Taos Hash – Oct 8

2016 TAOS HASH NOTICE SCHEDULE: The 2016 Taos Hash is on October 8, the Saturday of Columbus Day Weekend, starting at 2 pm. START: The start will be at the parking lot of the Red River Fish Hatchery, about twenty miles north of the Taos Plaza. (See Directions below) HASH CASH: For each person $3 plus four 12 oz CANS of good beer donated to the hare for the on-in. CANS, NOT BOTTLES, to save the environment, to save the hare’s back and to make cleaning up a lot easier. Examples of “good beer” are Santa Fe Brewing Happy Camper IPA, Dales Pale Ale and Upslope and Ska Brewing products. Anyone bringing inferior beer will be excoriated. Your hare will provide coolers, ice, snacks and water for the on-in, really cheap beer for down-downs and a trail. BEER WAIVER: If you swear to the hare by all the Hash Gods that you will not consume any beer at the on-in, the four beer portion of the Hash Cash will be waived. If you want something other than water to drink at the on-in, bring it for your individual consumption. If you trust the hare to transport it, your personal tipple will be transported to the on-in. TRAIL & REQUIREMENTS: A map estimate of trail length is six miles, consisting of roads, trails, paths, brush, forests and stuff in between. If the estimate isn’t accurate to the nearest mile, I’ll be a son of a bitch. In total the trail is about as strenuous as last year, with more bush wacking and better scenery. Bring STURDY SHOES, a WATER BOTTLE or two and a WHISTLE. There is enough bush wacking that the tender skinned should consider wearing long pants or gaiters. ATTENDANCE: This Hash is being advertised in Colorado and New Mexico. All hashers are invited. I expect well over fifteen Colorado hashers to attend and hope for a substantial number from New Mexico. DIRECTIONS: From Taos to Start: From the stop light at the Taos Plaza go north on Paseo del Pueblo/US64 through El Prado and past Overland Sheep Company to a traffic light where US64 is a left turn, NM150 is a left turn and NM522 is straight through. Continue straight through, northerly on NM522. (This intersection is referred to by Taosenos as the “OBL” for old blinking light. It’s a regular traffic light now.) Continue north on NM522 for 16.5 miles. When you are about a half mile past mile marker 16, NM515 is a left turn. Turn left on NM515 and proceed about two miles to the fish hatchery. Turn left into the parking lot before crossing the Red River and continue to the west end of the parking lot. Park. From Colorado to Taos: Get to Walsenburg on I-25. Exit and go west on US160 over La Veta Pass to Ft. Garland. At Ft. Garland turn south on CO159 which becomes NM522 at the border and goes all the way to Taos. From ABQ, SF and Lost Almost to Taos: Get to Espanola on US285/US84. When US285 and US84 veer to the left in Espanola stay to the right on NM68 and continue north to Taos. From Colorado Direct to Start: Follow directions to Taos to Questa, NM. Continue south from Questa two or three miles to a half mile past mile marker 17 and turn right on NM515. Proceed about two miles to the fish hatchery. Turn left into the parking lot before crossing the Red River and continue to the west end of the parking lot. Park. From ABQ, SF and Lost Almost Direct to Start: Get to Taos and follow the directions from Taos to start. WEATHER: There was epic rain, hail and cold for a Taos Hash in 2008. In most years, the Columbus Day weekend weather has been wonderful with T-shirts and shorts suitable for running and drinking. Check weather reports and pack light rain gear in any event. There will be a trail in almost any weather, though horrendous weather might make it considerably shorter than planned and advertised. HASH HOTEL: There is no Hash Hotel. There are a multitude of hotels and motels in Taos offered on the web. October 8 should not be a crowded time. Last year several hashers stayed at El Pueblo Lodge (412 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, 575-758-8700) and seemed satisfied. El Pueblo is about a half mile north of the Plaza on the west side of the road. Indian Hills Inn (233 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, 575-758-4293, about three blocks south of the Plaza) was the Hash Hotel for many prior Taos Hashes, but has had many negative comments in the past few years. Kachina Lodge (413 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, 575-158-2275) was also previously a Hash Hotel, but last year was subject to an unconfirmed rumor of bed bugs. Kachina Lodge is across the street from El Pueblo and both are about a block north of the Taos Ale House. PRE-LUBE: About 4 pm on Friday, October 7, I will be at a Taos watering hole, probably a happy hour, and invite anyone in town to join me. That will be the beginning of a three or four venue pub crawl. Details will be forwarded shortly after the new Taos Mesa Brewing tap house near the Plaza is finally opened and a proper schedule can be estimated. Details will include information for joining the event in progress. SUNDAY TRAIL: In two prior years volunteer hounds organized a Sunday morning, in-town trail to ease the end of the adventure. Any volunteers? RSVP / UPDATES: No registration is required, but if you are sure or almost sure that you will come, I would appreciate an e-mail to let me know. I would hate not to have enough snacks and cheap beer. Updates and any last minute changes will be sent to the ColoradoH3, BoulderH3, NNMH3 and ABQH3 group email lists and to a separate list of prior TH3 registrants plus any new folks who have advised me they plan to attend. IF YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE COMING IN RESPONSE TO ONE OF THE EARLY NOTICES, PLEASE TELL ME AGAIN. Speedbump wdwlaw@gmail.com DenverH3