Once and Future Wingee, Jolly

Rover Challenging the Blind to a Race

Fat Bastard's Traditional Kilt Attire

Before the Run

'Twas Day Four of the five-day Chew-Suck holidays and the question was would the Seoul Hashers drag themselves away from friends, bars, family, bars, in-law outings and bars given the weird weather created by Typhoon Maemi passing by to the east.  Miraculously the skies cleared and by the time we gathered by the Hyatt Hotel - just beyond jeering distance of the Yongsan Hash who were finishing up their run - the clouds had returned but not the rain.

Appearing thanks to his wife's foot infection (a long, not very interesting story), EM Martin surprised us all - in from China to be with his hobbling wife and her relatives for Chew-Suck.  Good to (actually better than) his word, Jolly appeared with his home cooked food that would put ddok and other Korean "edibles" served at this time of the year to shame.  Taciturn (not!!) Rover was there offering his comments about everything.  Fat Bastard swept over from the Yongsan Hash adorned in a kilt.  BaliHite appeared with apologies for not being seen much recently flashing his digital camera - a good thing since he IS the Hash Flash. LeperCon in his Seoul Gaels polo shirt offering details on how not to go drinking in Itaewon should you be Irish.  And all the while we waited and waited for our long lost Seoul Hasher visiting from his current base in Singapore, Virginia Slim.

Giving up on VS, the Hash Horn was lent to Fat Bastard, and the Wingee was called up.  Experiencing a senior moment, the GM called Jolly up as the stand-in Wingee.  After the splash was completed, Rover started skipping about, singing, "it was me! it was me!"  Realizing that there were only two beers brought out from the distant car and an extra splashing could not be done - especially since Hare DODIC was panting for his beer, the GM could only curse and continue on to splash the Hare.

Beyond the normal mumblings of almost helpful hints, the Hare explained the scratches on his legs had resulted from an attack on route by a midget prostitute whom he had encountered once upon the time near the DMZ.  Sometimes one simply cannot escape one's past.  Anyway, DODIC recollected his thoughts, indicated the OnOut was out towards the park - and we were off!

The Run

From the get-go the run was unusual.  First of all, LeperCon took the lead for a full five minutes allowing people to marvel at his unknown profile on a run - his backside.  However upon bounding over the first fence and down into  the forest, the pack came to its first check.  From that point Jolly took the lead with Bali and Rover in close pursuit.  Leper did his best to keep up and somewhere Fat Bastard and the EM fell behind - and shortcutted.

The trail took the pack out on to the sidewalk and eventually up to the National Theatre.  From there it was a short piece up the hill and into the thicket behind the theater where another check was found.

  Here the pack got pretty confused with eventually, again, Jolly finding True Trail.  Pleased with his discovery he kept it to himself and sometime later Leper, Bali and Rover re-discovered the Trail.  The Pack scampered over the hill and along the road that leads up to the summit where Rover bumped into Japanese tourist asking which way to the summit (to which he pointed upwards - duh!).  The trail actually went opposite to the direction of the summit.

  Suddenly taking a right turn off the road, the pack found themselves scrambling a long flight of steps and on to the campus of Dongguk University - and another check.

Eventually the Pack - now consisting of just Bali, Leper and Rover with Jolly somewhere out of sight, ahead - discovered the trail did not go on to campus but over to the intersection in front of the Shilla Hotel.  After some confusion purposely created by the Hare, the Pack of Three realized that trail lead up the back driveway to the Hyatt.  But wait! not far!  The trail suddenly went up a small rock face around a small pavilion and out on to a path that threaded itself within a sculpture garden.    The trail then ended at a fence that dropped four meters down on to pavement on the other side.  Unfortunately the trail  resumed on that pavement so the three hares had to climb over the fence - swearing the entire time - and gingerly lower/drop themselves down on to the waiting trail.

From there it was a hilltop residential run complete with falsies, drying red peppers and yapping dogs.  Finally the trail found a nice patch of bush to explore and the hounds were once again among trees running about until they dropped down on to a busy intersection near the Tower Hotel.