These are haring traditions (there are no rules!). These guidelines will help with the success of your trail. Violating them may cause you to be called into the circle (best case) or lose the hounds (worst case) so keep them in mind as you plan.
1. You are responsible for providing a trail that will entertain, challenge, amuse, and provide a bit of fitness to the pack. A well laid trail keeps the walkers and slow runners close to the FRBs. The perfect trail has the entire pack finishing together.
2. At all costs, do not let the pack get lost and out of control. If one hound gets lost for a while it’s usually his or her own fault, right Wax? If the entire pack gets lost, you screwed the pooch.
3. Scout your trail with your co-hares. The only way to get more qualified hares is to take an inexperienced hound out and show them the Way of the Hash. If you don’t scout trail, you greatly increase your chances of getting snared or violating tradition #2.
4. If there are any special needs for the hounds, e.g. ID cards, water, rope, life jackets, etc . . . , advertise it by email before the hash. Let the pack know if there are any other special considerations for the trail, e.g. not dog friendly, long trail, bikes, etc.
5. Coordinate with the Beer Meister to purchase any Beer-Check beer, water, or softies. Each Beer Check should have some of each. Note: Mountain Dew and Diet Mountain Dew are the softies of choice in the Big Heads H3.
6. If the trail is A to B (different start and end points) figure out how to set up a shag wagon or shuttle to get hash bags, free shit, beer, food, and other crap to the circle. If you need a driver contact the GM for help.
7. If you plan on using/introducing any new trail symbols let the GM or RA know so someone can explain them at the Chalk Talk. Below are the standard trail symbols used in the Big Heads H3. Trail symbols can be laid with chalk or in flour.
Hash – Normally a splash of flour sometimes mixed with Fruit Loops or temper paint. If you find 3 consecutive hash marks you are normally on a good trail until you run into another symbol.
Check Point – Used to redirect the pack or simply slow it down. Trail may go in any direction from the Check Point. You can lay 0, 1, or 2 hashes from a Check Point with no other symbols to lay a false trail. If you lay 3 or more hashes and the trail is bad, you must use some symbol to indicate a bad trail and turn the pack back to the check point.
Bad Trail – Use BT or YBF or three lines to let the pack know that it's screwed and must go back to the last Check Point.
Harrow – Used to let the pack know that this is true trail and the real direction of trail. Yes, some of us will end up on trail backwards.
Beer Check – Lets the pack know that there is beer hidden somewhere near, but the trail will continue. Normally you have stashed the drinks somewhere close for the pack to enjoy. You may wait for the pack here; this doesn’t count as a snare. Let the pack know how much time to wait once you are on-out again. The pack should remain at the Beer Check until it has regrouped and socialized a bit. Don’t wait for Shock My Monkey; he’s almost always lost.
Check Back – Used to reverse the pack on trail. A Check Back 69 means the pack must turn around and start counting hash until they reach the 69th hash at which point it then becomes a Check Point. You should not Check Back through another trail symbol. Check Back 69s cause the pack to get bored and wander aimlessly, looking for a shorter way to beer, as we are a lazy bunch. Check Backs between 5 and 20 work great.
Be Careful – This just lets the pack know that there is something more dangerous than normal on trail. Broken bones on trail tend to lessen the fun factor. You can use the variations of BVC, BVFC, and B Infinity C. For example, use them when crossing a busy road, nearing a steep cliff, navigating a big-ass hole, venomous ducks near, or fur bearing trout.
Split – Use to split the pack for many situations Eagle/Turkey trail, Runners/Bikers, Sausage/Taco. Usually followed by a Merge (two arrows combining into one) later. Should not be used as a Check Point.
ZEN – Tells the pack to go to somewhere. You don’t have to lay trail to that point, but trail should continue somewhere near the ZEN location. The ZEN location should be a location that most of the pack are familiar with, or can figure out how to get there. Telling them to Zen to my Uncle Bill’s house could induce multiple down-downs for the hares.
BEER NEER – Our favorite symbol! This signifies that the end of the trail (or a beer check) is near. There should be BEER somewhere close. You should not have any other trail symbols except Hash and Harrows to get the pack to the BEER from here on out.
Be creative and have fun with it! Feel free to invent other symbols, cross rivers, base jump, etc., just ensure the GM or RA know what’s going before you begin the trail so you don’t violate traditions #1 and #3.