Run Details

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Walkers:-
Sunday;  I’d been for a swim and was chatting with Tripsy Daisy on the beach.  I said, “Nips is setting tomorrow and it will be Nasty, over five miles, on tarmac, with faster runners setting the pace, and I bet he puts a hill in it too.   But I’ve got a plan, fall behind and get the bus back from halfway, there’s got to be a plus to running in town.“   Not wanting to earn 6 months of down downs for getting the bus we hit on the idea of walking a mile to my house and having a long sip stop.  I did have beer left from the sip that didn’t happen on the beach in July.

After a third of the interesting history talk, the walkers waited for On On Don and Pompette to pop into the pub, they were late due to a pathological fear of paying Brighton Council for parking.  We set off after the runners at a brisk stroll.  A quick health check around the group of eight, outnumbering the runners, found we were all fit for 0.8 miles out to chez Sangria, especially with a glass at the end of it.  We quickly caught up with the runners who were di….ing about at the first check (dithering, that’s the word).
We stuck to quieter roads, Jaws having some idea where we were going, and talked faster than we walked, mostly about houses and flats… walking through the overpriced Fiveways terraces will do that to your conversation.  We kept swapping pavements to avoid bumpy tree roots and dustbins, except for Cliffbanger who preferred a straighter route.  We dropped down the 80 odd steps of the cat-creep from Osborne to Balfour, that was a mistake as we just had to climb up Balfour Road.  Now the good bit… we crossed Varndean Campus, round the basketball and below the five-a-side on little tracks.  This meant we did far more off-road trail than the runners.  We were dead on time for sunset across the valley at 19:18 and we stood about in the drizzle noting that we were at about cloud base as we admired where it would be.
Through the hedge backwards into the garden for wine, beer and alcohol free, and a thumb through an album of Cairo Hash photos looking for Satanne, we think we found her!  The walkers then headed On-Inn using runners marks, 0.9 miles back to stay in street lights.  Jaws and Sangria stayed on to serve the runners cake .  The cake was a Guinness fruit cake made with a bottle found in Sangria’s step-mum’s flat.  It seemed a bit flat but I used it anyway.

Later saw it was dated; best before August 1987.  It tasted fine… really.
Raise a glass to Pompette, a hasher through and through, for showing up after major dentistry in the afternoon, and doing a 2 mile walk with a hill despite being a bit wobbly on her feet.


Runners:-
A message from Jaws at 4pm Sunday found me turning the planned r*n around to include a sip stop at Chez Sangria - a lovely little bonus! Luckily I hadn't set it yet as the first week of children back at school had led to the inevitable cold and I had been putting it off.

So, with everyone outside the pub, receiving a thumbs-down from latecomers On On Don and Pompette for the parking situation, a brief history lesson was given about Blakers Park clock tower (alas covered in scaffolding so no real picture opportunity):

  * Paid for by Alderman John Blaker
  * Gifted the park and land to town in 1894
  * Blaker donated £1000 for clock construction - to make sure local children were not late for school. (Bet they loved him!)
  * Clock started at 4pm 15 Sept 1896 by daughter Jessie Blaker

Almost the same date, leading Wilds Thing to query why it wasn't; erm, because we only meet on Monday's and the next Monday 15th September isn't until 2031! And so, a mere 6 r*nners (that's including me) the tiny pack set of W down the road and around to Preston Park where an 'RG CT' mark on the ground would lead the group to regroup at clock tower #2 - Preston Park clock tower. Another brief history lesson would ensue:

  * Designed by Francis May and paid for by Edgar White.
  * Look for the 'EW's on the griffin shields by the clock faces.
  * Terracotta as opposed to white as Francis May thought they looked like funeral monuments.
  * Formal unveiling 17 June 1892.

A more picturesque tower of course lent some to take photos before the group swiftly moved on directly to the park entrance opposite the Shell garage and N along Preston Rd / A23 all the way to Withdean Park (yes, that was more grass we encountered). Up through the trees N of the dog park / National Lilac Collection and down onto the corner of Graham Avenue would see us following Carden Avenue then Winfield Avenue along to the third and final clock tower at Ladies Mile. Moans and groans about his stomach would see Wilds Thing offered (but not taking) a short cut back, instead choosing to hold onto bollards! Another short history lesson, this time by torchlight:

  * Built by George Ferguson around 1931/1932.
  * The only 1930s art deco style of a clock tower in the city, and the only one built on an 'estate'.
    (Leading to debate about what exactly constitutes an 'estate'...)
  * Built when need for public clocks was diminishing.
  * Built to advertise the new 'Ladies Mile' estate.

On out called up through the alleyway and around to Warmdene Rd, over Carden Avenue, up the Mayfield Cr / Greenfield Cr twittens, and down Beechwood Ave to Surrenden Rd, then on to sip at Chez Jaws and Sangria, where our lovely hosts had remained to see us in. A short, but very welcome, respite would see all partaking in drinks and cake before On Inn down Ditchling Rd / Preston Drove. - Nasty Nips


Back at the pub:-

Returning to the pub would find the staff most apologetic as after our departure the pub had been inundated with clientele and a rush on food orders - great to see a local pub heaving on a Monday evening! Delays in the food meant the pub were most amenable to two free pints of ales, with DDs for the evening by doled out by Mudlark, stepping into RA shoes this evening since Bouncer and PW both away.

First up, myself and Jaws as hares, DDs to "Grand Ol' Duke of York". Next, for moaning about parking before the hash had even begun, OOD would take a DD to "Why was he born?". Following this, WT for having to use bollards as crutches due to stomach issues (trust us - he mentioned it WAY more than the rehash suggests! :D), and DD to "Stupid". And finally, a DD for Trouble, who had said several times she was leaving only to disappear and reappear.

OOD then gave an update on Local Knowledge, with LK having returned home on Saturday. He is not as mobile or as talkative as before, but otherwise making good progress. He would appreciate visitors in the afternoon as he has carers attending in the morning, but please no more than 2 at a time, and please be mindful that his family will also all be tired. Best to check with Adam before going to see him (details to be provided).

Next week's hash was announced as (probably) the Hillside, Crawley. And with that, the evening was closed with a toast to the hash.


PS: Little Swinger mentioned to me (on-trail) that she felt unsure what to do since I'd given a culture / history lesson! 😀 I was tempted to give her schtick about Crawley, but it's actually been around since the Stone Age so I am sure she'll find something. Or, you know, just set another great little urban hash! - Nasty Nips