R*n 726: Garstang

It was a dark and stormy night.

Whilst weary workers trudged through the rain to polling stations, an intrepid group of Hashers approached the (devilish?) Horns Inn at Churchtown to meet up with a pair of Bitter and Twisted hares. The small but select group stood and shivered through the briefing then headed off into the dark.

It soon settled into the usual pattern of Lurch and Large Package as FRBs with Lurch sending Large Package off in the least attractive option, across a shiggy field at one of the first checks.

We came quickly to a W/R split, the Wimps being directed across a road towards the canal while the Rambos continued on. Sadly the Wimps were unable to see the chalk markings, mainly due to their being on the wrong side of the road! Confusion reigned for a while, with the Wimps backtracking on the Rambo route then generally milling around until rescued by Twisted. Sir Tom Tom muttered darkly about a check being kicked out in an ambiguous manner, sending the Wimps across a stile into a Field of Totally Inappropriate Direction. No one has owned up to that one!

Meanwhile Rambos powered on in the rain following doughballs rather than flour dots and straining to make out pink chalk remnants on rain-slicked pavements. Several checks split their ranks with Lurch, Hard Astern and Ready About variously being abandoned in isolation on false routes. We all claimed not to have heard the On-on call.

Eventually reaching the civilisation of the thoroughfare again, we were offered the opportunity to do a voluntary fishhook. Oh joy!

Lurch in the lead, doubled back and the rest of us followed in turn. But where had the rest of the pack gone? They were not to be found!

Soggily we eventually decided to retrace our steps and return pubwards. Late Cummer and Fiddler on the Hoof had to stand wetly awaiting the arrival of the Bearers of Car Keys.

All was well in the end. Everyone re -appeared. No one lost, all in good spirits.

We progressed to the warmth of the pub, some to an evening meal and others, in line with the theme of the evening, to political discussion with beers. We solved the country's problem to our full satisfaction. Hmmm!

Off home to the Election results!