Yesterday’s Hash was all familiar territory thanks to having participated in a couple of the scouting expeditions last week. The route the Hares ultimately chose for the climb up Kalaklan Ridge is, I believe, the best one I’ve taken. As I’ve said before, there ain’t no easy way to the top, but this trail was fairly direct and not overly steep. A pleasant stroll on the ridgeline and a meandering downhill jaunt, then a street walk back to our On-Home venue. Just a tad over 5K when we finished.

The Hash ended a little after six, but rather than join the group for the after-Hash at IDM, I took a trike home. Why go out when I have The Rite Spot On The Roof?

Speaking of my homebody ways, I grilled some steaks for lunch before the Hash.

Over at Kevin Kim’s blog, The Big Hominid, he has a post confirming the worst about the fraud that took place during the scamdemic. The video is on Rumble because YouTube still censors talk that goes contrary to the preferred narrative. I wanted to share the video with my Facebook “friends” but couldn’t figure out how to upload from Rumble. So, instead I posted the link to Kevin’s blog post.

Okay, that’s all the substance I have for today. How about some fun stuff?

Back tomorrow!

Yesterday’s Hash was a long slog but surprisingly enjoyable. About half of the trail was a path I walk regularly, most recently, Sunday morning. The uphill at the end wasn’t steep, but it was lengthy. I’m not sure which is worse–getting your ass kicked but getting it over with or being ground down until you are a wheezing mess. Regardless, I stuck it out and eventually got my second wind. It had been a couple of years since I last hiked up this hill, and I didn’t remember it being quite as difficult, but I was younger and in better shape back then.

The On-Home was at the Hare’s house way out at the end of Rizal Extension. I had three beers there, then left before the Circle rituals began. I wanted to get back down into town before dark, so I hiked the 3K to IDM and enjoyed a couple of more beers. Got some dinner to go from Myleen’s next door (the Flagstaff burrito) and headed home to dine with Swan at my rooftop table. A pleasant way to end the day.

And there you have the story of another Hash Monday.

Alrighty, then. I’ll try again tomorrow.

…doesn’t always win the race, but it usually gets you there alive. That’s how it turned out for me yesterday, at least. I made my long-anticipated return to Kalaklan Ridge, and it was every bit as difficult as I remember. I took my time as I struggled to defy gravity, and in the end, I prevailed. More or less.

The Hash begins at 2 p.m. The trailhead was three kilometers out of town, so I left the house a little after one intending to catch a Jeepney to the start. The first two Jeeps to pass by were full, and as I waited for the next, an empty taxi pulled up. That almost never happens in Barretto (two times in six years for me). I gladly took the comfortable airconditioned option, and the driver charged me 100 pesos (the Jeepney would have been 20), and I threw in a 50 peso New Year’s tip. So, I found myself standing at the beginning of the Hash trail alone at 1:30.

Rather than waiting around for thirty minutes, I decided to get a head start. This was a tad risky for me since I don’t like hiking in the hills alone, especially when I don’t have a clue about what I might encounter. But the Hare is known for a consistently well-marked trail, and as slow as I am, I knew the group would catch up with me before long, so I cautiously but confidently headed out.

I’ve never gone up this way before. It was certainly better than other paths I’ve taken to the top. But there is no easy way, and I was huffing and puffing big time all the way to the ridgeline. It was also a very hot day, which added to the suffering.

I hate checkpoints and this was the second one I’d encountered on yesterday’s trail. When the Hare places the circled X at an intersection it is up to the Hasher to find the true trail. This requires checking out every possible direction until you find a trail marker indicating you are On-On. These marks are usually placed within 50 meters or so. I got lucky and guessed right both times, so I didn’t have to backtrack and look in a different direction.

And then the Hare’s trail took a turn, and I didn’t. I was familiar enough with the area to know that the right turn off the ridge towards Olongapo meant going down and then back up again. Nope, not for me. I still hadn’t recovered from the first climb.

Anyway, I’ll be back for more one day. I do want to do a longer ridgeline trek, but want some company with me.

I just had to go check. Jerry Mathers was born in 1948 and he’s still alive. Way to go, Beaver!

Time for one more?

Here’s a song my nephew sang at my mother’s wake. She passed thirteen years ago this month.

Yesterday’s Hash was like a stroll down memory lane. I had participated in scouting the trail during the Wednesday and Friday group hikes last week, so there was nothing new for me to see. Of course, I knew what I DIDN’T want to see again and avoided those sections, including the big hill climb to the jungle. I still wound up with a pleasant 4K+ trek and lots of cold beers at the One Three Resort when I was finished. Wanna see the pictures? Okay, here goes:

Getting back to Barretto from Calapadayan after dark (and after a few beers) can be a bit of an adventure. Two Jeepneys passed me by, already overflowing with passengers. Then a trike pulled up, and I asked how much to Barretto. I was shocked when he said seventy pesos. I told him, “I’ll give you a hundred!” He dropped me at It Doesn’t Matter for the after-Hash gathering.

I ordered some food for take-out from Myleen’s and was pleasantly surprised to see they had pumpkin pie on the menu. How could I say no? I went to sleep with a full belly last night.

It’s pun time:

That’s it for today folks.

Over the hills or around them? That was the choice to be made, and five of us elected to walk a bit further on mostly flat ground rather than go up and over on a steep path. After seeing some photos from the climb, I feel good about my choice.

It was kinda funny when the Hare, Leech My Nuggets, was giving instructions at the start of the run, stated, “There’s only one trail, but if you want to shortcut, just follow Scott or John.” Heh, I’m a famous short cutter, I guess, but the fact of the matter is my chosen path was a LONGcut. Not that it matters.

I enjoyed the hike, which may be further indication that I have morphed into a flatlander. Well, it beats the alternative of being an underlander, I suppose.

I walked to Snackbar after the Hash but left after one beer because I was unhappy with rap music being played at a high volume. When your customer base is old white guys, you need to do better than that. Did my nightcap at Whiskey Girl, and headed back home.

Here’s one I just know you are going to like:

Tired of Star Trek joke memes? Here’s a gift for you:

That’s all for today. I have some real news to share with y’all tomorrow.

As promised, here is a quick after-action report from my weekend in Pozorrubio, participating in the annual Haggis Bash with the La Union Hash House Harriers.

Getting There

I caught a ride to Pozorrubio with my neighbor and fellow Hasher, Simon (Leech My Nuggets). On the trip up, there were seven passengers in Simon’s car, which meant we had a middle rider in the backseat with me, making it cramped and uncomfortable. At a rest stop halfway there, Simon’s wife elected to sit in the rear with two other female passengers, giving me the front seat. Much better!

Lodging

I would rate the MGM at two stars. The sad thing is, it has the potential to be much higher rated with better management. There was one of the nicer pools I’ve seen, but it was empty and unmaintained. An outdoor bar and rooftop disco were also closed. My room was similarly in need of attention. I was shocked to discover there was no showerhead in my bathroom, and the thought of standing under a pipe of running water to bathe wasn’t appealing. I found the showerhead lying next to the sink and re-attached it myself. That problem solved; I then discovered there was no hot water. I hate cold showers. No toilet paper either, but I bring my own wet wipes, so no issue there. Two bath towels but no washcloths or hand towels. No WiFi connection. The hallway outside my room was unlit, and I needed to use my phone flashlight to see the keyhole. And they didn’t have housekeeping between day one and day two. All said it was one of the worst hotel experiences I can recall. The room was 2400 ($48.) a night, which was way too much for what I received in return.

The MGM was 8K away from the On-Home farm venue, but luckily, the hotel provided van transportation for only 60 pesos a head. Given the logistics, that proved to be a Godsend.

Pozorrubio

For a city with over 70,000 residents, I was shocked at the lack of services and conveniences (oh, did I spell bars wrong?) Seriously though, there were very few options for dining out or having fun in this town. Nothing at all within walking distance of my hotel. The other hotel in town is more centrally located, but according to the Hashers who stayed there, the only place to gather was an outdoor beer garden. Better than nothing, but no help to me from where I was ensconced. Luckily, I drank my fill at the Hash, so I didn’t need to go out, but damn, I can’t imagine living in a place like this. Barretto may be small, but we have many restaurants, hotels, and bars to patronize. Pozorrubio is not a nice place to visit, and I definitely wouldn’t want to live there.

Friday on the farm

After getting checked in and unpacked, we took the hotel van to the CIJ farm, which is apparently a local icon. At least everyone seemed to know where it was located. It was 5K on the highway and another 3K on backstreets to get there.

There was a short 4K Hash trail scheduled to begin at 2:30. It was mostly through farm country and blessedly flat. It was a very pleasant hike and I enjoyed seeing some new vistas.

In keeping with Hash custom, multiple beers were consumed with the added treat of some “Scottish stew” to keep the hunger pangs at bay. Someone called the hotel van and left on the early ride around 7 p.m. A good Day 1 at the Haggis Bash.

Sunday’s marathon

Sunday’s trail began at 9:30 in the morning. I opted for the 6K version, and it was a good fit for me.

Back On-Home for all the after-Hash activities I mentioned in yesterday’s post. I chose not to participate in the games and sat in the shade instead. Had a nice chat with another like-minded Hasher and passed the time with plenty of San Miguel Zeros.

A wet and wild Hash circle followed, then more beers and my first taste of haggis. I was running out of gas by 7 p.m. and asked someone to call the hotel driver. He wasn’t available, so she called for a trike instead. Now, it’s a goodly distance (8K) back to my hotel, and I was prepared to pay 200 pesos for the ride, which is more than fair. Given my lack of options, I could have been talked into 300 pesos, but when the trike driver insisted on 400, I wasn’t willing to pay the skin tax. I told him never mind and walked away. I was pissed but bit my tongue. Nothing good comes from making a Filipino lose face.

We called the hotel again and were told the van would be available at 8:00. Nothing to do but drink more beer and wait it out. Our group exceeded the van’s capacity, but we all squeezed in anyway. All but me and another guy got out at the beer garden in town, but there was no way I was going anywhere but back to my hotel. So, my night ended peacefully with me in one piece.

A Sunday drive

The plan was to leave for Barretto at 9:30 in the morning, but I got a knock on the door an hour earlier, saying everyone was ready to go. Luckily, I had packed, so I put my blog post on hold, closed up the laptop, and headed downstairs. Only five of us on the trip back, so much more comfortable. I had the front seat again, which is always nice. Simon took a different route to the expressway, so we were seeing some new sights. And then we went under a bridge that carried the expressway and saw no on-ramps. We kept our northward heading, and I pulled out my map app to show us the way. We wound up taking a 6K detour in each direction through a small town with gridlocked traffic, but we eventually made our way back to the highway home.

Epilogue

We arrived safely just before noon, and I resumed my Barretto life. That included the Sunday feeding at Hideaway. Swan joined me at the new Oasis bar after church, and we spent some quality time imbibing (beer for me, wine for her). We made Sloppy Joe’s our nightcap venue. The Sit-n-Bull waitress came by, and I asked about pecan pie availability, and she said yes. So, two pies to go, please! Came home, had dessert, and then a lovely welcome home from Swan.

And that’s where things stand as of now. I’ll be Hashing again today and likely shortcutting since Leech My Nuggets is the Hare. Still don’t want to push my luck going up into the hills.

And here’s a two-fer in the bad puns of the day offering:

Back tomorrow with the latest happenings!

A very long day yesterday. The trail started at 0930, and we didn’t leave the On-Home until 8 p.m. My ride back to Barretto is leaving in an hour, so I am just going to dump some photos from the Haggis Bash now, and I’ll write up a post-mortem tomorrow. Fair enough?

Back at the On-Home a little before noon. Lunch was provided (I had a hamburger with a spoonful of slaw on the side). And the coolers of beer were open for business. Then the games began. I chose not to participate but found a shady spot to sit and observe. It was almost 5 p.m. when we finally gathered for the circle.

At the conclusion of the circle, we were ushered into the dining area.

Alright, that’s how the day went. More to say about it as time permits. Thanks for stopping by.

I survived day one of the Haggis Bash Hash here in Pozorrubio, La Union. Day two kicks off soon, so this will be an abbreviated post out of necessity. You are welcome!

Yesterday’s trail was short and sweet, mostly through flat farmland. Some food and beverages at the trail’s end, then on to a local Hasher’s farm for the On-Home festivities. The main event is today, with a longer trail and some competitive events among the various Hash groups in attendance.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday:

So, we are off to a good start. It’s going to be a LONG day today, but it should be fun. See you tomorrow!

Anyone else remember that movie from 1977? My UFO encounters yesterday were of the Unexpected Freaky Occurrences type, which have heretofore been rather alien to me. I’ll tell the story of yesterday’s Hash and intertwine the bizarre events that took place chronologically.

The Hares were Almoranus and Vienna Sausage (Guenther), and I would have avoided their 10K mountain trail under the best of circumstances. Four of us planned an alternative route that would take us from Barretto High School to the end of Rizal Extension, through the hills on the My Bitch trail, then down through Alta Vista to the On-Home at Johansson’s. I figured on leaving the house at 1:45, walking to the highway to catch a trike to Rizal, and meeting up with the others at our agreed-upon 2:30 start time.

The first UFO appeared at 1:00. I heard the dogs barking out front and went to investigate. I was surprised to see Angie standing outside the gate. I had met Angie last year when she worked at Queen Victoria. She had expressed an interest in joining the Hash, and as is my custom, I agreed to sponsor her (i.e., pay the 300 peso entry). She brought a friend along the first time, and some money went missing (she blamed her friend). Anyway, Angie is a certified drama queen, a mother of six, and someone I never had the slightest interest in hooking up with (and regular readers know my standards are low). So, a few months ago, I had lent her some food money and later, she asked if I would sponsor her to join me at a Hash in Angeles. I told her no, that’s not going to happen. Now, this was after a night of drinking at the Hash, but her response of “I hate you!” was uncalled for, in my opinion. I paid my tab and left her sitting there at IDM. I noticed the next day that she had unfriended me on Facebook. She showed up the following week for the Hash, and I paid her entry but didn’t have anything else to do with her that night. She sent me a FB friend request that I have not accepted. It’s been a couple of months now, and I hadn’t seen or heard from her until she showed up at my new place. I’m not sure how she found where I live.

So, I asked Angie what she wanted and she responded she was looking for where the Hash would be. I told her the start of the trail was at Savers (at the far end of Barretto) and that I wouldn’t be doing that trail (and I also didn’t invite her to join the short trail). She asked me if I could give her 20 pesos for Jeepney fare to savers, and I did. Swan was standing there watching all this, but she seemed fine when I explained the situation after Angie departed.

When it came time for me to head out, there was a trike parked in front of my neighbor’s house, and the driver asked me if I wanted a ride. Well, I was going to catch a trike at the highway anyway, so I took it as a sign of God’s grace that I could ride all the way to our meet up.

Because I had triked all the way, I arrived early and had some time to kill.

At the appointed time, we headed up Rizal Extension. It’s about a 2K walk to where the My Bitch trail starts, and it is all uphill. I dislike that walk during the best of times, but after a sleepless night and with low energy, it was especially bad. About a third of the way up, I bailed. I just didn’t want to run out of gas somewhere up in the hills with no avenues for escape. As I made my way back down the road, I questioned my decision, but what was done was done.

Making my way towards Johansson’s on Jolo Street, I encountered my second UFO. As I passed a foreigner, he called out in a German accent, “You are M C, right?” I didn’t understand what he meant, so I said, no, my name is John. He said, yes, you are M C…I read your blog. Okay, well, I’ve never been called that, but it’s always nice to meet a reader. Or should I say, almost always. I stuck out my hand to offer a handshake, and he started telling me what a horrible person I was for destroying his girl’s business and costing her “millions.” I’m thinking, what the fuck are you talking about? It turns out his girl ran the short-lived Finger Monkeys bar. I gave it a good review and ranking at the time. A few months later, after Joy had quit in a salary dispute, I mentioned that I thought she had mistreated her employees and that I would no longer patronize the bar. No big deal; I’m just one person voting with my feet. And, of course, what put Finger Monkey out of business was his gal getting arrested for hiring an underage girl as a waitress. His gal spent some time in jail for that but was recently released. And for the record, I thought that it was an unjust arrest and she didn’t deserve to be incarcerated. I don’t recall blogging about it, but I would not have said anything negative because I thought she was innocent (the employee had apparently provided a false ID). But the man on the street was growing increasingly agitated and saying I was responsible for what happened. I told him I had very few local readers, but he didn’t want to hear that saying that I could be held accountable for my words. Alrighty then, that was over two years ago, and if stating my opinion can get me in trouble, so be it. This kind of confrontation was the first of its kind in eighteen years of blogging.

That long ass Hares trail kept even the hardiest and fastest Hasher up in the hills much longer than usual. As it was near dusk, I asked some of the late arrivals if they had seen Angie at the start. Yes, she was on the trail. I admit to being a bit worried about her because she is relatively inexperienced at the Hash, and it would be easy to lose the trail. She finally made it back as one of the last arrivals. To her credit, she did the whole damn trail.

As I was preparing to leave at the end of the Hash, Angie asked if she could “borrow” 300 pesos and insisted she would pay me back soon. Yeah, right. I “lent” it to her, figuring it was a cheap way never to have to entertain a money request from her in the future. And 300 pesos is less than what I pay for two lady drinks.

I didn’t do the usual after-Hash gathering at IDM–I didn’t want to walk that far out of my way. Instead, I opted for Snackbar, conveniently located on the highway at Baloy Road. Swan had been out with a friend on Baloy, so I messaged her that we could meet at Snackbar on her way home if she wanted. She responded that she didn’t want to drink but could pick me up on her way home. I said my girlfriend wouldn’t like that. That joke response resulted in my third UFO of the day.

When I got home about an hour later, Swan wasn’t there. I went to bed and woke up a couple of hours later. Her side of the bed was empty. I looked into the living room, and she was watching TV on the couch. She didn’t say a word to me, which is the opposite of her usual style. I always get a warm welcome and hugs, but not last night. When I asked her what was going on, she pulled out her phone with the “my girlfriend wouldn’t like it” message. Seriously? Okay, I’ll concede it was a stupid joke, but for her to interpret that I have a girlfriend and was with her is ridiculous. The girlfriend I was talking about was Swan. Anyway, instead of getting all pissy, she could have just said who are you talking about? I guess what really bothered me most was for her to take that joke the wrong way, says that she sees me as the kind of guy who would have a girlfriend on the side. I may be many creepy things, but I’m not a cheater. We are back hugging this morning, but I still feel tension between us. I really despise drama.

Moving on, I know I have at least one reader who is a grammar Nazi.

I reckon I’ll do the floating bar to start things off once beer o’clock gets here. Swan is in Subic, so I won’t be with my girlfriend. Maybe tomorrow.