Being
a rule-less society, even the suggestion that there is a �right way� to hare a
hash trail raises the hackles of many a hasher. If you travel to other hash
houses, you�ll see that even though there are vastly different traditions out
there, the fundamentals of a good hash trail are the same wherever you go.
While there may not be a �right way� to hare, there are definitely time-tested
techniques that will make your trail better. This Hare Guide will not tell you
the �right way� to set a hash trail. But, when considered during the planning
and scouting phases, this guide will improve the quality of the hashing
experience for everyone involved.
Everyone should
hare. If you are new and have questions or need hare help or to sign up to hare,
contact the Hare Raiser or any mismanagement member. The Hare Raiser can also
help you find a suitably experienced co-hare to help guide your way in this fun
and exciting process.
Haring is the
ultimate hashing experience and until you hare, you can never truly appreciate
a well-laid hash trail. The adventure of finding a new hashing location, the
challenge of crafting a fun and exciting trail, and the thrill of laying a live
trail while being hunted down by a pack of thirsty hounds are all part of the
fun. Plus you will meet new people and hopefully you will get that much closer
to earning that Hash Name. Hares hash for free, but must buy their own Hare
Products (flour, chalk, beer, water, ice, etc...). With receipts, hares get
$20.00 from Hash Cash for reasonable Beer Check purchases. If you have to ask,
it�s not reasonable.
You can hare a trail
just about anywhere you want. If you want good attendance, you should set trail
no farther than Corn Creek area (US95) and Apex (I15) to the north, Mountain
Springs (NV160) to the west, Hoover Dam (US93) to the east, and Sloan (I15) Boulder
City (US93) to the south. The best trails have lots of shiggy in virgin
territory. A good shiggy trail is better than a good urban trail. Urban shiggy
is a good compromise. Running on paved surfaces for an entire trail sucks
(including tunnels, drainage channels, and industrial parks) and being lost on
them is even worse. Virgin territory, even if urban, always makes for a good
run. It's a lot to ask for you to find an entire trail of virgin territory, but
try to pick a place where there hasn�t been a trail recently and get out of
your car and find something new. Also, remember that from the hare�s perspective,
short-cutters like to hash in places where they know every park, school,
walking path, green belt, and tunnel in a 10 mile radius because they are
trying to catch you! �Avoid starting and
ending in places with children, nuns, prisoners, homeless, gangsters, police,
or other such things. We swear and we drink illegally and we are loud.
Minimizing attention is almost always a good idea. It is always best to start
and end in secluded areas with ample parking. Think carefully about how circle
will be situated. Go to the end on the same day and time as your run the week
before to see if there�s any security activity. Be aware of posted no trespassing
and no alcohol signs. Hash Cash might reimburse for alcohol permits if asked
ahead of time and provided with receipts.
You can start almost
anywhere. Make sure there is enough legal parking, a good place for The Box and
Chalk Talk, and a place where the pack can openly drink beer without fear of
The Man. Try to situate The Box so that the pack can not see you run off at
Hares Away. Avoid starting where families and children gather. If your trail is A-to-A, DO NOT TELL THE
PACK!!! Part of the fun of running a hash trail is not
knowing where it�s going to end. If you tell the pack where the end is,
especially if it is A-to-A, it takes the adventure out of the trail and
encourages short-cutting because people know where the end is. Always have a
B-Van driver for beer, bags, and snacks and act as though trail ends somewhere
else. Being too lazy to get a B-Van driver is not a good reason to have an
A-to-A trail.
Trail should be
about 3-5 miles. If it takes the entire pack 45 minutes, it is too short and if
it takes them 2 hours it is too long. If trail is longer, harder, wetter,
darker, or otherwise different from normal, the pack needs ample warning. Make
this known on the Hash Hotline and e-mail message, not at The Box. Have at
least one beer check on trail and if it is a hot day or long trail, have more
than one place on trail where water is available. A school or park with a
drinking fountain counts. If you have an unmanned beer check, make sure you go
back later to pick up the trash. Avoid private property, unless you talk to the
owner. Avoid high-security, high-density, and high visibility areas, including
casinos, shopping malls, and the
Easily accessible
but remote is always good and uninterrupted beer drinking with spectacular
views is preferred. Don't end near someone's home or anyplace that is heavily
patrolled by security. When circles are broken up, it�s usually because someone
complained, not because a cop found us drinking beer in the desert. Consider
that concept when deciding about a fire for On-In. Ambience is also important.
If it�s a hot day, have some shade available. If it�s dark, have some light
available. Your start and end can be far apart, but the hares are responsible
for making sure everyone, the beer, and all hash bags get back to The Box after
Circle is over.
The best trails are
scouted by foot. The hole in the fence and the secret back alley are hard to
spot by car. The more time you spend on this, the better your trail will be.
Start early enough so that you have plenty of time to scout your trail before
posting the Hash Hotline and e-mail messages. You don�t want to base your trail
on a start location; you want to pick your start based on a good trail. Before
you choose a start or end, try to find some interesting things that you want to
take the pack through (shiggy, hiking trails, water, tunnels, bridges, etc...).
These are what people will remember about your trail. Look at road maps or
satellite images (Google maps or Google Earth) to find other interesting places
and connections that may not be obvious from walking the area. Remember that
long streets are boring, while short streets are merely uninteresting. Once a
good trail is found, find a good Box and On-In. Rehearsing your run is a good
idea. It can alert you to potential problems, and it is a good time to decide
where exactly you will lay your checks and marks. Some hares like to rehearse
at the same time and day of week as the hash, to check for security guards,
locked gates, crowds, etc... Remember that it usually takes the pack a lot
longer to run the trail than you because you know where you�re going. Also
remember to look for public water stops or interesting side features while
scouting. If you are a virgin hare, it is a good idea to run someone else�s
hash trail with your future co-hare or another experienced hare so that they
can point out the fundamentals of trail design.
Hares are
responsible for getting all hash bags, beer, and snacks from the beginning to
the end and for getting hashers and all hash gear from the end to the
beginning. The best way to do this is to have a dedicated person �beer running�
for you. There are a lot of helpful volunteers. If you need help, contact the
Hare Raiser. If one of the hares is going to drive the B-Van, make sure the
beer and hash bags will be secure until they return. Hares must have a map to
the end and place it in an easy to find place that someone won�t drive away
(i.e., don�t put it on the B-Van). Post your map after Hares Away. Update the
Hash Hotline and send an e-mail with directions to The Box by the Wednesday
before trail. If there are any special instructions that the pack needs for
trail, like bringing money, flashlights, or a change of clothing, include them
on the Hash Hotline and e-mail message. Hares should draw The Box and trail
marks for Chalk Talk and be ready for
Hares Away on time. You may have to wait a few minutes for the hounds to
get organized, but the pack should never have to wait on the hares! Make sure
you bring flour, chalk, and everything else you'll need on trail.
To maximize your
body�s adrenalin, you should always be live on trail and for best results, set
the entire trail live. Being a live hare is absolutely the best hashing
experience there is! Trail should be easy to follow. An easy-to-follow trail
does not mean your trail can�t be tricky. That�s what all the different hash
marks are for. You want the pack to work for True Trail from a Check, but don�t
try to be too tricky. If your trail is too hard to follow, everyone will
shortcut and miss the rest of the trail that you spent the last couple of
months perfecting. If your trail changes directions, the change must be clearly
marked. Use a lot of marks when setting trail. I never heard of a trail that
had too many marks. You might want to stash some flour out on trail so you
won't have to carry all your flour from The Box. Have cold beer (and water) ready for the pack when they arrive at the
finish. A hare is vulnerable to snaring
until there is beer at the On-In!
The hare is responsible for finding any lost hounds on trail. A good idea is to have a volunteer sweep
trail by being the last person and making sure all checks are marked correctly.
Make sure the map to the On-In remains posted until all hashers are in. The
final hare responsibility of the evening is to know of a nearby bar that has good
beer and good food for the On-On-On.