Another Muddy Hash

On Saturday, the Grenada Hash Hound Harriers celebrated their 600th hash. With the promise of a barbecue, beer, and cool t-shirts, we were in! Thursday and Friday we endured some bad storms, withheavy lightening, the worse we have seen in a long time. The rain continued into Saturday morning. Looking at the prospect of another long soggy hash, Tristan and Tessa opted to stay back at the marina and go to the potluck instead. We left the kids withbrownies and sandwiches to take to the potluck, and we headed into the unknown with FIne Line, Jacumba and Debbie on Marika.

The hash was up on Petit Etang. The scenery was beautiful, but mud was everywhere. There were 3 trails, an easy walkers trail, a runner’s trail, and an ironman trail. Knowing how these hash trails are, we chose the easy trail. Well, not without some discussion first. Dan wasn’t sure he wanted the “easy” trail, as Michael was doing the ironman trial and Jim on Merengue was doing the runners trail. I tried to remind Dan that “easy” meant a different thing in the hash world than our spoiled American world, but he snapped at me and said “I can go on any trail I want to.”

OK. Not sure where that came from, but be sure that later on the “easy” trail, as we were both sloshing through the mud, and literally crawling up the last hill, I reminded him of it OVER AND OVER.

Anyway, the scenery, (what little you could see of it as you are moving pretty quickly, watching where you step, trying not to fall) was beautiful. The ironman trial disappeared into the rainforest, while ours just went downhill at first into mud. Mud so thick, I lost my shoes several times, literally. My show would come off and the mud was so thick and deep, I couldn’t see it. I had to stick my hand down in the spot where I thought it would be and search around for it. That was not fun.

We were in line waiting patiently to slug through another mudpit, when out of the corner of my eye I saw Renee, still looking pretty clean, taking a trail less muddy. Knowing how she has a tendancyto stay very clean, I told Dan we needed to follow her. So we did. But somehow I still didn’t fare as well as she did. Eventually the trail emptied onto a road, where I took my shoes off and walked barefoot. Luckily we had a stream to cross. With all the rain, the stream came up well over my thighs, but the rushing water washed the mud from my shoes and the cold water was a treat. Eventually we are on the last off road trail. Dan is a bit behind me and I am talking to the woman in front of me who has no idea where her twin 9 year old daughters are. I asked her if she was worried and she said no, she’d probably find them by the road somewhere. That’s the spirit!!! Dan has lagged behind me at this point and I think maybe I need to slow down as he is too tired, but as I look again, I realize he is eating! We had packed water and some pretzels and now he is busy eating, and I’m sure trying not to share. I can’t believe it!

Finally we have to actually crawl up the last slope, as it’s so muddy, but the end is in sight. We meet up with Steve, Mike, Wendy and Jim (Merengue). Jim took a nasty fall on the runners trail and is icing down his shoulder. Hopefully he will be alright. The barbeque chicken was good, as was the local dish of “oildown”. A few Rum and Tings later, we started to forget our aches and pains.

When we arrived back at the marina, the potluck was in full swing. The kids were happy to see us, and Cynthia on Minx and Dominica on Tigre had taken good care of them. Dan and I thought we would stay for a little bit then head back, but tonight was Karoake night. So we stayed.

We sang.

Tessa launched her singing career So did Caroline!