After hours of driving, I arrived at the famed Punxatawny, PA site, where Phil lives, only to find that there were state troopers everywhere and no one was allowed on "The Knob." First time I ever had someone tell Me to get off their Knob. HMMPH!
So I followed the on-on signs back down the hill to a local pub in town, where I found a small gathering of Hashers for the annual Rat Hash. Beer and song were already underway. Since the troopers put such a damper on our plans to hash at the knob, we did what hashers do best. We Improvized!!
Trail started right outside the door. The hare left and the hounds graciously allowed him a 15 minute headstart. On-on was found to the left of the bar as we started out. There was a false across the street but true trail led around the block to the left, and we were off. A check was found at the next corner. Mostly the pace was slow to ambling, so we were very out of breath at this point. Two hashers set off checking straight and to the right, but true trail was found to the left. And we were off, once again at a pleasant ambling pace. Shortly we came to an SUV that had it's rear gate open, and what did we find inside? Yes! Beer! The first beer stop was in the parking lot behind the bar we started at! Yeah! It was very cold and no one was very interested in being outside, since there was a perfectly good bar, Right There, and They were not going to arrest us for drinking in public. But, we were hashing and in the spirit of that, we took off checking. True trail was found around the block to the left. And we were off! The next mark was an on-in at the bar's front door, where we found the hare, happily warm inside and wondering why it took us so long to get around the block, since he had not set a beer stop, and missed that whole thing.
The ceremonies followed, there was plenty of beer to go around, and everyone got to do at least three or four down-down's. While this was going on several Police (three) Officers came in to see what all the rowdiness was about. Wee Willi was very congenial to them and one of the officers suggested we move our party ten miles down the road to the Moose/Cow/Pig Whatever Hall he belonged to, and promised we would not be bothered. So the caravan set out. And we were off! We parked, made a large bon-fire and proceeded with the Apres fixins. There were hot dogs, hot chocolate, beer, marsh mellows and more song. I think there was also chili, spaghetti and hot food. I remember it being very good.
Before we went to the lodge, I would like to mention that we spent some time mingling with the locals in the parking lot of the grocery store where the buses were going to be taking people up to the knob. In our drunken party mode, we may have been a little too much for the would be revelers who had been likewise thawarted in their plans to join our condition. Hey, not our fault they couldn't improvise.
So we spent a few hours drinking, partying, cooking, eating, farting, peeing in the woods, and generally trying to stay awake and warm enough, in order to go back to town, catch the bus and go to the Knob for all the fun in the morning. Needless to say, only two of those gathered managed to make it to the knob in the Am. I was one of them. It was not anything like the pictures I have seen in the paper, where 1000's of people are crowded in to see and hear what Phil has to say. There were maybe 500 people. It's amazing how the crowds will thin when there is no beer.
So Phil saw his shadow and we had six more weeks of winter. It was a joyous time, I'm glad I lived through the night. I'm really looking forward to doing it again next year. I believe it is only a few short months away, and this winter is just about to start. Knowing that the hash always has a good time, regardless of The Law, I hope more will join the Terra Porcus Lux Hash House Harriers in 2001.

Shit Hash- Pile Of Shit On-On!