Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Oktoberfest Hash Summed Up

It was a Hash weekend, and a long weekend, and a camping kind of weekend, which is the absolute best kind of weekend rolled into a burrito of awesome and served up hot.

The Hash headed south to Pirque courtesy of the new Tubinger Brewery and its generous owners for our Oktoberfest Hash, which was brimming with terrible German polka and German Hash hymns (complete with a German to teach us pronunciation).  The brewery is still only a skeleton sitting in the middle of a field, but that didn't stop us from tapping a keg of Tubinger for some of the most flavorful down-downs we've had to date.

Father Abraham.  We must have been on both arms and at least one leg...


The run was beautiful.  Despite some weather concerns, the Hash Gods delivered us a gorgeous sunny day.  We trekked through the scenic Santiago countryside, over some fences, down a dry riverbed, through some fields filled with orange flowers in full bloom.  Perhaps the only dark mark on an otherwise wonderful trail was the fact that the trail was practically nonexistent in parts!  Our hares used a light hand with the flour.  I'm all for a challenging route, but poor markers left the runners completely lost and calling for help.  The walkers arrived a full 45 minutes later than the runners.  Hell - one of the lost walkers was a hare herself!  Fear not, fellow Hashers, for the hares took their due down-downs.

During the circle we named the blonde and ambitious 4th grade teacher, Caitlin, "Lick and Learn".  Because we were camping, and because there were no showers, she was sprayed with silly string instead of the traditional flour, beer and egg.  She has reported nothing but delight at her new name. 

Lick n' Learn has a super mint name.


Then the asado began.  Food aplenty, but no plates!  Our Hashers got creative by using their cups, container tops, hands, and other flat accoutrements. The spread was even more delicious and plentiful than usual, and French Polisher even brought homemade sausages, sauerkraut and good brown mustard!

We lit a bonfire, hooked up some music, toasted marshmallows, played some flipcup, played some drunk-soccer, and generally enjoyed each other's company.  A few Hashers even ventured to a Little Dieciocho Fonda that is still operating down the road to drink terremotos, dance cueca, and generally be the obnoxious gringos that we are.

The campers finally retired only to be woken several times during the night by some F&!KING LOUD BIRDS (what WERE those things??) and the giggling of other Hashers in neighboring tents.  In the morning, Canuck Puck made a veritable feast of bacon and eggs to top off an excellent Hash.

In summation, the Oktoberfest Tubinger Camping Hash was a smashing success.  This happy Hasher proposes to keep camping in mind for another summer Hash soon!  In the meantime, prepare your costumes for the Halloween Hash in just a couple of weeks more.