Run 1709 - 23 Aug 2020
Contender for Run of the Year 2020
Hash Stats:
Hares: Just Say When and Garden Stools
Marks for the Run: Hash Shit (Disgraceful ed. deserved very high 9s)
Location: The Istan Grotto near Monda
Number of Hounds: 29
Visitors: None recorded
Virgins: None recorded
Returners: Lots
Anniversarios: None recorded
Distance: 11.8ish km Completion time: Well over 2 hours
Hash Narrative:
Big country, awe inspiring mountains, a vertiginously steep valley … a fantastic location for a hash. And this was a gargantuan effort from the hares.
To give you some idea of the grandness of the event. We (Frenchy and I) left the house at 9.45 and arrived back at 8.15 … sun burnt and somewhat knackered, 7 ½ hours later.
For the run start at 11.00, our Google maps directions said one and a quarter hours travelling time to the start. This seemed rather a lot when the web site direction said Monda/Istan. However all was revealed. We ended up travelling 25 K along the roughest of tracks and arrived, somewhat bone shaken at 11.20. But we were by no means the latest to arrive in this remote location.
Since the new covid ruling said no more than 10 people to meet together, I intended to have several short circles, one after the other, but since everyone had been huddling together in the shade for half an hour by then, the separate circles seemed a bit pointless. So we had the shortest of introductions and at 12.00, one hour late, we set off.
The trails were good and we reached the shady beer stop in good time. After the stop the trail became truly spectacular … a very narrow track with a vertical drop off on the left side, how many metres down? One hundred … perhaps, certainly any fall would probably have been fatal! This middle part of the trail continued to be good and we eventually arrived back at the circle.
Confusion then reigned – there were no hares! Eventually we discovered that the trail continued on past the cars and went another 2k away from the original start point. We did find one of the hares on the route who explained that the route was taking us to a spectacular water fall.
And indeed it did. A thirty metre high torrent pouring down into deep pools that were the perfect swimming holes. Here we had the cava and strawberries stop, before returning to the circle by the same route.
Many hashers felt that this final there and back again was a little too much, despite us seeing the waterfall and swimmimg in the river. And this was reflected in the scoring when it came to the circle. Scores ranged from 9.9 to hash shit. Unfortunately for the hares, there were seven hash shit votes out of the 29 hashers' there … and so history was made, Just Say When, and her co-hare Garden Stools, became hash shits. (tragically wrong ed.)
If only the scoring could have waited until after the wonderful picnic that these harriets then provided. An absolutely excellent repast, with the full range of red, white and rose wines to choose from. The hares had been up till 3.00 am the night before preparing the food … and the red wine had been provided from Garden Stools own Supply, so they were pretty good wines.
Over the meal many people commented that if the hash had ended when we returned to the cars without the extra section … and if we had held the circle where we had the picnic, in the shade right by the river, the scoring would have been so much better. C'est la vie!
Overall this was an incredible effort by the hares ... a virgin location, spectacular scenery, and a really great trail (first two thirds), and they were left somewhat disheartened at what they felt was a lack of appreciation of their efforts.
Your Scribe
Kindergarden
Next Run #1709
The Istan Grotto
Sunday 23 Aug 2020
**** 11:00hrs ****
Hares:
Just Say When
and
Garden Stools
Covid-19 New Normal
Groups of 10
in effect.
Circle: The Istan Grotto near Monda
A promised treat. Absolutely not to be missed. Clear your calendar.
Complete with a swim in crystal clear mountain waters.
Swim wear a must. It's a fantastic large fresh water pool straight out of the mountain and don't forget to protect your phones and watches
There will be Cava + Strawberries yum yum
Navigation to the Circle: Google Maps link to the Circle.
Coin/Alhaurin A355 towards Marbella at La Canada go right at the roundabout onto the A7/AP7 Estepona/Algeciras road. Coming to a tunnel go through it and not onto the motorway. Just through the tunnel you will see the sign for Istan A7176.
Just after you come off there is a roundabout. Go first right, then left at the Istan sign. Follow this road up into Istan and coming into the village there is a bright red heart sign post and a 14km sign. Turn right here onto street Terreno Sau which bypasses the village. Go up to the top of the hill and take the second exit (be careful to keep to the left as it is a blind uneven junction, follow this road around the mountain until you come to a split saying Tollox-Monda ---HHH you must take the left here then come to parking places by the river.
Directions:
See Google maps link to the circle above.
Warning!! Local knowledge and off road vehicle recommended if approaching from Monda.
OnOn: A Picnic down by the river near the Circle.
Navigation to The OnOn: See Google Maps link to the circle above.
OnOn Menu: Surprise menu includes a half bottle Red (50%) White (35%) or Rosé wine(15%).
Please accept our apologies in the event that your wine selection is not available
Price: €5.00ish.
Lost Soles or Info:
Just say when tel: 642 562 524