On-In!

May 27, 2005 9:50 AM

On-On! I had never heard of the Hash House Harriers ("the drinking club with a running problem") until a friend clued me in. Now I don't know how I had missed them! They're certainly very visible -- and audible. Here's how it works. Their origins are in the British expat community in Kuala Lumpur, but nowadays they are everywhere!
One of their key ingredients is a bit problematic in this post-9/11 world, but they are adaptable.
posted by gurple (15 comments total)

I'm kind of surprised something on H3 hadn't appeared here before. I figure probably either I fumbled my search or there's some kind of rule about not discussing hashing in non-hashing communities.

If the latter... sorry! I went on a hash once and had a great time (though I discovered my liver never would have been able to handle it as a long-term hobby), but I'm most definitely not in the know.

I bet a lot of MeFites would be into hashing, and it's a great way to meet new people.
posted by gurple at 9:50 AM on May 27, 2005

There's a local hash run group on my campus, though I think it's set up a little differently - I don't think they drink that much on the trail, and they mark it up with chalk, not flour. I keep meaning to go with them one weekend, but they seem to be pretty mysterious.
posted by muddgirl at 9:55 AM on May 27, 2005

My pal is a hasher, he does it because he likes the drinking and there are some really hot women who do it. Kind of a nice combination. I could do without the running though, it might make me spill my beer.
posted by fenriq at 10:08 AM on May 27, 2005

I could do without the running though, it might make me spill my beer.

Hashers have a term for that: alcohol abuse
posted by gurple at 10:23 AM on May 27, 2005

Funny ... I used to work with a guy in corporate video who was a dedicated Hasher. He worked in both Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, and did Hashing in both.

And now whenever I see one of those On-On foot bumper stickers, I know waht it means.

It struck me as an odd excuse to go drinking, but since it was invented by Brits ...
posted by Relay at 11:14 AM on May 27, 2005

Cool, looks like they hash in New York, too.
posted by nyterrant at 11:20 AM on May 27, 2005

Last fall I saw a horde of people wearing all red, most of them men in drag, walking down the busiest street in town. Now I finally have an explanation.

Thanks, gurple
posted by groar at 11:48 AM on May 27, 2005

There's a Kansas City area hash this evening that I was thinking about going to, but I'm not sure if I'm in shape to keep up with the pack.
posted by Gimpson at 11:49 AM on May 27, 2005

If keeping up is your worry, Gimpson, I'd say go. In my very limited experience, the more athletic harriers generally do most of the running and following of false trails, and it's perfectly acceptable to stick with the pack and just mosey toward the beer.
posted by gurple at 12:02 PM on May 27, 2005

The women insisted on making us men up for our Red Dress run, because "girls should be pretty.". . .

The "down-down" afterwards is a lot of fun, with simulated masturbation for both genders.

On-On.
posted by Danf at 12:39 PM on May 27, 2005

The Red Dress Hash!
posted by threadbare at 1:50 PM on May 27, 2005

Ooops. Red Dress Hash
posted by threadbare at 1:59 PM on May 27, 2005

ON ON! I love walking around cities and seeing piles of flour or chalk arrows and knowing what's going on. :)


I was a HHH in the San Francisco "Gypsies in the Palace" for a year or so many years ago. A woman from London came and ran with us and we traded sweatshirts. Her's was awesome...the back had a London Tube map with pubs instead of stop names. Yeah! My "nickname" although it never became official was "dreamin' D cup" because I'm not very well...endowed. We drank after the run-unless there was a bar stop during, and then the run pretty much degenerated after that!

I always loved the live hares...where the person laying the trail got a 15-30 minute head start and you tried to catch up (Vs. doing it the night before and hoping no one washes the markings away!) You can use flour or chalk, depending on what is required.

It's a GREAT thing and those of you who like to run and are social should get involved. Try a few...there are 4 in Sf, some are REALLY into running, the one I was in was pretty laid back and not really that gung-ho. But there is an undercurrent or over-current of sexual innuindo in a lot of them. Esp. the nicknames and "virgin" ceremonies where they make you do some embarassing things. :)

Enjoy. ON ON!
posted by aacheson at 2:06 PM on May 27, 2005

The hash I went on was an Easter Egg Hunt hash -- the hares dropped plastic eggs (filled with condoms and such) along with the flour signs. We stopped at a couple different places for beer/booze. I had a great time, and the people were fun, but I got the impression that most folks in the group were REALLY into it -- multiple hashes per week -- and I knew I wasn't up for that.

I remember thinking it was kind of dangerous. We ran across a freeway on that hash, drunk, more than once. I remember seeing an article once on a hashing site about a fund being taken up for a hasher who'd fallen down a cliff while on a hash and been paralyzed, but I couldn't find that link for this post.
posted by gurple at 2:18 PM on May 27, 2005

I recently heard about a long bike ride through NYC where the riders stopped several times at random bars to drink beer and then continue on... Now I realize it must have been a bash.
posted by GrammarMoses at 2:26 PM on May 27, 2005