The snow episode of this week did not deter the enthusiasm of the 17 hashers who joined at Saint Germain en Laye to celebrate a Paris Hash tradition : the Saint Patrick’s day run.
We were welcomed by our two hares Deep Throat and Lalo . For the occasional Hashers who just turn out when a combination of perfect weather conditions- no flu – no winter or summer sales – no headache , LALO means Likes A Long One.
Not probably the one you are thinking perversely of , right now , but of course the long RUN and it proved to be true once again.
A joyful band of harriers and harriettes were wearing green attire, Irish hats, Dublin pub relics and green wigs for the more impassioned , to start with your GM. We lost the Hares at the start and decided to test their ability of laying a proper trail , by avoiding to put flour poofs on white snow . And we measured how the Foret de St Germain is definitely a great hash territory . No need for wondering how to get variety on the trail . Every 200 meters you may find a crossing with six to eight trails and the FRB’s after a few checks realised that it was time for the rest of the pack to stop chatting at check points and help us to get out of this labyrinth !
We even called for help to the FRB ladies Sarah and Virgin Corinna but it was a bad idea as they thought that after a few poofs on a right trail , it would be straight forward which is rarely the case in a hash run , so the pack has to find his way back several times to find the alternative paths across the wood.
Finding the way out of the forest was really a challenge , considering the multiple combinations to find the right trail , 25 checks with an average of 7 trails makes 7^25 = 1 341 068 619 663 960 000 000 possibilities !!!
But this is the miracle of the hash, after following a shiggy path , enough for MacGoose to swim across mud puddles, your GM find the way to the beer stop with plenty of Guinness, Heineken . We had a toast with the walkers to St Patrick and our hares, with a “goutte” of Paddy , enough to maintain our body temperature at a suitable level .
And the pack split again , walkers over numbering the true running hashers , who after a very scenic but very long trail along the Promenade managed, out of breath, their way to to the forest, hoping the obsessive compulsive disorder of laying chekpoints every 200m will not happen again It didn’t and the ON IN sign was seen by the GM close to the long awaited Hash circle. 
Bender , our RA opened the circle and welcomed our virgin of the day Corinna from Austria for a proper hash introduction in our circle.
Nearly the whole pack had a down down for long term returnees , list of excuses were rubbish but you are back which is most important.
Mc Goose was honoured for his swimming across mud puddle, Sarah and Corinna for apprentice FRBs, Anarchist for St Patrick, Nice bit of skirt for low profile ( you cannot wear false boobs and French Cancan dress every week end, don’t you ? ) . It was time to honour the Irish stew prepared by Half Crazy and Gonzo .
Then the group proceeded to the On After at O’Sullivan Irish pub to quench remaining thirst with Guinness and Kilkenny , watching rugby match between Wales and England .
A very friendly run for this St Patricks’day. Thanks for the Hares Deep Throat and LALO for organising it.
Paris Hash House Harriers 