What about the frost? The temperatures in the Vienna area seemingly getting more mediterranean over the years and it is not unlikely that I could set an olive tree and an oleander into my garden and out from the pot.
A few days after the glorious St.Patricks Day(and Schweizerhaus opening day of course!) - you have guessed it that run covered here happened on March 20th - Hares Lopsided Backside and Beanman (survivor of Run # Uno in Vindobona in 1982 and a) still around and b) fit like a youngster) made us start near the Narrenturm in the Altes AKH in the 9th district, home of such establishments like the Stiegl Ambulanz or the Gangl Bierheurigen. You name them. Lovely surroundings. And difficult parking.
Painted all green on the inside!
A place well worth mentioning nearby is the Lane and Merriman's Pub in Spitalgasse, outside the Altes AKH where our great Host David threw many a merry St. Patricks private party for, well, a few. One can't say that this run lasted too long, after getting out of the area, on over the Ringstraße the Molly Darcy's Pub was the place of a long beerstop.
Bier her, oder wir falln um!
Some 20 more minutes after the Beerstop and this short run was already finished, with Irish Whiskey, Chips and Salsa. It was also naming time for Smoking Penis, alas no decent pics to document this historic moment.
With AGM Day behind us and some other elections elsewhere I would like to point that that the most popular bearer of a certain first name has certainly been around much longer than the other two important leaders of the same given name - at the World's Worst and elsewhere.
AGM Day is always something special, although in a different sense it is pretty much the same every year. I remember AGM days in the middle and late 1990s were held somehwere along Sieveringer Strasse, presumably being preceded by runs up the Cobenzl somewhere. There was even one AGM at a Heurigen in Perchtoldsdorf (my fault, I know) and after one or two such meetings at the former Gasthaus zur Reichsbrücke we successfully managed to institutionalize this event at the wonderful Gösser Bierinsel behind the Lusthaus in the Prater. Tradition also has it that the Hares are always GM + RA, perhaps the only occasion during the Hashing year that Richard Kopf will set a run voluntarily.
Frau Eva, our host for 14 years and her chef Jindra (Big Ben) are gone into their well-deserved reitrements, yet Herr Josef (Bier Herr) and the better part of the staff are still there and they were much delighted to see us again. Take into account that this place has been built/opened sometime in the late 19th century, there are simply not too many of these old-fashioned places around here any more.
The weather looked grimy with some decent rainfall so those who did not precede the run with a warm up beer inside the Gasthaus had been hiding within a small something that looked like a bus stop to me (Linie 77A). It was surprising to see Likk'mm around, a newbie called Lucky Me and the usual 25 or so AGM attendees (could have been more than that). In the rain Hares Multiple Entry and Richard Kopf decided to take the way alongside the Lusthauswasser and OnOnto a Ballantines Stop near the water, much welcomed by all. OnOn across the Aspernallee and a bit nearer towards the Prater Hauptallee. After a short swing across that main trafficless road it was straight on back to the carpark.
Me likeeeeey!!
No special happenings during the circle, yet at the AGM Casting Couch tried to get voted in as new GM, yet lost by a mere four votes to confirmed incumbent Multiüle Entry ("I promise more simplicity in the year to come!"), still CC get rewarded with the post og Vice GM. The usual other business with endless elections followed. Same procedure.Yet the Vindobona Hash will be hosting Eurohash next year. A very special occasion. Lots to write about in the weeks and months to come.
Assorted Moron Pics will be added when they're available. (They are now available).
Since the Schweizerhaus closing day has just passed here is my short recollection of 2016 opening day, roughly describing the average beer drinkers routine:
Take the day off (of course!)
Get there by 10 a.m. and have your first beers at the beerplace across the road, the likewise wonderful Englische Reiter, where the real Hardcore people assemble in time.
Head towards the Schweizerhaus gates (still closed untl 11 a.m.)
Muscle your way into the garden (no sitting inside!) after the gates finally swing open at 11, ignore the TV cameras and the newspaper reporters.
Pray to the gods of your choice that your (our) good friend waiter Bertl has reserved a table for you under the moniker "Irland" like he always does.
Order your first beers and start the chitchat with fellow drinkers near you that will last for the rest of the day.
Towards the evening and if you're still able to, walk (stagger) home, try to avoid falling onto the floor thereby cracking your glasses and/or torkling into lampposts outside the place, pass out and wake up in a hospital room (has all happened to various people).
Be happy to be alive and repeat this routine on closing day.
Some more catch up with my and this Chapters halfway recent past brings me to a run in early March that was set by King Ralph and Pop Ur Cork nearby the Prater, starting from "nearby Vivariumstraße" and the fact that this was a bright sunny day with half of Vienna strolling around that area made finding a parking spot an adventure.
Taking off from near the Prater we approached the Praterstern in no time and obviously King Ralph had been inspired by the aforementioned roundabout-addicted sportsman as he demanded the first and several following checkpoints (roundabout resembling areas) to be ran around in circles five times each, at least by those who pretended they could run accident free. Soon after followed that vast area where a from massive freight station - the Nordwestbahnhof - was once located, an area that is now being transformed into aresidential district with an endless array of appartment.
More ensuing checkpoints at more roundabouts, more running around in circles. Avery interesting area towards the end of the run was the local Stuwerviertel with a Circusmuseum being located at Ilgplatz (a round square, 5 rounds of running)
Somehow and at long last it was on back to the Prater area, then followed by a smallish circle, while the whole area was still jam-packed with the fair-weather walkers from all around.
Ah, the Ski Week Solidarity run, by tradition (and one sure can invent new traditions as considered necessary) set and starting on the same date and time as the Ski Week Hash if only to Prevent Matter over Mind, a non-skiing regular on Skiweeks, from travelling back in time to Vienna to get an extra run credit.
Apart from one single year where Ice Queen and Slush Puppie have tried something completely different all the way out in Mauerbach it was mainly me and Cardinal Munk, OVH, coming up with live runs, with startpoints alternating between the Karlskirche and the Votivkirche.
Apart from previous years when I - being a lone Hare .- trusted the "Free Form fornat" without any reccie or plan for the run this time my Regarded Co-Hare arrived with a Big piece of paper fully scribbled on. That was his detailed plan for that enterprise, including more or less any sight and landmark of several inner-city districts. What the heck I thought, then I'd just carry the flour and next year will be my turn again. After what seemed a bit too long in terms of duration (80 minutes) we two arrived at the Schwarzenbergplatz and the consecutive wait for the Hounds felt like a drought within the deep blue sea. The beer provided was warm Ottakringer. Although beggars can't be choosers.
At long last Slush Puppie, Lord Glo-Balls OVH, I think I remember Pussy Schumi and three or four others arrived to help celebrate the 16th edition of this supportive run. OnAfter at Herlitschka. Remember the Bond movie "The Living Daylights?" Parts of it was filmed in Vienna and in one particular scene Sir James is driving his vehicle past Herlitschka.
This is the first of a bunch of writeups trying to cover some ground on what has happened chez le World's Worst in 2016. A pretty symbolic one happened in the middle of February in Gaaden opposite the local cemetery with Casting Couch and 2Bob setting the trail, a cemetery being the place where most Hashers will end up in all probability. (I am not writing this on All Saints Day for nothing).
Taking off into the nearby and wide-stretching forest area one could mainly see copious amounts of mud and some late winter scenery, alas without any snow. Given the ongoing climate change it may happen on one fine day that the Donauinsel shoreline will see the same beach buzz as, for instance, Queenslands Gold Coast? Would that alone be enough to lure the Sex-O-Phone family back to the Ostriches? Not even barely taking into consideration Mindphuck and all those other Vindobona Alumni, Minuteman et al? Before contuining this saga I will raise the following beer in your honour, extending my very best regards to all of you:
Greetings from the World's Worst Hash!
Way to go. After the usual amount of ups and downs there was this huge Villa somewhere in the middle of that forest, place of a biannual event of offroad enthusiasts and belonging to a family of importance. Some sort of law enforcement community means of transport could also be gazed at sometimes during the run.
Probably not suitable for chasing the Blues Brothers!
During the circle there a naming took place, this time of Just Mia and the Hashname that was awarded to her I can't recall anymore. Maybe someone could help me with this one? Tickpleaser?
