With grace imbued

Many years ago, while we lived in Paris and ran with all three Hashes of the Paris area (the other two being the wonderful Fointainebleau H3 and the likewise great Saint Cloud H3) a non-limerick came up after a run that went like this:

There once was a young girl from Bude
Who went for a swim in the lake
When a man in a punt
stuck an oar up her ear
And said "You can't swim here, it's private".

Smelly Cheese, a legend of the World's Worst Hash responded to this piece of art with the following, amongst others:

There was a young lady from Bude

Who went for a swim in the nude.

She went out in a punt,

And fell out at the front,

And was horribly mauled -- by a duck!

Somewhere up on Bisamberg

If you're interested in Limericks you can quite easily find other examples out there. I am bringing this up as this post deals with an area that is mostly used by St. Norman, OVH (this time with Rowed Runner) which is the backside of the Bisamberg in Viennas 21st district. Starting off from the carpark near the local cemetery it is immediately into an area rich with vineyards, cobblestone roads, winehouses(Heurigens),  beautiful running paths, scenic outlooks...., you name it.

This sign of an underground station has nothing to do with this post ;-)

There is not much that Hares can do wrong in these surroundings. Tonights Hares were no exception, with bringing the trail all the way further uphill (thereby avoiding the well known Stammersdorfer Kellergasse with all its Heurigens) until the carpark Senderstrasse was reached. Which is were many a Hashrun was started in the past. From there onwards came the locally wellknown any my favourie part of the run which is downhill the cobblestone street of the Jungenbergstrasse with more spectacular views. One does not need to go to Ibiza. Stay with the World's Worst Hash and be rewarded with copious Down Downs. Towards the end, back to the carpark followed by a regular circle and the On After at the nearby Gasthaus Weinbeisser. (They say halfprice food on Mondays which it isn't). But good food nonetheless.

Mehr als 200 Teile aus Plasten und Elasten, natürlich von Pneumant

Look here for an explanation.

Another recent attraction (of many, I confess) was the annual Wiener Beerfest in the centre of town. Beerlovers came sample the products from more than 30 breweries. Very much recommended. Annually in the second half of May.

Beerfest Vienna 

Moron pics can be seen here.

And now, on to Horitschon for the weekend of our 2000th run.

Insights

More pics from recent meanderings.

Look left...

...and right

Hash Trash

No fun?

At the Sankt Marx Cemetery

Go by Tube 

A little warmup for the upcumming Traintrolley weekend next week in Burgenland.

My old Dutch

For the umpteenth and certainly not the last time in this lifetime Rear Admiral Flying Dutchman, OVH started his annual trail from the Brigittenauer Brücke, tweaked in between the Motorway A 22 and the green of the nearby Donauinsel. Another 20 or more Hashers showed up and, after the prerun explanations if was on over the Brigittenauer Brücke into the Donaupark on the other side.

Having run often through the quiet roads where all these posh houses (and a few, well, more old-fashioned ones can be seen) I still tend to get lost there. Mirthfully the shores of the Alte Donau came up and as this is an area where many a Hashrun has been set in the past I could make out at least three if not four areas that were used as carpark on other runs. Not counting in the Gasthaus Birner on the udder side of the Alte Donau, the Gastbaus being our annual host for the World's Worst Hash Christmas Party.

The backtrail consisted of more quiet roads and the beginning of the Donaupark itself. When Pope John Paul II visited Vindobona in 1983, he held a public church service in the Donaupark that 300.000 people attended. There is still a large metal cross to commemorate that.  A little while later it was on back to the carpark, circle and Barbeque afterwards. The main feature of the circle was the return of Cardinal Munk, OVH after heavy illness. The Hash Grill, being kept and guarded by the Hare since ... I can't remember anymore was forgotten at the Grill area and gone the next day when Rear Admiral FD, OVH came back for a search and rescue mission. Would that be worth an extra Down Down the next time round?

By the way, no screaming and cursing please.

Moron run pics can be watched here.

Waiting for the Dawn

The first Monday evening run of this year, as always and traditionally starting off from the wonderful Grüß Di a Gott Wirt (the founding place of the Vindobona Hash in 1982) was a bit overshadowed in the truest sense by heavy clouds, the occasional rainshower and something which I have never seen on this hilltop - Viennas highest elevation point at 542 metres - namely mist.

With Cardinal Munk, OVH still on rehab it was Tickpleaser who came to the rescue, offering his time and car and his Hash catering services plus Casting Couch (volunteered herself to take a bus to its terminal and then walk 40 minutes thru the forest, thereby getting lost and arriving a few minutes late) - danque cheun to you both. Furthermore it was our old friends from the Paris, Saint Cloud and Fontainebleau Hashes Spicy Meat Balls and Roundabout whom we haven't seen in many years. They, as houseguests and great Hashers, gladly assisted as well, so in the end a team of five laid the trail, carried on up the bubbly stuff and prepared the stage for the songstop.

In spite of the weather (thanks RA!) 20 Hares plus us five hounds made their way up the hill to the Hermannskogel with its landmark, the Habsburgerwarte and Spicy Meat Balls and I barely got up and had the prosecco ready when the first runners already arrived.

Me LIKEY! 

The Cups were filled and handed out by Holy Roamin' Empress, OVH personally to all arrivals. After toasting to ourselves (37 years of VH3!) it was time for the theme song, a British hit from 1966 that is very likely to be performed on the weekend of our 2000th run again.More of that at the end of this post. After drinking and singing it was on downhill to the circle were visitors were introduced, Beanman (the only remaining survivor of run # 1!) was celebrated and at long last it was time for the nearby OnAfter. Stefan, the owner of the Grüß Di A Gott Wirt always passes on his weekly closing day and opens up just for us. Thanks for that!

One of these two was missing tonight

Hashy Birthday

On After 

Country Conundrums in Cartesian Coordinates

The great Cultured, a former Hashfriend in Paris used the title of this post for a writeup for one of his stories several decades ago (at the Paris Hash). Still I am happily reusing it for last weeks run which was located quite close to Vindobona and yet Terra Incognita for most of us. Getting out of Neu-Purkersdorf and into the green pastures of Irenental brought along a place called Jausenstation Hoffmann which is located at the end of a valley, with promising paths and forests all around.

Holy Roamin' Empress, OVH and Slush Puppie are amongst the precious few (Kuty Pi being another noteworthy example with her spring run a few weeks ago) to come up with new locations and examples of the wonderful variety that the area around Vienna has to offer. In fact, after finishing this writeup I will take off for a long walk myself, to be accompanied by Hash Hound Just Melios. ;-)

Due to brilliant spring weather more and more Hashers came along, some we haven't seen for a long time (Tonto plus daugher, Finger Me with her sister and a few more, including two visitors from a Washington DC Hash who are currently running in Belgrade). In the end it must have been a crowd close to 40 and off we went into the hills, neatly split into a runners and a walkers trail. Scenic and steep ascents and descents were leading us all the way further uphill, allowing for panoramic photos and scenic views. One highpoint in the truest sense was getting up the Troppberg (542 metres) with a look out platform that went up another 50 winds metres. Again, great views.

The only way was up! 

After panorama came more running and after even more puffing and running it was time for the much anticipated Eierlikör (Eggnig) drinkstoop, a regular on Eastermonday runs. After the Eierlikör was finished and another 20 or so running minutes it was on back to the carpark. The circle ran out of beer quite quickly, so King Ralph came to the rescue by handing out Schnaps DDs in plenty. Official Moron pics can be admired here.

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via GIPHY

Sneakin' out of here

More pics from recent excursions, the first one was taken by S. Energy (and a comparison was drawn to a Vincent Van Gogh oil canvas by a former friend of the great Fontainebleau Hash House Harriers).

Starry Night 

Double Fun 

Springtime

Errr....

via GIPHY

One in, one out

After one or several beer mile events in Vindobona (I know of at least two, one is reported about in this blog somewhere) Barefoot and Mr. Pink called for the first local edition of the Bierkistenlauf (Kastenlauf as the German equivalent) where the noble goal is - ideally split in teams of four - to empty the content of an entire beercrate (20 bottles) on your way to the designated finish line. Have a look at this educational video to get an idea of what this is all about.

Two proud contestants on their way 

Starting off from the Würstelstand near Ernst Happel Stadium, a group of twelve stalwarts made a fitting selection of three teams, with a young quartet from the British Isles being the most dedicated, closely being followed by Mr. Pink and Barefoot. Yours truly and Hash Mate Bloodsucker completed the second team, with Walrus, Victorias Secret, Moehar Richard Kopf (OVH) and Just John from the Scottish West Coast constituting the third team.

Pure Dedication

Off it was to run (or walk, but mostly enjoy the beers) on a fine set trail with flower and coloured chalk, soon after the beginning cameth a few obstacles in form of rather steep climbs up and down various rope ladders on deserted children playgrounds, of course all the time carrying beercrates and bottles with you. Bloodsucker and myself took it the easy does it way,  and we reckoned we'd be well on our way when we saw to youngsters team whizzing by quite late on the trail with their beercrate still being more than half full.

Only one left standing! 

At long last (and, to repeat myself, at the end of a fine trail in the midst of heaps of wild garlic) we were nearing the finish line and realized we had come in second, some 10 minutes after the winning team. I'd like to emphasize the neatly drawn finish line right next to our very own Hash House near the Lusthaus. 

In theory these should be twenty bottlecaps each! 

The afternoon was merrily concluded at the Hash House, with more Hash friends coming by, such as Sinex, Multiple Entry, Rowed Runner, TB Saint Norman (OVH) and the Barefoot family. I enjoyed myself a lot. Thanks for the idea and the organization. To be revisited sometimes!