Ride:- 262/263.                        24/25 February 2007.Location:- Kaeng Krachan, Petchaburi.Hares:- Neil and LyndaFor my first Hash in Petchaburi I have been asked to write up the comments for the week end. Committed in the Circle to my task, I have no choice (except drinking lots of beers in the Circle next time) but to describe my first experience as a “hasher”. Here is thus what I saw.Saturday morning, 7 o’clock, way too early in the morning for a week end, I meet some of the members ready to ride for hours. Once in the resort, it seemed to have been designed for the hash, riders going all around to warm up for the tour, hills surrounding the site and waiting for us to ride them up. As the time got closer to our departure, everyone seemed to be set in a nice and laid back atmosphere.After a couple of explanations from the GMs, it is time to go. Dust flying all over us, we are leaving the resort following shredded papers on our left, bearing the sun, drinking a lot, riding up and down hills, and avoiding thorns. The last was not easy for everyone as we passed off many riders changing their tubes for the first time… second… third even. “Ride on” they say, whistles are blown: someone found the track while everyone is trying to keep up the pace. A good couple of times I recall we have been stuck at a checkpoint. And while some were trying to help us finding our way out, another was trying to lead us astray, following “straws” on the side of the road!Here we are finally, half the way to tuna sandwiches and cool drinks. Just enough for half of the pack about to take the short way back to the resort. Barely starting the second part of the ride, we are stuck again at a checkpoint that leads us nowhere. A hint from the hares later, we are back on the track that seemed to be the hardest one to me. Was it because I just had enough during the first half, or because my butt was on fire, my hands aching and my front tire flattening, I couldn’t say. Probably was it a mix of all this. As we came back late to the resort with Fred, the Circle had already started. The coup was attempted: Fred had been quickly replaced to lead the gathering. The new members came in to drink down down down down down, one was punished for driving a group astray (but courageously sent his younger brother to drink on his behalf), a mother was punished for losing her kid without caring, and the organizers of the coup were publicly blamed. The evening was short and the night long enough to be ready for the next ride.The Sunday ride was easier, but as thorny as the one the day before. My butt and my hands finished to get hurt (I’ll buy some equipment for the next one I swear!). The ride was way shorter (long enough after the 60 km ride the previous day though) and ended as usual with a Circle. One member was greeted for his last Hash before going back to Finland, another for being able to control his bike while making a 180, and a new member was baptised - with beer of course, for she is “willing to pay”: Welcome to PayPal!For all I have witnessed and described here, for the pain and the laugh, for I had a fun social experience in Thailand, I enjoyed my time there and will be a new Frenchman to your next Hashes…Lio