their annual winter weekend over the last three days.