A Rough Guide for Hares in NYC

By What A Cunt!, December 6, 2023

Planning

1. Step 1: Who’s doing it
   • Never hared before? Find a co-hare! Ask your hash pals, or ask mismanagement to help you find someone. It is not a good idea to hare alone your first time, it’s harder than it looks.
   • Even if you’ve hared before, consider finding a co-hare! It’s much nicer to hare with someone else. And you can count on offering a Beer Check!
   • If you’ve planned a beer check (or shot check or other beverage or whatever), ask around to see if someone can serve it. We almost never do “dead drop” beverage checks in NYC for safety reasons. If you know a hasher who’s injured or can’t r*n for some reason, this might be a nice way for them to be involved!
2. Step 2: Know Your Kennel*
   1. Pick a start that fits the kennel you’re haring for. If you have any questions, ask the Hare Raiser or another MisManagement member.
3. Step 3: Where are we going?
   • Will your On-In be a park or a private home? Sweet!
     • Will you have food? How?
     • Estimate how much beer you will need to bring
     • Plan to bring water and/or non-alcoholic drinks – not everyone can or needs to drink that sweet liquid gold.
   • Will your On-In be a bar? Cool! Time to make a deal!
     • either call, email or go in person to speak to a manager. Ideally go on the day of the week of your trail so you can talk to the bartender who will be there. Let them know roughly how many people you will expect, roughly what time and roughly how much you hope to pay for beer.
     • If you expect to bring a group, you can usually leverage this to get a good deal on beer prices. Ask if they can extend their happy hour deal or give us a dollar off drafts. Something reasonable. Maybe you can cut a deal for a free pint with food? It can’t hurt to ask!
     • Remember, people need to eat something too, or they likely won’t stay too long.
       • If there’s no food at the bar, plan to have a way for folks to order something in (pizza is fine!).
4. Step 4: Where do we begin?
   • Choose a start location where you can easily get a cab. Sure, you can use a car share app, but those have surge pricing. Keep your costs down AND support the local economy by using the Curb app to hail a NYC taxi.
     • Planning a prelube? Make sure to notify the start bar too!
     • It is perfectly okay to start on the street or in a park. Be discreet if there’s beer.
   • TELL THE HARE RAISER AS SOON AS YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WILL START!
     • Be sure to also tell them any other details, like how much hash cash will be collected, whether the hounds need a headlamp, if shiggy socks should be worn… you can also entice people to attend with promises of private On-Ins or fancy beer.
5. Step 5: How do we get there?
   1. Recce (scout out) your trail in advance so you know where you are going when you lay the trail. Once you’re real good at it, you might be able to skip this step, but it really really helps.
   2. As much as I wish it were, Google Maps or other mapping apps aren’t really a substitute for a good recce.
   3. The trail should be three to five miles. Nobody complains about a short trail if it’s well-laid. Longer is okay on weekends, but on school nights, keep it short and sweet.
   4. The trail should be three to five miles. If you want to go a little long, offer a “chicken-eagle split” (ask a hash elder for more info).
   5. The trail should be three to five miles. If you can, also include some kind of shortcut for those who wish to or need to walk the trail. Don’t forget, hashers come in all abilities.

The Day Your Trail Gets Laid

• f you have time, confirm your deal with the bartender or manager of both the start and the on-in on the day of your trail.
• Bring some extra chalk for the pack to have. In NYC we “pack mark” our trails to help out those in the back.
• Start at the beginning, unless you’ve done this a million times.
  • Got stuff you don’t want to drag around with you while laying? Ask the On-In or the Start Bar very very nicely if you can stash a bag with the bartender. They will sometimes say yes.
• It takes about twice as long to set a trail walking as it will for the pack to run it.
• If it looks like rain, use flour and use plenty of it – chalk disappears instantly!
  • Drywall chunks make excellent chalk that sticks better than regular chalk, but flour is best in wet conditions.
  • Use a minimum of 10lb of flour to set a complete trail.
• If using chalk, use drywall/sheet rock chunks if you can get them, or use large sidewalk chalks. DO NOT use classroom chalk.
  • Avoid red, blue, purple, and any other color that is dark or hard to see, ESPECIALLY when any of the trail will be r*n after dark.
• In snow you can use *in lieu of flour: bright-colored Kool-Aid or bright carpenter’s chalk, tang, cereal, ketchup…get creative! But make it stand out.
• Checks shouldn’t be too difficult. The objective is to delay the FRBs (front running bastards) and bring the pack together. Always remember the objective.
• It’s best to stick with ‘three marks and you’re on.’ If you have time, mark the false trails with an F or three parallel lines like: |||
• Marks:
  • Regular marks are a chalk arrow ↗️ or a “blob” of flour*. These can be directional: ↪️⤴️⤵️
  • An arrow with three lines means true trail. -|-|-|->
  • “BC” means back to the check. “BC4” means go back 4 marks and check. “YBF” means You’ve Been F…alsely led to believe this is the correct route.
  • “DC” means “drink at this check.”
  • A two-speared or multi-speared arrow is a “speed check” or a “whichy-way,” which is usually one and you’re on.🔀 ↔️
  • A circle with an X through it is a regular check. ❎
  • Be sure to write “NYCH3” (or BH3 or NAHHH or GGFM or LIL or whatever) near the start
  • Be sure to write “ON IN” at the On-In (you can do this when you arrive with the bags too)

At the Start

• Keep a piece of chalk to write the on-in location and hotline (212-HASH-NYC) at the start.
• Before gathering the big group, ask virgins and visitors to join you at your chalk talk spot outdoors. Explain our marks, tell them they can call the hotline if they’re lost and explain that the On-In location will be written at the start.
• Start chalk talk at 10 minutes after the scheduled start time to send the pack away 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.
  • How to chalk talk:
    • chalk out every mark you have laid on trail.
    • “Welcome to NYCH3 #[insert number here]! I am your hare, [say your name]!
    • On this trail you can expect… [explain the marks you’ve chalked out.]
    • Say how many miles (appx) the pack can expect to run. Remind them the hotline will be set and the On-In will be written at the start.
    • “Remember that consent is sexy! Get consent for all touchy things and photos. Have fun out there. The first mark is that way!”
• Have the pack plop their bags in a spot that’s convenient for you to take them to the On-In.
• Wait 10 more minutes or so after the pack is away for any latecomers.
• Write the on-in location on the sidewalk and set a True Trail arrow toward the first mark. -|-|-|->
• Set the hotline–ask a mismanagement member for instructions.
• Call/hail your taxi. Sure, you can use a car share app, but those have surge pricing. Keep your costs down AND support the local economy by using the Curb app to get a taxi to your On-In.

At the On-In

• Confirm the deal with bartender; tell them who is part of our deal (a sharpie or stamp or other marker is handy to mark folks for the deal). Giving them a cash tip up front is a great way to ensure good service (we’re a hard crowd on bartenders and we want them to invite us back, so tip AT LEAST 20%).
• Collect Hash Cash:
  • Collect hash cash from everyone (hares included) ASAP
  • If you’re paying for beer out of hash cash, speak to the bartender and set up an initial tab with a limit (typically $100) and tip up front.
    • Tip each time you pay. Unless the service is horrible you should tip no less than 20%.
    • Check the bar tab as often as necessary – remember, anything not covered by hash cash comes out of your own pocket.
  • Get some water and a few pitchers/pints of your cheap beer ready for the pack (incentive to drink cheaper stuff!)
  • Ensure folks know how much hash cash is and what their hash cash will cover.
    • Old model: Hash cash ($20) covers beer, food, and money for the hash kitty. Typical breakdown for $20.00 hash cash is $1.00/kitty, $5.00/food, $11.00 – $13.00/beer, $1.50 – $2.00 tax/tip.
    • In modern times $20 might cover beer only, so $1.00/kitty, $15.00 beer, $1.00 tax, $3.00 tip. Thanks boomers.
    • “London Rules” model: $1 hash cash for the kitty and you’re on your own for everything else
  • Give kitty money to a Grand Master/Joint Master. in 2024 that means Love Canal or Nerves of Squeal. If they’re not there, give it to a religious advisor (the people running circle).

Does it all seem overwhelming?

Trust me, it’s a lot easier than it sounds. Just remember, hounds are stupid! Lay plenty of marks to a place where there’s beer and everyone is likely to think you did just great!

*footnote:

• If you’re haring for NYCH3 or GGFM, you’ll most likely start in lower Manhattan or the near-sides of Brooklyn or Queens, mayyyybe even off the PATH inJersey City or Hoboken if you’re feelin’ saucy.
• If you’re haring for the Long Island Lunatics, you’ll start/finish in Lawn Guyland somewhere, close to a LIRR stop. Your hounds will take a pArTy TrAiN if they’re coming from the City.
• If you’re haring for Brooklyn H3, you’ll be in Brooklyn. Queens, In Queens.
• If you’re haring for the New Amsterdamned HHH you’ll be somewhere deep in the 4 outer boroughs, off a party train stop in Jersey or Westchester or Yonkers… “They hash the bits the others don’t.” (sic.)
• The Columbia University New Traditional HHH is still alive (barely), and their trails start/finish at or near 116th and points north.

Here’s how it used to be, if you’re curious:

So you want to be a hare (short version)

By Roy Gilbert, Sept. 2004

Refer to the for Detailed Version for additional information.

Planning

• Decide on an on-in and make a deal – large enough space/adequate beer selection (cheap stuff/good stuff).
• Target prices: max of $13.00 for a 64 oz pitcher for microbrews/ $11.00 for light/$5 per head for food.
• Choose a start location where you can easily get a cab.
• Recce (scout out) the run in advance so you know where you are going when you set the trail.
• If you have time, confirm the beer deal with the bartender or manager on the day you’re setting trail.

Setting the trail

• Have at least two hares unless you are certain it will be a small pack.
• Virgin hares must team with an experienced hare.
• It takes about twice as long to set a trail walking as it will for the pack to run it.
• If it looks like rain use flour and use plenty of it – chalk disappears instantly.
• Use a minimum of 10lb of flour to set a complete trail. Note: Flour is frowned upon these days. Try toilet paper if it is raining.
• If using chalk, use sheet rock (aka plaster board or dry wall). If none of this is available then use nothing smaller than large sidewalk chalks – white only, other colours are invisible. DO NOT use classroom chalk.
• Use raspberry Kool-Aid in the snow.
• Checks shouldn’t be too difficult. You want to delay the FRBs (front running bastards) and bring the pack together.
• It’s best to stick with three marks and you’re on with all falses marked.
• The trail should be four to five miles. Front runners in after 45 minutes, the pack after an hour. Nobody complains about a short trail (assuming it’s well set).

At the start

• Give chalk to runners for pack marks, keeping a piece to write the on-in location and hotline (212-HASHNYC) at the start, and mark the on-in at the finish.
• Explain our markings to newcomers; tell them to take quarters for the hotline; explain that the on-in location will be written at the start.
• Start the pack fifteen minutes after the scheduled start time.
• Wait  ten minutes or so after the start for any late comers.
• Write the on-in location on the sidewalk and set an arrow to the first mark.
• Set the hot line–ask a committee member for instructions.

At the on-in

• First get plenty of water and a few pitchers of beer ready for the pack.
• Confirm the price and beer selection with bartender; tell him whom he may serve; set up an initial tab with a limit (typically $100); and give him/her a starter tip ($20.00 for a pack of twenty or more).
• Tip each time you pay –if we get good service you should tip 15-20%.
• Hash cash ($20) covers beer, food, and money for the hash kitty. Typical breakdown for $20.00 hash cash is $1.00/kitty, $5.00/food, $11.00 – $13.00/beer, $1.50 – $2.00/tip.
• Collect hash cash from everyone (hares included) – be vigilant about this.
• Give left-over hash cash to Hash Cash (the person) or a Joint Master.
• If the $$ runs out collect supplemental hash cash or tell everyone they’re on their own.
• Pizza is the easiest hash food: approx 5 hashers per pie — 1.5 slices each, delivery two hours after the start.
• Check the bar tab once or twice – remember, anything not covered by hash cash comes out of your own pocket.