• No sun
• No bucket
• No beer
• No brandy
• No horn
• No junction 33
• Almost no hashers
• No flour / chalk for the first part! And variable "clearly defined trail" when the "route is obvious"! 
• No Bubbles
• No Forever Blowing

But we do have:

• A dry day
• The first frost
• A "lovely run", not "a long one"
• Mastermind challenge, instructions a little detailed for a Sunday morning
• Route sharing - with a cross-country horse event! 
• Lots of wet grass
• Autumnal colours
• Pockets full glorious autumn leaves / seeds, for pictures.  Badger sett spied
• Chocolate biscuits
• Crisps
• Beer etc
• No More Cum's flora knowledge improved, now familiar with fairy cups

Meet at the Picnic site at Scorton! Initiative test no 1

Arrive at 11.05 to find almost no one else there. 5, 10, 15, 20 25 minutes - Hooray at last we have doubled our numbers (to 11) as Pick Me Up, Hash Drunk, Morticia and Co at last arrive - having taken the scenic route via Preston.

Hares' instructions - after Hash Drunk kindly invites hashers onto committee, & long debate as to bucket where-abouts, which establishes a distinct dearth of refreshment - point us to the far side of the car park. "Follow the path" - one of several - around the nature reserve.  "You can't get lost" - no- but you can get confused, and we end up meeting ourselves coming back as Morticia and Pick Me Up catch up following a delayed start, (desperate pit stop after visiting Preston).

Hares meanwhile, attempt their own hash, to reappear with goodies later.
On, on - out over the motorway bridge, the traffic light flattened on its back still with the red light on, so we didn't stop.

Pit stop welcome with surprise choccy biccies and crisps, even managed to find beer on Sunday in rural Lancs.

Mother and son part at the Rambo split. Old Banger sends Foul Scrotum reluctantly off to keep No More Cum company - it's only about 3 miles it'll do you good, you'll enjoy it!  Clearly dissatisfied with the beauteous run they decide to extend it.

Lovely walk around the lake, and on, on through the horses, riders, boxes and trailers, trying to remember instructions. We ran a bit here to make it look good.  Hares apparently unable to lay a trail.  Not sure what happened next but eventually found the right path through the farm, and up over the motorway. Liked this bit as I have always wanted to stand on a motorway bridge and see what it's like - sad innit? And so onto home along the wooded dykes, with Cum Yak Yak well ahead clearly inspired by edible incentives.
 
Eventually regrouped after the Rambo's (?) arrived hours after everyone else, and after a second search party had been sent out complete with elderly sniffer dog.   Twisted ankles, broken limbs, lost in Scorton? All (both) safe but not a clue where they'd been. What's this about all brawn...? Saved the last choccy biccies for the duo - only to have small daughter whip the welcoming morsel from her father's hand.

Verdict, yes a lovely run, not hard - most of us just plodding along except Cum Yak Yak running like mad and in front!  And through the mud!  Definitely incentives for all next time please.  (PS she doesn't like wet feet, hint - ask parent to bring dry socks / shoes !!)

Final circle everyone getting a bit cold from the wait(s). MC fails to incite anarchy in the younger generation, by persuading bullying, cajoling, info about parental misdemeanours. None could think of anything derogatory or even vaguely funny to say.  Not sure what it says about us parents though, perhaps we lead such boring, sad lives - at least until the 50th!! Perhaps it's due punishment for beloved's mobile call yet again interrupting the circle!! Oh well until next time...

Come back Forever Blowing & Bubbles as this lot can't organise the proverbial... let alone a hash. And no, I don't want the job.

NB just who are we entrusting the 50th arrangements to...???