No Hair in Hash House Harriers

Hashing in December 2011!

2012-01-01T13:42:00.000+08:00

It was a busy time, real work finally started after taking over the site. It was and is going to be a busy year ahead. What's more timely? Whichever comes first on my free time will become the priority then. So, it would be a mixed, jumbled-up and should be made an enjoyable or as pleasant as possible!

December 2011 was a busy month but I managed these:

26/12/11: HHH, Tiara Melawati

A 12km run that was filled with scenic views, fantastic climbs, good running trails and an appropriate length but the checks were a bit too easy. The pack seemed to like it as the run length was enough to satisfy the ‘running itch’! The weather was fantastically windy but at some point a bit warm.

At the beginning of the run, it was all climbs – one after the other till the top most offtracks. It was then a downhill hill run and a check or two was thrown in to confuse the runners. A right fork path had most of the guys running downhill to the river that was so ever familiar. A foreign worker’s hut by the creek with the owner pointing to the direction where we should run rather than stomping his front yard! It was another winding uphill with lots of good size rattans crawling all over the paths. The jungle was not pillaged for fortune and nicely intact.

I was steady with my new pair of ‘drinking vessel’ and doing good time, slightly behind the runners. Another loop round the hill got us crossing another path of a water body, yet many did not realize it was part of the Klang Gates Dam! Hills upon hills, we were cooled by the cool strong breeze; the climbs were so refreshing instead of tiring! We had another view of the dam before a right turn down another familiar trail with lots of bamboo trees. Stooping and bending down to avoid the pointy bamboo while running was no fun for the not vertically challenged body but us Asians were just fine! A good laugh while running did some good to take some tiredness away!

It seemed that the hare was about to make the run longer by running round the dam but another right turn proved he still had his head just below the airy line. Though that was the case, the home direction was still quite thrown off. We ran on the jungle paths that took us out into the open area that looked like a ranch, downhill run ended when we reached the picnic area that was filled with children’s joyous noises. Some already had the idea of where we were and was expecting a last stretch torture trail. A hair pin turn uphill on the tarmac got us running past a few local guys burning loads of coconut husks and shells while some of a large conglomerate’s cows were grazing without a care. We came to the end of the tarmac and into a small rubber holding, climbing it was not what it seems – a hidden steep slope had a few of us drooling! The climb took some time and we got to the offtracks where we started the run at the top of the first climb after the first check. It was then a speedy downhill run for less than 2km to reach the parking - that was ‘clouded’ by the dust from the crusher run road.

25/12/11: SH4, Villaraya Industrial Park

It was a short, less than 4km run but with a few climbs. Some considered, even me, did not have the chance to leg stretch to the fullest! Some considered it to be a good one as they have had a chance to finish a run without suffering too much! Overall, there was a good cheery crowd ready to be merry on this Christmas day. The night was spent drinking and horsing around. I got a new pair of shoes and was my drinking vessel later in the circle!

16/12/2011: DTH3, Sungai Jelok

12/12/11: HHH, Ulu Yam Bundoora Estate

Late again! Me car was not at home when I was early and luckily I could hitch a ride with Peter Giant. We left around 4:10 and arrived at the run site at 6:30! I was not very comfortable to have a beer without a sweat at the run site, so I opted to go chase the pack. The trail paper was thought to be at the OP but not! I was running around to spot one but failed. With the never giving up spirit, I got back to the parking and the hare and co-hare were laying the last bit of the run and they pointed to the InTrail that was on the right. I was alone and was crazy enough to get in deeper into the trail, it was then 6:45. The connected checks were confusing as papers leading to checks, falsies, back check and a circular check was not picked up! The figuring out where the trail was going was not easy if you are alone! I soon met Plasticman and MMoi turning back on paper. It was a hilly climbing trail and towards the usual running site by the river picnic area. After reaching the OP hill top and it was about 7, I heard the honker in the opposite far side of the valley. Realising it was not wise to pursue the trail further, I decided to get on the down hill offtracks to run with all my might. I then met DKhoo, San and Fong Wan deciphering the paper trail! They hit paper on both sides and was asking which was was the home trail. DKhoo was quick to conclude that the right way was right while I went left to try meet the front pack. I got to the bottom by the river that I met Super Oldman and Ah Meng. It was there that I turned back and headed on back up the hill and home trailed on the last bit to conclude my 5km run! It was 2km shorter than the whole run but I was back safely!

11/12/11: SH4, Broga

We arrived late; YM was still having trouble with her knee joints and backaches. I was a few kilograms heavier than the previous month! I wasn’t the last to chase the pack as Big Mouth Monkey was late too. Definitely he was much faster and soon he disappeared from sight. The run started with on tarmac heading towards the back of the temple. A kilometer or two we were led towards the rubber estate towards the back after the famous fish BBQ restaturant on the left. We went past some foreign workers’ settlement that was very well kept and nicely ‘decorated’ with some stupa like structures. Yes, there were friendly greets and the facial expressions to state our craziness!

The hill climb started after that and, boy, that was steep! The last sweeper’s honking was nearer and nearer, soon enough there was the last pack struggling on the steep climb. I was huffing and puffing too, the extra weight provedto be something not to mess with! Got to shave some off!

The climb was long and continued after one another stacked on hills! We soon saw what was like the top and the noises made by the dirt bikes, had us thinking the climb was soon to be conquered. It was the otherwise, a right turn and cutting cross the steep slopes had the pack on the climb again. It was on the back hills of the ‘highway’. We soon had the task of the long steep climb that generated a lot of sweat. Soon enough, the ‘highway’ was in sight and the home trail was through the usual areas past the dirt bike course and some rubber estate. It wasn’t a long run but it sure beat the hell out of the fat me!

5/12/11: HHH, Bukit Lagong

We were in time with ample parking as many guys were yet to be there. The weather was kind and it didn’t rain till that time compared to the previous day’s heavy down pour.

The run started with a warm up walk trailing the JM on the tarmac heading to the village. The first check was on the right, by the fence after a ‘short wall’ climb. Easily enough the check was broken with a back check and going up the offtrack steep. The climb was quite taxing in the late afternoon heat and many were panting like mad, tongues were wagging. The keep right trail after reaching the high tension pylon continued on but the runners were turning back in confidence of a back check. True enough, it was and it was on the left going down hill on an old forgotten path. It was towards the orchards and another check was there. It took quite some time to break and finally the SCBs got it right! We were heading deeper inside and the packs were lining up after reaching a clearcut area that was recently carried out. The tree trunks and branches were everywhere and it was a like an obstacle course. Up and down, we were trudging on the fringes of the jungle and finally into the jungle following the flowing creeks. There was Arthur Hoi slowly scooting from one high point to another, avoiding wetting his shoes! Barry wasn’t patient and so was the line that he held up! It was an uphill and rock to rock, we reached the hill top with a slippery and taxing climb. The front pack was heard checking and just before we reached them, it was broken. The runners were quick to disappear on a long down hill path till a pump house. The run was that short as exclaimed by many and a less than 2km tarmac run got us back. The FROP was in at 7:07 while the last came back almost 9pm! Who else? Anddrew!

Marvelous Week

2011-12-01T00:31:00.002+08:00

28/11/11: HHH, Genting Highlands

By the knowledge of a holiday on a Monday, the hare must have been quite adventurous to have the run in Genting Highlands. Not that it was on the lower part nor some where halfway towards the country’s only inland casino, it was near the Mushroom Farm – a piece of land on the already crowded mountain top. The day was misty, real thick fog-like! The parking was a fantastic site. We reached the run site to see the only few that had arrived early while the hare’s and co-hare’s cars were neatly parked in a row. The cold immediately came biting just after we got out of the car! The wind blew and laughs were abundant when seeing most of the guys ran to find warmers, some got their jackets on while some got creative to use huge rubbish bags to cut out like a poncho (guest KorWong and Yap Fu Hoi), some even resort to wear a shower cap to keep dry (guest SK Tham)!

OnSec was yet to be able to run after the minor surgery to remove some lazy veins and had JointMaster Jeffrey to lead the pack on tarmac downhill road. Briefly stuck with the first check after the false check call, the pack broke the check quite easily with what looked like an abandoned road project. With more runners due to the cold, we could see more of the usual back pack guys up front! We then continued on downhill for another kilometer to get on the 2^nd check, it was tricky but was broken by the guys who did a Thursday’s run here. The steep and slippery ‘wall’ climb had the pack lining up to take turns and the few clumsy ones especially Anddrew got Opera real impatient. Someone did yell about yanking them down rather than holding the line up!

The climb up part of the mountain was not easy as the air was thinner; it was a short climb and back onto the abandoned road project. By now the rain had stopped and the view down towards the lower land was fantastic! There were ‘flowing clouds’ through the rows and rows of hills and mountains. That scene sure get one less tired but the run has yet to get into! Further climbing a little bit more, opened up to an open space blasted for a road project – the project was on and extensive stage when it was stopped as we could really see the shape taking place on the hard rock surfaces. There were plenty of plants around and there were the few guys who enjoyed the sea of beautiful wild orchids and oceans of ‘Monkey Cup’ (Nepenthes or Pitcher Plants). The terrain that we gone through were not all rocky but some wet and muddy side of Genting Highlands! By then, we have yet to reach the halfway point of the run! We got to see First World Plaza upclose but from the back! The climb back up was anticipated as it was quite near the run site but too soon though, barely 6:45pm!

The hare smelled something and took a right on the tarmac for a long gradient uphill and a right turn into the old broken road. A check was loosely connected and went along uphill by the slope concrete drainage. We got to another abandoned project! It seems that Genting Highlands is also peppered with abandoned items! Well, we got past it and it seems that we are the last pack as the usual ones must have turn left on the tarmac! Further climbing a little more had us going down a ‘wall’ with a makeshift ‘handrail’ to get down! It was getting darker and the fog was looming over where we were. We found ourselves at the gates of some telco towers, ran on the tarmac past a curious man in his hut waving at us; the paper trail went on and on on the road for a few kilometers. We met a group of foreign workers that their UMs were giggling away after we bumped into them - they mights have been frightened by the few crazy guys running in the dark in the fog at that time of the night! The steep downhill road led us to the main road that was the last leg of the run by going up and down the few slopes before we reached the run site about ten to 8.

The weather was cold! Cleaning up was no easy thing – quickly wet, shampoo and wash, sooner than to finish a long pee!

27/11/11: SH4, Venice Hills

It was a rainy Sunday. It was expected to be very slippery and the pre-run mini circle adviced those that could not make it should turn back. Furthermore, the impending heavy rain was there and ready to rip the skies. Anyways, it was a cool day to be enjoyed.

The usual InTrail through the old golf course trail, it was much more over grown with acasia trees saplings. The single file path was heading towards the new developed area and the ‘crawling’ pace going by the fences of that area. The first check was just after the fence into the jungle, there were the smart ones that went back check even upon me advice to look forward. Initially it was a small climb and then it ‘grew’ one after the other. The direction was heading towards ‘Ah Pak san’ and we were on some old trails that were not ‘touched’ for quite sometime. It was nice to see the untouched old jungle trees again. Well, the pinnacle of the run was this long and gradient climb; some were even heard complaining if there was no end to it. The top was a nice walk on the ridge after the taxing climb and soon we reached some familiar trails after a short climb through some old trails. The rest was ‘Ah Pak san’ trails, the downhills on the well trodden paths but it was sort of like deserted maybe because of the rain. It didn’t actually rained heavily but just drizzles. Soon, we got to the river rest area and what looked like the last climb was proven wrong. We got to the old ‘Ah Pak san’ parking by the housing areas and the last kilometer bit was on the main road and the hill. Overall, a nice run with good sweating time with the hills.

26/11/11: 8^th Batang Nash Hash, Taman Rawang Perdana

It was a sunny day and 2 things to plan – attending Batang Nash Hash and charity dinner, both compulsory! Luckily enough both events were in Rawang and what was more interesting after I got to the latter event is that it was held in the same area as the hash event!

Well, I got me Mrs to my colleague’s house to get the ride to dinner event while I sped on to the run site. I managed to get myself to the run site but was a tad late. I saw the guys were cutting into the bushes after the road turn. The run site was not in sight yet and the concrete road leads uphill and continued on with offtrack till the top of the hill. A ‘roadblock’ manned by Tiger Lee and Puduku was to get registration fees and hand out tees and sarongs. Further uphill was the parking area before the hilltop event area. I hurriedly put on me shoes and sped on with Steven (Seremban Hazards) to catch up with the pack.

The climb was like going back up the hill that we just ran down! We caught up with the pack on the first check and the climb continued. I met Lauda huffing and puffing while Disco was the sweeper pointing on the trail. It was a long climb that ended with a walk on the offtrack near the top and the chance to chat a bit with Micheal Choy. A slippery down hill that was steep, it was made even more difficult with the deep footing and almost nothing to hold on to. The down hill sliding was adventurous. Another long climb waited and with that climb I managed to catch up to chat with few blokes from Jantan Jerantut and a little further uphill to chat with another few from Seremban Hazards with Choon Toy making the noisiest of the noises. The hilltop ridge run was good to wear off the tiredness, the cut across the thick fern bush was like scrapping off excess mud and soon enough another climb started. This time it was short and finally we started the downhill. The wet condition was surprisingly not infested with leeches! We went through the creeks between hills, following a creek downhill and passing another creek a few times but there wasn’t any! We finally got to hear some machinery noises from the quarry and thought we could smell the beers from where we stood. The trail was on the slope facing the quarry but the tree canopy blocked the view. We got to a slippery short climb to the narrow peak where it felt like the top of the world, with views of Rawang town clearly and crisp! The clearcut’s soft slopes was good traction for the steep descend and we got to the quarry after a steep 10ft slide down from the hill side! The lorries were traveling up and down the quarry while we shared the same road to get back. The home trail on this down hill and winding road was also shared with another run that started at 4:30 that was a stroll to some. The final few hundred meters were the uphill road towards the run site!

Better Weather

2011-11-23T14:48:00.001+08:00

21/11/11: HHH, Taman Agrotek Batu 14 Hulu Langat

The pack anticipated a run on the right side from the road. The start of the run was on the left side with a steep offtrack road climb. There were some that hesitated and waited by the road thinking it would be a back check. The front pack was further uphill and found the first check, more getting down the hill thinking it would be waste of energy climbing forward. Further and steeper uphill, OnPaper was just there in plain sight. It was steeper at the last and we got to the top to hear the front pack met with another check. The steep down hill on the offtrack was sure enough to have the check broken and it did. It was another uphill climb there waiting for us after the creek crossing. One after the other, we were being put through 3 consecutive steep hill climbs and down. The rubber estate hill run was good turn around for the men to be able to run and the SCBs were seen doing their thing and got forward in a jiff. The last climb in the rubber estate brought the pack out to a clearcut slope overgrown with ferns. The runners were seen caught in a check and falsie on the tarmac at the bottom. The run on the tarmac had everyone thinking it was the long home trail but was proven wrong when the paper trail led everyone up a steep and slipper hill in the bushes. The climb brought us to a fresh clearcut hilltop with the view of the main road and the home trail less than 3km tarmac run. On the whole, the run was about 9km long with the runners in at 7:10pm while the last was before 8pm.

20/11/11: SH4, Bandar Teknologi Kajang

The heavy rain in the late afternoon didn’t deter most of the hardcores to show up for the run. The rain was just a test of will, it stopped quite some time ago when we got there. There were not many people around and the run started with about less than 50 people. The usual runners were not around, some were said to be touring the northern country.

Well, the run started with the usual walk past the factories, the cleared muddy construction land and the side of the OP estate. The first check confused some with a falsie, a right turn walking up the hill saw it was an easier check. Overall the trails were all so familiar - the hilly bushes, the rubber estate, the OP estate, the climb on the highest hill around, the cow farm, the hilly offtrack and back to the OP home trail.

The whole pack was back just before half past seven, all were safe on the less than 8km run.

Slippery, Dark, Good Laughs!

2011-11-20T00:38:00.003+08:00

18/11/11: DTH3, Cheras Hatamas

It was another rainy day, also another run day. I got to the run site about 10mins late, saw a lot of cars but the beer wagon was not around. Duckula was the night’s caterer and was entrusted to guard the keys. Black Ass and Dipstick was late too. Black Ass was ready in a minute and sped off while Dipstick was taking his sweet time and was behind me to go on trail. It was about quarter past six and getting dark.

It started with a walk/run on the tarmac heading towards the flats and lake. We heard the pack was calling on a check ‘just’ on the first hilltop nearest to the flats. We finally got to the foothill and started our climb and still hearing the pack calling on the check. Well, 2 things in Bukit Hatamas – the hills are darn good climbs except that it’s too often running here and the other was ‘slippery when wet’. The climb was steep and the slippery top soil made it more difficult. We heard the OnCalls just as we got to the pack, a long back check. The downhill was steep and heading north to cross a river, followed with another climb that was more slippery. The condition was such that at this point, the tough gets going and the toughs could be funny people around you on such a day! There were laughs on those with funny postures while they avoid slipping and the difficulties to move forward.

Well, the rest of the trails were on the one and only steep trail on the north side up till the ‘Level 6’ as the sky was getting darker. The slippery condition sure drain up energy and luckily, the top was within reach. It grew dark too fast and I caught up with Menses who seemed ‘lost’. He was not good walking in the dark and ‘some assistance’ needed (but shy to ask-lah). I got my trusty torchlight, after recharging the batteries, to accompany us. Soon enough, we were at ‘Level 3’ and were joined by Fuck Off. Clumsily enough, we got back to the run site after the few slips and falls, slightly before eight.

Juiced Out!

2011-11-15T23:39:00.001+08:00

14/11/11: HHH, Kampung Sungai Buaya

The drive was supposed to be pleasant if not for the ‘choose-a-wrong-time-for-road-resurfacing’ people did their thing just before Commonwealth Recreation Park. The traffic backed up for miles and that would have themselves being cursed that would last some aeon! Fortunately, the traffic was smooth after that. I got to the run site with just enough time to get ready.

The OnSec was on time to start the run with the sun setting and bright. The first check was near and broken easily by following a trail towards a shiggy and a small shack by a pond. The first climb was long and the second check just on a downhill trail, on the edge of an abandoned OP. That was broken with a back check but that downhill was slippery. The men were making fun and chit-chatting about some other than were so ever careful not to fall and injure something. The crossing of a shallow yeah-high river, followed with a hill climb headed northwest uphill brought the pack nearer to the dam. The skies started to turn, the strong wind brought along a friend – heavy rain! It rained hard, really hard.

The pack was in a the steep hill slopes one after the other, the downhill was like hopping from one tree to another below, the gang was pulling and holding on to dear-old twiggy like growth so as not to slip and fall. The front pack was heard calling aloud in unison to signal the check was broken on the felt-like northeast direction. Everyone was soldiering on in the heavy rain and it was already getting dark. I heard someone muttered that we were like in a war movie where the ‘specialists’ were moving in droves quietly and swiftly. Soon enough, we reached a river, and without even noticing if we were on paper or not, crossed it, climbed on to a fallen tree trunk and continued to climb the adjacent hill. Some guys noticed that we were not on paper and started a search and back tracked downhill to find the trail paper following the river! The OnCalls were relayed from time to time for others to follow. Everyone was in the river walking ever careful not to get caught in between rocks, holes or tree trunks. This continued on about a kilometer and we were able to catch up with the front pack, still trying to break a check! The surrounding hills were ‘conquered’, every river paths were steeped and not sure enough, they did every path again! It rained harder and the river began swelling, it was already dark and the men were in the river!

A decision was agreed to that everyone is to gather and turn back together. That was the time that I took out my torchlight, used it and its juice ran out! OK, that was still fine as we could see with others’ light on. Then, the whole pack also decided to use a mobile to contact the run site – I took out mine and batteries were dead too! No one else had a mobile phone; the GPSs were of no use as the few had not any satellite signal as well! There were jokes all around as to the modern amenities’ ablity when there’s no batteries and no signals! The pack turned back in the river and after a few hundred meters, one brought up his GPS and tried. Voila! Signal! The pack, in unison, yelled out to follow that darn good gadget! A slippery hill climb, making our own paths, some even threw fresh paper (for just in case) and whacking through the thorny bushes – in steady speed and a good cooperation among the men, got ourselves on to an offtrack. We could make out that it was an OP estate that was abandoned. The honkers were great – non stop to lead the others. Finally, we found trail papers and some small discussion to confirm that it was the home trail. Well, it wasn’t that easy, the GPS ‘shows’ 1.5km but the terrain would not be dictated that easily – we had a few more hill climbs, a trench crossing on a skimpily built bridge (one stepped and fell between the ribs, he was bleeding on both shins and slightly on the crotch!), the ‘wavy’ up and down fern bush trails, the rubber estate hills and finally some stretch in knee high bushes before getting onto the tarmac. Some fellas were offered a ride by some UMs in a ‘nice car’ and some few fellas came back the other way. The FROP was said to be back at 8:35pm and the last group was in at around 9:10pm. It would have been a fantastic and an incredible run if it didn't rain. Though it did, it was still a fantastic and incredible run but the hare was to do one again in 10 weeks!

13/11/11: SH4, Taman Agrotek Batu 14 Hulu Langat

The weather was the usual for monsoon – rain! Me Mrs has already decided to stay dry though the sunny morning seemed promising. Soon after noon, it turned in a blink of the eyes. The sudden violent wind and the dark skies, soon as fast as you could say “yalamalakazoo-kalagulumamoo” – it rained hard. We waited for no one and no time that we loaded up the car and sped towards the run site.

We reached the run site just after the heavy rain stopped but still drizzling. The people that showed up are the hardcores while some cited the morning’s half marathon event near the coast sapped-up their energy and spirit.

The run setters came into view at the top of the steep offtrack just before the run started and they had given away some clues as to where the pack would be running. The InTrail was on the right side of the tarmac heading towards the river and with some slightly slippery trail had the pack lined up to pass! Well, at least those made some talking time for the pack enjoy and joked. We soon came to the river side and got back on to the tarmac for the straight walk up the steel bridge and already the pack knows where it would go. The first check after the fern hill was tricky, the runners, were too confident that it would be forward, were stuck. A back check on a slippery downhill slope found by Sotong got the pack moving on a fast pace, though the slippery downhill. We got to the river and after crossing it, the big, slippery, steep, long and killer climb waited. Everyone had the same problem – difficult to find a firm footing! That was the only long climb that brought the pack to the top and the downhill was as slippery. It was the usual home trail on the offtrack with the steep slopes. A refreshing river crossing just before last few meters was good to get whatever dirty cleaned!

07/11/11: HHH, Tekali Industrial Park, Batu 14 Hulu Langat

The directions were clear as stated with Big Shirley's yummies along the way towards the 'nuclear installations'. The road was blocked from the other end so that no other cars could delay our arrival. Most of the 'agents' that were early have already geared up for action whereas the 'head-honcho' has already walking about ready to 'instruct'. However, there were some secretive going ons behind his 'special vehicle' - boot lifted up to reveal some special 'bulletproof vests' for the few who have yet to get them. The rest of the 'agents' arrived in good time as not to stir up suspicion among the locals on our 'congregation'. Though we are known to be 'specialists', some do forgot to pack the most essential - 'static free non-toxic radiation free but biologically hazardous' socks! Already, some 'agents' have 'neutralized' some of the surrounding radiated trees. A few 'special agents' from the States and Down Under were getting 'climatically atuned' by wearing some 'airy attire' while the other was 'airing' his butt beside Special Agent D-Shit's bollocks proof vehicle. A 'looked like an Indo' special agent was salivating around greeting the rest while one MI-6 was planning his 'action' to be short and nice.

The Run

The InTrail was a 'quite tight' with the men lining up to take turns under a tree - going up the sudden slippery steep. There were many poking around as the men were fully geared up and the close confined trail was really too tight. Laughs were heard too when there were the few that needed some good push. The following area was shiggy enough to moist the inside of our shoes whereas some did manage to stay dry for that time being. The first check was found slightly less than half a click and was broken in a jiff. The climb up the lime tree orchard was swift and conquered immediately with the second check on that hill was bulldozed through. The 'teams' were moving better, faster and smoother than SEAL Team 6 to get downhill to check out the freshly laid nose-full organic-plant-fatteners. The one house village was deserted when we passed through and the 'front lead points' were already on the top of the hill. The loop to the back got the 'teams' looking at some terrains to be conquered.There were a few more hill climbs mixed with some good but short running trails that brought us to the bushes that we encountered our last steep climb. The top was cleared of any trees and we could see the 'LZ' that was about 4 clicks away. The hilltop run was no hurdle and we could enjoy the 'bombed out' face of the hill to mine some kryptonite. The home trail was 3.5 clicks run, to sum up the 6.5 clicks run. The 'front leads' got back in an hour plus five. While the 'airy attired'

attache who managed to get some local assistance to locate the 'LZ', came back on a special 2 wheeled vehicle at 21-hundred-hours.

Still a rainy week

2011-11-07T12:07:00.001+08:00

3/11/11 GAB Bar Visit hosted by BKH3

31/10/11: HHH, Selayang Baru Quarry

The afternoon cloudy at first and turned dark with cumulus nimbus floating around laden with loads of water. It was later that it rained real hard that some parts of KL were flooded and luckily the roads leading towards the run site was not backed up with traffic. The hash sign at the Lagong flyover junction must have been blown off to point the opposite direction! Fun Kok Siong nearly followed that and could have taken with him on a long detour. Edwin ended up in a housing estate after following the GPS, he obviously didn't read the newsletter throughout after punching in the coordinates.

The Run

We parked by the wide enough road with a refueling shed made useful as the guys were sheltered from the slight drizzling. OnSec was all over the run site sniffing out the InTrail. It was seconds before he called out that he saw Ah Hock, Lin Kam Cheong and Taufu Soo sniffing by the guard house!

The run started with a left turn at the guard house into some shiggy and onto a slippery trail. The queue had backed up till the guard house and Zurich was complaining while some Hokkien gnikcuf were uttered. Michael Lee was teaching the few youngsters on how to walk that walk on such terrain as the runner were calling on the first check. Opera was asked to go for a back check as he was pulling out his tiny Willie to wee before he shouted back stating he was checking his. Laughs broke out and some funny exchanges ensued. Boey Yew Fook and a few others went back to the road thinking there would be paper there. Finally, the check was broken on top of the hill. The hilly trail was difficult as it was much more slippery than the 'personal lubricant'. OnSec was seen 'waiting' for us half way up that hill and it looked like he was planning some thing already. We were led deeper into the slippery rubber estate and into another 2 checks before exiting into the west side of the quarry. We got a good view of the quarry and the city from the clearcuts. The runners were seen on the far north end on a new uphill tarmac after another check was called. Kojak was stating that he would be checking out the quarry and made some other plans while the rest just followed the call to run uphill on the tarmac. We reached a flat top at the end of that tarmac and to more clearcuts, the trail was leading us deeper into more jungles and bushes and it was about 7pm. Some had wondered off to face the home trail and ran while we were left following the trail with gradient offtrack climbs one after the other. OnCash was seen checking his GPS as the sky grew dark as we ran past him on the hilly bushes. The climb was almost endless and daylight was dimming, the honking was not heard as well. We finally reached a right turn off to go downhill on an old familiar trail beside a gaping divide that it has now 'grown' wider. The detour trail to avoid the deep fall was slippery and we almost lost the daylight totally. By the time we got to rock dump, it was dark and luckily some distant 'kongsi' lights shone us the paper trail. As we looked back, there were quite a number people at the back with their torchlights. Just before we reached the quarry road, we had to 'slide' on the 2 steep and grassy slopes. The last leg stretch was about 2km run back. FROP was 1hr13mins on 7km trail.

30/10/11: SH4, Villaraya Industrial Park

Me Mrs announced to me after visiting the Chinese medicine doctor that she had to stop running for a month to help the back injury heal faster. Well, I was sure if I was to get myself some good sweat or just laze around the house. The queen wanted some fresh air and her can’t-sit-still legs were itching.

The attendance was not the usual large crowd but a good 70-80 people with itchy legs as well. The usual parking, the usual InTrail (on the left, through the rubber estate), the usual climb and we ended up on the offtrack downhill as well. A check had the runners going down the hill while some smart fellas found the falsie and one smarter guy broke the check eventually near the falsie. We were on the over grown round the hill offtrack till we got to the high tension pylons for another check. The runners again went downhill to check! It was broken with a smartest runner continuing on that over grown offtrack. It was a long downhill and as expected, we climbed back up on the hill on the steepest side till we got to the rubber estate. Reaching the top was not as easy as it seemed and a left turn into more rubber and the last climb back up to the top for the final leg back. The final leg trails were winding left and right almost like the run setters’ lead was lost. The only hazard was the thorny-twines that were already grown every where. Voila! Finally, we were out in the open. The replanting activities seemed to have stopped as the weeds have almost taken over. The downhill was in a jiffy to end the 4.6km hilly trails that some considered a tough one as no one said anything about an easy run.

28/10/11: DTH3 AGM, Broga

It was sun shiny day! Parts of the world were flooded and we are very lucky! The dark clouds are nowhere to be seen and happily making my way towards Broga. The sunny side changed after turning into Jalan Broga, from afar I could see beautiful rainbows over Broga and that only means rain! The nearer I get the wind was lashing about the rubber trees and brought about some havoc scenes. It rained hard and I got rally soaked even just putting on me shoes.

DTH3 GM was on the dot and started the run with some hesitant crowd. But just then, it stopped! The trails were flooded and with water flowing from from somewhere to don’t know where. The usual walking past the well kept orchards, the guys from almost all Klang Valley’s Batang chapters also attended! It was indeed a large crowd, some what like a mini celebration run. While catching up with the pack, I managed to almost welcome every one of them.

The usuals were the trails and what looked like a climb heading towards the Big Brother was made into a falsie and the front pack spent some time breaking it. I was halfway up when the runners called out the falsie that I went back to the rubber tapper’s path junction that I broke it. It was more than 200m from the check and the back pack do managed to catch up. It wasn’t long after the 1km run back into the rubber estate with a slippery climb that we met the last check. The back pack found the paper that was another million miles away at the left side of the junction. We were caught way back and running past the back pack was not that easy as they took some ‘early’ lead. Good to kcuf up the runners on the really short run. We got back just 5 past 7.

The rest of the night was monumental, loads of food and drinks. The AGM started after the circle was called, the appointed SMC as the Erection Committee, immediately carried out the ‘erection’. The night went into more controlled chaos with more drinks; it lasted longer than the crowd!

Happy Deepavali!

2011-10-26T13:45:00.000+08:00

24/10/11: HHH, Ulu Yam

I was told this was the same run site that the hare used for a run with the UM few weeks before. Anyway, all were expecting a good run out of this and indeed that was the case. Read on!

The whole pack was waiting for OnSec to call but he was not around and had JM Jeffrey to take charge. While we usually see OnSec looking for the InTrail paper before the run, JM Jeffrey took the easy choice by asking the Bomoh in a very casual way that some might thought that we were not friendly. He sped down the trail and a sign to a resort indicated 3km! Well, the usual waste some time walking before the first check got many having discussions or sorts which many took the chance to joke, poke and funny things happen. LauTakWah and Thomas Chin was comparing notes from the adventures they had in China and like Ali MacDonald came from behind displayed his rolling skills on the trail after a tripping over a teeny-weeny yeah high pebble. We got to the resort and we have not got to the first check yet. No, it was not that long but the sign sure read 3km! Ah Meng was honking and pointed to the hanging bridge to cross while the front few were struggling with the locked gate by climbing over it! The resort was deserted except for the few workers there and the right side trail took us to the first check. Kojak Dorian and Henry Chia decided to look forward while the rest was on a back check. The check was broken towards the left on the InTrail and when we got on that trail, we were joined by the back pack. The climb on the rubber estate hill had the whole pack lined up on a single file like the dwarves going to the mines. A check was broken as the runners called out on the northwest further into the rubber estates. Soh B and Yap Mun Loong were heard chatting happily on their adventures as well. We were heading towards familiar grounds and got to the OP estates, more climbs and a fantastic offtrack running on the hilltop ridges before coming to another check that was broken forward. The downhill was a bit slippery and with John Belgrade and Frank PowderBalls taking steady steps and Billy Hong slipped. Ola! We were are the young OP estate and still going downhill and into older OP estates. Opera Cheong whizzed past saying Sungai Bundoro while Kojak was speeding up to catch up with John Belgrade, Peter Cushion and Mike Hew. Silent Dragon Leong was taking a breather and later asking me why wasn’t I running. We were in a kampung and there were a few foreign workers and villagers greeted almost everyone brought some cheery smiles as we started the short tarmac run. The pack was back into rubber estates again and after a few hundred meters in, we could see it was hilly and Kojak was on the slopes at a snail’s pace while Silent Dragon was gnikcuf in Hokkien as he hated hill climbs on home trails. We got to the top sooner than we thought and LauTakWah came from behind! Why? Explanations were long stories while we knew he was caught in a sticky situation on the previous check. New member Tony started using his torchlight on a slippery downhill where the sky isn’t that dark! The run was not what it seemed, it was about to get dark when we passed the fish ponds where we heard the front pack breaking a check among the hilltops infront of us! The Hokkien gnikcuf was heard again while the few of us kept on the swift climbing pace. A right turn with a squeeze through a bushy fallen tree got us looking at a telco tower station in the rubber estate at the almost beginning of the road driving in towards the run site after the fork road to Kampung Orang Asli! We had a nice short drive towards the run site earlier but making it a home trail run prove to be fantastic! When we drive, we didn’t notice the potholes, the turns, the downhills and the uphills! Yes, uphills – the long and gradient uphills! Killers! Well, we finally managed the 3-4km long home trail and survived the 12km run. The FROP was Mike Kuan with 1hr22mins while Siyeh Wah was 1hr15mins ‘not totally on paper’ on the last part. Dennis Khoo was seen to have successfully thumbed his ride back to the run site while the last was Hu Poh Han, who had a fight with his muscles even before reaching the long home trail that tortured him! He was then OK with his meat and reached the run site around 8:30pm. All was good until Ali MacDonald brought out a 4.5l bottle to be shared! A Walker in red, I think, was immediately drooled upon especially Ah Meng!

The circle was called into order by JM Jeffrey with Barry’s help and the new member was called to don the missing Butler’s attire. Kana was refreshingly fresh after the cold bath and was taking snapshots of the happenings. Though HashQuiet often called, whisperings were then tolerated and the often seen dashes to the 4.5l bottle for topping up. Returnees were called – Ali McDonald and Wong Chee Keong, special thank you to Ali for the bottle! It was then the choice that every OnDown-ee could decide on – whiskey or beer. In which this is where I started to have forgotten some of the happenings and the order of happenings during the circle! Thank you Ali!

The hare and co-hares were OnDown-ed for the fantastic, incredible and CCB (FIC) run with Hash Concerto #1. There were a few OnDowns by Jeffrey as I was busy with Ramli on something. OnCash John was doing a FIC job for collections as he has not much to comment except his plans of going to Genting later on. InterHashSec W-monger immediately started the long list and the circle paid attention to only these few – FOC runs, SHOT, Korean Tour and the Singing 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0! Opera was promoting the few runs he was known for and the crowd roared good responds.

Ah Hong, next week’s hare was OnDown-ed as he hired none other than the usual baldy! So, it started with – Jeffrey for no mannering manner asking where the InTrail was, without even checking it himself like the OnSec does; Ali for the weak-knee ‘Ku-Ku’, nothing like the Chinese kung-fu which he practically demonstrated the rolling on the wet muddy ground!; LauTakWah, Thomas Chin, Soh B and Yap Mun Loong sharing their adventure logs abroad, cheap and good. OnCash John and Frank PowderBalls said that was an oxy-moron, cheap is never good which gwailos will never know in Asia! It’s not an oxy-moron for Asians in Asia! With that, the circle was in stitches; OWC’s member’s published book practitioners in parts (lifting up your spririt level [pointing at the bottle]) Mike W-Monger, John Belgrade, Barry, Ah Meng and Playboy Choo; closing OnDown to JM Jeffrey for hoarding the bottle that Ali brought in which the hare ALSO HAVE ANOTHER 4.5l BOTTLE waiting at the restaurant!

From the floor were: Ah Meng (requested to speak in English and haul up whoever he wanted), which those that have yet to taste what the labeled-red is like – Chai Kin Sang and Steven Leong; Thomas Chin – being yelled at ‘bastardingly’ by Taufu Soo near a coffeeshop in Ulu Yam.

Thereafter, JM was cajoled to announce the makan place when he tried to be ‘long-butted’ (‘Cheong-see-faat’ = Cantonese phrase for long winded). It was the one in the temple after crossing back the bridge towards KL instead of the usual restaurant.

Wow!!! OnSec sure missed this! Why? Well, there were the remainder of the Ali’s 4.5l bottle, another English G in 4.5l bottle as promised and another 1l Royal ‘Tabik’! The hare also provided more beers as chasers and the usual ‘looks like, smell and taste not alike’ Chinese tea. 6 non paying tables as requested by the hare, OnDowned by JM. What was the food like? FIC! What about the bottles? No worries, we were unable to finish the 2 4.5l bottles but the Royal Tabik was gone. Daniel Ngiam was so in love with the bottle that he decided to take it back, empty! Barry the ‘Whiskey-per’ is retaining the remainder of one bottle and will be bringing it to us next week provided that he didn’t finish that at his own time and Danny ‘Whis-keeper’ the other unopen bottle.

23/10/11: SH4, Sungai Jelok

There was a grin on my face when me Mrs was staring at me at 3:30pm, the long gaze that was like asking me are we going to have a good sweat out or just napping away in the late afternoon. Yes, I have to oblige and my nod gave the answer that she was looking for. Her ‘buzzer’ might have been loud if the answer was otherwise. So, the regime for getting ready to leave the house started. Yes, regime!

The run site was not the usual one in front of the shooting club as they have warned that some projectiles might hurt someone when one of their members might try to shoot themselves but missed. Well, the run site, we drove straight forward after the tunnel instead of turning right. The parking was tight and limited but just enough for the crowd of 50-60 cars. The sun was very bright and making sure that all get a good tan while some breeze made it a bit more refreshing.

The run, well, not much I could say about it as it was through the clearcuts that have been slightly replanted with some rubber trees and some other plants that I couldn’t make out. We were on the terraces going up and down a few hills, crossing a creek, climbed a high and steep hill following the offtracks; cut into the thick bushes in the rubber estates, walked round and looped around the foothills before ended up on the rubber tappers’ road for the home trail passing the shooting club. By the time the runners got to the club, the shooters might have just ‘finished their businesses’ and safe for us to pass. Sort of like a short run but good sweat.

Rainy Week

2011-10-21T16:59:00.003+08:00

17/10/11: HHH, Bandar Sungai Buaya

The drive to Sungai Buaya was a pleasant one, no traffic congestions that backed up for miles and no slow moving vehicles. The run site is good for whatever noise we could make while the locals could have not even notice that we were there. The group that was there at 5:30pm was about 30 fellas while the rest came in before 6.

The run started with a walk up the slope by the run site and upon reaching the top we could see a vast clearcut area. Jimmy Dog Shit and Jeymond Toh were seen way in front of OnSec before the first check, while some small confusion as to where the papers were to lead the trail. We saw OnSec, Mike W-Monger and Kojak wadding through a small knee deep pool. The first check was just after OnSec’s wet encounter. The runners were everywhere – Ah Kah was back checking, AH Wah and SangKaiMai were in the east going uphill, the smarter bunch went on ahead through a small bush into the OP to find the OnPaper. The slippery OP downhill was quite a cumbersome task for Gary Murrell and Steven Lai, some mumblings were heard from Gary about some gnikcuf slip could hit another tree that could have resulted in another eyelid ‘beautification’! We ran into a vast OP estate and replanting was carried N-years. The zig-zags, the hill climbs and the slippery trails were some great stuff to remember by for this run and after the second check, Mike Kuan was seen struggling a little with a climb and I was not that fit as recently! Billy Hong was whizzing past while Micheal Lee was whistling and enjoying the sights. The second check was a good one with 3 falsies, made the pack tight and finally Andy Lau with Mike W-Monger following suit to find the OnPaper. Ah Meng and SangKaiMai was on the third falsie up the hill while the trail was downhill, the 2 wanted to connect to the trail from there but failed. Playboy Choo was seen speeding away from the last pack, on Arthur Hoi’s heels while the front pack was far beyond on another hilltop already. The trails were still slippery and muddier as we reached the open plains by the river before the third check. There were checking calls and falsie calls here and there while some were left stumified as to where it would be broken. Some gathered back at the junction to ‘discuss’ what to do next! Sgt. Eddie Kor and I decided to see where the check was while Chai Kin Sang was on the other trail. We found out that the check was some 500 over meters from the junction! So, some just stopped running after hearing check calls and that IS a mistake! We continued on and saw that the check was broken and connected. The supposed-to-follow group (Simon Tee and gang) turned back after Ah Kah called them back.

The 2 of us continued on the trail and heard the front pack checking calls on a check while I caught a glimpse of Touch & Go running uphill to where the check was. The OnCall was at the foothills and the slippery downhill was no easy maneuvers. We kept on calling to make sure that we were on trail in which the front pack was loud and clear. It was getting dark and harder to see paper. We got out into an open area running on a wavy up and down. We saw the runners’ torch lights about half a click away and heard them calling checking again. We finally got to where they were and some one called OnBack to gather the pack and shot off! We then gathered with Touch & Go, Ah Meng and HoiLoongWong following the earlier pack from afar thinking they found paper. Shoot! We caught up and was told by Hallelujah that a gwailo was leading us back using GPS! That enraged Ah Meng, HoiLoongWong and Touch & Go! “We should have kept on breaking the check and getting on the home trail!” “This is not Mother Hash spirit! We never give up!” “We could have been a laughing stock in the hash fraternity! Mother Hash?! What a joke!” So, the 3 were yapping and I found that to be true and agreeing in silence.

Well, anyway, Frank PowderBalls was leading with Hallelujah’ D’ Micheal Chew, The Yaps (Kau Peng Yap, Moustache Yap & Yap Fu Hoi) and another few of us followed till we reached civilization. The run back was on the tarmac and we clocked some 10+km at 8pm. Some jeering from the already drinking group that OnSec claimed they have “completed the run and came back on hometrail” at 7:20pm. No comments on what have been ‘argued’ but everyone had a good sweat. Let it be known that we should not have given up so easily, be on the check point to break the check, avoid chickening out the run on a check at 7pm! Words might be strong but not all would like to leave the run incomplete, not all would take a risk to get injured or lost, not all would like to complete and, but, all would like a little or lots of sweat before consuming the Golden Fluid; all enjoy a ‘good night out with the boys’ – brotherhood, my brother, brotherhood!

16/10/11: SH4, Broga

It was a cloudy day and we could barely see the sun for more than 2 hours, it never rained though. Me Mrs was itching for a run and have asked what we should do later in the afternoon, a few times! OK-lah, have to give in and made some pacts to hold everything in perspective and in good term all round. So, we made our way there after loading all the stuff that she had to take along. I would normally have a bag and that was it, wa-lah!

We got to the run site and we could only see half the size of the usual crowd. The usual runners were not around and only a handful ‘speedy busterds’ were ready to go. The run started a bit late for some lady called up to wait for her! She was stuck in traffic some where in Cheras. How could that be? How could the pack start later than the usual? I don’t know lah. She should make herself on time rather than 60 over people waiting!

Oh well, the usual trails through the rubber estates before ‘attacking’ the big brother on the steepest face following DTH3’s last run here. I was and sort of have to ‘take care’ of me Mrs – more of like baby sitting her. She was like back to those days when she wasn’t that ‘strong’ to face the ‘threats’ from the difficult climbs, the creepers, the ‘friendlies’ and whole lot of the other ‘things’! The muscle fatigue sure gave her some tough times on the steeps while the almost-non-respondant-legs were wobbling at the knees! We finally reached the ‘highway’ to find her sighing relief. There was this lady that was just behind us all the way that I left them to walk together after we exited to the new clearcuts for dirt-biking. I ran downhill and met another few which I found that I was not on paper. I continued on the usual home trail instead of following the papers for it was starting to get dark. Upon reaching run site, I phoned the sweepers to cut the turn into the jungle and use the clear offtrack back. Me Mrs phoned me as well as she was on that right turn following the papers into the jungle! My instruction was to have the 2 backtrack till the offtracks to get back. The back pack came back faster than some middle pack using that but me Mrs and the lady were no where to be seen. The lady’s son lauched into some worry-mode and immediately phoned her but failed. Soon after 5 minutes or so, there were 2 silhouttes beside the temple and the boy was so relieved.

The run setters should not have made that right turn back into the jungle for the hme trail and should have just used the usual offtracks to bring the pack home, no need for show off and would have been a mistake as the last pack would have been struggling in the dark in the jungle. There weren’t many capable-to-go-back-in people at the run site when I was out; many have left the site and a whole lot more have gone off to a wedding dinner. It looked OK though after all that have went in, came out safe!

15/10/11 : HLH4, Kencing & Eto's Wedding Run

An urge...

2011-10-12T08:05:00.002+08:00

10/10/11: HHH, Sungai Long (Joint Run with PJ Animales)

I was along with the hares to set the run as reccee-d trail was done by Shit Chan. We had no qualms as to he’s the main say for setting the run. After we parked on the main road on the new developed area just after the left turn before the usual run site, we took on the road further and went into the bushes for the first climb. The weather was sunny but the trails were a bit slippery. It was a long not-so-steep climb till the top and after a short downhill where we waited for the “assisting” back pack. There were these “wicked” long steep climbs and the “treacherous” downhills! The last wicked climb was really wicked and it was at the top that one will see the tarmac road home trail. We used up 2hrs to set the run and waited at the “guard house” till 6 before making our last few hundred meters back to the run site. It rained for a short while and that was the sign that “it would be shit in there!”

However, the runners came in at 7:20pm while almost all the last came in around 8:30. We got to know that there were few other guys still in the jungle! The circle was conducted and finished, the food was served and the beers from the Animales’ tub ran dry – and still no sign of the back pack! The beers were still flowing from our tub and a search party was formed to look for the lost souls. There were estimates on who were in there with not enough car keys to tabulate the numbers. The first simple search was to drive up till the jungle exit point; that was fruitful as we found Gary Murrell with ZigZag! Gary was bloodied on the right brow as he fell and hit a tree, poor tree was suffering from the shock that near killed it. We then got to know from them that there’s another 2 chinamen at the back! It was then another search would need to be started where 2 parties would go in from the InTrail and OutTrail. The InTrail party started as soon as when they were ready while the OutTrail party drove up the hill again. The InTrail party found Albert Ting and Anddrew Liew struggling turning back on paper and that was 12:30 already! The OuTrail party was called back and they had another adventure of their own when they found that they were locked in! The boom gate up in the hills was padlocked tight! Luckily, Plasticman got some “cures” – a hammer and chisel were brought to remedy the situation. A big thank you to Soddam from PJ Animales, for the quickest respond and the first to hit trail. Well, thank you the search parties – Lim Kim Hai, Sunny, Goh Hock Woo, Fung Kok Siong, Sang Kai Mai and Plasticman with the assistance from Fit Lo and Kor Wong from Sunday H4. Special mention to Jerry French with only the intention to join but was “left out”. The mixed bunch was around to finish the remaining beers and left around 2am!

9/10/11: SH4, Ostrich Farm Temple

Me Mrs was yearning to get good sweat out after the month’s absence and was sort of commanding the situation to attend the day’s run. All assured.

At the run, the run started with a walk out back towards the OP on the left and evidently the direction was towards the high hill that was majestically stands. The pack was jammed up when crossing a small creek and a side offtrack was found to be easily connected to the trail instead of cramping on the single line queue. The climb started immediately after the crossing and it was a long steep climb. There were some “rest stops” as the hill evens out at certain points, a good respite for the “not so fit”. It was not easy on the second climb after descending on the long climb, it was even longer and as steep but much slippery! There were the less “ground gazers and sky observers”, as observed and I guess the members have improved their stamina. The long descend was at some point quite steep and slippery while it looped back towards the InTrail in the OP. We finally got to an opening with a hut and after crossing back the river, we were on the OP offtrack already. We were back before 6:30pm while the last was before it got dark.

08/10/11: Penggaram Wankers’ 888, Jetty Minyak Beku

We arrived late and could only catch “the last bus” for the short (wanking) run. It was really a wanker’s run and we got out in an hour. However, the super long run was said to be good and the runners came in just as we did but they used up 2hours! The run site was in the jetty complex which was almost like decommissioned but the chalets were out for rent as families were seen enjoying the evening out in the breezy seaside wind. The circle started after the simple dinner of chicken rice, roast pork, nasi lemak and stuff. The Wankers prepared and put up the “Mad Dog Show” and prepared the ice seats with a toilet cistern on every seat. The idea was to “shower” the seaters and “flush” them after the DownDown. The prolonged DownDown was perceived as anti climax where some left even before the Boat Race! The circle ended just as the strong wind started blowing and was trying it’s darn hardest to take the canopies along! Helter skleter was the order as the guys ran all over the place from the look-look and saty stations! We were around till the special show by some transvestites that were late and stayed on till we thought the show was over after the 30mins performance. Home was the only way point as many had also felt the same.

The Month That Was - September!

2011-10-06T22:34:00.001+08:00

05/10/11: BKH3, Kinrara Puchong

The weather was not favourable for the past few days as it was always threatening to rain at any given time. Though it was clear sky but it drizzled from time to time. There was a large crowd already gathered on the usual parking near the water tank by the road’s end. The main co-hare, Smooth Prick, have already spread the word about the run – short and sweet. The pack started off on the usual InTrail by the river and winding our way uphill till we reached the ‘highway’ where we said a short prayer in our hearts for the brother who passed away near there, Bengkok.

We didn’t get on the trail where our dear brother passed on and instead took a left trail downhill. It was very familiar and till the foothills before following a right trail going round the range. Slippery as it were, the trails were not easy to get on as well as when all the climbs were on the steepest sides. A few more higher climbs and lowest descends that we thought was going to be on home trail, was definitely a wrong guess! It was getting dark under the jungle canopy and it was only 7pm. The front pack was heard calling on the few last checks and a falsie that the middle pack met, whereas the back pack was nowhere to be heard! The last leg towards the home trail was not easy as we had 3 steep climbs and the last crossing the river to get on the home trail with a short steep climb that brought us out into the open where new developments are ongoing.

The FROP was back at 7:20pm while we at the middle got out 10mins later and the last was out at 8:10pm! It started a little drizzle and stopped before the circle; while after the makan, it started again! What a night!

03/10/11: HHH, Bukit Belacan Ampang

The heavy reain stopped just about an hour before the run, this area is known for the steep slippery slopes and leeches. The skies were clear and there wasn’t any sunlight like the usual. The run started with a walk past the cleared area behind the parking and some noises were heard from the group standing on a dyke-like top. It was a river crossing! It was waist deep with swift current. We waited in case it was a back check but after some time we decided to cross as the front pack called OnOn after checking. It was an uphill slippery trail and at the end of it was found to be a falsie. The search was on again and finally the back pack called the whole pack to cross back the river and up the slippery steep slope opposite the parking! Some had decided that was it for the day, not risking injuries and some were just not keen anymore after the first check. The rest of us kept on trail that kept on uphill to 2 hill tops and the long slippery downhill was an adventure by itself! The downhills were slippery and there were not many trees or roots to hold on to, which most of us slide down. The final slope was by the small dam and following the perimeter fencing round the dam to get to the picnic and camping area. The last leg was the 1km run on tarmac. The skies were already dark at 7:30pm! A handful came back before 8 to see about 20+ went on trail!

26/9/11: HHH, Batang Kali

I took the pleasant drive via Putrajaya, Shah Alam, Damansara and finally the PLUS North-South highway. It was not clogged up by the home-going traffic but a much longer journey. The drive was much less than a fulltime game.

I arrived just in time to see the pack started the run while I was on the wrong side of the run site after missing the left small road. The beerman told me a story from last week’s attendance in a Friday’s run which most of our members attended and an incident which our members took initiative to solve and on and on…. “Hey! I got a run to chase down! Not much time to spare lah. Talk later!”

So, this 8kg extra loaded guy, took on the trail but for a while walking. The lost warm up, the heavy breaths and the lethargic spirit vessel was not in any way fit enough to run through the trails. Well, at least, brisk walking gave me the sweat out that I needed. It took me about 20mins before I could catch up with the running pack and am very sure that they were ‘just’ upfront checking. The trails were the usual stuff of bushes and rubber trees, nothing unusual. The uphills were neither long nor steep but with a constant speed up, do prove to be stressing too. I was getting closer and closer to the front but they always broke the checks and whizzed past down the trails. The trails after the 2^nd check was fantastic – the lush rubber tree canopy and bamboo forests gave us the wonderful scenes and most importantly the really fresh air! It was great till we climbed up onto an offtrack to reach th 4^th check, there were OnCalls and falsies one after the other that had everyone wondering who-why-where-what the kcuf! We spent quite sometime on that check with some gwailos calling it quits and trun back on their GPS while another large group said to find their own way back with an ‘experienced one’. We were the last as we didn’t give up till we looked in every trail there were. The almost 20 of us followed a falsie down the offtrack and a left turn into the rubber estate brought us on a long and dark trail, hit the InTrail paper and skipped following it by going straight west; it wasn’t long after that that we hit the home trail papers! We got back at 7:50pm which none of the earlier packs were in sight! Behind us was the gwailos, around 10mins behind while the large pack came back with a torchlight line, at 8:25pm! Though it was a dekcuf up, the reasons are plenty and dissatisfactions were voiced. Oh! Where’s Ah Meng? Where’s the Speedy Gonzales? Poor Ah Meng was left on the 4^th check with no one calling him to turn back! He was alone doing the reverse trail back just before 8:30!

23/9/11: DTH3, Broga

I noticed a bulge around my waist, stood and the scale and (Wallaa!) I gained some 8-plus-kg! The weight gain, from where? Well, after a month of seldom hash, that went on very fast to gain that amount. Humbug!

The soonest as I stepped out of the car at the run site, many noticed the extra weight and joked about it. I had to surrender to that and joined in to conclude that hashing does get you fat! The crowd that gathered was not the usual numbers and about 50% more with some guest co-hares, one of them is known to set long runs with me. Surprise, surprise, it was Fit Lo! The Intrail through the well-kept orchards was what looked like the usual climb towards the Big Brother after the late OnCall by OnSec. I was lugging the extra weight and the lack of muscle movement for the past month proved to be a feat and the thought of what’s coming my way would be a torture! It was true enough the beginning after a short climb in the rubber estate. A back check back on the road was broken by the back pack and smaller climbs towards the greater ones ahead. The climb on the ‘bald patch’ cleared for farming on the steep slope where the second check was proved another task completed with heavy panting and tongue swagging. I was stupid enough to help checking on the east side down the slope while the call was on a right uphill through the rubber estate slopes. I thought to myself after seeing some SH4 papers, “This will be an onslaught! What do I have now to get me through this? What about the extra weight that my legs need to carry?” Well, I knew that the trails here are on the steepest faces on the Big Brother with really long climbs. I get hold of myself and pushed through, there were toxic gases coming from the bottom end too.

I was left far behind the front pack while at the same time broke off from the back pack while on the climb. The third check was on the third quarter way to sort of confuse the front and with a falsie too. That gave me time to just hear them shouting OnCalls further uphill. I clambered up till the top struggling with heavy breathing and another chance to catch up with the front pack after they met the fourth check which was connected with quite some distance away. The usual highway back towards the run site through the long downhill, through the clearcuts that was planned for a dirt bike course; more downhills through some orchards and rubber estate and finally back on tarmac. The home trail run proved to be nice as I need not spend that much energy on the extra weight. One thing that I noticed was the ache around the knees and thighs. I got back 10mins after the FROP at 7:35pm. What a sweat!

Festive Holiday Mood?

2011-09-14T10:57:00.000+08:00

13/9/11: KJ Harimau, Taman Wawasan

It was the usual parking and looked like a big crowd had gathered. Upon closer look, it was indeed a big crowd of local residents trying to fill up their daily calory burn quotas. Alas the run started with the nearest InTrail that was just the slope immediate next to the shop lots! The steep climb proved to be a good workout and all the way to the top with a check. Easily broken it was towards the east and a sharp right into the jungle. The pack went zig-zagging in the jungle through all the thorns and got right out back onto the downhill trail that would have been sought by SCBs near the first check. We thought that the trail would follow that to meet up with the locals to show of our running skills but was led to a trail downhill back to the run site. It was only at 6:28pm! The few of us tried to get ‘lost’ and ran towards the trail to make a big loop round the jungle before getting back to the run site about 40mins later. The extra miles that we got were great to wet our balls and excreting the excess toxin that have gathered for the previous night.

12/9/11: HHH, Damai Perdana

It was more than a stone throw away and getting to the run site was easy through the back roads! There was ample time and I had the chance to greet Ali McDonald who arrived with a colleague driving, well dressed in suit and tie. He apparently sneaked out saying that he had a meeting in Cheras and had his colleague drove him! He was to fly out later at 10! That’s what we can call a ‘quickie’!

The run started on a direction towards a hill that was known to be a dead end for bushes or jungle and true enough, the check was called and almost everyone was in all directions looking for the check. The OnCall was on the road towards the flats and a walk through some hoarded land planted with local fruit trees. It was short climb up to the flat clearcut top and another check was heard broken towards the north side. There was a bee line for the guys to get through the small ‘gap’ and another small climb with a zig-zagging trails with one following the other ina single file! It was very much like a fast roving jungle patrol and soon the pack was checking for the trail again. This time the pack met the 4:30 gang all sweaty and smiley, something was wrong and some were heard saying that the run was too short. We thought that they could have checked and short-circuited some trails and dekcuf the run. We were on the single file again but this time it was on some steep and a bit more adventurous slopes down till the foothills. It seems that the thick bushes were over growths over the land cleared for developments, quite sometime ago. Well, the pack was zig-zagging around the thick bushes and reached a good running trail for a bit very near some main roads and opens up in a an abandoned tarmac road filled with construction debris and rubbish! We walked uphill till the main incoming branch TNB station. The pack was amazed at the rubbish that was amassed there and we got to the right for another climb till the fences. The check was easily broken as the fences gave hints with an opened gate! The pack was again amazed by the timber paved walkway and the small rest hut, more paved walkways with concrete and more rest huts – all in an abandoned state, wasted! Well, some in the pack was guessing how much it was to have these erected. The pack was soon out of the jungle canopy into some bright opening between bushes, which look familiar and very near the InTrail! There were 2 chatting away while the whole front pack was led and stuck into a falsie. The 2 were seen leading the running pack on a steep rocky climb, obviously broken the check. A steep climb down and into a flat hill top for a fantastic view of the run site and the whole area, but it was too soon! Too soon to get back to the run site, after a less than 2km run through the housing. It was only at 7 and too early to be out of the jungle/bushes! Most were disappointed but some were OK; we got to know there was some recce and setting run mistake that the co-hares can’t ‘punch through’ the fences some where!

10/9/11: PJ Hazards, Taman Rimba Kiara (Taman Tun Dr. Ismail)

I reached the run site at 5:45pm and was looking for a parking space but was asked to park by the man road at the entrance! Finally found one small spot just behind some buses near the entrance. I was getting ready thinking I was about 20mins late for the run but there were some familiar faces coming through with the greetings like, “Wah! So fast out and changing already!”. I was shocked and asked when did they start the run and the replies were, “4:30!” Well, the exercise that I got was changing into the after the clean-up attire and the long walk to the stage and where the food and beers were! The runners started to turn up with positive stories of the run that I missed and some even wondered how to ‘book’ this run site! The rest of the night was ‘makan minum’, the circle was conducted with the usual ice seats punishing and honoring the hoards. Then, some entertainment put up by the Hazards, there were a few good ‘acts’ that were of really good laughs while one or two were the otherwise. The night was filled with brotherhood bonding time and camaraderie oriented topics. I was pissed drunk and spent some time napping in the car before driving off. What a night!

5/9/11: HHH, Taman Wawasan

The directions to get the hashers to the run site was horrible and luckily I have made my way there more than I can count befre this, a few got lost following the directions and ended up in Bukit Jalil and some circling the Puchong area.

The run started with the trail that the locals used to have a good exercise but was on the left climbing the side slopes to get back to that trial to meet the first check. The check was broken by the middle pack on the left side through the slippery steep slope climb to the fern growth top. The trail towards that was one that I haven’t taken before and it was a nice climb with a longer trail. The check was at the top and was broken on the off trail int the jungle on the right before the check. It was a long downhill trail zig-zagging till the swamp like area and crossing that we were on the hilly climb up again. The climb was not that high though and was on a gradient uphill, we reached a good trail which was long and taken us to good views of the jungle side ravines and rivers. The trail run was long and took us till the edge of the UPM’s research arm ‘lodges’. From there it was the usual hilly run back but the start of this was a really steep climb. The rest of the 3+km was a really good cardio-exercise with more than a few climb ups and down, one long climb after the other was the fantastic sweat-squeezer. The last check on a rest-stop got the runners on a long falsie climbing up the opposite hill while the middle pack broke it on the left with a steep downhill and a long climb and a well trodden trail run back to civilization. A good 7km hilly run and used a good 1hr40mins to work out my heart.

Merdeka Week?

2011-09-03T00:49:00.001+08:00

Not much to say about the 'shifting' of the Merdeka Celebration on THE MERDEKA DAY to another date due to a festive celebration in which for the past 53 years there WEREN'T any such 'shifting'. What will they think of next? What will happen to the faithfuls and the patriotics? Reason given was not good enough... Chinese saying '国家' means 'country home' which would be interpreted as 'my country my home'. In sorts, it would also be interpreted like so, poetically - 'without my country, there would not exist my home'. Some food for thought...

Well, here's my Merdeka Week hash:

31/8/11: BKH3 Merdeka Run, Broga

When I got to the run site, to my surprise, there were a lot of cars parked neatly in opposite rows but not many people were around though. Just as I thought and after asking some that came back on their ‘own reccee’, there were slightly less than 20 for co-hares! Having looked around, I could one see about less than 10 and it was about 5:40pm. Finally, just about ten to six, the rest of the people packed in and seemed that the parking wasn’t big enough!

The run started with about 50 people and the long InTrail through the beautifully kept orchards and the run verdict was dictated! The climb was on the ‘big brother’s’ steepest face and till the highest point, go on its ‘highway’ to make the home trail through usual route at the back of the temple. FROP 1hr20mins while I was trailing about 8mins behind on the less than 7km tough run. The sweat was fantastic!

Where? Stolen?

2011-08-31T12:10:00.000+08:00

Heart broken.... where oh where is my jacket with all the best badges?

We have looked all over the house and turned over whatever it was to look but a big let down! Me Mrs finally counted the drying hangers and one was missing! Ahhhhhh!!!!!!! Why oh why? If ever that I catch this thief, he/she would be treated for broken arms! GGGGrrrrrr...........

The aftermath?

2011-08-31T00:28:00.002+08:00

29/8/11: HHH Merdeka Run, Sungai Batangsi

The drive to run site was thought to be the usual but not this time. It was all the way on the winding laterite road till the large clearcuts that was about 5km further in after the usual parking site! My car absorbers were about screaming to be ‘humanely dispose off’. I finally got there and saw that the gathered pack were not the usual size. The usual front pack was halved and the usual middle and back packs were a third of the usual numbers when the run started.

We saw Peter Cushion was back early by tagging a ride in Gila Kong’s lorry to get back early to do some cooking and roasting! Excusable as we didn’t want the pack to starve after the circle. Some beers were flowing too! The irressitable lot of Silent Dragon, Jeffrey Yong, Siyeh Wah and another few were already enjoying the Merdeka Run. That wasn’t as happy as the other group that was having a dip in the cool river with a cold beer!

At last the run ended as soon as it was started some 1hr25mins on a 8km run around the some clearcuts, OP plantations, rubber plantations, bushes, muddy flats and some hilly offtracks. The usual stuff was thrown in to confuse the packs especially a circular on the 2^nd check that had the pack wasted some 10mins before having it broken on the opposite hill. The zig-zag down hill and offtrack running got the pack to have a view, from the top of a hill, of the flower farms after the ostrich farm! It was sealed where the home trail would be after the 4^th check but the last hill climb was killing! We had almost met a ‘wall climb’ that was slippery and thereafter the kilometer long downhill and about a 2km laterite road run back.

22/8/11: Sungai Ujong H3 GM’s Run (Flower), Asbadi Quarry

Fantastic hill climbs on the tarmac that had many gasping for air. The first check on the right side hills at the first settlement and climbing beyond further up and higher on the range of hills was fantastic but the slow pack held us back following till we were able to overtake on the beautiful downhill run. The loop had us coming back through Kampung Belihoi with the last hill climb to conclude the less than 6km high hilly run in 1hr20mins.

21/8/11: SH4, Sri Haneco

Almost the same as PJ Hazards’ length, some cross paths, some magnificent climbs that had the pack round the trails on the anti-clockwise run cming out through the charcoal factory for a 8.5km run – 1hr40mins after getting screwed on the last check that wasted some 20mins running up and down near the back hills fish ponds.

20/8/11: PJ Harriettes' Dinner & Dance

19/8/11 : Hash House Harriers (1938) KL Dinner and Dance

18/8/11: PJ Hazards, Sri Haneco

Helped set trails for hare Mabuk Hai, used almost 3hrs and FROP 1hr28mins.

The end?

2011-08-31T00:26:00.000+08:00

there were some issues i have to settle in order to have a more enjoyable hashing time. i have decided to 'fend off' the 'untowards' due to my own personal reasons and nothing to do with the clubs and members that i have resigned from. Yes, RESIGNED! though sadly burdened and deep in my heart, this is very unlikely that i would do but HAD to do.

my dear friends and readers, i have not totally 'walked away' from hashing as i do continue my hashing journey in the 'batang lane'!

keep on hashing while you can.

OnOn

nearly 2 months!

2011-08-18T14:29:00.003+08:00

The new job was great, providing me the time and space to accommodate for some hashing; but not always, luckily not often, that I had to give it a miss due to some complications at work site. Well, there was some actual down time here due to more up time in fb. Well, here's my 2 months' encounters.

17/8/11: BKH3 Host Trilogy Run (PJ Hazards, PJ Animales), Bukit Hatamas

It has been now officially recognized that this site has been heavily ‘prostituted’ by all the hash chapters around. The run was on the usual trails with this brief string while on trail – InTrail tarmac towards the lake and a steep hill climb; a steep down hill on the left before reaching the halfway point; crossing the creek to face another steep climb and a long climb up till the top; with the short downhill, the pack was led on another long uphill till the top just by the side of the ‘Station 6’; it was downhill on the slope facing the run site; reached the small creek and climbed the last part before got on the steep downhill home trail; finished the run in 1hr15mins. The night was filled with male bonding and ‘brotherhooding’; the circle was noisy but calling it to order was handful but full of roaring laughters!

15/8/11: HHH, Kampung Batu 11 Gombak

I waited till 4:50pm that I got my car and stuck for over 1hr45mins in traffic congestion. Did the home trail for about 3km before meeting the front runners to turn back to make my slightly less than 6km run for some slight moist of my t-shirt. I heard that the trails were great but sadly missed the whole thing! DangX10!

14/8/11: SH4, Taman Agrotech Batu 14 Hulu Langat

I did the grueling long run of slightly less than 10km in 2hrs10mins which I started 20mins late. The trails were the same as the HHH run here but added a huge hill climb before connecting back to the last ran trails. Awesome! Lucky the run starts at 5, though the case some got back around 9:15pm!

13/8/11: HLH4, Taman Bukit Mantin

Assisted in setting 4.8km hilly run.

10/8/11: BKH3, Putrajaya

New run site, one big hill to the top and down to the back and back but was dekcuf up due to trails too close together and with checks. Cut through 3^rd and 4^th checks, got on the home trails to end the less than 3km run in an hour after wasted some 20mins to figure out where went wrong on the hill top. Good sweat though by running up, down and all over the hill!

8/8/11: HHH, Lagong

Dry and hot evening, started 20mins late - very hilly with a huge climb that took more than 40mins to top and was kept in the hills running up and down for the first 5km and with a 2km home trail which took 1hr20mins, pure sweat.

7/8/11: Veggie H4, Taman Wawasan

No rain but wet trails, known running trails 1hr5mins on a hilly 4.5km run. The hare requested me to stand on all the checks and just connect them when found. They claimed I know the area well! True enough, it was the trails that I had ran before and the checks were easy-peasy! Though that was, I had a good sweat out!

6/8/11: HLH4, Bandar Teknologi Kajang

It was many moons ago that HLH4 ran here, it was a convenient site for the hare as he was busy and very much know the area like the back of his hand. We had now got used to the long InTrail through the factories and the clearcuts that are now part of a development site. The OP estate is thinning out! We were on the trails almost like the last run here except after passing the rubber estates which we were led through more OP estates and towards the cow shed. The ‘whore’ was climbed but only half way to reveal a check and broken by one trying to SCB back. The home trail was the usual cut across till the newly filled platform planted with grass on its slopes.The pack concluded the 7km run in 1hr10mins. I started 20mins late and luckily was able to catch up, came in with the front pack.

1/8/11: HHH, Lembah Beringin

Traffic, traffic, traffic! The drive was horrible, Jalan Duta toll on the PLUS was bumper to bumper while after collecting the toll ticket, traffic was smooth but slow smooth! I finally reached the run site and just a little late, I started just about 10mins late. With only myself for company, the chase was on but at my pace. The running area was fantastic with trails smack in the bushes while sensing some hill climbs, the hills were not high but there were lots of them! I finally heard the front pack checking far beyond on another hill while I was having my ‘hands full’. I finally caught up with the pack in a sticky back check that kept the runners from the trail. It was then through some OP and rubber estates for most of the time. There were some higher hills thrown in for the fun of it while most of the time we were running on some wonderful trails and offtracks. The home trail through the rubber estate hills packed final punch for extra sweat. The 9km runner’s run with small hillies in 1hr25mins.

30/7/11: HLH4, Sungai Jelok

25/7/11: HHH, Broga

It was a hot and sunny day; the run site was on the flat open land behind the temple. Many were seen cowering from the sun’s mighty heat in the vehicle and tree shadows. The run started with much anxiety, where the hare would lead us? Well, the hare had the pack climbed the waterfall hill, crossed it at the high point; ran on the hill ridges; climbed the steep long slope till the usual highway; instead of down, we went up till the top of the big brother and down on the climbing trail and finally the long 4km run back to the run site passing the orchards, temple and fish ponds to conclude the high and hilly 7.5km run in 1hr45mins for me.

24/7/11: SH4, Mahkota Cheras

The weather was cloudy and cool; I dozed off for the afternoon and was late after spending too much time in Snoozeland. Quickly packed and rushed, reached the run site late to start the run at 5:20pm while me Mrs stayed on the waiting seat for her knees and ankle injuries. As expected, the run was not much different from the last run here except for the over the hill top climb that many were confused due to the changed landscape after being bulldozed. The rest of the run was the usual hill side trail by the quarry for the magnificent views. The laterite road and the offtracks were the home trail. I used up 1hr5mins to be back, skipped checking all the checks except the last one.

23/7/11: HLH4, Taman Tasik Semenyih (Temples)

The drive through the housing areas was easy except for the numerous speed bumps that irritates most of us. We then came to the end of the tarmac and continued on the laterite road passed the fish ponds, back on the tarmac for a hilly drive through some orchards and young rubber tree estates. Finally, we saw some signs welcoming visitors and ‘blessing hunters’ to the temple grounds. The parking site was a bit limited due to the visiting crowd and luckily manageable. The run was on a hilly terrain with some good steep climbs while the few checks that were placed too far had the pack tight and slowed down the front runners. The last climb was long and upon descending and reaching the run site, I did the InTrail and came back 1km longer. The runners did the 5.4km run in 1hr10mins.

22/7/11: DTH3, Alam Damai

The confusion was for where the run site was and the hare was putting up the hash signs around 5:30pm! Phone calls were ‘flying’ and finally all were at the run site just in time to start the run but some still ended some where lost. Even the start trail on the in and out were connected! With all the questions and clueless front pack, whistling the hare got us on the InTrail on the tarmac road uphill till the water reservoir and further higher towards the hilltop. The usual checks were expected at the points and easily broken the pack was on the downhill towards the ‘waterfall’ and climbed the steep side towards the telco towers. The check at the telco towers got the front runners tricked as this time the OnPaper was on the left and having the pack do a clockwise round the station. It was then the usual offtrack and hillside trails back to the residential bungalows and on a short tarmac run back to the run site. A 3.8km steep hill climbs and short trails in 1hr5mins for the runners.

18/7/11: HHH, Taman Agrotek Batu 14 Hulu Langat

Another blue sky day, the sun was clear to do its business on earth! And boy, it did! The run site was good for baking!

The run started with a run towards the north end and we came to a check that was broken after a 5mins wait in confusion. The call was on the right by the river heading for a river cross and finally a falsie that 95% of the pack got their shoes wet and confused! Another 15mins in confusing searches for the OnPaper and curses on the hare for trying to kcuf up the run regardless of anything, we finally heard the OnCall way back in the run site! The steep offtrack that a tractor used to transport some concrete to the hill tops for casting some high tension pylons, was where some ‘could not run’ fellas found the OnPapers! Curses were everywhere again and the guys were taking some faster paces to catch up on the 20mins that we lost on the first check. It was a long and steep climb one after the other and finally the longs hilly trails kept the runreally sweet! We enjoyed the run arounds through the orchards, the 2 kampungs, the rubber estates before the final abot 2km road run back to run site.

8km run in 1hr25mins.

17/7/11: SH4, Bukit Hatamas Cheras

Another run in these hills would have me in my own ‘stiches’! It was almost like every other run was held here. Not much to say about this run except the usual steep climbs and the good sweat! I was the last sweeper and was directing another few to help out to cut off the ‘not very able’ and the ‘going to faint’ on a shorter route out of the tortures! Some funny moments and and laughs when jokes were poked to deter these groups.

4.4km as last sweeper in 2hr30mins on a simple run.

16/7/11: HLH4, Kampung Baru Puchong Batu 14

It was almost the same trail that we ran here the last time but the checks were better placed to avoid confusion. The check distances were good and it was a good 40mins in the OP and climb before headed for the Air Itam Forest Reserve via ‘hilltop mansions’.

6.38km in 1hr20mins.

11/7/11: HHH, Ulu Yam (Sungai Sendat Recreational Park)

I was anxious, excited, scared stiff, ‘what am I getting myself into?’ and ‘I might be crazy’, driving myself to the run site of the crazy hare that was fined for setting a really long run here 10 weeks ago. Though said, I was actually craving for a run like this! The smiles, when I reached the run site which I got, were welcoming me to some tortures lined up!

As usual, crossing the cold river was prominent and as to how many times we need to do it before the actual run was in question. The hare was very tricky on his first 2 checks to get our shoes wet before really starting us on the run. This time round, we got one and the cold river was ‘yeah’ high enough to get our balls wet! A check had a few running back crossing the river again before it was broken headed west to the rubber estates for a steep climb past the foreign workers’ ‘quarters’ and came back round with a big circular check. We were running in packs till we got into the hilly OP and got into a real big pack when the check in the OP was really hard to break. I was almost the last to join back the main pack after it was broken with a steep uphill. We got to the hill top offtracks for a good leg stretch and another big circular check! The pack was kept close b the checks and the willingness of the packs to run. It was pure fun with the guys in the running-sense! We were brought round and round through the OP, up and down on every hill that was there! We finally comprehended the hare’s idea of where he would be getting us on the home trail – the long endless uphill climbing trail! It was near 7:30pm when I was at the hill top and finally maneuvered past the long and ‘hole-y’ downhill trail with moonlight shinning through some canopy openings! We got to the picnic spots and crossing the steel bridge, concluded the run with a short ½ km road run to reach the run site smiling!

10+km, another tough run with lots of hills and longest uphill home trail, 1hr55mins.

10/7/11: SH4, Villaraya Industrial Park

It was a hot day with some cumulus nimbus hanging around. As usual, the run started with a walk through the dump site with a lady scavenger digging for something while further up a fire with billowing thick black smoke consuming some earth-unfriendly material. It seems that most were covering the mouths and noses while some were cowering away. Sheesh, how are we to run here again?

Well, after that ‘crossing’, we were in the thick bushy paths and a good immediate respite. Some stinky smell was still up my nose until my discharge of those goo-ey boogers by the side of the trail! Well, some were disgusted but I had to do something! Urm.. on our way, we started the climb in the rubber estate till the first mid-hill offtracks for the downhill till the OP estate. It was a good sweat with the sweltering heat. We got past the OP and then the fish farm ponds, immediately into the thick bushes again for another long climb. As expected, we got to the top after the side-way cut across to find ourselves going downhill on a really steep slope till the trail with a beautiful view. We got there and in an instant the climb started again with a steeper slope and a longer climb! It was hard for many but they really strived on, with glee and enjoyment. One Kajang-er was heard describing that as euphoria! But then again, he was cursing on every climb! We had a good laugh and the climb was still yet to be completed!

I guessed it right on the directions of where we would hit the home trail after that long climb. We came down from that high ‘mountain’ to reach the ‘other’ fish farm by the slope-y orchard and cutting cross the ponds, a few foreign workers were seen ‘checking out’ all of us with friendly smiles. We hit long and steep climb up the last hill, slowly paced me Mrs was struggling for air while she thought I was having fun. In fact, I was breathing hard on every step that I took. We went past the high tension pylon and further the climb till the top! It was sure no easy task after we had ran up and down for more than an hour on the terrains. Finally, some break over the canopy with bright sun rays, we got to enjoy the view from a high point of the run site. But still, the thick smoke was there billowing! What a put off! We were back sucking in the foul air!

5+km hilly at the back trails, FROP 1hr30mins, strolling pace 1hr45mins.

9/7/11: HLH4, Sri Haneco

The hare requested and we assisted – along she came to tag along to set the run. The hare was in her usual self struggling to keep up with the running pack. We started with a stroll to warm up and walking past the perimeter fence of the fishing ponds, we continued into the uphill part of the OP estate. The pace picked up and asked Email and Jessie J to get on the trail further uphill whereas I set the first check and falsie. After catching up with the girls on the uphill trail, we picked up the pace as it was about 5pm already. We got to the top of the orchard hill and to set the 2^nd check with a falsie on top of the hill ridge whereas the girls were to get to the opposite rubber estate hill after getting down to the creek. I got the girls to beat their pace by going up the steep side till a flat trail and kept left to set the 3^rd check and another falsie. By now the hare was almost suffering with our usual trail setting pace but she kept soldiering on! We hit right on the flat trail to hit the inclining ridge and down to loop behind the south side hills following some recent run papers into the thicker bushes. We got to a comfortable pace with the hare catching up in good time and into the jungle for the confusing section of squezzing through some tangling roots and thorny shrubs. We got on a long hill climb in the jungle and down to set up the 4^th check and falsie on top of another small hill. We got on the west side on another hill for them to back check on the southwest to walk on and through the thick bush terrace heading west. We got to the edge of the west most hills for another climb on the steep side till the top with rubber tree plantation and a view of the run site. I set the 5^th check with a falsie to the east where it was another known home trail was but we got to the west side to head towards the rubber estate with the vegetable farm. We got downhill and on a flat nice trail walk round the lower hills to reach a thorny bush filled trail. Further downhill we hit the rubber estate next to the farm and following that trail downhill till we nearly got to the farm to set the 6^th check after passing a junction that was also known to be another home trail. We hit the trail towards the farm and passing through it we went on the trail past the orchards and the offtracks to get to the west side of the fishing ponds. We got back to the run site around 6:30pm after spending some 2hrs10mins setting it.

We rested and sat by the beer wagon to see who come out and found that some good numbers turned back due to health reasons but some due to the hearing who the co-hare was! Am I that notorious on setting runs? Maybe! After some exchange of fun poking, the FROP was back at 7:23pm – much to the relief of the hare that if the runners come back after 7:30, she would have been cursed and iced! It was a good hilly with a 2km hometrail to conclude the 7km run, good from the comments that came back.

Many weeks?

2011-07-06T23:54:00.004+08:00

5/7/11: KJ Harimau H3 (Run #777), Bukit Subang

Never letting a good celebration pass me by, I made my way to the run site! “Boys will be boys”, as they say – it was too good to be missed! There were jokes and pokes around when all the boys got together! That was a way that one loses the stress at work and at home, if the ‘Home Minister’ yap non-stop (to the tune of “My Husband’s A Drunk”); letting off steam by running it off like a chugging steam engine; get drunk till pissed to ward of ‘the evils’ and ‘staying out of trouble’ at home! Well, don’t be offended as the said were meant that all these were on the drunkards’ point of view!

Anyways, the run started with some confusions as there were more than 3 run papers ‘littered’ the trails! The boys got it straight with some cursings and friendly insults of being ‘less-than-balls’! It was not easy at first with some steep climb after a steep descend that I was still at last night’s walking pace! The rest of the run was a little more than a run, a hop, a jog and a jump that we got back to where we started 40mins ago. No doubt, some may find it a good run to finish especially to those who have not completed a run some decades ago and leaving more time to mingle and for beers! No less of a very fun night, the guys packed a good punch and ended the night on a high note! Kudos!

4/7/11: HHH, Saujana Utama (CanAm Run)

It was a real sunny day, humid and dry. There were complaints and whinings that it was too hot a day for a run but stopped when the run starts. Brightly coloured t-shirt crowds led by OnSec untill the first check, which was 1.5km away! I think the guys really hated OnSec’s rum-belly and trying to help him keep fitter.

Well, as the run progresses, it was up and down the OP estate hills – some said that it was a boring run but many did find it a good challenging one. I was almost all tired out as the last 3 days’ continuos good and amazing runs really drained me energy. Never wanting to be stuck in the OP in the dark, I could only manage a well paced walk through the uphills and down. “Me legs were not very attentive to me wants, alas they brought me home”. The endless trails seemed that long and the uphills seemed endless, almost as it seemed infinite; these were the thoughts when one could not catch up with the running pack. The recollection of euphoria when running with the pack and the sadness when one is left struggling. I would say, wait till I recover; can’t wait till next week.

Finally, the last uphill climb to see the Hindu temple and a brief sigh to acknowledge my own accomplishment to have finish the 11km run in 1hr55mins. Tired and satisfied!

3/7/11: Kulai H4 & Gunung Lambak H4 Joint Run, Gunung Lambak

We were still having last night’s booze in me blood. I woke up still with smelling like last night, drunk! We got ready but me Mrs had an appointment to get to before we start our journey to Johor. We could only start our 270km trip half past one and my F1 skills were tapped! We finally got to the run site around 4:30pm, just in time to see the run start!

We started 10mins late and was ‘taken care’ by Jepun, the sweeper and caught up with the back pack 10mins later. It was a steep hill climb through the OP and the tarmac road towards the telco towers. We soldiered on passed the towers on a jungle trail into another climb and some more back pack chit chatting away. Me Mrs was ‘energetic’ and urged me to get forward not wanting to stay behind following the slower packs. She learned a lot since she now knows if our bodies ‘cool’ too much, we could make it hard for ourselves. Realising it was another tough run day!

Well, the climb continued in the jungle trail and till the first opening top that we could have a beautiful view of the whole area. The air was fantastically fresh! Savouring the sight, we continued the climb and further small downhill before the Mother of Climbs on this run. It was a long and steep, real steep – almost to 60-70degree slope, almost like standing! It was really a long climb but the sight was so inviting that we couldn’t stop. We finally climbed past the difficult part and there were more climbs than we expected! From the highest top, 1650+ ft asl, we descend on some steep slopes with many caught slowly maneuvering the steps while we cruised past. We got to a small ‘transition spot’ where a really big tree greeted us before going downhill to a waterfall. More climbs right in front of us but were not that high and we sensed the home trail was near as some road traffic noises were heard. We got to an OP estate, a 4WD was laden with water for refreshment and the final 2-3km run on tarmac. A well spent 1hr46mins on a really hilly 7.6km run!

2/7/11: Rotation Run host by Kajang H3

The day was perfect, the crowd was in a good mood and the busy bees were at their paces shooting towards their targets to get work done. One shocking announcement came when KaiChoong collapsed. The news came later that he passed away due to heart attack! He was 42! Shocked, some cried and some just felt really sad. Anyway, Kajang H3 GM announced the loss and the minute’s silence was observed. We thought the event would come to a halt but as Kajang H3 GM FT continued that as such, KaiChoong have worked hard to have the event successfully held and to those present – make the event successful!

The run started amid the sadness but cheers were to make the event successful. The run was not any short of what KaiChoong expected as he loves to run too. It was a walk with the crowd passes the beautiful orchards before the start of the long and steep climb up the Big Brother. The trail was what we did some 3 weeks back but this time we got to the top and used the ‘highway’ back. There were some brothers from Melaka that suffered a bit during the climb where we heard they did not have much of such runs! There were teases of ‘some fat fella’ could not over take due to the size, the weight and the lack of speed but TCK was ‘slammed shut’ when that ‘fat fella’ smilingly over taking him without even breathing any harder than normal!

The rest of the night was another historical night…lots of beers, song and dance!

1/7/11: CH5, Jalan Broga

Usual parking place for CH5 behind the chicken farm. A big crowd with cream purple coloured tee-shirts were dotted in the run site, seemed like the hare has passed out their freebies. Finally, a few familiar faces confirmed they were from Seremban H4 come to support the hare, AngMohKau. Many friendly welcomes and the usual questions about the long absences were thrown at us.

The run started on the offroad towards the rubber estate and took a right crossing the barricade boom. We caught up with the sweeper and the few which were trying to look for ways to turn back, that soon! We continued on and what looked like heading towards the high tension tower hill through the rubber estate hill that we came to a check, this is where, I think, we got the run wrong. The OnCall was far yonder and as I was following the call and the torn paper, it was too long to be the connecting trail. The FROPs came to what seemed to be a falsie but in fact was the OnPaper for another check. We were in a daze and yet to know what and where was wrong, continued the run and what seemed right that on a check uphill got the runners back to where we came in. The pack stuck together and decided to turn back on paper by climbing back to where we came! The pack made the right decision as it was around 7 already. We got back running and that gave us a longer run with some good sweat!

27/6/11: HHH, Serendah Golf Resort

The F1 track was a practice for the real deal as driving through the kampung traffic was nightmare when anyone was rushing to get to the run site. The peak-hours traffic had started before I reached Rawang and luckily it wasn’t that bad. I finally got to the run site with some extra minutes for some bulls.

OnSec was light footed and sped away like a Speedy Gonzalles to find the 500m mark but at last saw him walking some another 1.6km to get to the first check! This was the hare’s idea in getting rid of OnSec’s rum-belly! The weather was hot and the climb had started – it was climb and climb, some real short flats, more climbs and some more, more climbs! Yes, at least I was, when my turn to run all the way downhill at 7:30pm! The home trail stretch was a real stretch with a km or 2 tarmac windy downhill and the last 1.5km on the main traffic road. Exhausted finally reached run site at 8:20pm!

Circle was short due to the blasted restaurant owner nearby, reported to police; one inspector came to shut us down and the owner claiming for losses! We ignored the claims and explained to the inspector of our intent of our presence – he let us go as there wasn’t anything for him to press any charges! Be warned this rekcuf was real a pain in the ass, park away from ‘his’ shop!

26/6/11: SH4, Venice Hills Cheras

Rainy, raining, sunny and rained again! We got ready for a wet and slippery run but me Mrs was eager yet nervous – leeches, la! The slow-fast drive towards the run site gave us the opportunity to look for ourselves the real weather, it was just drizzles and me Mrs was smiling with some worries.

We waited for the start and out came the run setters strolling in to report of a short run with a few climbs. What happened? Exclaimed by many and the reason was the ‘weather’ and ‘catering to the weaklings’! The morning was the SCKL Marathon in which quite a big number of people ran.

So, opportunities were abundant for those who haven’t the chance to run in front to ‘see’ for themselves what are the ‘things’ laid. Some were even more surprised to see a heap of ‘scattered’ paper and complained of ‘some busturds’ meddled with the run papers! I fell back to assist the slow packs and teased quite a number of ‘big mouths’. They were ‘loud’ before the run starts but ‘chickening out’ by refusing to run! One long steep climb, one long climb and one short climb with a long down hill on the ‘highway’ to conclude the day’s run.

25/6/11: HLH4, Mantin Station Hill

New run site for HLH4, I was supposed to be here a few times ago but have to miss due to work. At last, I got to have a go at these hills. Driving uphill on the tarmac road has already ‘informing’ us how high we would be climbing later on during the run!

The hare contracted Mantin H4 GM and Seremban Hazards’ GH to set this outing and proven that it would not be a mess up. The run started with a walk uphill on the tarmac and continued to almost about a good sweat before the dry slippery downhill into the OP. We further went on the offtrack to see the exit from LEKAS to Seremban and followed a hill drain up. We got round one hill after the other to chase the high tension pylons, not easy as it sound as the hills are not that high not low, a few of these will surely tame almost everyone! We got to the start of the back ridge of the hill where we started and it was a long climb up! Yes, climbing that surely have me panting and tongue wagging! The run was not long but the climbs sure squeezed the sweat out of me! A good hilly work out but was only about 6.5km on a 1500ft asl. Nice scenic view from the run site and breezy too!

20/6/11: HHH, Mantin-Lenggeng Road

We were surprised when the hash sign pointed left onto the Mantin-Lenggeng road but driving past the field further brought on more surprises; the hilly uphill climbs and winding downhill? Are we going to the Lenggeng Recreational Park? Just as about the end of the new constructed road, another hash sign pointed right while some gwailos were waving to attract attention. Parking at the top of the small hill looked small but eventually everyone, with good ‘management’, parked at the hill except the few avoiding crowdedness.

The run started with a downhill into the durian orchard that has already attracted some attention to the visit again while some just enjoyed the already dropped ‘samples’. We got past a small path of OP and into the bushes for a small climb that many complained difficult due to, one, the hot weather and, two, the laziness that hasn’t wear off before the warm up! The real climb came to sight when we finished the first one! The second climb was really long and steep with the near top climb was even taxing! A check call got us confused as it was called to far before we got to the check! A smiley smirk on our faces and thoughts, “Never trust a hashman!”

Well, we went downhill all the way and followed a river trail, the scenery was fantastic! We got to enjoy that for a moment before a short walk out of the swampy trail to reach the open area where the high tension cables ran through. The view was like; I was behind some 50-60 guys stretched out in the open in a kilometer long line, climbing the hill ahead. The soonest that I got to the top, check was called and the guys were searching everywhere but failed; that gave me time to catch my air before joining the front pack chasing the trail call with a back check downhill! Home trail was on an offtrack past a few orchards and a few factories just before the main road. The 1.5km gradient uphill run was no easy thing for me, I think due to the recovery from taking the backache medicine! Or maybe, I’m no longer that fit and lazy! Smile! A 6.14km steep hilly run took me 1hr30mins! Real time to get fit again…

19/6/11: SH4, Broga

A surprise for SH4 as we were allowed to use M2L’s ‘ranch’, parking was huge but just enough. Luckily there were a few that took lead to direct the parking traffic, thank goodness. The usual crowd was around, a few ‘long lost’ and some ‘never seen before’. It has been at some point that I find some just came for the ‘freebies’ while some really come for the camaraderie. Whatever it may be, I trust every attendee was ‘hunting’ for a good time, one way of the other.

Anyway, it was not an easy run but short. The warm up walk long enough to disperse ‘marauding’ crowd. The first few checks and falsies had the pack tight and caused some ‘road congestions’ with ‘slow moving vehicles’ and some ‘heavy vehicles’ climbing the steep side through the huge rock hills. It was long steep climb till the highway that a check was laid that got the runners stuck while a photography enthusiast runner broke the check by going to the right and downhill towards the ‘large crevice’; another smaller climb got us on the ‘highway’ and with a short downhill run, we reached the tall grass hills. We were greeted with surprises as the hills were bulldozed, cleared and it looked like it would be developed into a landscaped attraction like opposite side. The home trail run was just nice to generate the extra sweating to clear off the previous day’s toxins!

18/6/11: HLH4, Kesuma Lake

The show of support for the hare, Song Lau, was good – his birthday run! There were plenty of cars parked at the end of the road with the beer wagon loaded with the ‘good stuff’!

The run started a few minutes late as everyone was engrossed with chit-chats. A check was misleading after running towards the water tank but was broken by the back pack. After that it was so familiar in the OP! All the OP trees were the same height, same size with the terraces looking like almost the same! There were few hills that we went up and down, there were checks that were difficult as they were long; some confusions over the hill checks as the runners were everywhere and call were ‘clashing’ due to true trail calls and falsies. It was the calm middle pack and the wise back pack that all were back to the run site in good time with none got lost! A run and chase that ended in about an hour that got everyone sweat by the tons!

The rest of the night was legend, see photos for a good laugh!

17/6/11: DTH3, Mahkota Cheras

I was supposed to assist the co-hare to set run as they knew I was very familiar with this area except I was caught up with some work that I could only make it in time for the run. So, I was at the run site being ‘cursed’ by the hare with lots of apologetic word from me and his ‘cursing’ was a jest to pump up the mood. Good laughs were all around when the others joined him in further ‘rubbing salt into my wounds’.

Well, the run started with the usual, walking past the flat cleared land, climbing the side of the slope drainage, downhill into the rubber estate heading towards the orchards; heading further towards the hanging bridge; loop back into the rubber estate hill and all the way up till the top; get on the ‘road’ on top of the hill and following the quarry roads back to the run site. Well, the last check got me in front of the rest of the guys which had me alone with ample time ahead of the usual FROP in 1hr. An eye opener for many but I was lucky that the guys were looking for the last check else where.

Last Week

2011-06-15T01:25:00.000+08:00

12/6/11: SH4, Taman Agrotek Hulu Langat

It was a rainy day and it stopped just at a right time. Email was early to get ready and got to the run site with a relaxed mood to get our shoes on.

The run started with a walk on the tarmac downhill towards the locked gates, further on the tarmac and on the tighter paths towards the steel bridge. The gradient climb was on the same trails as we ran here before with Mother Hash; we got to the first hilltop and down towards the ravine and river crossing; another cross over a creek that the long slippery climb till the top of the first peak in the range; a flat ridge walk across the right side that another climb was waiting, without going down, it was another long climb; finally reaching the peak with the back pack through some difficult slippery climbs they were left with the sweepers and we ran all the way back to the run site through the electricfied fenced orchards, offtracks and crossing the river before back on the tarmac.

I was back all wet in nearly 2hr35mins while Email was 30mins earlier.

11/6/11: HLH4, Raub

We were already in a rush driving along the highways and finally exited onto the main road to Bentong. The dreaded ‘orang kampung’ ways of driving was just right in front of us. The slow and ‘don’t-care-about-the-others-whatever-it-is’ was not budging even a little bit to the left nor step-on a little more on the accelerator. A few calls from the run site to know where I was, was more than pressure to get to the run site as early as possible. The last few kilometers was the worst, the busturd just hogged the whole gnikcuf road!

Finally, we got to the run site but the run started with the runners at the top of the first hill looking down and jeering at us. Quickly as possible we got our shoes on started our way towards the InTrail and ABC, Long John and Dipstick were getting started as well. We got on the hill climb and met the few turning back; JPS, KFC, Cordon Blue and Big Jug. Another few more were just reluctant to cross the fences to further the run. It was a nice offtrack running downhill; past some bushy paths; crossed a small creek; climbed a steep short slope in the rubber estate and met the back pack of Micheal & his hug, GM King Kong, Silent Dragon; walking on the tight terraces we got onto some offtracks we met Charlie Chickadee and his angels (Juicy, Amelia, Miki and the lovely Pusher) while Blood Donor was making his forward move; fast paced Long John caught up with the middle pack further in the rubber estate on a check with some falsies that Sang Wat was caught; there was a group or two known to be lcal hashers were figuring out where the SCB as they were discussing loudly where the runners were; we caught up with another group with ABC doing a river crossing near a hut with a bamboo raft; the crossing was made with some thick rebars tied together with a few cross lengths, the while thing was swinging and swaying!; a short climb up the rubber estate hill got us to the main road that we drove in; the 1km run back was wonderful with a few more slope thrown in; saw Joachim was with his hug enjoying the walk; the rest came trickling in back to the run site with packs of nasi lemak, fried beehoon and mee, coconut water, juicy melons and guavas while beers were served.

There were a few chapters around from Raub, Bentong, Penang, Melaka, Muar, Batu Pahat, Seremban, Mambau, PJ, Medan Deli H4 members. The venue was fantastic and the circle was on the second floor of the main building. OnOn was at the same venue with all ‘sessions’ underway – the more drinking and singing, karaoke, etc. till the wee hours.

3 weeks now?

2011-06-09T17:01:00.002+08:00

6/6/11: HHH, behind UIAM (near Kampung Sungai Pusu)

The penalty run on the same run site, many would expect the hare would be setting his run the reverse of what he did before. There was one new face and that new bloke knew my name whereas I was blinkingly blank! I was late and the pack started running without OnSec leading, he was said to be somewhere lost in Bermuda Triangle attending his UM-offspring’s wedding.

The whole pack was fast and it took me some fast running to get hold of the last pack that was wandering for a shortcut. I caught with the new face and finally it dawned to me that he was someone that I knew dated back to our younger days. We talked and exchanged family news and finally I recalled his name, VG. It was about some 17-odd years back that we started as business friends. He’s now slimmed down and both he and his UM are running with D’sara Hash, had his virgin run last Friday. He got hooked with hashing and can’t resist Mother Hash from stories he heard from KPY, TCKJ and PCYK. He jumped into KPY’s car and was here.

We walked at a fast paced uphill and down like doing the last run here on the reverse while talking and we came to river crossing and followed that river downhill till we came to a large pond that SKM was trying to spot a good ripple in the pond. KW was trying to avoid the puddles to keep his shoes clean and SL was whizzing by. We got a good view of where the run site was, heading towards the lime stone hills far in the horizon! We got into a rubber estate hill and down to come out at the clearcuts, another group was offtrail towards the right thinking on SCB while we followed the left uphill trail. It was a long uphill and the downhill was a nice run through the jungle 4-WD tracks into another huge rubber estate. It was a long run back on smaller up and down hills. I met MM who was honking alone while further up J was connecting the last check. A short uphill and into more rubber we came close to where we started but a sharp left turn into the lalangs got us back at the beerwagon in almost an instant. I look at me watch and it was only 7:30pm.

4/6/11: HLH4, Taman Bukit Mantin

Email’s run and we recruited another hashman to assist in setting the run. The long uphill was nice, the longer and another uphill was even nicer till we reached the high altitude orchards; a steep and long downhill towards the back and followed a rocky river trail further downhill till the Lenggeng-Broga-Mantin road! We were on the tarmac for a few hundred meters before we started back into the hills. The start was a 5-foot high retaining wall that was not easy to climb up to while the ‘bit’ after that was a really long and taxing climb till the top!

It’s here at the hilltop that we got a bit confused and some wasted time but we finally found a trail to get down. We didn’t know that yet but we finally found out that we were on a very long trail home. We walked past a few large orchards, large rubber estates, never ending offtracks, small OP, main road, housing estates and back to the run site! All in a good 5-6km! It was curses when the runner did it and some even never swore so much before this! The FROP was in at 8:15pm while some back middle and back packs were picked up with 2 4-wheelers, close to 9pm!

3/6/11: Mantin H4, Batang Benar (picture courtesy from Mantin Hash, find them in fb)

The rush just before peak traffic congestions was rewarded with a nice drive on the highways and the trunk road. The not-a-clue-where-we-will-be-running was shifting up and down while Email was wondering but eager. Just minutes after the higway toll, a left turn onto a laterite road and driving past some concrete plant, we know where we would be running! The hills were commanding while we drove up the hill and the parking was just by the side. A small crowd was already there and we were among the first of a larger group arriving. The weather was fine and windy but smelly. Yes, smelly!

The run started with a downhill in an orchard with awesomely ‘clean’ with trees similar to some Avatar movie scene. The scene ended just as we came to some rubber estate and ran downhill on the offtrack. A nice steep uphill climb generated the first few buckets of sweat while the steep downhill was not likeable as it looked quite silly to have just climbed a steep slope. The trail looped round the orchards and came back to near where we climbed the steep slope. Email was with a running mood and the chase was a bit more aerobic. We came to an OP estate to find out where the ‘smell’ came from and ran round like a mad bunch with shouts and laughters while a nice young Malay girl was riding her bike trailing us to see what’s going on. The were shouts shortly as we saw a front pack was swarmed by a herd of cows while the OP workers were urging the pack ‘just to run past and ignore’, something that not easily adhered to.

It was a nice view of the back side hills and expecting more to come. It was a zig-zag trail that we came through some OP again before crossing a huge rubber estate, a small village with a large fishing pond, long uphill trails and past a bushy uphill to get on a long home trail past some rock quarry. Eventually, the last bit was ‘climby’ and squeezed out the last few drops of sweat. We were back at 7:30pm.

30/5/11: SUH3, Broga Junction (Mantin)

The same run site that Mother Hash ran here a couple of months back. It was a said to be a short run and true enough, it was! We were back in less than an hour! Lest we didn’t know about it, we could have cursed but we were fore warned. We had a good time walking and running with a faster pace that we got our balls just slightly over-damped! We were brought through some leeches infested areas but finally on the ‘last hurdle’ (crossing on a rotten fallen tree) that the friendly suckers turned up on groups of 3 or 4 on a spot of your skin! These tiny, needle thin suckers were hungry! Their ‘incisions’ really felt and gnikcuf itchy! No one was spared, least was 1.

29/5/11: SH4, Villaraya Industrial Park, Jalan Kacau

The run started with the runner on the wrong direction and that they assume it was that usual way! The loud ‘oohs and aahs’ with ‘boos and baahs’ were funnily laughed while the runners kept their faces shielded in embarrassment! The climbs started after a short walk in the half bulldozed rubber estate and into more climbs in the rubber estates heading towards the Sri Haneco. We were led towards that and climbed up the steep side of the rubber to get a long forgotten trail. We got a glimps of Sri Haneco through a small opening before headed for the climb towards the top and ascended the hill through the jungle at the back. A loop through jungle without getting on the logging tracks till we almost reach the clearcuts. A quick 2mins run downhill from that tracks generated quite some sweat after all that trailing a slow, clumsy and ‘fearful’ old chap in fear that he might get hurt or lost. There were comments that I was back much later after Email which wanted to cause some embarrassment, didn’t catch on though! Maybe, I gained some weight and was lazy enough not to run!

28/5/11: HLH4, Sunway Semenyih

We parked by the laterite road outside the Chinese temple; the run started with JPS leading towards the wrong way while Gigi Putih got on paper and led to another way while off paper! We finally got on paper and it led towards the main road and towards the flats. We get on the usual rocky road downhill into the OP and climbed the long offtrack uphill towards the back of the quarry; a check on top was broken on the left side heading downhill till the quarry road that we turned right for a slight uphill to reach the kongsi; we trudded on to the left from the hill towards a waiting steep climb on the opposite hill; we didn’t get to the top as the trail veered right again to a steep and dangerous downhill; we got almost halfway down that the paper led towards the highly heaped earth mound between the 2 hills; it was a long bushy climb that we got in the quarry at the top of the hill; a short downhill and another right turn had us climbing the steep side of the highest hill for a loop round the hilltop for a circular check; it was an easy forward run towards the other hill on the ridges towards the clearcut hilltop but we were treated a falsie that was easily ran through with a small back check uphill; we got on the long downhill trail till we reached the OP for the zig-zagging running trails; it seemed that the hare and co-hare had other ideas when reaching the orchard, instead of a right turn, they took a left that led the whole pack on a long trail home in the dark!; it was a long up and down hill run in the OP crossing underneath the high tension cables twice before the final stretch on a laterite track that we got back with Email limping on a slight sprained ankle from half way at 8:35pm! We heard the FROP was in at 7:55pm!

23/5/11: HHH, Ukay Perdana

Parking was on the usual ‘end of road’ next to the flats and was late due to heavy traffic. Beerman Ramli informed of Uncle Looi’s passing and that OnSec had the pack observed a minute’s silence before the run. It was a long slippery downhill after the ‘rubbish dump’; met the back pack, heard the front on checking; kept on nimble toes till the really short tarmac run for a slippery uphill climb that I met the last group of the middle pack that was tempted to take a shorter route; on the sliding downhill, there were some runners slowly negotiating the slips to avoid injuries; we got on the tarmac again before a left excursion into more slippery country; we were lucky as a flat rubber estate trail provided some relaxed moments but a long and muddy offtrack climb has us breathing hard; a few more winding uphills with mud filled puddles, we got to a nice scenic spot with some foreign workers’ hut; the view was to have us brave the distance as we could see the run site, in a straight line, about 2-3kms away; we reached almost three quarters of the hill that we were treated for a offtrack run to the back and downhill till the rivere where we met the tarmac road again; we ran a bit before crossing a river on a fallen tree and immediately got on a steep climb to be tricked into a check; a back check had us crossing the river again on another spot to wash our muddied shoes; it was then a long run back on tarmac through some fascinating scenic spots with winding roads with some wicked uphills as well; we got to the end of that road where we saw a magnificent view of a valley with a few rows of link houses, surrounded by beautiful hills and the long and uphill road out of the valley. The last section was a difficult run due to the long tarmac uphill to reach the run site. Surprisingly, I took some 1hr25mins to complete the 11km hilly trail! It’s maybe the cool weather.

22/5/11: SH4, Bandar Teknologi Kajang

It was very hot and sunny day that toasted our skin till crisps! We were on the usual long walk on the InTrail past the factory, the clearcuts and the OP to come to the first check. It was almost the same trail that HLH4’s run here a few weeks ago till reached the ‘whore’. We had the ‘whore’ and ascended to the back and crossing the creek to the opposite tracks and had the steep climb towards the barren peak; we got downhill after that to get to the bottom OP near the dragon fruit farm. A check packed the front and middle runners together before it was broken by the abandon farm shack for the hill climb. We looped through the rubber tree hills and towards the abandoned orchard till we got to the flattened plains to connect back to the OP for the home trail run. I sweated for 1hr25mins while Email came in 10mins later.

21/5/11: HLH4, Sungai Jelok

Live hare run! The hare waited till 5:45pm and his co-hare/mastermind hadn’t showed-up yet! A phone call finally confirmed that the co-hare was stuck behind some slow driving hasher on the way in!

The pack gave chase and was on the first check at the right side towards the durian orchard and a few of us were dekcuf! The back pack and middle pack got on the correct trail while we were ‘lost’ towards the hills heading towards the back OP! We finally got back on trail after some bashing through some thick bushes and the few steep slopes to reach the motorbike tracks that the paper trail was on. We were kept running on that towards the back OP but before that we had ran through some steeper gradient slopes in the rubber estates to get towards the back of the OP for the climb up. It was then a long and windy run on the offtracks downhill that we met the whole pack stuck on a double falsie. It was finally broken and running towards the direction of the hills where we were dekcuf! We got to where we were before and instead of the smooth downhill trail run, the hare turned right for a really steep ascend in the dark! It took some carefully measured steps to get down that slope in the dark with curses thrown in; hoping the hare sneezed uncontrollably! The FROP finally got back just 5mins before 8 while the hare and co-hare were back 20mins earlier!

Busy Past Month....lost some hashing time...

2011-05-21T00:23:00.000+08:00

15/5/11: SH4, Sungai Long

It was the same as the previous run here with the multiple hill climbs but on a different InTrail. We were late and started almost 30mins after the start. We finally got the turnbackers and then the back pack. The rest was like steep endless slippery climbs. Email was like a bull that bashes through in every creek crossing and uphills were tortures. Though ‘tortured’, reminders along the way had her kept on her paces without letting up. We finally found the middle pack almost near the end of the ‘tortures’ and the tarmac road run back to the run site provided some good sweat. A good 1hr30mins worth of sweat.

14/5/11: HLH4, Sungai Long

We were asked by the hare to help her set her run that we chomped up 2hr40mins to complete. We got on the usual InTrail for the hill climb in the rubber estate and the downhill till the back side of this hill. We then headed towards the ‘newly’ cleared and opened track for an uphill climb and into the bushes. We got to top but instead of right we took to the left and wondered through endless deadend trails that have been ‘eaten’ by erosion. We finally get back to where we were and turned back to get to the open area with flat grounds. I laid a few falsies here on the usual trails and found a connecting trail, in some sparsely planted rubber trees being tapped, after bashing through some thick ‘fern jungle’. We kept on climbing following some faintly marked trails that we found ourselves to nowhere again. We then kept on climbing heading to Ah Pek’s rubber estate and finally reached the running trail on top. We did a reverse on that trail and followed through till we reach the rubber estate. Instead of taking the trail on the easily seen home trail, we laid a longer run for them to go through by climbing further to Ah Pek’s estate through the bushes and finally through Ah Pek’s rubber estate. The home trail was the tarmac, running on the long a gradient uphill and later the final downhill. FROP 1hr15mins.

9/5/11: HHH, Sungai Pening Pening

The hare’s run sites were cycled through the weeks before we finally landed in this one opposite Sungai Batangsi. I arrived late and the run started just minutes away and finally when I got ready, there was a few more that was late too. We heard the front pack calls and gave some chase at a tortoise’s pace to warm up. We finally met the back pack that got to the wrong way and directed us to get on the uphill path in the bushes. We heard the pack was near after a short windy downhill in the OP and it was a check that got everyone ‘stacked together’. It was another steep uphill in bushes that we got to the near top and a steep downhill got us to a check by the quarry. Some were doing the cliff hanging climb on the rocks while some opted the long gradient hill climb in the quarry but safer. The trail looped behind that hill into the OP while a circular check got the pack together again. We followed through and found ourselves climbing uphill in the OP and rubber estate before we got to the top clearcut hill where we can see the SILK highway that we know we were behind the quarry in Sunway Semenyih. It was then a long steep downhill till the plantations below and running past it we got through the rubber estates and were treated to a 2km tarmac run to the run site. We got back around 1hr33mins for the surprisingly a short 7.5km run.

8/5/11: SH4, Venice Hills

It was a hot and sunny day with some cumulus nimbus hanging around. The runs started with the usual trails through the old golf course buggy paths and crossing a small creek on the downhill for an uphill climb that started the torture to some. It was then more hill climbs that we got to the back for the view over Hulu Langat and walking in a big loop on the hill slope back towards the run site direction. We then had to climb back up the main hill on its steepest face till we reached halfway and left downhill for another climb back up till we hit the ‘highway’. It was then all the way back on that trail. We got back in 1hr28mins after a good sweating session through the short run but hilly climbs.

7/5/11: HLH4, Bandar Teknologi Kajang

The weather was fine and cleared skies after the previous day’s heavy rain. The members started to pour in though. The run started with a long walk through the clearcuts that soon would be developed in some housing estate as the nearby sites are very near completion soon. We were too engrossed in chit-chats that we lost the trail paper following Abraham blindly. Blood Donor finally came from the back and was on paper that he led us back on trail. We looped behind the OP to get back on the usual OP offtracks where the first check was. It was then on the trail towards the pineapple farm gates that we turned left on an uphill climb towards the tip between rubber estate and the highway crossing the OP. It was then through the marshes that we got back the rubber behind the quarters by the fish ponds behind the cow shed. We then ran past the ‘whore’ and entered back into the young rubber that now ‘all grown up’. We then looped behind that to get on an uphill run towards the short peak and downhill towards Taman Harmoni before the sharp right turn to run past the small ponds. The last part was a bit taxing on the climb back up after the long running trails but finally when we got to the clearcuts that we ran faster towards the OP. We got back around 1hr35mins while YM was close behind in 1hr48mins.

5/5/11: PJ Hazards, Sungai Long

The hare was a HLH4 member as well and had set the same run as he ran it for HLH4’s CNY run trail. I had the great time seeing the runners looking to break the check and the hare riddled the trails with falsies in every check that he laid! The runners were looking at me to see where I go but I stayed put on the check in every check and let them have their fun. We finally got through and got to the usual trails and ran back to make the big loop run in 1hr15mins.

2/5/11: HHH, behind UIAM (near Kampung Sungai Pusu)

It was a rainy day, there were cumulus nimbus all over the area but my journey there was dry. There were confusions as well when some nearly ended up nowhere near the run site when they turned left as if driving straight instead of turning right at the traffic lights. The tarmac ended just at the edge of housing and a short downhill on uneven offtrack road threw my car of balance a bit that I had to drive me car like a 4WD! We got our cars parked along the offtrack and on some clearing with the beer wagon.

We started the run on the offtrack and found that the hare adhered to the 300m plus another 200m for improvements to please the hierarchy top. It was broken easily after a straight forward back check to run towards the sand mine. We saw most of the front runners on the opposite side of the ‘lake’ to disappear into the back of the bushes. We got there and found ourselves on the narrow tarmac hill climb. It was almost like a secluded private hilly jogging path that we followed a bit before we got into some thick bushes to find a check. Another easy peasy check broken but a long walk on the slopes with the single file formation like prisoners forced on a march. We finally got to the top of the hill and came back on to the tarmac to meet the SCBs cutting through from some where. We met a check on the tarmac and also easily broken with a back check and into the bushes. And in the bushes we encounter another check, also broken with a back check and on an uphill climb. At near top, another check was laid but a forward got us out and into open area where the Karak Highway is on the side. We were brought into a circular big check that it was broken on the trail to the left where we came on but I still think that the OnPaper was on the ‘illegal’ side. It was then about 7pm and what looked like a home trail had led us through some long downhills and uphills till the whole pack ran lost on paper! The pack grouped sensing that somethings are amiss and found some small pieces of square paper that seemed to lead on trail. It was that we followed this paper that we finally found that the hare ran out of paper and still laid a check with this paper! It was already 7:35pm and getting darker! The pack ran frantically to chase before the daylight totally calls it a day. The pack was spread all over the trail but with calls often here and there got everybody through some more hilly climbs and downhills before finally crossing a river and that we saw the sand mining lake at around 8pm that we got back.

The rain fell like nobody’s business and some worries were for Anndrew that was really slow and hasn’t got back when the circle ended. Some stayed back to wait and finally came back following the trail left by the pack at around 10:20pm! Yeah, the hare was penalized to set another run in 10 weeks or within.

30/4/11: HLH4, Taman Wawasan Puchong

Yup, the beerman lost his way to the run site again! There was a small concern before the run started as reports of run papers being picked up by some busturds, sabotaging the run but Eto spotted him and gave chase but lost him after reaching the run site.

The run started with a trail where the locals use to get a good exercise and just about the mid of the first climb, the trail led right into jungle canopies. The long gradient uphill and down brought us the spot where hare and co-hares resting and teasing the running pack. We got on a trail on the right that was freshly cleared; it was a long downhill on a long forgotten path. There were some good running stretches in the jungle before we came to UPM’s recreational lab complex. We then ran on a long offtracks till we reached a waterfall and clear water pool area for the one and only check. The simple back check was easily broken with a steep climb and the beginning of a series of short and high climbs that seemed endless till we finally got on the intrail. The run back was good to generate a lot of sweat but the last downhill stretch where the locals used to access these hills was somewhat risky if not careful. I got back 5mins after the runners made it to 1hr35mins whereas Email came back 10mins later!

29/4/11: Mantin H4, Villaraya Industrial Park

We were roped in to assist in setting the run and it was in the morning that we got the ‘business’ done. The trail was to be almost like the HLH4 Vasakhi Run but with more ‘twists’, more climbs! We climbed the immediate hill till the top and went down the other side till we reached the orchards almost half way and made some climbs on the steepest parts before making our way towards the high tension pylons. It was then the long steep downhill trail till the ponds and the trail between 2 foothills. It was then Sang Wat wanted to have the steep climb before hitting the home trail that we didn’t follow the trail till the end. He saw and climbed the steep slope just a few hundred meters before the trail’s end; we got back on the long downhill trail towards the rubber tree nursery. We then went along the downhill trail by the banana plantation to head straight towards the ponds by the OP. We got back the same trail and reached the run site at 12:40pm, using more than 2hr30mins. FROP 2hr! The stories that we heard from the runners were some what funny at some points, especially the checks and the voices of the tired souls about the uphills and downhills that had to go through.

27/4/11: BKH3, Bukit Hatamas Cheras

Batu H4 was having the same run site, so Email was in the car and we parked ‘in the middle’ for the ease to both run sites. She paid her fees at BatuH4 whereas mine at BKH3. The weather wasn’t kind that day and it rained and rained till suddenly it stopped just before 6!

As expected the trails would be slippery but the early part of the run was good. We were led toward the rock blasting area passed the flats, ponds and climbed the lesser steep hill and headed towards the rocky area. The pack was split in 2 after one group, suspecting a check on an uphill climb to the right, went left while the other group just kept on trail till the check. The call was on the left headed towards the rocky uphill road till we reach the poly tanks where workers usually take bath there. We went through that to start our slippery climb on the steep slopes. There were many oohhs and aahhs, there were some cursing and some just had fun teasing and laughing. We got to the edge of the slope to see the other side of the hill and some remarked that we should have used the other was up instead of the slippery climb. We then had an anti-clockwise run downhill and up hill again around the whole hill, the downhill was long and looped round before attacking the long steep climb till the top. The downhill at the back to head towards the home trail was slippery and to make it worse, was very, very slippery. More curses were heard and the thorns adorned the whole trail, most were decorated! We finally got to the nursery and run our way back to the run site through the housing. The run wasn’t long but I clocked 1hr40mins, tired!

Email on the other hand had her run with BatuH4 and was back in the dark around 8pm!

Reduce Runsite Rubbish

2011-04-26T19:20:00.002+08:00

There are a few hash chapters that have started to implement this and there are the few chapters that have long ago started to use their own washable and re-usable utensils. We have been carrying our 'mash-tin' to run sites ever since the idea of reducing run site rubbish makes sense but we are not as great to be able to be a total recycler.

Rainy weather

2011-04-26T17:16:00.000+08:00

25/4/11: HHH, Ulu Yam

The drive to the run site seemed endless after following a slow moving car. First in the traffic to be ‘bumped into’ was Albert Ting and gang in Batu Caves and later on after the scenic view of the dam was Kau Peng Yap in his speedy 4-wheeler. Upon reaching the Ulu Yam bridge, a hash sign was there to point the way and that was it! In the circular, it was stated “follow hash signs to run site” – notice the plural word? In a way, Alasdair McDonald was confused when he nearly reach the run site but turned back after the long drive in; but then ‘something mooted’ him to turned back and drove all the way to see all the parked hash transports!

The run started with all the guesses of where the directions would be but the first check had the whole pack in all directions and finally it was a long back check by crossing the fast current river! Well, Ah Kah was there ready with Ah Meng, Ah Onn and Hoi Loong Wong to do the splashing to wet each and every one to cross. From the looks on Gary Murrell’s, John Dogson’s and Leonard Loh’s faces that it were just stares and thoughts “gnikcuf crazy busturds!”, while the water splashing gang was celebrating a late Songkran festival. OnSec braved the splashing and the current to lead the way through.

It was then a long big loop run around and up then down the few big hills in the bushes, orchards, OP and rubber estates. The checks were long in every direction and the runners gamely ran much more further to get the checks broken also as stated by Frank Powder Balls later stated “the first check was 300m long for the OnSec but not in every single check!” Well, I had Dr. Phil-thy (filthy) and Powder Balls over taking me a few times after meeting the checks while Aladair who was late to start even over took me around midway in the run!

The second last check had me doing a back check with Chai Kin Sang, I had gone quite far and was turning back when he joined Ah Kah that was leading a group of Soh Ooi Yong, Preston, Henry Chia and guests while Arthur Hoi, Leong and the later gang trailing at the back. It was then the OnCall was on top of the hill where I was and was too far round to give chase. Upon Arthur’s urges, we continued running parallel to the calls and finally the jungle swallowed the calls while we just followed Ah Kah’s nose! We were at the abandoned horse ranch next to the OP following an offtrack road and around 7:20pm! We chanced upon trail paper again and followed it back to the run site to see Rob Stott worrying a bit as the runners have yet to get in and on seeing us at 7:55pm. Finally, the front runners started to trickle in at near 8pm while the last 3 (Opera, Mike Moi and Albert) came in around 9:30pm! The reason was Albert and Mike Moi decided to complete the run instead of turning back, Opera was Mr. Nice Guy accompanying them when Albert started to have bouts of leg cramps!

The pack was doning the freebie in red and white while the English flag was ‘flown’. The still new butler Eric Kee was standing at ready by the Holy Tub. Circle was the usual bulls with lots of laughs while the Bomoh Powder Balls (hired by James Pasquali) to heal the ‘mentally imbalance’ lot. There were a few pairs of new shoes that were made into drinking vessels while one mentally insane was OnDowned as part of revenge. A few more so-called ‘busturds’ were OnDowned for causing some ‘small stressing moments’ during the run while more sponsored beers were being loaded into the Holy Tub. Barry ‘Swinging’ Dawe took over the circle to ‘circumcise’ Spanky (from an island near Guam) for his ‘pilgrimage’ run and hauled a mixed group of multiple sinners to savor the golden fluid.

OnOn was at Fook Loy Restaurant in Ulu Yam Bahru town with 8 tables and ‘decorating’ the restaurant in a sea of red and white; filled the restaurant with ‘sounds of joy’ while the restaurant was serving its signature dishes. The night ended with lots of chatters around beers, with beers and till it finishes.

24/4/11: SH4, Taman Agrotek Hulu Langat

The rainy weather again. Email was a bit nervous when it rained hard and wet weather was not her favorite time for running. We drove there in hope that the sky would clear up and surprisingly there was a hope of good weather when we saw there weren’t any dark clouds except some sunny brilliant spot just at the run site area.

The run started with a walk down the tarmac and has us thinking that we would run on the right side hills but was surprised when it took a left for an uphill climb. As was expected it was a slippery climb and any where beyond that would not be easy. We got to the top and walked a bit at the ridge before a slippery and steep downhill till by the river. Without crossing the river we followed it for awhile and went separate ways when we got uphill and came to another steep downhill maneuver. We met the river again and crossing it we got to some mushy grassland that came well up to the knees. A slope-y climb got us walking on the side slopes till we reach the rubber estates. We were treated with steep and almost vertical climbs instead of running on the offtracks. It was a few climbs before what we thought would lead us on the offtrack as a home trail but we were wrong again. We got to an open area, climbed a few lesser hills and knowingly that the hares tried to shortcut back to run site. Finally, we reached the open area planted with some fruit trees and got the view of the main road run towards the run site. Email and I were with this group and got back using some 2hr10mins. A good sweat out with the climbs!

23/4/11: HLH4, Villaraya Industrial Park

We assisted in setting the run for the Vasakhi Run and the guys wanted the one that brought them to trail between the 2 foothills and shorter than the one that they ran here.

We headed towards the hills at 3:40pm, climbing it under the hot sun. Reaching about ¾ of the height, the left off track trail led us to the back of the hill till the high tension pylons. We used the same steep downhill till the ponds and took on the trail between 2 foothills. We got to the end at a small waterfall for the climb up till reaching the trail towards the orang asli house. Passing that, instead of using the offtrack uphill, and to cut shorter- we used the side rubber estate trail for the long downhill till we reach the young rubber tree nursery. On the downhill towards the ponds behind the OP, we missed the path straight towards the ponds and went into thick bushes and found our way out and ended up on the same pond but on the opposite side. We got to the OP and followed the OP offtrack till we got to the factories on the other end of Villaraya. We got back to the run site to see the run start.

FROP 1hr20mins after some mis-communicated run calls that wasted some 15mins while the last ones came back around 8:10pm. Blood Donor and Bumble Bee fumbled on some run papers to short cut the run and came back the right way at 7pm.

See-Saw Week

2011-04-19T18:59:00.001+08:00

18/4/11: HHH, Sri Haneco

I was still recovering from the Sunday’s run and knowing that at the beginning it would be some worse sore moments climbing up any hills. The usual sights of the adjacent hills provided some discouraging moments but I was still up for it.

The run started with a walk by the side of the fishing ponds headed towards the OP and the long gradient climb before the shorter steep climb towards the rubber estate. The trail headed on the left towards the logging trail on the ridges towards the east. The ridges were not that easy to take on as there were steep and slippery climbs till we got to the big rocks and going down the slippery slopes we got to another climb till we see some other big rocks on another peak. The down hill was slippery through the wild ginger plants till we reached the half way down trail for the uphill climb till the high tension pylons. It was almost an hour after the start of the run and we only got till here! The trail had us on the steep downhill behind the pylons, through the plantations and fish ponds before another long gradient climb through some rubber plantation and bushes. The trails and paths were familiar as we had been running these trails for the past months. The long windy trail down hill till the flat plains looped the trails towards the incinerator/ostrich farm, through the orchards, OP and rubber plantations before finally heading on the home trail direction. We kept on running and the daylight has been eaten up by the happy night. We then had to keep on running through the laterite tracks till we reached the brick factory to ‘feel safe’. We found out that we were the last pack and maybe some few would be further back. The home trail on tarmac, after the kilometer long laterite by the brick factory, was mixed with some laterite for the about 2.5km. The FROP was in at 7:58pm and I was back exhausted at 8:37pm while the last came in just before 9pm! Some clever ones ditched the run and SCB just after the first climb while one or 2 came back by lorry and bike after ended up in Taman Tasik Semenyih! A few front runners got back after really ended up at the ostrich farm and came back running on the main road! There were a few recorded trail lengths – 12.5km, 14km and 16km.

17/4/11: SH4, Bukit Hatamas Cheras

OK. The weather was fine except that it was a ‘baking’ day. There were 2 runs, one long and the other short, the run setters were still on trail when the runs started. The short took the right and the long, on the left. Email was frantically looking for me as she was in a midst of choosing which group to follow. We at the back of the small pack on the long run and we walked till the flats’ edge by the ponds. By crossing the river and climbed up the lesser hills till reaching the base of the rock blasted are, the first check had everyone in one group. It was easily broken by the back pack, by going on the opposite uphill climb. The wind was good and breezy on the barren hilltop but the downhill proved to be a bit more than hazardous if not dangerous, by threading on the loose rocks of all sizes. We finally got back to the jungle and were treated to slippery trails hereon. The trail led back to cross the river ‘plain’ that we got a peek of the flats; a long and steep uphill heading Station 6. A few were caught nauseating, HKL and Mrs Chew, HKL was pale and hung on to a tree. Having helped her recover from that, Mrs. Chew came up to state that she nearly fainted! Thus, the 2 rested and took the trail by the river to the flats. We continued and soldiering on for the next few long and steep either up or down hills, crossing the ‘highway’ a few times without following it. The idea was to lead the pack through all the faces of hills and tiring the pack before the home trail. It was long run with many hill climbs and as when we thought that it was a home trail, we were led to the ‘waterfall’ trail before a few more lesser hill climbs to get on the home trail that had us loop through the rubber estate to come out into civilization again in the housing estate next to the run site. We enjoyed the run though it was long as we felt satisfied but there are some issues that needed to be sorted out in respect of having to be named as a hash.

I am against (though not actively) any hash conducting, promoting, inducting and coercing competition among hashers by giving medals, trophies, gifts or anything to those who finish the run on the top spot categories. While, the runners can always compare their running abilities among themselves, I do not agree that this sort of ‘contest’ should be held in a hash. Should there be one, no checks should be laid and by saying so, no checks on a run means nothing like hash. Go figure.

Anyway, we got back on the long trail with AM & AO going in again to look for the sweeper to lead them a shortcut. The 7 of us came out last to complete the run, Email and I was back after slogging 3hr15mins. Training for a ballbreaker? Nah, she’ll need more time…

16/4/11: HLH4, Bandar Teknologi Kajang

The run was almost the same as the one that I have helped set for one SH4 run on 27 March. It was done on the reverse of that run and was cut shorter by not going on the ‘Hare Krishna’ bungalow and the laterite road towards Sungai Tangkas and also bypassing the OP and rubber holdings. Though it was that, we came back in 1hr20mins.

15/4/11: DTH3, Bukit Hatamas Cheras

The weather was not welcoming when leaving the house, it rained hard but surprisingly it cleared up as I was getting nearer to the run site. Finally reaching the run site and it was dry and we got to know that the hare had ‘phoned up there to move the rain clouds elsewhere’!

We started the run on the tarmac heading towards the flats and upon reaching the edge we were led towards the lake and into the first bush encounter. It was not easy trashing through that and son enough we got to a trail that we could have entered from the beginning. Well, the hare and co-hare was cursed but the laughs we all over. We were then heading towards the river crossing and upon a slippery uphill the first check was found. It took quite some time as there was some confusion among the front runners as to where it should be! Finally, we had to cross back the river towards the other side for a steep and slippery climb. We got past a scenic spot by the waterfall where we stopped for a view and I think its here that I got 2 ‘friendlies’. It was then slippery uphill but we were lucky enough as the hare and co-hare too could have been tired out by the climb. It was then that we were on a long forgotten uphill trail with landslides trenches. The climb was long and steep till we got to the top (they call it the Station 6) and then all the way down on the well trodden trail till we exit at the steep downhill by the drains. Suffering 2 black toes on each leg and slight sprain on an ankle, I got back to the run site around 7:25pm to see the whole bunch back safely.

14/4/11: Orang Utan H3, Sunshine Bar Melaka Raya

We registered a few days before after confirming Email visiting a friend in Cheng. The drive to the run site was easy as there were signs adequate. We reached the run site and Email was cooing upon seeing the beach, unfortunately no time to enjoy the sand. There were a handful of foreigners who came in for the Heritage Run and also the local bunch that turn up for the fun.

It was pub crawl and the water splashing started as soon as the run started. The water was on Songkran festival and it was all the way. There were a few stops for more freebies of hats and eye-gears while beers were served at the stops along the way. The water guns and pails were making fun and roars of fun from every participant. The scene was of laughter and fun! Lo, at the end, the run seemed too short compared to the fun that it generated.

Food was served upon arriving and the hungry hoards gobbled up most of the good serves in seconds while the queue on freebie collection was in chaos. The beeline was short as the ‘barmen’ were effective.

The circle started with icings almost everyone that Rasputin knows and the pool & wet party was underway. There were pools with bubble baths while the ‘good and fun chaos’ had already begun. Email was hiding in one corner reluctantly to join and with some coaxing, eventually end up in the pool! The fun was further cut short when heavy rain fell while hardcores were still at it. We left happy too!

bad ankle week

2011-04-12T23:04:00.000+08:00

11/4/11: HHH, Broga (Avian Chicken Farm)

There were some confusion caused by the run directions that was sent and nevertheless, the last minute set up brought everyone to the correct run site. Even for those who overshot!

The weather was cooling and some drizzles didn’t even deter the pack. We finally took off and were running on the laterite road by the farm and headed further into the grass plantation. Just on the edge of the plantation we took a right running through some serai farm and on a trail that was ever familiar with a gradient climb and headed towards the rubber plantations. As have guessed, we headed towards the steep and long climb on the concrete paths in the rubber plantation. We reached the top just to see a check broken towards the north east into more rubber plantations but this time a steep downhill till we reached a river. It was nice running on trails with earthen paths and heading deeper into jungle territories! We came across some workers’ quarters while still heading towards higher hills and jungles. Though we came cross some offtracks, we cut across and onto a track uphill, it was long! I finally realized and recognized some spots where the last ballbreaker run here came through. Indeed it was and expected a long, really long home trail. We kept on the pace going on the long downhill and upon reaching a small orchard that we met some SCBs! My guess was right again and we ended up on the tarmac towards the Thai temple tarmac road! We then ran all the way through the backhills of Sri Haneco’s laterite road, cutting through the Taman Tasik Semenyih housing, on some long uphill offtrack behind the Nottingham U, through a long and vast grass planting area and finally on the laterite road by the chicken farm.

Some GPS registered 12-14k but most had 12-point-something (like 12.5k) and surprisingly the SCBs did not fare very well as they hit the home trail from 7k onwards! I came in at 8pm, 15mins after FROP.

10/4/11: SH4, Thai Temple (inside Ostrich Farm) Jalan Kacau

It was a rainy and cloudy day which we hardly see the sun. We ‘hunted’ down the run site after getting on Jalan Kacau and found ourselves following the signs towards the ostrich farm and further in towards the temple. We got there to see the pre-run briefing and got on trail last after the usual Email’s ‘put-ons’ to deter leeches!

We did the trail on the left side with a steep climb, the first hurdle for first timers and test, can do the SCB after that! We then got on the offtrack towards the river and after crossing it, the start on a series of climbs. Email was sure to have whine and screamed but all’s quite except for the laughter from a group that was joking among themselves. The first long climb was easier as everyone was still fresh. It was long and gradient climb on newly bashed trails and some paths while, after descended the first long climb, we crossed a ‘swampy’ path to start the 2^nd long and steep climb. The climb was made difficult with the slippery condition and on new trails. There were many ‘groups’ along that climb and as usual some ‘faintings’ do happen as they tend to breath too fast that causes hyper-ventilation and dizziness. The usual when they see me, would leave ‘the patient’ in my care.

There were a few smaller climbs in betweens and the last long climb took quite an effort. All the downhills were some took it as big muddy slides that got everyone ‘painted’! No one was spared cleaned! The muddy slides ended after we came out to some awesome view of the opposite hills and the river below. We got to some orchard, OP and riverside for the hometrail run on the offtracks. We finally got back at the run site around 7pm while the FROP 1hr20mins and finally the last pack at 8:15pm.

9/4/11: HLH4, Kampung Batu 14 Puchong

It was a new run site with the adjacent ‘new village’ and a pasar malam at the main junction. We saw Michael driving out and away from the run site towards the pasar malam. We finally saw Joachim wondering around the area to ‘check-out’ the surroundings. Kwang drove in with friend, Spiderman while we saw the first few co-hares came back (Sexy Showman, Doggy Kent and Eto). The rest of the troops start to gather just after someone said that the crowd was small. JPS and Dipstick overshot the junction and turned back to find the run site while beerwagon was somewhere in another ‘new village’. So the pack started the run without waiting for him.

At the front Dipstick, KikiLala and Ernesto were fooling around and chit-chatting, pushing each other to get the other stepping on mud. It was a run round the OP and into the open area for a check that was broken far back with another pack calling on at the other side of the hill. LJ Silver was screwing the other party as their calls were ‘illegal’ as Kelam Kabut reasoned where the start paper was. We finally saw the group was Dipstick, Charlie Chan, Dipstick and gang. So, the pack together again and ended up with the 2^nd check that ages to break. This is where some confusion took place with the runners all over the place hunting. Unknowingly to the front pack, the late starters found the check and didn’t ‘do the overall OnCall’ to lure the rest of the pack into fresher trails.

Kelam Kabut and I were on top of the hill near the back of the bungalows while we heard Guitarman, Cock Pain and Joachim at the bottom in the OP. We had a ‘discussion’ on the whereabouts and decided to continue. We met Michael, Miow2 and Email coming down from the right and they too decided not to go and follow the InTrail which was just meters away. Guitarman saw the climb and decided not to further and turned back with Michael’s group. The 4 of us (Kelam Kabut, Cock Pain, Joachim and I) continued to climb the rocky slope to end up at the front part of the bungalows! We were then on the tarmac uphill and then a windy downhill on the laterite road till we reached the layered slope to enter the jungle. We moved in a group to ‘secure’ each other as Joachim was a bit struggling on the slippery uphills and in the semi-dark conditions. We were led on winding paths, up and down hills and finally heard some honking! So, we caught up with U-I and Spiderman! Surprisingly, the back pack was here with Bandit further up cursing, as usual for the hill climbs. It was on a narrow path downhill by the housing area. The home trail was on tarmac through the housing and met 3 guests enjoying the run. I was running to nowhere and lost on paper on the tarmac, apparently missed the left turn, to make a 3km loop to get back to the run site. Kwang did the same! I was back at the run site after 8pm for the supposed to be a 7km run!

8/4/11: Mantin H4, Galla Park Seremban

We got to the run site with enough time for Email to ‘put-this-on, put-that-on’ as she was definitely not ‘secure’ about the area. The commanding surrounding hills are awesome as well as picturesque. It never stops to amuse me with the runs here, it totally incredible!

We started with a walk past the housing and onto the offtracks while a slight uphill and getting on the left to cross the river. There we were led to more hill climbs on the abandoned offtracks where the climb was long. The checks were good to slow down the runners while Email was slightly struggling on the climbs. A good run down hill circling to the back hills and what seems to be like a greater task on the home trail as to where we would guess we could end up in. We got on a slippery steep down hill till the ‘mud plains’ which of all the people, Email, got her shoe stuck there. Of course, there were many laughs and teases. The trail there was riddled with creeper plants and almost everyone has to ‘do the dance moves’ to get through, well at least that was in my thoughts. We were kept climbing on a gradient slope and up a small hill before going down again. The winding trail took us to a nicely done up picnic/camping spot and further into a bushy trail. That bushy trail is fantastic; the view is great with 2 foothills coming to a V shape. The trail is a long gradient climb while at some point, a river crossing, had the ladies squealing with a ‘difficult maneuver’ between 2 big rocks! It was long a long climb and followed with a downhill and another climb to get back on the InTrail. FROP 1hr10mins and the last came in 15mins before 8pm.

Gmail - 25 years of hashing in Phuket - billykwt@gmail.com

2011-04-12T17:11:00.000+08:00

Gmail - 25 years of hashing in Phuket - billykwt@gmail.com