VTH3 #886

Enjoy this week's run? Let others know by reviewing us on Tripadvisor

• 

21 APRIL 2019
​
LONG SON ISLAND

Hares: Secs, Mr.T, Chook
Hash Flasher: Secs
Ringmaster: ​Boozer
Report: Secs

​This Sunday another busload of excited Hashers met at Uno Coffee. Our destination is Long Son Island just 28 kilometres from Vung Tau. This week the ice is on time, the eskies are packed with our new local amber nectar, 333, and some unusually packaged banh mi are wedged and re-wedged in to any available cool space.

We’re good to go - all we need now is a bus. 1.30pm and our normally punctual Hashmobile is nowhere to be seen. Mr. T makes a call and we are assured the bus is on it’s way. And sure enough, the bus arrives within 10 minutes.

We arrive on Long Son Island and the Hashmobile takes a left turn, down a familiar road, and one kilometre beyond one of our frequent down-down spots, Quán Ăn Bằng Lăng, we disembark at the end of a dusty side road. As expected, the weather is seasonally hot and we bunch under a tree looking for shade. 

Once assembled our Hare, Secs, explains today’s trail. It will be “‘a less than 4km’ trail, that will take us up this dusty road, where we will join a dirt track that will take us through a rural village. When we come out the back of the village we will begin our first steep but short ascent up the mountain. At the top we are to follow the red ribbons across the crest, admire the views until we meet our first descent - also steep but short. Eventually we are to follow the ribbons into the jungle until we will emerge on to a stone road. Follow that for 500m and then take a sharp left and meet our final short but steep climb that will take us to the car park of our down-down spot. 

So, under the blazing sun, on-onwards we march. It’s a pleasant stroll through the tranquil village A sunken path dug out of the ground, flanked with trees and bamboo, provides ample shade. It doesn’t last for long as we soon find ourselves exposed on an arid plain. At which point we meet our first challenge - a narrow rocky channel cut out of the bamboo heading up the mountain. Single file we make our way over the sun-baked rocks. As promised, it’s a shortish climb and there is a welcome breeze as we reach the top and take in the view. 

It’s a short walk across the top and meet our next challenge - another rocky path cut out of the bamboo, this time going down. Underfoot loose rocks and desiccated earth makes the going tough as we trepidatiously descend. 

Now it’s the jungle. While less dense at this time of year, the deciduous foliage covering the ground didn’t make it any easier. We zig-zag our way through, attempting to avoid the bloodthirsty, barbed wire like, vines that are either trying to lacerate our shins or garrotte us.

A sigh of relief as we arrive at the stone road. Surely its not far to go now? Technically no - not far - but there is one last obstacle to conquer. As we arrive at the left turn off, some of us look up with disbelief as they see the final climb - short but steep - again. With thoughts of ice cold refreshments, we make the final push and soon find ourselves in the carpark of the Sinh thái Du Sơn restaurant.

We chug down icy cold soft drinks and 333. It turns our that the unusually packaged banh mi wasn’t actually bahn mi. In honour of our legendary Hares, Slipper and Flying Finn, who will be returning to their native Finland, Mismanagement has provided a veritable feast of BBQ Chicken and Pork, fried rice, salad, bread and watermelon. Very welcome after today’s challenging trail. The food is devoured, beer is quaffed and once everyone is replete, we take the team photo and assemble everyone in to the circle.

First up are the Hares, Chook, Mr. T and Secs, the trail is rated with scores ranging from 10/10 to 20/10. Ringmaster Boozer, applies his rating algorithm to numbers and crunches out a total rating of 12/10.

Three Vietnamese ladies and one Irishman make up this week’s Virgins and are ceremoniously baptised.

Finally, Hare extraordinaire, Slipper is brought forward to accept a token of Mismanagements appreciation. Over the last six months, Slipper and Flying Finn have tirelessly dedicated many hours to setting, creating and discovering trails for us to enjoy on Sundays. Many thanks guys! We look forward to your return next year.

And with that, Boozer closes the circle, we pack up the eskies and continue the party as the Hashmobile speeds back to Vung Tau.

VTH3 #886 PHOTO GALLERY

VIEW ON GOOGLE PHOTOS