Jun 2001

Nakhon Nayok, Sun 17 Jun 2001

Hares

Unknown U


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Ride report

Rides no:- 133 and 134Location:- Wat Saeng Siritham and Nakon NayokHares:- (133) Weedeater and Peter C(134) Mike, Kim and BelindaScribe:- MaverickThe AGM was to have been a weekend extravaganza in Nakon Nayok, but after a mix up over dates and accommodation it was hastily rearranged to a Saturday ride in Nonthaburi and a Sunday ride in Nakon Nayok.The Saturday ride was hared by Weedeater and Peter Coeshot. Those who know Weedeater won’t be surprised to hear that it started at Wat Saeng Siritham. He visits this wat so frequently that I suspect he might be about to get ordained there. About 30 bikers were there when OnOn was called soon after 2.30. This was a bit less than normal, but the Saturday running Hash had their AGM the same day, and I suspect that a lot of people who usually participate in both had gone along to the running Hash as it was the last chance they had to show their support for the ever popular GM, Cenghis.There was one new spoke, Ian from Singapore, who had only learnt about the hash from Tim W the previous day. He didn’t have a car, so he had cycled from Piboon Songkram Road to the hash site – what enthusiasm! Coming from Singapore, Ian was already known to Pam. Later he was able to prove his usefulness by changing a tyre for Pam when she got a flat while checking in the middle of a rice field.The hares had told us that the trail was mainly along country lanes, but this turned out to be an over-simplification. It was true until the first check, but soon after that the trail went along a very narrow path at the top of a bank in an orchard, with deep water filled trench six feet below on one side. While I was waiting patiently to get along this narrow path I heard a loud, deep splash. The cool water on this hot afternoon had obviously been too much of a temptation for Khun Cherdpong, as by the time I got along the path I saw him pulling his bike and himself out of the muddy water.The trail cleverly wove around within quite a small area, but used some paths which are difficult to negotiate on the running Hash, let alone with a bike. It passed such famous sights as the Hash Bridge, Wat Saimai Tai (where next Wednesday’s run starts), and Muff Diver’s favourite wat – Wat Bangrak Noi. At this wat a funeral service was in full swing, which made checking problematical. Eventually the trail was found, and the message passed quietly to the rest of the pack. However, we all had to ride between the audience and the star of the show in the big white box up on the stage. The audience seemed to take it all with a slightly air of amusement – perhaps they thought it was all part of the show. Despite being in the middle of the rainy season it remained dry, which was just as well given the difficult terrain in places. All the way round Bill kept shouting out ‘It’s rideable!’, and at the OnOn Bill was given the Hash name ‘Rideable Bill’.The pack stuck together pretty well, but when we got back George was there already, even though he hadn’t been seen on the ride. He claimed that his wheel had exploded, so he had gone for a run instead. As there was a ceremony going on in the wat it was decided to have the circle at the restaurant. There were piles of food there, and a few frantic phone calls were made to ensure that some more Hashers turned out to help eat it all. A short ‘circle’ was held, followed by the food – an excellent buffet. When the reinforcements summoned by phone arrived the AGM started. Before the GM relinquished power some awards for outstanding achievements over the past year were handed out. No Meat (Mrs GM) got an award for setting the most complained about section of a Hash – that memorable climb over a boulder-strewn hill in Ban Chang. Ting got an award for turning the GM on (how come No Meat didn’t get that award?) by wiggling her bum while the GM followed her for mile after mile after mile…. Tabatha got an award for the weakest excuse for cancelling a run.Next came the important part of the evening – the new committee. No doubt this will be documented in full elsewhere, but here are the important bits. The new GM is Ian Taylor, Hon Sec is George Morgan, Trailmaster is Weed Eater, RA is No Meat (at the time I cynically thought "Nepotism isn’t dead"), and Web Nerd is yours truly, Maverick.The next day the ride was at Nakon Nayok. The mis-directions seemed straight forward, but there was light congestion around the Rangsit mega-shopping malls – who says there is a recession? There turned out to be a slight blip in the directions as the hare had got the number of the road we turned onto wrong, but a BHHB sign pointed us in the right direction. We parked in an army camp where they saluted and played music, and didn’t even charge for the parking. However, being an army camp I think it was wise of Frank to give this ride a miss as the only person connected with the army who likes Burmese is Chavalit.In the absence of anyone more senior, the new trailmaster called us to order, and after being told there were two water stops and three checks (or was it three water stops and two checks?) we set off. There were black clouds around, but for the duration of the run we managed to keep dry. Well done RA! This didn’t mean we kept clean though, as the going was quite muddy in places. Despite threatening hills all around, the trail kept on tolerably flat ground. We had gentle ups and gentle downs, but only one steep up. If Bill had been there I think even he would have conceded this climb was not rideable. It was up a steep grassy bank, and at the top we found that it was a dam. The trail continued on roads and laterite tracks, giving us good views of the mountains that make up Khao Yai. At one point we went round in a circle. I was one of the first to arrive at the the point where we discovered we had gone round in a loop, and if I got 10 baht for each rider who came along and said ‘What’s going on here’ I’d be a rich man (well, I would be if Messrs Banharn and Chavalit hadn’t contrived to devalue the baht).We eventually found our way out of the loop, and before long the trail branched out into some rice fields – at first dry, but then very wet. Pam seemed to have decided she had had enough and lay flat out on the ridge between two sections of the field. She later claimed she had just discovered gravity!When we were nearly home the FRBs seemed to think that one army camp is as good as another, and we all went hurtling into an army camp, much to the surprise of the guard who held the barrier back for us. After about 1km the FRBs noticed there was no sign of paper in this army camp, so the pack did a U-turn and hurtled out as fast as we had hurtled in, no doubt confirming to the guard that all farangs are as crazy as he had been led to believe.When we got back we found that the besides free parking and free music the army camp also provided a free hose with which we could wash our muddy bikes. Though we had not experienced the rain the trail was muddy in places.The circle was called by the Trailmaster, and after he had done his stuff the RA stepped into the circle. As you might expect she had no shortage of people to call into the circle. However, she seemed to have divine inspiration over her timing, as seconds after she handed the circle back to the acting GM the heavens opened and everyone made an undignified dash for the for shelter. Once again, well done RA!Thanks to Weedeater, Peter C, Mike, Kim and Belinda for a great biking weekend!