Trotsky stands accused of grievances dating back to mid-September… Charges include “Failure to promptly report on a Shig.”, “Failure to promptly keep membership apprised of naming back-stories” and lastly “Failure to realize that he was imbibing a slightly less denatured alcoholic beverage as the last festive slug of the night, and just prior to walking home”.

Does Trotsky deny these charges?  Nyet.

Does Trotsky embrace these charges?  Da.  Well, not too closely, people might start to talk…

Is Trotsky in any condition to lay out the next Shig?  Da Da Da…. DA!

When: Thursday, October 2, 2008

Where: The Kremlin (Trotsky’s place)

What time: 6:30pm

According to his caring nature, in his mother tongue, Trotsky says: “Прогноз вызывает для разбросанных ливней в течении дня на четверг, поэтому я предложил бы что вы одеваете соответственно, и пожалуйста не испуган получить влажным. Ничего более плохое чем плакса!”

Loosely translated: “Dress for rain”.  However, if you are an enlightened individual, yet do not speak Trotsky’s mother tongue, you can get the translation  yourself, lazy-ass! Just go here

Back from Ottawa and with newly acquired knowledge, I attempted to be the first shiggy duster hare and marked a dead trail on Thursday. Turnout was below average, with only 66% attending. The run was good with shig through local parks and fields.

At the finish, the remaining 1/3 of the pack managed to turn up (citing work excuses for not making the run). As the entire club was present, we held three official naming ceremonies:

- Just Dave is now “Trotsky”

- Just Terry is now “Quags”

- Just Rob is now “Shunty”

Lessons I learned as the kennels first hare:

- Hounds are lazy. Make sure the trail goes where they don’t want to go (uphill!). A false trail that goes uphill will probably not be found as the pack will search downhill first.

- A beer check in the middle is not always good, especially when you’ve got some hills to climb after. Also, when faced with a tall can or regular size pick the regular beer! Save the big beers for later.

- Chalk marks in white are highly visible in daylight but really hard to see at night. Flour glows brightly in full sun or dim light. Bring more flour than you think you need as it goes fast.

- A Non hashing wife is not interested in hearing about the trail from a drunk hasher at midnight, even if he was the hare!

Finally, we may have to rethink the trail marking scheme. As it almost never rains here, the hash marks do not disappear. Several days later the entire trail is still clearly marked throughout the neighborhood. I envision some past hasher turning up at my house one evening demanding beer, having run the course and spotting the on-in! On the other hand, it might drum up a few new harriers for the club…