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On Saturday July 19th Jim and Wendy went hashing!
Grenada's Hash House Harrier's are a local group of runners and walkers who meet bi-weekly to trek through the countryside. Our friend Renee has been hashing for the past 2 months and we had been following the events on her blog. So the 3 of us headed out Saturday afternoon taking a busride to St. George's where we were picked up for the hour ride across the island to this weeks' hash.
There are 2 hashes, one for runners and one for walkers. To make it more interesting, there are a number of false trails. If you head the wrong way you'll eventually come to an X which tells you you're on a false trail and you have to double back and find the right trail. These are not, let me repeat NOT groomed trails. They are treks through the woods that have been marked by the person laying out the course. Because we have had so much rain they were muddy, slippery and treacherous!
Here's the Hash Master giving us instructions at the beginning.
Jim headed off with the front group who were running and walking. Renee was toward the middle and I was with the back group. I didn't take any pictures during the walk. There is no way I could hold on to a camera. I needed both hands to claw my way up the steap hills, slipping and sliding the whole way. It was the most difficult hike I have ever done. I've hiked for 5 hours at a time, climbed up the island of Saba into the rainforest and many more. It can't compare with how difficult I found this. At one point I slipped and fell off the edge of the trail ( I use the term trail loosely!) and slid 10-12 ft. down the hill before I managed to grab some vines to stop myself. Luckily the guys behind me saw me slip. They handed a long branch down to me, I grabbed on and they pulled as I struggled up the slope. I don't think I could have made it up alone. The terrain was too muddy and covered in slippery, wet leaves. There was a point about 90 minutes into this that I thought I couldn't go on! I was so tired! But the people with me were so great and encouraging.
This is the road we came out on at the end. Jim had walked back to find me. Did you notice he's getting re-hydrated with a beer! The man to my right is Che, who walked with me towards the end. He was great! Check out the young med students on the left. They look pretty tired too.
Here's Che showing everyone how muddy I am.
Another guardian angel. She was hiking with family and friends and helping all of us up the steep parts.
Look closely. I'm not the only one with mud on my butt!
At the end of the hash all of us Virgins (1st time hashers) lined up to run past the old-timers while they sprayed us with beer. Then we were presented with our certificates that proudly state that we are no longer hashing virgins.
Jim getting a beer shower.
Proudly displaying our certificates.
When I took off my sweats, I found the first injury, a baseball-size lump with scrapes and cuts. I didn't even know I'd done this. Later I found a few more bruises in places I can't show you!
The bitter end. Renee looks as fresh and beautiful as she did at the start. Jim is so happy to be trail running again. Wendy is red-faced, sweaty but managed to smile!
Will I do it again? Probably.
