Caves & Canyons – 04.14.2008 – Run 1386

             While I won’t go so far as to say that I enjoy showing up late to runs, if you can swing in just two or three minutes after the proverbial starting gun has been fired, than you might be able to skip the first two (or sometimes three) check-ins.  It makes for a much more efficient hash.  I don’t advocate this, I merely put it out there for those parties interested. 

            Either way, the Hare for this Hash was a man by the name of Colin and by strange coincidence, this hash day happened to coincide with his birthday, which means that I cannot say anything bad about the trail.  So I’ll just end it here, I guess…

No, no, it wasn’t a bad trail at all.  An exercise in hills and canyons, it actually had moments of fun mixed in there quite well.  The trail began at the parking lot of the caves – the natural ones, not the shopping ones – and ran east along Bay Street before turning up Plantation Hill road.  The pack made their way up the moderately steep hill and ran past the Plantation Hill building before coming to a box just a few hundred feet down the road near a construction zone.  One of our best ever photos was taken there before the trail resumed in the direction of JFK.  The road was a mess of rocks and sand and dirt but the nimble feet of these hashers sidestepped every dangerous and sharp corner poking in the wrong direction. 

Once at JFK, the trail made an eastward turn and we followed the road for about a quarter-mile before cutting into some underbrush and reappearing on another road (paved this time) servicing houses to be built.  We had a box at the top of the hill and after every hasher caught up, we followed the trail as it continued eastward upon another unpaved stretch.  After heading in this direction for a while, the trail made a left turn and than another before we came to another box in front of the house of “Willie & Filly,” where Dave and Miriam posed for the HashFlash and Frank showed off his “horn.” 

From here, the trail went down a steep hill and curved to the right before taking us into the thick of some neighborhood streets.  From here, the trail began meandering westward and eventually emerged on Bay Street where we turned left and found the On-In sign on the side of the road across from the beach.  Once we all made it back, there was a giant birthday card waiting for Colin that we had all signed as well as some cupcakes (I think – I could be making this part up; the cupcakes, not the card).  The card was very nice, complete with plenty of photos of Colin on the hash over the years.  And than, to celebrate in proper hash style, everyone drank copiously at Nesbitt’s and there was even a cake – a very good cake.  Cheers and happy birthday, Colin!