​Hare: Timber Balls
 
Well, this was one for the record books! The Key West Hash Olympic record books, that is. Timber Balls was the hare and the single-handed Hash Olympic Committee for the evening, and he had a full slate of fun and games lined up for the pack. The fun started with the first event of the evening, the Cuban Bread Shot Put. The goal was to throw a piece of Cuban bread (or the whole loaf, which some tried) into a ring about 20 feet away. Whoever got the closest won the gold medal.

​Each hasher took his or her turn, and when all was said and done, Just Makenzie took the gold with the most accurate throw, followed by 4” Spike for the silver and Cindy Bear for the bronze.

​Timber Balls had created some fabulous medals from different colored beer can tops, strung from Mardi Gras beads. He presented each medalist their award in true Olympic fashion as the pack hummed the Olympic anthem and 4” Spike played it on his phone..
 
Shitter’s Full then blessed the hare and sent him on his way for the first part of the trail. The hare took of with a shot asking for only a 5 minute head start. The pack soon followed, winding through The Meadows neighborhood north of Bayview Park. Mu-Sick, Manogram, and HNIC led the way, and the walking pack of Cindy Bear, Shitter’s Full, Just Makenzie, Thar She Blows, and 4” Spike brought up the rear. Trail passed over the Garrison Bight bridge, from where the pack was elated to see that the Smiley Face houseboat was back in its rightful place.

​ 4” Spike decided that we needed to go knock on the door and tell them how happy it made everyone to see it back. He and Thar headed down the dock to discover all the houseboat owners out on the dock enjoying sundowners. They sought out the owners of the Smiley Face house, who introduced themselves as Paul and Carrie. They were lovely people, and told us a little about the houseboat and how they ended up living there. They were genuinely touched that someone had actually stopped by to tell them they were glad to see the houseboat back.
 
The walkers then regrouped and followed trail back to Bayview Park, where they found the runners hydrating in preparation for another grueling round of Hash Olympics. The second event was the Frond Fling. 

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​Timber Balls brought out a rather large palm frond; the object was simply to see who could throw it the farthest. Any method was acceptable – throwing it like a spear, chucking it underhand, or trying to throw it from the end like a Scottish caber. None of the techniques proved very effective, though, as the thing was damned heavy!!  In the end, HNIC flung the farthest to take the gold, followed by Manogram and Just Makenzie

The hare was then sent on his way for part two of the trail, which meandered through the neighborhoods south of Bayview. There were many interesting homes along the way, including one on Seminary Street that takes up an entire city block and is hidden away behind a jungle of landscaping. There were also some interesting vehicles.

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​The pack wandered along the back side of HOB school, then on in to Bayview Park for the final Olympic event, the Long Spew

​This involved taking a big swig of your beverage of choice, taking a little run-up to a chalk line, and spewing as far as possible. Thar She Blows lived up to her name and took home the gold in this event, followed by Mu-Sick for the silver and Shitter’s Full for the bronze. 

​Timber Balls offered up a third section of trail, but since it was already getting dark the pack voted to end trail and circle up for religion. The hare drank for his shitty trail, and again for wearing his hat in circle. FRBs and DFLs were awarded down-downs, visitor Phony the Tiger had a tequila down down from his own bottle, and latecummers DTF, XSNRG, and Treasure Twat were called in to circle for their tardiness. Swing Low was swung, and the pack adjourned to Don’s Place for on-after.

​Many thanks to Timber Balls for a very enjoyable evening. The trail was great, the games were fun and inventive, and the medals will be cherished forever! Thanks also to Cindy Bear for providing lots of these amazing photos!

Hare: Shiggy Shave Her
Pack: Shitter’s Full, Cindy Bear, Mu-Sick, Thar She Blows, Manogram (with Blue, the Australian Shepherd)
Brief appearance by Taste the Rainblow, a new Key West hasher from San Diego H3
 
The small but enthusiastic pack gathered behind Winn Dixie by the Salt Run channel for Shiggy’s return appearance as a hare. We were pleased to welcome a new hasher to the KWH3, Taste The Rainblow from San Diego. He was unable to stay for trail, but we will surely see him on future trails.
 
Our GM, Shitter’s Full, filled in as RA and blessed the hare and sent him on his way. Trail led through the gap in the hedge and toward the salt pond along 10th Street. As we were searching for marks, an elderly man sitting on his porch called to us and asked to show us something. Curious, we approached and he showed us a large envelope. In it was a copy of a city resolution recently passed by the Key West City Commission, naming the salt pond along 10th and Fogarty “Lake McKillip” after him. His name is John McKillip, and he is a third-generation Conch and has lived in Key West his entire life, most of it by that salt pond. The resolution and a letter from his son about Mr McKillip’s life is attached here. I encourage you to take a moment and read them for a unique peek into some Key West history.

​After the chat with Mr McKillip, the pack again headed out searching for trail, finally following it across the pedestrian bridge over Salt Run channel. Through the midtown neighborhoods it wound, finally reaching a beer stop at Conchcebitionist’s place on Seidenberg. Thirst quenched, the pack then took off again, following the sound of Mu-Sick’s whistle as he and Manogram and Just Blue were FRBs. 

​Hare: Thar She Blows
Pack: Shitter’s Full, Aunteater, Just Rachel, Timberballs, Cindy Bear, Just Veronica, Mu-Sick, XSNRG, Crack Of, Just Courtney, Just Shawn, Schoolhouse Cocks
 
The pack gathered at the Boathouse Bar at Coconut Mallory for a few prelube beers on this lovely full moon evening. The hare presented the chalk talk, which included a special briefing on a “U-Turn check,” at which the pack was supposed to create a “U” and take a photo, then make a U-Turn on trail. The hare promised it would be obvious when the pack saw it. More on this later….
 
After a 10 minute head start, the pack was away, down Casa Roma lane and then north past the VA clinic. After carefully crossing the triangle, the pack found a check, and soon found the trail that led into the Hyatt parking lot and along the trail beside Cow Key channel. Timberballs was the first to round the corner and encounter the BN, followed closely by Mu-Sick, but they lost trail in the sandy beach area. A quick shoutout of “beer check” by the hare (who was waiting at the beer check) led them to the fabulous tiki bar on the beach behind the Hyatt. Who knew this bar was there?????
 
The hare shared a drink with the pack, then was off again, into the parking garage of the Marriott Beachside. A check there really slowed the pack, as there were about eight possible directions to go!  Trail led through one of the garages, into the pool area, back into another garage, and out onto North Roosevelt. The pack got a bit spread out, but found the scent again in the grassy lawn by 24 North. Out the back gate they went, solved a few checks, and soon found another beer check at Article 69 and Just Kara’s house. Even though only the dogs were home, the pack let themselves into the back yard pool area and began to drink. After a couple of minutes, Article 69 and a very pregnant Kara returned home to find the hashers in their backyard. Article 69 joined the merriment and Just Kara showed us all how pregnant she was. This beer check proved to be a great delay tactic by the hare, who now had plenty of time to lay the last section of trail.
 
Trail headed south to a check which spread the pack out again, then into the public housing complex, past the senior center, and on south to Flagler. The pack wound back and forth between Flagler and Eagle, finally crossing South Roosevelt and finishing back at CocoMal.
 
A fun Circle was held on the docks to avoid annoying bar patrons and condo guests (I just re-read that sentence, and realized it could mean that we were trying not to annoy them OR that we were trying to avoid them because they were annoying – take your pick). Thankfully the no-see-ums seemed not to notice us. The hare was made to drink for a predictably shitty trail. Visitors were awarded welcome down-downs, and virgin Shawn entertained us with his aft body part. Schoolhouse joined us for circle, but had not done trail due to continuing back problems, so of course she had to drink. Our RA, XSNRG, opened the floor for accusations and tales from trail.  The hare was called into the circle again to drink because nobody found the “U-turn” mark. Oh well, we’ll save that for another trail…
 
A few more down-downs and a Swing Low later, the circle was adjourned and the group moved to Higgs Beach for the full moon party. Thar passed out mylar space blankets for the theme of the full Moon Party, the “Bright and Shiny” full moon. They were really hot to wear, so not many chose to put them on, but Mu-Sick got lots of complients on his bright and shiny cape.