27 APRIL 2025
NÚI MINH ĐẠM - REUNIFICATION TRAIL
Hares: Chippy, Secs, Bull Ant
Hash Flashers: Chippy, Chom Chom Ringmaster: David Report: Uncle
Weather: 32C, high UV. Cooler in mountain shade and welcome breezes at lookouts.
Hash Cash: 1pm run fees Secs, Bull Ant @ Nắng Vũng Tàu, 5 Lê Ngọc Hân, Ward 1 (Lam Sơn Quán side). Total Hashers: 35 Trail: Dropped five Hash Liters at entrance to Minh Dam Base then continued 3 km to parking area. Chalk talk by Secs (edited): “Circular trail, often steep, 4 temples, great views and photo opportunities. Total distance ~4.5 km”. Took LH trail out of parking area and followed red ribbons along steep stone trail then boulders and rock steps to first temple and shrine (shoes off please!). Back-tracked then left to temple #2, through narrow gap between huge twin boulders (at top of monkey pagoda steps) then long jungle track over packed mud and dead leaves to temple #3 where friendly monks and hill dwellers shared sweet potato, mango, ice tea and water with several lucky Hashers! We continued ‘On on’ past spectacular ancestral grave (Mộ Tổ) to monk Linh Buu (1891-1960) and followed steep stone steps down and over to temple #4 and last lookout points then down long trail over mostly corrugated concrete back to Minh Dam parking area for Down Down. Highlights: ‘Reunification’ theme enhanced by flags and hats in national colours (thanks Chippy!). Beautiful shrines, pagodas and spectacular views throughout the trail across two peaks, notably Bach Van Dien, Bach Van Dong and Bống Lai Tỉên Cảnh (‘Heavenly place’). Special interest: ‘Minh Dam secret zone’ was a wartime guerilla base 1933-1975 located on Chau Long-Chau Vien mountain: Long Hải Hills - Wikipedia Down Down: Minh Dam Base parking area. Refreshments: Pate So, water melon slices, pineapple chunks, coffee cake (thanks Ms Kim). Bia Saigon, Revive, softies, mineral water. Circle: Trail rated 11,20/10 “Superb!” Hares Chippy, Secs, Bull Ant applauded. 4 Hash Virgins (sister, mother, brother Vung Tau City family of 3, plus 1) and Visitor Theo (Netherlands) welcomed. Sprinkles by Bishop. Returnee Ms Cuc welcomed back (6 years absence). Congratulations David for third Ringmaster performance. On on on: Mr C’s Speakeasy. Next week: Chippy announced next week’s trail will be Reunification 2, a local trail with Down Down buffet at Nang Vung Tau (Lam Son restaurant). Watch this space, Zalo, facebook page @VungTauHHH and direct emails for more details. PLEASE REMEMBER: Hashmobile seats allocated in order of registration but CAN’T BE GUARANTEED if less than 24 hours before run start. Also PLEASE CANCEL YOUR REGISTRATION if unable to attend, so mismanagement can adjust/re-allocate seating, food and/or drinks. “On On”
RUN 1162 GALLERY
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20 APRIL 2025
AN NHẤT RICE FIELDS, LONG ĐIỀN
Hares: Chippy, Secs, Bull Ant (live trail)
Hash Flashers: Chippy, Chom Chom Ringmaster: David Baptismal sprinkles: Bishop Report: Uncle
Weather: Hot, humid but cooling breezes.
Hash Cash: 1pm run fees Bull Ant, Secs @ Nắng Vũng Tàu, 5 Lê Ngọc Hân, Ward 1 (Lam Sơn Quán side). Total Hashers: 26 Trail: Dismounted Hashmobile on highway 55 in An Nhất, Long Điền, at famous local restaurant Bánh Hỏi An Nhứt. Chalk Talk by Secs then ~500 hundred metres through residential area into rice fields and followed circular route back onto highway 55 to the restaurant. Total distance ~7km. Highlights: Invitations to drink beer and join karaoke with happy locals celebrating the end of a hard day’s work in the rice fields! Fashionable harriettes wearing áo bà ba (short shirts popular in southwestern VN countryside, worn with long silk trousers) and decorative nón lá (conical hats). Feasting on local delicacy bánh hỏi after strolling through the rice fields taking photos, admiring colourful flowers and fruits, counting the ducks and cows(!), and swapping greetings with friendly farmers as they bagged rice to be trucked away and dried. Dozens of kites flying in the gathering dusk as we departed past the night food markets (Ẩm thực quê) were a strong reminder of our culturally different day in the laid-back VN countryside! Special interest 1: An Nhất is listed in official census documents by its original name: An Nhứt. It’s a rural commune and village in Long Điền district, BR-VT (Long Điền is divided administratively into 2 townships: Long Điền, the capital, and Long Hải; and 5 communes: An Ngãi, Tam Phước, An Nhất, Phước Hưng and Phước Tỉnh). Special interest 2: Bánh hỏi is rice vermicelli woven into intricate layers and usually served with chopped scallions and garlic chives sauteed in oil, accompanied by sliced cucumber, carrots and diced meat ‘fingers’. Down Down: Bánh Hỏi An Nhứt restaurant – a popular eatery established more than 30 years ago, hence still using original commune spelling An Nhứt i/o today’s An Nhất. Refreshments: Bánh hỏi, water melon slices, pineapple chunks. Bia Saigon, Revive, softies, mineral water. Circle: Trail rated 7,8/10 “Great!” Hares Secs, Bull Ant, Chippy applauded. Hash Virgins Leo (Russia), Yana (Belarus) welcomed. Returnees Stuart, Banh Heo, Anh, Hang welcomed back. Congratulations to David for second Ringmaster performance! On on on: Mr C’s Speakeasy. Next week: Watch this space, Zalo, facebook page @VungTauHHH and direct emails for details of next week’s run. PLEASE REMEMBER: Hashmobile seats allocated in order of registration but CAN’T BE GUARANTEED if less than 24 hours before run start. Also PLEASE CANCEL YOUR REGISTRATION if unable to attend, so mismanagement can adjust/re-allocate seating, refreshments. “On On”
RUN 1161 GALLERY
13 APRIL 2025
NÚI CHỨA CHAN, DONG NAI
Hares: Chippy, Secs, Bull Ant (live trail)
Hash Flashers: Chippy, Secs Ringmaster: David Report: Secs
Weather: Hot (~31°C!), occasional cloud cover, fresh breezes.
Hash Cash: 8 am run fees Secs, Bull Ant @ Nắng Vũng Tàu, 5 Lê Ngọc Hân, Ward 1. Total Hashers: 33 Trail: Two and a half hour bus journey to Khu du lịch núi Chứa Chan. Cable car passes acquired and distributed by Chippy. 10 minute cable car ride to half way point at 470m above sea level. Chalk Talk by Secs: “Follow the well trodden mountain path to the summit at 873m and then return the same way. When you arrive at the cable car station, take a right turn and then follow the multitude of steps back down through many shops, restaurants and temples. Meet back at the carpark no later than 4:00pm” Highlights:
Down Down: Khu du lịch núi Chứa Chan car park in the shade of the bus Refreshments: Chicken drumsticks, pate, sticky rice, dipping sauce (purchased from Co Nha’s trolley outside 63 Ba Cu – open 5-8 pm daily); water melon, fried bananas, Saigon Chill, softies, mineral water. Circle: Hash stalwart David’s inaugural circle as Ringmaster! Trail rating 12, 10, 11/10, “tough but very good”. Live Hares Chippy, Bull Ant and Secs thanked. Hash Visitors Sticky Fingers, partner Ken and son Joshua from the Philippines welcomed On on on: Mr C’s Speakeasy pub, 3A Lê Ngọc Hân.Next week: Watch this space, Zalo, facebook page @VungTauHHH and direct emails for details of next week’s trail PLEASE REMEMBER: We can all help to keep run fees as low as possible by cancelling registration if suddenly unable to attend (the committee can then order a smaller/cheaper bus and fewer meals if necessary). “On On”
RUN 1160 GALLERY
6 APRIL 2025
BIG MOUNTAIN - HAPPY TRAIL / JESUS CROSS
Hares: Chippy, Secs, Bull Ant
Hash Flashers: Chippy, Chom Chom Ringmaster: Chom Chom Report: Uncle
Weather: Hot! Occasional cool breeze on mountain.
Hash Cash: 1pm run fees Bull Ant, Secs @ Nắng Vũng Tàu, 5 Lê Ngọc Hân, Ward 1 (Lam Sơn Quán restaurant side). Total Hashers: 22 Trail: Carry truck/own transport to Ngoc Dung restaurant, 79 Tran Phu. Offloaded food and drinks then walked several hundred metres to Happy Trail start at Vo Van Kiet school. Chalk Talk by Secs. Followed red marker tapes uphill and veered off Happy Trail to old French bunkers and gun emplacements then continued uphill via challenging rock climb to top of peak (via one more old French bunker). Across peak and down jungle trail (hot, dry slippery rocks, dirt and dead leaves) to eventually reach the large ‘cross of Jesus’ just below summit of third mountain peak behind the ‘Church of Bai Dau’ and 32m statue of Đức Mẹ Bãi Dâu (‘Our lady of Bai Dau’ aka ‘Mother Mary and child’). Down several hundred rock steps with convenient handrails, past ‘stations of the cross’ to church gardens. Across Tran Phu then down Ngoc Dung restaurant steps to beach level for Down Down. Total distance ~3 km (but seemed much longer!). Highlights: Splendid views of the bay if not too tired to enjoy due hot weather and challenging trail! Relaxing beachfront Down Down. Special interest: A recently uncovered ‘small hole in the ground’ among the old French bunkers – is it a cave entrance, or…? Watch this space on future run reports! Down Down: Beach level, Ngoc Dung restaurant, 79 Tran Phu. Refreshments: BBQ pork banh mi. Water melon slices, pineapple chunks. Bia Saigon, Revive, softies, mineral water. Circle: Trail rated 10, 10/10. “So tired”. “Hot”. Hares Chippy, Secs, Bull Ant applauded. Returnee ‘Alan no name’ welcomed back (working in Australia). No Hash Virgins, Visitors or Sinners. Thanks to Circle Helper David. Circle announcement: Today’s postponed all day trail to Núi Chứa Chan in Đồng Nai province rescheduled for 8 am start on Sunday, 13 April. Details being circulated via email distribution list, Zalo, facebook, etc. PLEASE BOOK EARLY! On on on: Mr C’s Speakeasy. Next week: See above Circle announcement re Núi Chứa Chan. Watch this space, Zalo, facebook page @VungTauHHH and direct emails for details. PLEASE REMEMBER: Hashmobile seats allocated in order of registration but CAN’T BE GUARANTEED if less than 24 hours before run start. Also PLEASE CANCEL YOUR REGISTRATION if unable to attend, so mismanagement can adjust/re-allocate seating, food and/or drinks. “On On”
RUN 1159 GALLERY
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