Welcome to the IndyScent Hash House Harriers' Web Page

We are a 21+, adult hash. No minors.

What is Hashing ?
Hashing is a world-wide semi-athletic / drinking / social club based on the old English schoolboy's game of "Hare and Hounds". It is centered around drinking and is non-competitive. I often describe hashing to my friends as "a bunch of grown-ups playing hide and seek with beer." Others say we're a drinking club with a running problem. Running is loosely used to mean running, jogging, walking, crawling or any other means of conveyance. Every Hash and every Hasher is unique in their own way, a good attitude, personality, thirst, humor and a sharp wit are important attributes. There are 3 parts to a hash, the "Hash," the "On-In," and the "On-After." These are explained later in this article. We charge $6 for all hashes to help pay for the beer.

For more info on the Indy hash: e-mail money.shot at gmx.com

History
The Hash House Harriers received its humble beginnings in 1938 from a Britisher named Albert Stephen Ignatius Gispert, in Malaysia. Having a fondness for the game, "Hare and Hounds", he gathered together a group of friends to form a running club in Kuala Lumpur that would later become a world-wide legacy. The fraternity received its name from the Selangor Club Chambers, which due to the lackluster food served there was commonly referred to as the "Hash House".

This peaceful endeavor was eventually cut short with the advent of the Japanese invasion of Malaysia, of which several hashers distinguished themselves. Captain Gispert died in the Battle of Singapore, but a fellow Hasher, Torch Bennett, re-established the hash after the war. He also successfully sought war reparations for 24 enamel mugs, a galvanized tin bath and two old bags.

In 1947 a few surviving members of the original Hash House Harriers started operations in Milan Italy, but ceased for several years. It wasn't until 1962 that the next group was formed in Singapore. The Singapore H3 was slowly followed by others until by the Mother Hash's 1500th postwar run in 1973, there were thirty-five known hashes around the world. This figure climbed into the hundreds by the eighties and there are now probably well over five thousand active Hashes.

Hashing Rule Number One: There are no rules !
What Happens at a Hash ?
The INdy Scent Hash House Harriers (indyhhh) normally get together on the second Friday and fourth Saturday of each month for a run which is called a "hash." We also have special occasions (check our calendar for details on dates and times), always in a different place to avoid monotony. This is what happens at a hash: Two hashers are the "hares" and will set a trail for the "hounds" to follow. Several different methods may be used to lay the trail, the most common being with flour and chalk. The Hare is traditionally given a 10-15 minute head-start before the pack starts after. The Hare uses various marks to indicate direction and deviously tries to outwit the pack. Hares often leave beer on the trail to slow the hounds down (it works!). The packs purpose is to catch the Hare, if possible, and avoid getting lost. Eventually everyone makes it to the On-In where running takes a backseat to socializing. The hashers already a little tipsy form a circle. The Hares gets abused for the trail they laid, usually by being made to drink small cups of beer called "down-downs." After the circle we usually go to a bar or pub to eat, drink, and laugh. This is called the "on-after."

Hash Names:
To protect ourselves from each other, experienced hashers have nicknames like "BlownRanger" or "BushDriver." The reason for this is that many of us are doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc., and we'd rather not have our mother-given names public. Also, some of us don't like to mix our "hash lives" with our personal lives. You will be assigned a hash name on your sixth run, and you will have no say in the matter.

On your first hash, you are a "virgin." After your first hash you are officially a "hasher." You will introduce yourself as "Just John" or whatever your real name may be.

Where do we Hash ?
Hashing takes place in the city and in the country. In malls, thru backyards, across highways, during the Indianapolis 500, under highways, over hills, thru woods, trees, bushes, shrubs, thru culverts, across streams, briars, thru swamps, over rocks, over fields, construction sites, parking lots, abandoned buildings, sidewalks, roads ( paved and unpaved ) and anywhere else the half-witted will follow the Hare. The more difficult the terrain, the better the Hash. It is quite possible to have a good trail set in the middle of a city. One rule we have is to always stay on public property.

Are there guidelines for haring?

IndyScent conforms to the definition of a hash followed by most kennels in the United States . A hare or two (or more) are given some agreed-upon head start and lay a trail, usually in the range of 3 to 5 miles, usually with a beer check(s) in media res, followed by the circle ceremony and an on-after at a bar or other private facility. If hares should need extra lead time for any reason, please notify MisManagement before beginning the hash. We may or may not comply, and will probably mock you.

IndyScent practices a "live hare" format, where the hares lay the trail just ahead of the pack. "Dead hare" format is used on certain special occasions. In that format, the hares pre-lay the entire trail and then accompany the pack and give pointers to alleviate confusion.

Most trails are A to A, meaning they start and end in the same location. If hares should choose an A to B format, the hares are responsible for providing transportation to the pack back to the cars at the beginning.

Hares should advertise their hash, including start location and directions, as early as possible after scouting, through the Yahoo! E-mail group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/indyscenthashhouseharriers/) and on the
web site (indyhhh.com) by e-mailing the info to the group and to the GM and/or Minister of Misinformation.

If possible, hares should include directions and contact info (such as a cell number) for any hashers who get lost trying to find the start location. Hares should also include in their report any qualifying information, such as equipment needed (chalk, flashlights), dog friendliness, stroller friendliness if applicable, pre-hash beer
provided, etc.

Please stick to public property, unless permission has been obtained expressly to go onto private property (usually a hasher's or a friendof a hasher). There are plenty of public spaces, parks, easements throughout Indianapolis so that we're not caught in some sort of trespassing situation.

--Length
As mentioned, most "regular" trails are 3 to 5 miles in length. The hash is meant to be a social run/walk, but the length of trail is up to the hares' discretion. One consideration is time to complete the trail and factoring in nightfall. Since Indy hashes regularly on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, hares should account for how long a trail might take to finish on a work night vs. a weekend day. Usually, time spent on trail is one to two hours in range.

As of December 2008, Wednesday "Hump Day" hash starts at 7 p.m. Friday hashes at 7 p.m. And Saturday hashes at 3 p.m. year-round. Hares should notify the pack if there's a change in the regular start time. Hares can go to http://www.usatf.org/routes/ for an Internet tool to track the approximate length of their hash.

--On-After
The hares are responsible for selecting an appropriate nearby location for the On-After. This is usually a bar but sometimes is a private residence or other location. Hares are under no obligation to reveal the location of the On-After until the end of the hash at Announcements. However, hares should communicate any necessary special arrangements to the pack, or relay the location to hashers who have a conflict or other extenuating circumstance, and wish to attend the On-After only.

--Hash Marks
The basic mark is a handful of flour thrown on the ground, in a ditch, on a sidewalk, on a log, on a tree, anywhere that hashers would reasonably be expected to look for flour. Marks should be spaced about 30 to 50 yards apart during daytime hashes. A good measure is that a basic step or pace is about a yard (three feet). So every 30 to 50 steps, lay some flour.

If appropriate, chalk drawn in a circle can also indicate a hash mark. Sometimes, toilet paper has been used in areas of high shiggy. Post-It Notes also have been used at IndyScent to success especially in indoor locations where flour is not appropriate. At night, marks should appear more frequently and not be as difficult to find in general. About every 20 yards (closer in areas of shiggy in the dark) is a good reference point, and marks should be very conspicuous.

It's important to note that marks should generally proceed in a straight line. If the trail needs to turn any more than about 15 to 20 degrees, the hares need to indicate a switch in direction with the hare's arrow or a check. Please be aware of hashes that start in the sunlight but end after dusk. Note that you should start marking more heavily prior to dusk falling – the pack will be several minutes behind you. Plan ahead to keep the trail well-marked so that everybody has a fun time finding trail.

In areas of shiggy, please try to mark the trail as well as possible. Thick shiggy will slow down even the fastest pursuing FRB without much need for deception. Do not get overly concerned with "getting caught." This rarely ever happens at IndyScent, and if it does, what's the worst that can happen – you'll drink beer, right? Try to focus on laying a good, challenging trail that is marked well enough that the pack has no trouble finding trail or gets tempted to abandon trail. Only if you lay a bad trail and act like a prick will we think about making you sit on a block of ice. Hey, we're a conservative hash, use it to your advantage.

--Checks
IndyScent marks checks with an X or an X inside a circle. This can bed one in flour or chalk (or other implements found on trail) or other mark as appropriate. The true trail can go any of 359 degrees except the one from which it came. Although usually, trail options proceed in any of the three 90-degree angles, or 45-degree angles, or other obvious angles from the checkpoint.

Four consecutive marks or more of flour in any direction usually indicates true trail. However, in IndyScent, this is not necessarily the case. False trails can go as far as you desire/can run. If you take a false trail four marks or more, please try to mark it as a dead trail with three parallel lines or YBF. Do not place beer checks down a false trail.

Remember, the purpose of checks is to slow down the FRBs and ultimately keep the pack close together so that everyone not only gets some exercise but sticks together for socializing and safety purposes. A check is solved when the pack can find another check, a hare's arrow, a beer near or another mark indicating true trail.Mark your checks with bright white flour, bright chalk markings, or if it has snowed, colored chalk (red is usually best). We've had many hashes where the pack blows by checks that are blue or purple chalk
marked on concrete that are completely missed because they don't contrast enough. As mentioned above, please use an arrow or check any time the trail varies more than a few degrees off a straight line. Do not make sharp turns of true trail without an arrow or check.

--Arrows
The hare's arrow in IndyScent is an arrow with three lines drawn on the tail. Sometimes the hares will use a conventional arrow (no lines on tail). This may or may not indicate true trail, and in fact can be used to
deceive the pack if necessary. As mentioned above, please use an arrow or check any time the trail varies more than a few degrees off a straight line. Do not make sharp turns of true trail without an arrow or check.

--Beer Check (Beer Near)
"BN" usually marks beer checks in IndyScent. Use this mark to indicate that the beer is somewhere in the vicinity. You may want/need to use multiple BN markings. Hares should use their discretion about how
heavily trafficked the area is: hide the beer well if there's a chance that someone else would come along and find it without interpreting the signs. You may want to lay some extra hash marks if it is especially well hid, however. Variations on BN are welcomed but should be explained by hares or the RA or other hash rep at chalk talk. WN (wine check), SN ( Sparks check or shot check), LN (liquor check) are common variations.

The hares are responsible for setting the beer check and also retrieving it after the hash. Funds and repayment for beer checks should be coordinate beforehand with the GM and/or beermeister. The hash repays any spending by hares as promptly as possible, or we may just make you wait for the fun of it. Hares should please try to select an out-of-the-way location for "public" consumption of alcohol by a large group if possible.

--Back Check
"BC" and accompanying digit marks a back check in IndyScent, such as BC 4. Use the hash mark immediately prior to the BC to begin counting back to the new checkpoint. Don't count the BC as a mark. Longer back checks are effective techniques at slowing down the FRBs to give the hares more time and to keep the pack closer together. Commonly, the true trail is marked on the back of a tree or sign or somewhere out of sight as to fool the pack into continuing to the BC mark before finding true trail again. Back checks right near the end of trails don't usually serve much purpose and can be cause for hare abuse.

--Pack Arrow
FRBs and really all hashers are encouraged to mark checks for those behind them with a pack arrow. This can be a regular arrow ---> or a straight line marked on either side with only one prong of an arrow ---/--- indicating true trail. Also, mark the bad trails at the check with three lines beside the direction to let those behind you know not to follow a bad path.

--Boob Check/Penis Check
Two side-by-side circles with dots in the middle (chalk or flour) represent IndyScent's boob check. Guess what that resembles? To proceed, the pack needs to get a female to flash, or a female to find true trail. The penis check is a crude drawing of the male genitalia (guess what that resembles?), with the same flashing/finding rule in effect for the boys.

--Turkey/Eagle split
We mark a turkey/eagle split with a "T" and an "E" side-by-side with arrows pointing in the appropriate, opposite directions. The turkey trail is generally for walkers and features less rough terrain and less elevation changes. The eagle is the more challenging of the trails. A regroup/rejoin mark, or a BN, or hare's arrow, or check, usually indicates the merging of the turkey and eagle trails.

--Regroup/rejoin
IndyScent's regroup symbol is an R or an R with a circle drawn around it. This means all members of the pack must wait until the last hashers rolls up and all of the pack is present before proceeding. This is useful in slowing down FRBs, but also for safety measures. It's also a good idea to use this mark or another indication when the Turkey/Eagle trails rejoin.

--Special Marks
Any special marks or variations are welcome, but should be announced at chalk talk. Also, overuse of special marks on a regular basis is not encouraged and can confuse virgins who already are confused enough
(dumb twats). Usually, special marks are variations on the marks listed above for some specific purpose.

--Pre-laying
It is often said that pre-laying is like masturbation: universally practiced but rarely discussed. Hares should make their own call on whether to prelay and how much. However, it should be noted that prelaying can allegedly be an effective strategy, not only for avoiding FRBs, but also for complicating a trail and adding some degree of complexity with intricate checks and back checks, especially at the start of trails. Like masturbation, prelaying is your friend yet could also result in blindness to you or those in your vicinity.