Lurching towards the Basin
Lurch comes out but once a year – this year with Fox Face, and we always get something a little interesting; tonight’s effort was no different.
Another early start so that we don’t get our balls wet and we don’t get locked in the Park.
A start in the middle of nowhere – well sort of – The Basin Track is 11 k’s out on the West Head Rd and is just a couple of car spaces.
There’s Lurch in the same two-tone blue shorts he always wears and the same grotty hash t-shirt, and as always he looks like he showered in the trail marking flour. Maybe that’s why we only see him once a year – takes that long to do the washing.
As usual Darwin Don could have been somewhere else instead of this far from home – “at Randwick races watching Winx win for the 14th time”. He also noted that we were in the 2nd month and he hadn’t been to hospital this year.
Fox Face stood on a rock to give instructions and promptly tells the “long runners” to get in their cars and “fuck off” because their trail starts at the Bairne Track – whatever? The “long walkers” and the “short walkers” head down the fire trail to The Basin. The aboriginal carvings enroute looked like a good copy of “bomanite” stamped concrete, and the descent was just that concrete – and steep – but what a stunning night as Lost Patrol was out front running – again!
The “long runners” who had to cross the Basin lagoon did get wet balls – although I think Benny the Swede told a bit of a fib as to which trail he was on – Yep! dry shorts. The runners also spent time at the camp ground taking selfies and groupies.
Staying on trail on a wombat track on the cliff above the beach allowed the rest of the pack to stay high and dry as we rounded the headland to Currawong. Capt Bligh’s brother-in-law (one of the numerous – see last week) tempted fate by staying down on the water’s edge – bringing Captain to observe if he went home one short there would be more inheritance to go around.
Across the beach and a gentler climb towards Mackerel Beach before a little less gentler climb (well gentler than going back up the concrete Basin track which Pee Dub thought was a good idea) as the trail ascended to the magnificent view which marked the end of the “short walkers” trail. Out on trail for an hour and a half and still able to get out of gaol before the gates close.
The onsite On was at Duck Holes Picnic ground where the only parking available was “stacks on the mill” style or walk a mile in my shoes. 43 of us and 4 possums sat down at sloping tables for a cold meat salad and dessert. Good to see the Committee listening to the masses – ice cream instead of “this is good for you” yoghurt, but bananas must still be too expensive to be included in the fruit salad.
Carefree gave a eulogy for departed Hashman Show Pony before the President rose.
Down downs for the Hares, Moishe drank one for Show Pony, Grape Ape was admonished for bringing his kayak “in case”, and French Connection was regaled for spending the last 47 years of his life Hashing. (Jeez he started hashing about the same time as I was last out this way “picnicking” with a good sort in the mid week privacy of Flint and Steel Beach.) Moishe should have had another drink for his ability at picking off the possums with bread rolls.
Humour – I’m seriously concerned that Pee Dub is really “getting into his jokes” – I mean really worked-up. 777 gave us a Duck joke, and Tic Toc had Valentine’s Day dinner with Bruce, Daphne, Trevor and Amy.
On On
Bigamist
8.34 km’s long
228 m’s elevation
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SHOW PONY
Show Pony – aka Gavan Carr died Saturday 11th February 2017 after a short return of ongoing issues with Melanoma
He was a long time member of the Posh and had spent the past 15-20 years living and running on the Gold Coast with the GC Gourmet Hash which had been started by Elusive Illusion aka Terry Morrow another Posh stalwart in his time.
He left a house and a house boat at Hope Island
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_hph430GPU & had till recently been running his bicycle business which before Giant and Trek came along was one of the largest in the country. In Sydney he lived at Bayview on Pittwater.
He was a keen swimmer, surfer, & cyclist and of course a runner. Moonbeams, another Posh immigrant to GC reminded me that they had competed together in the Australian Marathon in 1983-4 and had run a creditable 3 Hours12 Minutes.
He had 4 wives – that we know of & recently was away searching for a possible 5th.
Show Pony measured his boats by stories. The biggest one was 3 stories. We often moored in Americas Bay(close to here) but my 42 footer was no match.
I picked him up late last year at Moonbeams place to drive them to a Hash Run and commented about marks on his face. He told me they were from Melanoma treatment. He was gone very quickly after that.
On On
Carefree.
(Spoken as a poem.)
Here’s to Pony he was True Blue
He was a piss pot thru & thru
He was a bastard so they say
And now he’s in Heaven having his say