God does love the hash!!! Sunny and 60+ degrees, is this really March, is this really NY. The pack gathered slowly at or near the appointed hash standard time of 1:00 in the parking lot of the Ursula of Switzerland factory, I don't know exactly what Ursula manufactures, but the name conjurs up visions of a bordello and girls hanging out on porches in scantily, whoa lost my concentration for a second there. As the pack gathered members were wondering what type of adventure we were in for, as we had started near here before and ended up in a canoe, paddling across the mouth of the Mohawk river to Peebles Island state park. Or up the slippery slopes of Lansingburg into Schaghticoke. We would find out soon enough what the plans of the illustrious Astro Homo would be. After hare away, the pack enjoyed beer that Pig F*cker brought, and we did hash aerobics to the tune of Father Birmingham.

Trail led us towards downtown and across the canal bridge to our first check point, trail continued straight to another check point and true trail to the left, this is where we ran into our first of several turns on powder. Trail continued up and over Lock 1 of the Barge Canal and what looked to be back towards the start. Trail continued along a back water for the canal and into a fenced in parking lot. I had gone off onto a bad trail and shortcutted this part of the trail. I continued out onto Saratoga Ave and back onto Burton Ave, where I caught up with the rest of the pack trying to get around the gate. Sniffing out trail again, it led down the bike path and to our first water crossing, which led across a fallen tree. Hashers being what we are, there were casualties, with Just Darryl and BobHead (a transplant to the Halve Mein from the Tiblisi Hash in Georgia) getting soaked to their bellies (Editor’s note: Nah, they got soaked to their tits!) Some hashers tried to avoid this crossing, but there was a song check on the other side of the stream, which we all had to gather for, there was another fallen tree, which several harriettes and Poptop crossed. Laurel simply walked across the ice. Poptop, not being well balanced, decided to show off his cowboy maneuvers. Lucky tree, lucky Poptop.

With everybody safe across, the pack gathered to sing Yo Ho, Yo Ho and continued on trail to the first Eagle/Turkey split. The eagles continued back towards the water for another crossing with the assistance of a rope (Editor’s note: we ended up just walking across the ice, too.) The turkeys crossed Saratoga Ave and up Van Ness St to Columbus Ave. Left on Columbus to Waterford Village Park, where we came to our second Eagle/Turkey split. The eagles extended there run by going around Sugar Loaf Pond and back to meet up with the turkey trail which circled back around to Van Ness. Taking a left we continued up the hill into the rich neighborhood of Waterford and to a hash halt in front of somebody's million dollar home. As the pack gathered and waited, one hound decided this was a good place to torch one up. Oh well, I guess it was desolate enough.

With the pack all joined up we continued down a dirt road and then to the power line right of way. Ahh, finally! What we all come out to an Astro Homo trail for, SHIGGY. The really slippery wet clay that makes it oh so fun to run. Actually it wasn't as bad as usual. Running through the woods and shiggy we came to the beer check. After searching in an ever widening circle we eventually found the beer and water in a backpack against a tree. After the beer check trail continued the bramble and out to a farmers field not far from the previous mentioned right of way. Trail continued back towards the Waterford rural cemetary, but stopped short with a turn on powder going back into a freshly plowed field to another check point. This brought us out to a fence line which some of us followed and some of us jumped, only to have to jump back over to follow it back to the place we were suppose to jump over. Jeez, I knew I should have stayed on the other side of the fence. Trail continued across the field to the barge canal, which we followed along to Lock 3.

Trail continued up and over Lock 3 and continued along the now empty barge canal to your choice of a rope or ladder down to the muddy bottom of the canal bed. The mud was very deceptive, as it gathered on your shoes as you ran. By the time we had crossed the bed of mud my shoes had easily gained a couple of pounds of mud, man I wish I was in better shape!!! Trail came out at the bottom of Lock 4 and continued to the end which was in the parking lot of Lock 4. The pack slowly gathered in the parking lot, where we knocked back some refreshment (beer) and then carpooled back to the start and onto the circle at Astro Homo's humble abode in the lovely town of Schaghticoke.

Circle, as recorded and remembered by PigF*cker:

On-On!

If you have anything to add, send a note to pf@hmhhh.com.