Tips for New Hares

To ensure that we all have fun, and that the Hares aren't dismembered, here are a few guidelines.

USE COMMON SENSE!

VIRGIN HARES must lay trail with experienced Hares, never with other Virgins. Laying
a trail requires thought and strategy and everyone has to learn how to lay a trail that the
pack can follow.

Start planning a trail by identifying the run start and the approximate ending; then figure
out how to get from the beginning to the end. Have a plan for both the Eagle and Turkey
trails.

Run start - The start should allow sufficient and safe parking without tickets, towing, etc.
Be sure the expected crowd can be accommodated at the start area.

Chase Vehicle - The vehicle that carries the beer and hasher run bags for transport to
the finish. Arrange with someone in advance to drive the chase vehicle for your trail.
Have a beer angel or use one of the hares to drive the chase vehicle to the end.

On-In (the finish) - The end of the trail should be in an area where beer is legal, and /or
where the hash can congregate without interference. Try to find a secluded wash or
some area away from houses, preferably not visible from the street. Nothing is worse
than the police arriving to break up down-downs. Use common sense here. Make sure
your end isn't on private property, unless you have permission from the owner. If the
end is in a city park, talk to the hash cash about getting a beer permit. County parks do not
permit drinking in parks. Our hash is getting large enough to draw attention and the fines
are hefty if we're caught without a permit. Use your best judgment on this.

LOST HASHERS - Hares are responsible for finding any Hashers still out on the trail.
This is good incentive to lay a well-marked trail! The search party starts with the hares.

Transportation back to vehicles - Hares are to transport hashers back to the start and
may have to make a few trips. Plan to have a large enough vehicle to do this. A finish
closer to the start requires more planning but is an ideal way to end a trail to avoid more
work for the hares.

The Trail

In Tucson, we have two trails. Turkey trails are shorter and easy to follow without
hidden or tricky trail markings. Eagle trails can be a bit more challenging since most of
the runners can go a distance and usually know how to solve Decision Points and other
trail markings. Try to find a way through washes or some path off the streets if possible.
You can be adventuresome but don't be dangerous.

Flour marks should be used approximately every 10 paces.

True Trail arrows should be used to indicate any change in direction and at all street
corners.

Decision Points (DP) tend to bring the strewn out pack together as front runners look for
true trail from a DP while the rest of the pack reaches the DP waiting for an inkling as to
where to go next. Decision Points are marked by a circle with either a puff of flour or
crossed lines in the middle.

The run should average approximately a half dozen DP's. Fewer could make for a
boring trail and a lot more can make for a much longer run and risk the pack getting lost
and confused.

• Turkey trail should be approximately 3 miles, Eagle trail 4 to 5 miles
• Try to start and finish within an hour to hour and 15 minutes. A well marked trail
  should allow eagles to run 4 to 5 miles and walkers to go 2 to 3 miles within this
  time frame.
• The trail should start up within 100 yards of the DP. Check Backs should be
  less than 1/4 mile long.
• The true trail should come out of Check Back in a forward direction or to the right
  or left (not back in the direction of the original trail).
• A trail should be easy to follow - flour placement can be clever, but should not be
  hidden.
• Use interesting checks to keep the pack together.
• Trails should not go through private property without owners' permission.
• Dangerous places, such as a bad neighborhood or heavy traffic areas, should be
  avoided.
• Beer checks are a good idea, and should include sodas & plenty of water. Long
  and/or hot trails should include extra water. Check with the hash cash for a
  budget. Do not expect to get reimbursed for anything you spend. Normally the
  budget for a beercheck is higher during the summer months due to hot weather
  and a larger pack. Reimbursable expenses are usually for beverages only and
  require receipts. Check in with hash cash if you want to do anything special.
• At a DP, a trail cannot 'die'. If a trail is marked and it is not true trail there will be a
  bad trail mark made by three horizontal lines across the trail.
• True Trail Arrows - an arrow with three lines across the tail. Only hares lay true
  trail arrows. This is really the only true indicator of true trail. Other markings
  used often by hares:
  BVC - be very careful - most often used when crossing a street in a busy area
  YBF - you've been fucked - most often used on a check back
  CB (with number) - example - Check Back 7. You'll see CB 7. This
  means count back 7 flours and then search for trail from that point.
  Turn on powder - this is when trail is laid with flour and then the trail turns
  and takes another direction. Be careful when doing this as often times the
  pack gets lost. The purpose is not to trick the pack or cause them to get
  lost intentionally.

The Finish /ON-IN

The end of the run is the On-In where runners congregate and wait for all hashers to
finish before starting the circle ceremony. The Snack Meister provides the pack with
chips, crackers, trail mix, cookies or whatever is suitable within the hash cash budget
(which varies from time to time). It's the Snack Meister's responsibility to provide this for
the pack each week.

The Chase Vehicle should be at the end by the time the pack arrives in order to
transport hashers back to the start for their vehicles. Again, it's the Hare's
responsibility to transport hashers back to the run start if the two points are not
walking distance.

If it's noticed that hashers are still out on trail after most others are in, the hares are
responsible for sweeping and making sure everyone is accounted for.

Here are some Hash Cash guidelines.

Happy Haring!

On Back