FROM SOFT ROCK – NEW BENCHMARK
Perth Hash House Harriers – Run 2924
Hares: Birdman & Phantom
College Park, Nedlands
There are some runs that quietly remind you why hashing survives decade after decade. Run 2924 was one of them.
Set by two of the club’s elder legends, Birdman and Phantom, the trail delivered a relaxed and beautifully paced evening through the riverside suburbs of Nedlands and Claremont. With 10 runners, 13 walkers, and 4 fashionably rugged-up dogs gathering at John Leckie Pavilion, the scene already had the feel of an old-school Perth Hash night — cool air, fading light, folding chairs appearing beside the bucket, and familiar faces arriving from every direction.
The trail headed first toward Freshwater Bay where the river was almost perfectly still, reflecting the city lights and evening sky like polished glass. Huge riverside trees framed the foreshore while the pack stretched gently along the pathways, stopping occasionally at checks while walkers and runners traded places and conversation.
From there the run crossed Stirling Highway via the footbridge and wound toward Claremont Lake just as dusk settled in properly. The lake section was probably the highlight of the evening. Birdlife erupted overhead as flocks fought noisily for their preferred sleeping branches, filling the darkening parkland with movement and sound. The trail then threaded neatly back through Davies Road, Claremont Station, Claremont Park and the UWA Claremont campus before returning home without ever losing the pack or creating unnecessary confusion — a sign of experienced hares who know exactly how to use familiar territory well.
Back at the circle, the atmosphere became pure Perth Hash tradition. The barbecue was firing, the mobile bar was operating efficiently, and hashers gathered beneath the floodlights swapping stories while balancing burgers and beers. The evening welcomed a special visitor — RA Mastitis’s twin brother from the UK Ted — while returnees included Red Dwarf, Grizzly, Antman and Bushie.
A major milestone recognition went to Pitt, celebrating an astonishing 56 years with the club. Few clubs anywhere can claim members with that level of loyalty and history, and the acknowledgement was warmly received by the circle.
Bushie gave a briefing on the Interhash gathering in Indonesia, while Horse entertained everyone with a story involving an elderly couple and the realities of fading memory. Meanwhile, in classic hash fashion, Haggis somehow managed to turn a casual conversation into a lecture on Karl Marx, socialism, and how Deng Xiaoping redirected China onto a capitalist path after the failures of earlier socialist policies — proving once again that almost any topic can emerge during a Monday night circle.
The famous golden ball draw from RA Mastitis’s notoriously hairy bag, assisted by Red Dwarf and the visiting twin brother, eventually awarding the run an impressive score of 9.6.
The evening finished with excellent beef and lamb burgers, plenty of laughter, and the comfortable feeling of another thoroughly enjoyable Perth Hash Monday night successfully completed.
Really, what else would you rather be doing on a Monday evening?
Along the bay at close of day,
Birdman led the pack away.
Past still waters, darkening sky,
Where noisy birds flew home on high.
Birdman led the pack away.
Past still waters, darkening sky,
Where noisy birds flew home on high.
Over bridge and railway track,
Phantom gently brought us back.
Burgers, beer, and stories spun,
A golden score for Monday’s run.
Phantom gently brought us back.
Burgers, beer, and stories spun,
A golden score for Monday’s run.
Pitt marked fifty-six proud years,
Met with laughter, songs and cheers.
Hashers gathered, old and new —
What better thing could Monday do?
Met with laughter, songs and cheers.
Hashers gathered, old and new —
What better thing could Monday do?
On On!
Softrock
