If you click on the picture, I added several notes to tell you who the immortals are.
On Saturday June 18th, the Miyazaki HHH contingent put on their 2nd Miyazaki City Hash. The day had potential for greatness as 25 hashers gathered in a vending machine graveyard for the start. Among the 25 were 7 immortals, an astounding 13 hash virgins and an unprecedented 7 nihon-jin. Hash vet Emily and Stiffulis Hige were the hares.
After the virgins were thoroughly soaked with beer, the pack set out to follow the sparsely marked trail through several rice fields and snake-ridden backwoods before being spit out in the suburbs. After several dead stops and hard-core checking, they finally followed the path through the breathtaking Heiwadai Peace Park. Finally, the first beer near. 3 beers and 2 bottles of sports drink had to appease 23. By then the group was well-spaced out and winding through the labyrinth of city streets. Here is where things got hairy. As the hash approached its 3rd hour, the lead group, about 5-6 of us, followed the trail through Miyazaki Shrine and the surrounding park and struck out towards downtown. The second wave of people reached the shrine as darkness bagan to fall and could not pick up the trail from the Shrine. Myself, Andy and Hi and Squeaky stumbled on for another hour and eventually found the abandoned Home. Several others were lost on the trail between the Shrine and Home. As Stiff Hige and Emily took calls of distraught hashers and proceeded to pick them up, another 2 hours pas
sed. When everyone was retrieved and deposited back at the Shrine, it was about 9pm. We had started the Hash at 3.
I am not one to dwell on the negative aspects of a hash. It was just a rather ambitious trail for weekend warriors and especially for the large number of hash virgins. I think the hares underestimated the number of people coming out and overestimated their abilities. The hash should be a mildly challenging course with an emphasis on fun, drinking and the partying afterwards. Like Stiff Hige said later, it's a steep learning curve indeed. Here's to a successful Miyazaki City Hash in the near future. The highlights:
-Great turnout and lots of virgins, great job promoting it everyone.
-More Japan natives than have run a hash before. 4 local high school boys joined the run as well.
-The Heiwadai Peace Park and the Miyazaki Shrine were incredible settings to run through. Great scouting.
-For the first time ever, there was no religion; therefore no immortalizations.
-10 of the 25 hashers were from Kumamoto. Way to represent and get your rat out!
On a personal note, I refuse to leave Japan and have this be my last hash. Therefore, I will gladly come out of retirement to set a course. It's gonna be held on Sunday, July 17th, 2005. (It's a 3 day weekend) It shall be known simply as "The Professor's Return". The starting box will be in front of Kumamoto Station at 1:30 pm. Plan on an exciting course with some crazy twists and stunts like you've never seen before. If you are in town, come on out for it. Let's show them Miyazakians how to hash!
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