Made it through one more day without any major disappointments, heartbreaks, or other self-inflicted wounds. That’s always a plus. A good Hash and some nice after Hash activities made for a full and satisfying day.
Our “sane” group of Hashers did a 7K hike with only one big climb. We walked around, rather than over, the second mountain as the Hares intended. That made it just about right for the likes of me. A good On-Home at Da’ Kudos on Baloy Beach with the usual beer-infused Hash rituals. You can see the photos at the end of this post.
The girlfriend messaged me that she wanted to meet up after the Hash at her favorite place to eat, Papagayo’s. Naturally, I did as I was told and caught a trike. Duh. When she finished her dinner, we walked back along the beach to her resto-bar. No easy trick on a dark night, even with a cellphone flashlight. I had some beers at the Car Wash and interacted with some of the other customers. At around 10 p.m. someone suggested going to Cheap Charlies and the girlfriend was actually enthusiastic about the idea. I was surprised because she had never shown any interest in joining me in my bar hangouts previously.
So, off we went. There were five of us all together (3 guys and 2 gals) and we were the only customers when we arrived at Cheap Charlies. The look on the bargirls’ faces, especially my regulars, when they saw me with a woman for the first time was priceless. A mix of surprise and disappointment. They knew there’d be no multiple lady drinks in their immediate future. Well, I did get my favorite, Alma, who dutifully served as our waitress, a drink and left her a nice tip.
One beer at Cheap Charlies, then we crossed the highway and gave BarCelona a go. Sitting outside on the rooftop was very pleasant. Music and service were good and we stayed until closing time at midnight. The rest of the group wanted to join the after-hours crowd at It Doesn’t Matter, but I was past my expiration date and headed home with the girlfriend in tow. We enjoyed a dish of rocky road ice cream and a short YouTube video from a vlogger we know, then hit the hay.
Alright, now for those Hash photos I promised:
The paths we took. Red is the Hare’s intended path. Yellow is the route of the “sane” Hashers.The actual start of the “official” trail. We’d done an extra 1.6K to get there from Alta Vista rather than ride in the back of the Hashmobile.Our path led to Easter mountain and that’s where we climbed.Not to the summit, but still a challenging up.Getting there required crossing a rice paddy. Thankfully, it was dry this time of year.Pack your bags, we’re going up!And up.Build that wall!The going got steep in places.Fuckin’ runners! This is where our 30-minute headstart was absorbed.Walk this way!A view from the apex of our climb.Poetry in motion.Heading down to the highway on the other side of the mountain.Steep going down.That’s one way to do it.Hello, ladies.Back on the pavement for a bit.Back on the trail.Just a hop, skip, and a jump!A crowded river crossing via banca boat.A river view.Disembarking on the other shore.A final stroll up Baloy road……before arriving On-Home at Da’ Kudos.A Hash circle at sundown…And a Hash birthday cake for 18 Kilo Ass.
I’ll be attending a more traditional birthday celebration at Martin’s house later this afternoon.
Life may not be perfect, but days like yesterday make it feel good to be alive. It will hopefully be fun, and at least interesting, to find out what happens next. Either way, come on back soon and read all about it!
I rather enjoyed the Hash trail yesterday. Even though the notorious Gunter (Vienna Sausage) was one of the Hares. Now mind you, it did kick my ass, even though it was only 5K or so. What I liked about it was there was nothing too crazy or dangerous, which is not always the case with this Hare. He even did an “easy” bypass to avoid one of the steep downhills and a climb back up through a rocky creekbed. This old guy appreciates that kind of gesture. What made it so difficult was an almost constant series of ups, then downs, without much respite of flat ground in between to recuperate.
Notwithstanding the relative harshness of the hike, I enjoyed taking some paths I hadn’t been on before. Seeing new sights on such a familiar mountain is another reason to give kudos to the Hares. Hope you enjoy these photographs of the trek:
The way we rolled.The trail started and ended in Alta Vista at Leech My Nuggets’ house. Here are the fellow “sane” Hashers who joined me on the hike.Leaving the neighborhood.The first climb begins. This was the longest of several.Are we having fun yet?Steppin’ on up!Laundry day on the mountain.Keep it up!Captain Prickhard flirting with danger…Still having fun?Getting it done.A junction in the woods. That’s Vienna Sausage in the black shirt offering guidance on which path to choose.What madness is this?Ah, I see! Yep, I’ve got a beer belly. This must be the trail for me!Pecker Checker and Cumslinger looking like I’m feeling.You got this!Easy compared to what?Leech My Nuggets, the other Hare, running his own trail and passing all of us slowpokes despite our 30-minute headstart.We had a virgin Hasher join us on the trail. Definitely a hottie.Still going strong.Damn, this is the longest 5K I’ve ever hiked!Stop being a showoff, Almoranus.What’s Up Doc refilling her water bottle from an iffy-looking pipe. I offered her one of my waters but she said that she was fine with this. I mentioned a bit later that I hoped it didn’t come from the creek I had peed in earlier.Do I look like I’m having fun?The obligatory Easter mountain shot.One of the downs.A simple shelter.Just passing through…Watch your step!It was a very well-marked trail. That’s something I always appreciate.I already have a girlfriend.Still climbing.On and on and on it goes, when it will end, nobody knows!The selfie I took near the end of the hike to capture the way I was feeling.And right about the time you start congratulating yourself on being such a stud on trail, you encounter a kid like this one lugging water up to one of those shacks on the mountain. Shame on me!At last, we made it back to Alta Vista!On-Home at Leech’s place. I’m in the back there ordering food from the Sit-n-Bull waitresses who came out to serve us.And speaking of Leech, it was his birthday on Sunday, so we prepared a traditional Hash cake for him to enjoy.
After the Hash festivities concluded, I caught a ride to the Car Wash. I was the only customer, so I bought drinks and nachos for the staff and my girl. Nice way to end the day.
I began my Hash career at the beginning of 2018 and look at me now–still alive! Just been looking at the Hash stats I see I’m in the top fifteen of active participants in the SBH3.
178 total runs, and the current leader in consecutive runs at 113.
Good times!
Yesterday’s Hash was a little different in that the trail started a good way up Rizal Extension. I had a long forty-minute walk (including an up and down on My Bitch) just to get there. Made for a longer hike than the 6.5K that the Hare laid out for us. It wasn’t a bad trail though; the climb to the top of Kalaklan was as hard as ever, but pretty much smooth sailing after that. I did “shortcut” one down and up loop, but the route I took was not much shorter overall. Anyway, it was definitely the best Hash trail I’ve seen this year!
The trail had its ups and downs.It was a well-marked trail though–beyond a shadow of a doubt.Let’s go up!Off the pavement.Bathing at the water well. Look at the old guy go!Cookie time!Hello daddy!About halfway up now.Cum In My Basement and Captain Prickhard.18 Kilo Ass and his gal. She got named last week but I can’t remember what it is at the moment.Nosey Bastard and what’s her name.Gordon Heights in Olongapo City.Life ain’t always easy.Heading back down to Barretto.Cum In My Basement, What’s Up Doc, and Black And Dick Her.Watch your steps!Safely On-Home at Blue Butterfly.
A long and flat trail, just the way I like it. The only downside was there was nothing new about it for me, been there and done that hike before; several times actually. Still nice countryside though, and we had some overcast skies and breeze to keep things almost comfortable. My group came in a tad under 9K, and that includes our shortcut negating a climb up Black Rock mountain near the end of the trail. We did some steps instead, so we weren’t totally flatliners. To the photos then:
The tale of our trail.A smaller than usual group of “sane” Hashers this week. That carabao didn’t hike with us, but the little girl did. Impressively, she didn’t complain until we were 2/3 done with the hike. And even then, it was because her feet hurt from not having proper footwear. Well done, child!We basically did a circumnavigation of Easter mountain.Let’s get this done!Bypassing the little Grand Canyon.Time out for a cookie delivery.18 Kilo Ass successfully traversed another rickety bridge without destroying it (or himself).Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow Easter, I will fear no Filipina…They’ve subdivided some lots at the far end of the valley, but there may be a flaw in their planning…This bridge is the only access across the river. You can barely fit a trike on here. Perhaps they intend to build another bridge for automobiles.The river in question. It is much more substantial during rainy season.Deep in the jungle.A banana plantation.A bridgeless creek crossing…just a hop, skip, and a heck of a jump to get over…Made it!On the road again.Up ahead you can see that burning season is in full flower.Hello, children. Don’t look at me like that, Christmas is over!Steppin’ it up near the end of our journey.Almost to the top, Bum Burglar!Jesus Christo! And during the Hash circle, we did sing the irreverent song about why Jesus can’t go Hashing, which includes a verse that “Jesus can’t go Hashing ’cause He’s hanging on a cross…Steppin’ on down to the highway and our On-Home venue……at Smoke and Bottles. I really like the picnic ground atmosphere here for some reason.Cooling those hot Filipina asses on the ice.
And that was the way Run #1477 of the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers went down. Thanks for joining me!
Yesterday’s Hash was our annual Candy Run. Santa Claus was the Hare and he led us through the backstreets of San Isidro and Barretto as we handed out candy and treats for the neighborhood children. It’s a special day and both fun and heartwarming.
Ready to roll. Rather than ride in the Hashmobile, I walked 40 minutes out to the starting point.What has it got in those bageses? Chocolates, lots of chocolates!Cum In My Basement (who lives in my basement) walked and waited with me for the others to arrive.We had over 50 in attendance at this year’s event.Here comes Santa Claus!Looks a lot like 18 Kilo Ass, doesn’t he? Hey, if the suit fits, wear it!The Hash horde descends on the sleepy village.Kinda scary in a way.Under the watchful eye of Easter mountain.Over the river……and through the mud.Back down to Barretto.On-Home was at the VFW.Santa on the ice.Me on the ice.Who you callin’ naughty? Put ’em up, motherfucker!
Anyway, it was a good Hash even if I was in a shitty mood. Drank until they loaded the ice chests into the Hashmobile, then I walked across the street and drank some more at Cheap Charlies. Hey, whatever it takes to kill the pain, right? There was a full moon to keep me company. And some thirsty bargirls.
I was just talkin’ to the moon Hopin’ someday soon that I’d be over The memory of you Too hard to hold
Went home drunk, but the sun came up this morning.
Maybe so, but I’m a selfish bastard. And if I care, I sure as hell ain’t gonna share. Lately, I’m thinking that caring is a curse and that refusing to share my heart with another is the wisest course of action. Yeah, I’m riding that fence again. Stick around to the end of this post and I’ll try to provide some insights into my thinking.
But first, there’s yesterday’s Hash to catch up on. Most of the feedback was very positive–people actually did enjoy our trail. It had the right mix of ups and downs, some new terrain, and was about the right distance for most of the kennel. The only real complaint was that there was a couple of places where the trail markings were unclear. That’s part of the problem with marking the trail a day ahead of time; traffic, wind, and vandals can obliterate the powder. I’ll use more shredded paper next time.
Here are a few pictures from the trail:
Hare’s at work. Where the pavement meets the grass…Walk this way!I carried a stick of chalk and a bag of shredded paper.Blow My Pipe handled the powder and fended off the big dogs…Cum In My Basement calling it in from the trail.Steppin’ it up!On-On!“Over the river and through the woods…”On-DownThrough the grass and back to the Alta Vista community center for our On-Home rituals…Which included celebrating three birthdays Hash-style. Enjoy your cake guys!Pubic Head is looking a little paler than usual.The Alta Vista community center features some nice views. This might be my favorite photo of Easter Mountain.It was a short walk home for me at the conclusion of the Hash. I was able to enjoy some of the neighborhood Christmas decorations.
Via Facebook memories, I was reminded that five years ago I was still hard at work in the service of my Uncle Sam.
Keeping an eye on things in the office.
I got a message this morning from Ron, the owner of Sit-n-Bull. He’s busy cleaning out the remaining stuff in the old restaurant location and he found a set of darts. Said they were mine for free if I wanted them. Well, I’ve been trying to get xxxx to play with me (shuddup, you know what I mean!) so I hoofed it on over.
Turns out they were a high-quality brand new set. 22 grams (I currently throw 23-gram darts) so I’m thinking I’ll try them out at tonight’s tourney.
Had a nice chat with Ron, then decided to get me some lunch while I was out. The new Sit-n-Bowl is only a couple of blocks away, so naturally, I returned Ron’s generosity by eating at his place. I had wanted to try his new “El Padre” beef burrito on Sunday but was informed that they were out of tortillas. When I walked in today my waitress asked if I still wanted an El Padre. Hell yes!
I was surprised at how big and thick it was. Finding shredded beef in Mexican food in these parts is rare, indeed. But that cream cheese really made the taste memorable.
When I took a gander at Ron’s homemade bakery products, I was happy to see some fresh carrot cake in stock. How could I refuse?
I brought it home to eat though,that burrito left me stuffed.
The waitresses asked if I would buy them a slice of carrot cake to share and I of course agreed. Sharing is caring, after all.
I’m thinking about trying this recipe:
Looks easy enough.
Alright, now a brief update on my relationship.
If you’ve been following along lately, I’m not happy about some Dick actively courting my girlfriend. Sunday evening I had invited xxxxx to dinner but she was “too busy” at work. When I got to her place a couple of hours later, she was busy having an Apple beer with Dick. She did at least give me a warm greeting, which was an improvement over previous visits when she was engaged in convo with Dick. After a while, Dick went next door to sing videoke with xxxxx’s mother. That may be cause for concern as well. Getting mom on his side would be a pretty big coup in this culture. While he was gone, xxxxx warmed up and we had a nice time together. Then Dick was back and so was xxxx’s cold shoulder. I was drunk and pissed, so I said goodnight and left.
Didn’t hear from her for most of the day, but we finally had a “talk” on messenger in the afternoon. I confronted her about how she made me feel when that Dick was around and she continued to say they were just “good friends”. I actually don’t have any reason to doubt that and from what I’ve seen I don’t think he’s her type at all. But my point was she doesn’t act like my girlfriend whenever he’s around. Her position is that he is a good customer, brings in a lot of his friends, and she sees no reason to antagonize him. I think that equates to putting his feelings ahead of mine and I don’t like it.
So, I’ve got some things to think through here. I’m not the jealous type, I mean, if she thinks she’d be happier with someone else, then by all means she should go for it. But I’m not willing to sit there and be subjected to watching this guy court the woman I think I love right in front of my face.
More and more I find myself asking if this relationship is really worth it. Looking back on those carefree days of emptiness and meaninglessness seems almost liberating somehow. No, I’m not giving up yet. But my tolerance level is close to being maxed out. I will definitely be spending less time at xxxx’s place of business. If she can’t free herself up to spend time with me more frequently, I guess I’ll have my answer.
It was weird this afternoon as I started work on this post. I try and do a search to make sure I haven’t used the same title before. And looking at some of the posts that search brought up was a little surprising. There was this post from August about my tentative early steps with Jessel that was eerily similar to some of my current emotions. Lots of differences too–xxxxx and I have traveled much further down the road. I was in love with my fantasy of Jessel, I’m currently dealing with the reality of who xxxx truly is. As Kevin Kim pointed out in a comment on an earlier post, trying to change someone into something you find more desirable is most often a fool’s quest. Learn to love them for what they are, not for what you want them to be. I get that.
And then I came across this post from over sixteen years ago. I don’t even recall what it was that triggered me, but it must have been related to the beginning of the end of my third marriage. Anyway, I had discovered Kevin’s blog by then, and he had written an Easter post that really resonated with me during that troubled time in my life. I quoted it extensively all those years ago and I deem it worthy to do so again here:
Since I and a few people I know are all going through a painful period, each of us for various reasons, I thought it might be good to write about “putting it down.”
In Zen Buddhism, the maxim is “don’t make anything.” Your mind is so often the source of your troubles. You choose to face the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune either negatively or positively. Often, at the beginning of a troublesome period in your life, it is difficult to realize how responsible you are for your own choices. It’s easier to shift blame to your surroundings. But ultimately, the healthiest route out of the forest of troubles is to start by looking in a mirror. Behold what’s actually there; don’t needlessly manufacture problems for yourself and others.
I’m not a scriptural literalist, so I don’t believe Jesus rose from the dead. But the story of the passion and resurrection nevertheless holds power for me, because it’s a story about a man who put everything down, including his own life, for the sake of love. How many of us can claim to be ready and willing to do something like that? Not many, I suspect.
Most of us, like little children, cling desperately to our cherished notions, preconceptions, and delusions, unwilling to countenance truth and change. We face the world with fear, and create clever rationales for our spiritual cowardice. In a crisis period, this instinct intensifies. The ego swells to enormous size– everything is about getting hurt, everything is about me, me, me. The world doesn’t understand my pain, and only I am in pain!
I’ve felt like that before. I’ve looked out at a street full of people and wondered why they didn’t see my agony, which was plain as day to me. The world kept right on turning, resisting my egocentric interpretation of it.
And there’s a lesson in that. Life is change, ceaseless change. All we have is this moment. If we try to keep the past with us, we merely create more suffering for ourselves. If we try to hold on to our anger, or our hurt, or whatever it is we’re feeling, we poison ourselves.
It’s better simply to put it all down.
People need time to do this. It can’t be done immediately. If, for example, you’ve just experienced a family tragedy, you can’t be expected to act like the Taoist writer Chuang-tzu, banging on pots and celebrating your wife’s death. No; most of us need time to mourn, grieve, recover. But after that period, we should be ready and willing to move on with our lives, to follow the constant flow of the river.
You can’t see the new life of Easter if you’re always looking backward. Easter points simultaneously to the present and to the future, to hope and happiness and fulfillment. Think positively. Embrace goodness where you find it. Actively seek the good, don’t wait passively for it.
Maybe I’m just a slow learner, but I’m doing better than I was all those years ago. And if the time indeed comes again to “put it down”, I think I’ll move on without too much difficulty. With time comes perspective. I can live a blessed life with or without love. I know that now.
A Hash Monday with the twist of my participation as one of the Hares. We marked the trail yesterday morning so that freed me to do a Baloy Beach hike today. The Hash trail is around 7K and probably a bit more challenging than folks will be expecting from us aged Hares. I briefly considered doing the trail again with the Hashers, but I’m not feeling up to it. Hence my beach walk.
Here are a few photos to give you a glimpse into what passes for my so-called life. I ain’t complaining, it could always be worse. And might be soon if I ain’t careful. More on that in another post.
It’s not the life for me, but I really admire this guy for making the most of what he has. He’s built a little farm up here on the hilltop.The view from one of the high points of our trail.My fellow Hares with three deceased posts.My favorite mountain woman, Olivia, hard at work as usual.The end of the trail at Alta Vista community center, our On-Home for today’s Hash.
And now for the Baloy walk:
The view from Alta Vista.The Lagoon Resort on Baloy. I’ll be back here on Wednesday for dart league. Lagoon sponsors our team.On the beach looking towards Subic.And the view towards Olongapo.No idea what this is all about, but I appreciate the sentiment.The shortcut path leading to my house.
Feel free to Relive the walk here:
I’m not sure what’s going to happen next in my love life, but this isn’t too far-fetched:
Still funny though.
Alright, more updates tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by!
That pretty much sums up yesterday’s Hash trail. Leech My Nuggets was the Hare and he did not disappoint, providing a challenging and well-marked path for his fellow Hashers to follow. In an unusual twist, Leech did the hike with the Hash group despite having done the Hare duties earlier in the day. Well played!
Some photos from the adventure:
The trail as the Hare intended. Our “sane” group did a shortcut around the climb at the end, which lengthed our walk but avoided another grueling up.Heading out from our starting point and On-Home finish, Hunter Jo Inn.On-On! The first part of the trail was a mostly uphill stroll through a neighborhood.Looks like someone lost their bra…maybe we should look for her…Steppin’ down…Then steppin’ up.And up.Tired yet?And then the real fun began. Yeah, it was as steep as it appears.Rockin’ it!For a big guy, 18 Kilo Ass moves out well on trail.There he goes now. That’s his as yet unnamed girlfriend providing the motivation.Summit achieved. That’s an uling (charcoal) making set-up. Lots of folks still cook with fire in these parts.After that, things started going downhill.Slowly for me. What’s Up Doc and Cum In My Basement waiting patiently for me to catch up.7-11 Sucker and Pecker Checker were moving out though. They passed me here despite my 30-minute head start.I’m coming! I’m coming!Henry David Thoreau would be pleased.Pigs in a poke.A Thanksgiving survivor.Conversing with the natives.Cookie recipients. I was very surprised to see the kid on the right wearing a Corona Hash (from Angeles City) shirt. How it came to him out here in the backwoods of Subic is a mystery.A view from on high.As slow as I was going down, I still had to wait at the bottom for a couple of other slowpokes. Yeah, I’m talking about you Pubic Head and ISD.One of these things is not like the others…On the road again…Shit creek.A bridge over troubled waters.Speaking of bridges, this rickety little thing was our last water crossing of the day.Naturally, all eyes were on 18 Kilo Ass as he made the perilous crossing, including the old woman in the background. Impressive how he is using his walking stick to transfer some of his upper body weight to the handrails. It worked, and both he and the bridge survived!The final obstacle between us and some refreshing cold beverages.On-Home at last!The view from Hunter Jo Inn.Leech My Nuggets got the Hashit in recognition of his showing us all up by doing the trail twice and still being the first one back.And the sun went down on another Hash Monday.
A pretty nice Hash trail yesterday. Sure, it had its ups and downs, but don’t they all? A mix of street walking and hill trekking made for a nice ride overall.
Our roller coaster ride for the day.Right around 6K.Leaving the VFW behind. The VFW is also our On-Home destination. In a roundabout way…Still on the mean streets of Barretto…Our “sane” group of Hashers is by far the biggest in the SBH3.Basically, we take a 30-minute headstart every week and shortcut at will. Although shortcuts weren’t really necessary yesterday.Our newest (and probably largest) named Hasher: 18-kilo ass.“Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house, we go…”Damn, I haven’t thought of that Christmas tune in decades.Come on up!Almost there, ladies.Taking a breather at the highest point on our trek. We still had a down and an up ahead of us though.Our virgin Hasher.Keep on keepin’ on!The requisite photo of Easter mountain, with a fat guy included at no extra charge.Regrouping for the final leg of our hike.Hey, this neighborhood looks familiar!Oh yeah, the high view from Alta Vista.
And that was pretty much it for yesterday’s Hash. A friend and blog reader, Maria, made me some personalized coasters.
Yep, that’s my Hash name in the beer foam. How appropriate!
I handed some out to my fellow Hashers and they seemed to like them too. Thanks again, Maria.
I also left a few coasters with Pearl to use at her food place. Spreading the joy this holiday season! We also enjoyed a nice lunch together today. I’ll post about that tomorrow.
Saw this meme on Facebook today and had to agree with the sentiment:
So it would appear.
I’ve got some darts in my immediate future so I’d best get prepared for that endeavor.
I only did a small portion of yesterday’s Hash trail in deference to my ailing back. The pain is not quite as sharp today and as of now, I intend to do the group hike tomorrow, even if that means gritting my teeth in agony while I walk. I hope it doesn’t come to that.
So, in COVID prevention news, we no longer have to wear those dumbass face shields in the supermarket. I was so pleased heading out to Royal for my shopping excursion this morning without one. Imagine my surprise and disappointment when I was asked for my vaccination card by the security guard at the entrance. WTF? I ain’t go one. It was right at opening time and the guard indicated the vaccine requirement wasn’t in effect yet, so I was able to enter the store. I was pissed because it is a stupid policy and especially because there had been absolutely no forewarning. Idiots.
At the checkout stand, I cashed in the points on my Royal rewards card figuring I might not be back anytime soon. That was good for twenty bucks off my groceries. As I was leaving I went to the customer service desk to get clarification on the vax policy–specifically, I wanted to know if applied to all the stores on SBMA (the old Navy base) or only Royal. I didn’t get a clear answer on that, but I suspected it will be SBMA-wide. All the manager could tell me was they were waiting for “the memo”. Well, I just saw on Facebook that people have been turned away this afternoon from both Royal stores. And someone posted this showing that the restriction is indeed SBMA-wide:
Let freedom ring. Not.
So, I’ll be doing my shopping elsewhere for the foreseeable future. You know, I’m actually not anti-vaccination. I just don’t need one since I’ve already had COVID. And if this shit they are forcing on people actually worked, those of us who are unvaccinated wouldn’t pose a threat. And the more they try and force me into getting jabbed, the more I’m inclined to resist. I’ll make up my own mind about when or if I want to be shot. Honestly, it won’t surprise me if immigration starts requiring proof of vaccination to renew your visa. What a crock this all is. I think only about 35% of the general population has been vaccinated, I guess they can eat cake.
This was me four years ago today in Korea. Probably the last winter I’ll ever experience. Unless I get deported.
Alright, let me share some photos from my abbreviated Hash yesterday:
Gathering up at the VFW. There were three trails as I understand it…long, medium, and short. Make that four trails–I did my own version.And we are off! I did the first couple of blocks then veered off on a detour to Pearl’s food place. Alas, she wasn’t there so I had a couple of beers then moved on.This is some of what I missed out on. My back just wasn’t up for a climb.This place is on the main drag in Barretto but I had never even heard of it. The beach is at the end of a long driveway off the highway. Never had a reason to walk down that way until yesterday. It was near the end of the official Hash trail, so I was once again “On-On!”The Hares had provided a “beer stop” here, so I stopped and had one. I actually really liked this place. A bit rustic and intended to cater to a Filipino crowd, but I would consider renting one of those Nipa huts for a beach party.The two female Hares, Dumbass and Dripping Pussy, are on the beach.And the two male Hares, Yogini and Leaking Willy, are showing the way to the wet portion of the trail. Yep, there was a walk through the bay water between Barretto and Baloy for those willing to do so. I wasn’t one of them.There goes one now. I understand the water got waist deep in places.Some Gash at the beer stop. That Nipa hut behind them is the one I’d like to rent.I walked the dry road to Baloy for the On-Home at Da’ Kudos. There I encountered these Hashers speaking to each other in German. I loudly proclaimed, “you’re in the Philippines, damn it! Speak English!” I was joking, of course. Only two of them are German, there’s an Austrian and a Dutchman as well.A nice day on Baloy beach.The Hash circle in motion.And the sun goes down on another Hash Monday.
Now to find out if my bad back will impact my ability to throw darts. Well, at least I’ll have an excuse if I play poorly, legitimate or not. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
Well, I know what's right
I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin' me around
But I'll stand my ground
And I won't back down
I am happy to report that everyone survived yesterday’s Hash. No one was injured or irretrievably lost. That’s always been my goal as a Hare. As expected, the feedback from many of the Hashers was they were surprised the trail was so difficult with a couple of notorious shortcutters serving as Hares. Mission accomplished in that regard as well!
Having marked the trail on Sunday, all that was left for us to do yesterday was to give the last-minute instructions to the Hashers and send them on their way, then wait for their return. Pubic Head (Scott) and I hung out at the Hideaway bar for a couple of beers to kill the time. The place was almost full on an early Monday afternoon. Griff, the new owner, even bought us a beer, which was nice. Scott (a Navy vet) told me a little of the history of the bar and I was surprised to learn it existed back in the old days when the Navy was here, albeit with several different names/owners over the years. Anyway, it was a nice way to spend an hour. I’ll factor this recent experience into my bar rankings next time I update.
Our On-Home was at Blue Butterfly. When we arrived some Hashers were already there, although none of them had done the whole trail. Leech My Nuggets was the first runner to complete the entire course, which is not unusual. It wasn’t a long trail (just under 6K) but those two big climbs took some time. The last person back was in at around the two-hour mark.
I also had a fine time at Blue Butterfly. The gals were all looking good, and I latched on to Joean (her spelling, not mine) who was friendly and sweet and who kept my beer bottles full. I’m going to maybe have to start visiting BB more often.
Here are some more pictures from the trail and On-Home:
Best trail ever! Well, this week anyway.The first mark is done.My fellow Hares, Pubic Head and Blow My Pipe, are NOT rummaging through roadside trash…they are drawing an arrow…Working it! I was the paper boy.Marking some barbed wire with toilet tissue to make it more visible…Pubic Head taking a breather after the second climb…Some last-minute guidance before sending them out on trail.And they’re off!Leech My Nuggets is one of the few Hashers in our kennel who actually runs the trail…Lovely Filipinas in the wild.What goes up must come down.So sweet. That’s Rona upfront in the white t-shirt. She was a Hash virgin yesterday, but I took part in the defloration ritual. She’s a real cutie, that’s for sure.Hash maniacs. Leech My Nuggets, Bum Burgler, Blow My Pipe, and Vienna Sausage.Well, our large gathering in the outdoor area of Blue Butterfly attracted the attention of the city health authorities. I’m not sure what they told the owner, but she moved us all inside. Typical non-sense, it was safer for everyone outdoors, but I guess the appearance is the main thing.During the Hash circle all the waitresses were given a drink…provided they took a seat on the ice! Another Hash birthday cake.
Anyway, it was a good Hash day. Started drinking early though and after the Hash had a couple of more at It Doesn’t Matter. Then on the way home had the trike driver take me to Jollibee for a burger and a sundae. Fuck the diet!
I stole this quote from the internet.But this one works too!
A good Hash yesterday. Almost pleasant, in fact. The Hare, Leech My Nuggets, is known for his difficult trails, but this was easy enough to seem almost out of character for him. Sure, it had several hill climbs, but nothing long, steep, and hard. Of course, our “sane” group did some modifications, including eliminating one of the bigger climbs. But despite being notorious short cutters, we actually added distance to the Hare’s route by walking the 2K from Alta Vista to the trailhead.
Lots of photos to share. I’m even featured in quite a few of them as the other Hashers did a lot of the photography. So, let’s get to it:
The green line shows our modifications to the Hare’s original trail. We did longer but flatter.Heading out from Alta Vista.The official starting point for run #1470 of the SBH3. The “sane” Hashers (L-R) Cum Together, Captain Prickhard, Cum In My Basement, Black And Dick Her, and Tinkerbell.Pubic Head took the photo.Let’s do this bitch!Climbing Black Rock is in our near future.That really gets my goat!A smaller climb before we get to Black Rock.Cookies for kiddies.Things are looking up.What goes up must come down…Right, Pubic Head?Made it!Reading Hash Trail Marks 101: A short line next to a long line indicates which direction to turn. In this case, left. The number indicates the Hash week–sometimes trails overlap from week to week. We’ve had folks follow the old trail on occasion. Leech My Nuggets is probably the best Hare I’ve seen for clearly marking his trails…Time for the big climb of the day to Black Rock.Almost there.The summit is achieved.What a beauty!Keeping things in perspective.Nice to see you again, Easter Mountain.No, I’m not tired. Why do you ask?Take a deep breath, Pubic Head…Comin’ down the mountain.Well, the chalk is pointing in this direction… (it wasn’t)If you can’t walk on water or fly, you’re gonna get your shoes wet sometimes…The other end of Black Rock…we avoided this climb.And climbed this instead.Almost done.Excuse us, just passing through…Folks we encountered were so friendly. A harsh life doesn’t mean you can’t be happy.The final down……before arriving at our On Home venue of Smoke and Bottles.I really enjoy this open-air atmosphere here.Circle Up!Leaking Willy celebrates his 69th run with the Subic Bay Hash. His gal, Dripping Pussy, is there to assist.
And so concluded another Hash Monday. It’s good to be alive!
I’m no Frodo, but yesterday’s Hash trail would have been better suited for a Hobbitt. It’s funny in a way because I had that thought on trail and then one of the other Hashers made a similar comment to me.
It was a surprisingly short trail with only one big up and down. The climb wasn’t really steep, but it was long and meandering. The part I really disliked was going through sections that were so overgrown and jungle-like that I had to bend over a lot as I worked my way up. Had I been Hobbitt height it would have been much easier.
We started and finished at Hunter’s Jo Inn in Calapadayan. Pubic Head (Scott) drove so I was able to avoid the dreaded ride out there in the Hashmobile. Unfortunately, he lost his car keys while we were hiking the trail. Luckily, another Hasher found them. The keys apparently fell out of his backpack in one of those “bend over while you walk” parts of the trail. Anyway, I got a ride back to Barretto with him, so it ended well for both of us.
To the photos then:
Under 5K. Poorly and confusingly marked in places. And as you can see, it began and ended on the same path–that’s a pretty big Hash no-no.On the plus side, it was mostly new territory for me. But as I mentioned, a jungle climb bent over to the knees is not at all enjoyable.Our “sane” group of Hashers got our usual head start ahead of the main group.And we are off!This was the one thousand four hundred and sixty-ninth running of the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. The trail sucked, but didn’t lick us. *ahem*I found this tree interesting enough to photograph. It was rooted right at the edge of the pavement and leaning all the way across the road. I liked it’s gumption!Heading on up.Looking back down from part way up.Came across this hilltop farm…It seemed a little corny…No idea what this crop is but there was a lot of it.And then the remainder of the climb was through shit like this.But I was able to overcome all obstacles in my path.Leech My Nuggets was the first runner to pass us after our 45 minute head start.Back on solid ground. You can tell by my expression that this is serious business.Arriving back to our On-Home venue.The view from Hunter’s Jo Inn.It’s nice on ice. I avoided the honor yesterday, however.Pubic Head was punished for littering on trail (his car keys).Doggy Style loves spending time on the ice for some reason.Meanwhile, I was dealing with a runny nose issue. At least it was only one nostril.And the sun went down on another Hash Monday.
After leaving Hunter Jo’s, I had Scott drop me off at It Doesn’t Matter for some more beer drinking and tomfoolery with my fellow Hashers. A good day all things considered.
Now, this post was actually quite interesting. Smack dab in the middle of nowhere with no apparent purpose (there wasn’t any fence or other posts around). Yet, someone for some reason lugged up the concrete and did the labor to build it here. I’d like to know what that was all about.
Yesterday’s Hash trail was surprisingly difficult. The Hare, Leech My Nuggets, had described the first climb as “only a hump”. I was expecting an easy hill but was reminded that some people call getting fucked a hump. So, yeah, that was quite a humping we had there. The alleged purpose of the hump was to avoid the flooded rice paddies in the valley. We accomplished that for the most part but there was still plenty of water flowing along the way. Well, I don’t suppose a walk in the park would be a proper anniversary Hash, now would it? Happy 28th to the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers!
There was a long and a short trail. My group did the short trail but added 2.6K by walking to the start rather than riding the truck.Our “sane” group. Not pictured is Pubic Head who is taking the picture.Leaving Alta Vista.On-On!Don’t give me that look!That’s the “hump” that proved surprisingly difficult.Thank goodness we were on the “dry” trail…One of several stream crossings.Heading up.Pubic Head humping it…The pause that refreshes.Water, water, everywhere!Greetings to you, Easter mountain!Going down at last.The Hare, to his credit, had brought his bolo and whacked down some thatch grass to give us a trail we could see.Making our way through the burning valley.Beauty……and the beast.On-Home at the Alta Vista community center.78 Hashers in attendance for the anniversary run, including visitors from Angeles, Manila, and Puerto Galera.The Subic Bay Hash House Harriers.Things are looking up.
Actually, they aren’t. But more on that another day.
Whoo boy! Earning my keep as the assistant to the Beer Meister meant lugging ice chests and cases of beer down the stairs at the Alta Vista clubhouse at 0730 in preparation for today’s Subic Anniversary Hash. Already sweating like a pig and haven’t even started the trail yet. Will be leaving for that adventure at 1100 so wanted to get in a quick post while I can.
Yesterday’s outing with the Angeles City Corona Hashers was a bit of a fiasco. My group shortcut the first crazy climb and avoided a dreaded creekbed walk that featured ropes to enable climbing over rocks. No thank you! What was surprising was as we were walking the remainder of the trail we encountered several groups of non-short cutters walking the trail in reverse. It seems they took a wrong turn at the top of the first climb and just winged it from there. Oh well, shit happens.
I thought the hike as we performed it was pleasant enough, around 4K and no major obstacles to overcome. I was surprised to find out that the Corona Hash Grandmaster, Egghead, paid for all the beer and food for the Hashers in attendance. That set him back a pretty penny for sure. The Pub supplied the tacos and they were excellent. The only problem for me is when these events commence so early in the day I’m wiped out before the sun goes down. More of that in my immediate future I’m afraid. I’m sure the other Hashers would tell me to “suck it up, buttercup”, so that’s what I’ll do.
A few pictures from yesterday’s outing:
Gathering forces at the VFW…And we are off!It seemed to be a well-marked trail. I think the confusion must have been from a lack of attention and then everyone following the leader.Up we go…My group chose the more moderate uphill climb.A nice view of Easter mountain…The thatch grass is still in full flower...On-On!Coming down…Steep in places…Doing the laundry country-styleTurns out they didn’t lead to heaven after all.Howdy cowboy! Hangin’ out at the On-Home Bella Monte hotel.I’d call it a cockfight, but somehow that doesn’t seem right…
That’s all I’ve got time for this morning. A report on today’s Hash tomorrow!
I don’t want to downplay the gravity of the situation, but yesterday’s Hash trail did not result in my downfall. It could have been pure luck I suppose because the going got steep on the downhill run, and yet I somehow managed to keep my feet despite the efforts of Mick Jaggar and Keith Richards to undermine me. If you get my meaning.
Anyhoo, for the most part, I enjoyed the trail. We started on the familiar backstreets of Barretto, did a challenging but moderate climb I’d done before, and then took a new way down that I reckon I will never voluntarily try again. Finished with a stroll through Marian Hills, then up to Alta Vista, and concluded our hike on Baloy Beach at our On-Home venue, Da’ Kudos.
Hopefully, the photographs will tell the story better than I can:
A 7K trail, one major up and one hellacious down. Our sane group shaved about a kilometer off towards the end, mostly to save time–all the runners who started after we did had already passed us by. The street walking was easy enough–no ifs, ands, or butts about it.And then we started the climb.Longish, but not too steep.Except if you are an old geezer with failing lungs. But truthfully, I felt alright on trail yesterday for the most part.Show off!Can we play too?And then the downhill from hell. Or was it to hell? You can see some of those Rolling Stones I mentioned earlier.Doggy Style didn’t seem to have any trouble. But then, he has four legs.Defying gravity.Almost down.Made it!Some of the proud survivors…All in a day’s hike.Then a stroll through Marian Hills……then back up into Alta Vista.Our Hash circle on Baloy Beach.Brothers in arms.And so concluded another Hash day.
The outer edge of the typhoon passing to the north did wind up hitting us pretty hard last night, but it was too late to impact the Hash. In fact, the overcast skies and breezy conditions during the day kept it much cooler than normal and made hiking the trail all the more pleasant. It was a Leech My Nuggets trail, so it did feature a couple of climbs but they weren’t outrageous and I managed just fine. In fact, our “sane” group, notorious for shortcutting, wound up doing the entire trail. That’s very rare for me. I was also surprised at how strong I felt while hiking–no shortness of breath or other fatigue issues. All I can attribute that to was my day off on Sunday. Perhaps I do need to give it a rest a little more often.
Here are some photos from the hike, taken from several sources:
About 6.5K all in. A nicely marked and varied trail. I liked it enough to compliment the Hare and sit on the ice with him.The first climb began with all these damn steps…And then it was trail climbing, my much-preferred mode of ascent.A stream crossing.Captain Prickhard left a little later than we did, but caught up early on.Pubic Head kept a lookout from the rear.A typical bridge crossing.Hurry up, we’re waiting!Be careful, one false step here and you’ll be in a world of hurt.No comment other than it is always nice to see the beauty of nature.Show us the way, Black And Dick Her.Still climbing.Onward and upward.This was a tricky spot. Slippery rocks and a long way to slide if you slip and fall.No shame in playing it safe.The ever-present thatch grass was another force to be reckoned with.Hello, ladies. Which way do we go?Thataway.Many Filipinos are poor, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t hard-working.Your puny fence can’t stop us!A very well-marked trail.A charcoal factory in the woods…The wide-open spaces…At The Great Wall of Barretto.What’s everybody looking at?Ah, our little town.Picture time!Dropped by to say hello to the Rolly family on the way back down. A FB friend saw this photo and told me those are her relatives. She said she used to live with them up there. I’ve always been curious about the mountain life and I’ll be sharing what I find out from her.I have no idea what might be cooking on that tabletop. Credit for creativity, not sure about the functionality.Finally back on flat ground and headed for the On-Home venue at the VFW.The Hash circle in progress.I’m glad you were able to find your way to this week’s Hash post.
We got it done. Not to perfection or even to my complete satisfaction. I guess you might say that goes with the territory when laying a Hash trail. Sometimes it gets a little Hare-y. Okay, I’ll stop.
It happens that things get lost between what you intend to do as a Hare and what actually happens. We scouted the front half of the trail last Wednesday and had a pretty good idea of where we were going to go. Our efforts on Friday to walk from the endpoint to a logical rendezvous with the front part of the trail were not as successful as we hoped. That meant we were winging it more than I like on Monday morning. We made a wrong turn once and had marked that trail with powder and paper before realizing our error. Did our best to erase the mistake, but I heard from a couple of Hashers they had followed the faux trail. I hate when that happens, but at least they were able to recover and retreat back to the true trail.
The descent we wound up doing was not at all to my liking. Very steep and very slick, and worse yet, it ended up in a creek bed. I hate walking through creek beds. Especially in rainy season. The rocks were covered in algae and slippery as hell. I told my fellow Hares I wasn’t happy with putting the Hashers through what we had done, but it was too late to do anything about it. I was expecting some negative feedback at the Hash circle but I was surprised again. The gung-ho die-hards like Guenter really liked the trail. Leech My Nuggets said he thought it was the best trail of the year. I told him I didn’t think so, how about that going down to the creekbed? He laughed and said, “I was surprised to find that on one of YOUR trails, but I rather it enjoyed it.” I confessed that I had been overruled by my fellow Hares about that route, so the praise belonged to them.
Anyway, all’s well that ends well. No one got hurt and no one was irrevocably lost. Those are my goals as a Hare and they were achieved. Here are some photos to enjoy:
Right at 6K with a challenging climb and a crazy descent.An early start on Monday morning…Let’s get ‘er done!Pubic Head (Scott) did the chalk, manned the camera, and dispensed advice. Blow My Pipe (Jim) dusted the trail with powder. I carried the shredded paper. It’s light. I like it.Up top.Looking back down.The natives were friendly. Mostly. Early in the trail-marking process someone came out and yelled that we were on private property. We were polite but kept on with the business at hand.Flowers along the way.And I enjoyed this “poem”.Fresh goat’s milk.Up the creek without a paddle.The crazy descent ended at this water tank out in the middle of nowhere.Country living. That gal cooking was hotter than the charcoal fire she was tending.The conversation taking place in my head: “Are you sure it will hold me?” Her: “It holds me, doesn’t it?” Me: “Good point!”
Alright, those are the photos taken while we were laying trail. Here are a few taken by the Hashers later while hiking the trail:
A river crossing early on.No one said it was going to be easy…Heading down to the creek. Be careful!It gets better. I promise!These are the only falls I heard about, so that’s good!Back on flat ground, who cares about a rickety bridge?
And a few shots from our On-Home venue at Hunter’s Jo Inn in Calapadayan.
Old fuckers enjoying their beers before the Hash circle.Circle up!Hares and their enablers on the ice! (if you express positive thoughts about the trail, you join with the Hares on the ice)Don’t wear new shoes to the Hash. If you do, you’ll be drinking out of them…It was great to see Tinkerbell (Betty) back after being stuck in Belgium for the past two years.I was honored to be placed on the ice for a second time in recognition of my completing 100 consecutive Hash runs.What else am I going to do? Thank you, COVID for making this possible.And then the sun went down on another Hash Monday.
It’s Hash Monday morning, so I’m posting early. Leaving at 0900 to mark the trail and I doubt I’ll be back home afterward. My thinking now is I’ll get a short time room (and maybe a massage) at our On-Home venue, Hunter’s Jo Inn. More on that tomorrow.
I’ve said before that Barretto, at least for the foreigners living here, is like an amazing retirement community catering to the needs of us oldsters. Of course, those needs may be considered atypical from the stereotypes folks expect of the old and decrepit, but to each his own I suppose. Barretto has much to offer and it is not all about sex and debauchery. This is not to say they aren’t available but for many of us expats that is not the primary attraction.
Last evening was an interesting (to me) example of retired life here and got me thinking about the give and take that makes it work for me. I began my night by popping into the Kitchenette to say my hellos. There were no customers at the moment so I invited the gals from the bar across the street (Alaska) to have dinner on me. They happily accepted.
At least the ones without a mask were smiling…
Next, I moved on up the highway and dropped into Marick’s. Only two girls working and no other customers but me, so I was pretty popular. I was feeling a little hungry, so I ordered up some takeout from the restaurant next door for the three of us.
Good stuff!
I finished my night at Cheap Charlies where a couple of my favorites provided some comforting TLC in the form of a back rub. Very talented hands!
You are not going to find that kind of service provider in your typical American retirement home.
A quiet and relaxing Sunday night. It may not seem like much but it was a pleasant experience. Made the gals happy and they returned the favor. I’d call that a win!
Anyway, that trail isn’t going to mark itself, so I’d best get after it. Naturally, it has started raining just now which will make the task much more difficult. Oh well, nothing I can do about the weather.
Life is good and dying is the last thing I’m going to do. Hopefully not anytime soon.
