Hash to the Max

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A tough enough trail yesterday, even with all my shortcutting. My trail had that additional 2K I accumulated hiking from my house to the starting point. And yes, I hiked alone over the hill to get there and managed to survive.

The first climb was a new way up for me (or one I didn’t remember), and it was long and hard. Got me wondering how much longer before my lungs render me exclusively a flatlander. Well, I ain’t giving up yet, but I also knew I didn’t have another up in me, and the Hare’s trail (Leech My Nuggets and Nosey Bastard) had a couple more to come. Fortunately, the end of the unfamiliar up put me on a path I knew, and when the trail went down and to the right, I turned left and hiked my old favorite, My Bitch, almost all the way back to the On-Home. In another odd coincidence, the gal who had given me the cold shoulder treatment at Alaska Club the night before shortcut with me, so I had some company on the hike. A couple of kilometers later, the Hare’s trail crossed paths with mine again, and it was On-On!

Max (Nosey Bastard) was celebrating his birthday and hosted the On-Home at his house in Barretto. The highlight of that event was free food for all the Hashers, and damn, it was all good. Best sliders I’ve ever had. I drank beer again for the first time in a week (my cheat day), and all was right with the world.

The purple line is the Hare’s long trail, and the green is the Hare’s short version. The blue line is the way I went.
Gathering up at the starting point on Rizal Extension. I had a good climb just to get there.
Leaving the pavement behind
Climbing down into a creekbed
The long, hard path to the top.
I made it, but it took just about everything I had in me to get there.
Where my trail rejoined the Hare’s trail. I was surprised to see these three Hashers when I arrived.
Evidence that we were indeed on trail.
Feeling a little grassy.
The view from here
Made it to Max’s
Max’s view from the front porch
The food Max provided and the Hasher who prepared it, Gangster Bitch.
And, of course, the traditional Hash birthday cake for the birthday boy.

All and all, a good day to be a Hasher. But when you shortcut as I did, sometimes you miss seeing something unusual on the trail.

Mind you, that’s not always a bad thing! I’ve never seen a snake in almost five years of hiking in the backcountry. A couple on the streets here in the neighborhood, but never on trail. I hope that is a trend that continues. I mean, I know they are out there, but as long as we go our separate ways, that’s fine.

On the Hash Facebook page, Scott provided this information about the snake: Paradise Tree Snake (Chrysopelea paradise). They are mildly venomous with rear fangs and also can constrict their prey, which consists of mostly lizards and bats. This species has the ability to “fly” between tree tops.

Scary shit. One more thing to think about when I’m hiking alone.

Speaking of snakes:

Yeah, it seems like it is always “ouch! oh shit!…already?”

And from Facebook memories, one year can cast a long shadow.

These days my shadow walks alone.

Maybe that’s a good thing.

2 thoughts on “Hash to the Max”

  1. Best sliders I’ve ever had.

    What kind? Burger? Chicken? Salmon?

    I think seeing a snake on a street would be far more noteworthy than seeing one in the woods.

    Great walk, even if it wasn’t the prescribed path.

  2. It was a burger slider. I should have been more diligent about taking some photos of the food.

    The snakes I’ve seen were here in Alta Vista, so yeah, that’s disconcerting. And think we make enough noise when hiking to scare them off before we get too close, and that works for me.

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