New Years Day Follow-the-Hare Hike & Party - Sat, Jan 1 2011

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page. This is a paid event with payment managed by the trip leader(s) and NOT the AOC. Please read the event description carefully for payment details and instructions.



New Years Day Follow-the-Hare Hike & Party


The Basics:
Event Type:Party
Event Location: Suburban Plaza Shopping Ctr parking lot, Decatur, GA
Date(s) & Time:Sat, Jan 1 2011  1:30 pm >> N/A
Registration Opens: Wed, Dec 15 2010 10:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Sat, Jan 1 2011 10:00 am
Event Duration:About 4 Hours
Difficulty Rating:D2: Easy to Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Charlie Cottingham
Email Trip Leader(s)
You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.
Member Cost:$10.00/Person (See Detailed Cost Info Below)

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:20
Minimum Group Size:5
Number Registered So Far: 12 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:
We've had a blast at this wacko annual event the past two January 1st's and look forward to joining our Hash House Harrier friends again to "ring in 2011" in a fun and memorable way!

OVERVIEW: Are you looking for something festive and wildly different—but with just enough outdoor exercise to keep “resolution guilt” from kicking in as you ease out of that New Years Eve hangover?!  If so, the Atlanta Hash House Harriers & Harriettes’ (AH4's) 22nd Annual New Years Day “Cheddarhead Hash” should fill the bill.  No funds are collected by the AOC for this event, but if you decide to take part, bring $10 to chip in to the AH4 registration volunteer for your fair share of the bountiful refreshments, food and door prizes that will be our reward for helping one another follow the trail left by the "hare."  Rain showers are expected this year, so I suggest that you carry an umbrella and wear or carry lightweight emergency rain gear—also bring the other items suggested below. The weather should actually be quite pleasant for January, with temps in the low 60s and little wind.

WHEN & WHERE? At 1:30 PM our AOC subgroup will join a large crowd of other New Years Day partiers at the START location: the "Suburban Plaza" shopping center parking lot, inside I-285 just north of Decatur (2619 North Decatur Road, Decatur, GA 30030)—see detailed Directions below.  We'll park and assemble near the "BIG LOTS" store on the Church Street side of the shopping center.
 
EVENT PLAN:   Look for me, Charlie, wearing a white Atlanta Outdoor Club T-Shirt, red baseball cap, and my "Dirty Limerick" beaded necklace in the area where everyone is checking in.  We'll each sign our AOC waiver form and I'll help you register for the event with the AH4 "hash cash" volunteer—$10 in cash, please, to cover your share of the bountiful refreshments & food.
  At about 2:00 there'll be a mock-formal welcome ceremony featuring the hilarious "Wedge of Allegiance" Cheddarhead creed.  Then our 200+ harriers (a.k.a. "hashers”) will set off together at a leisurely walking or jogging pace and help one another follow the flour-splotched trail left a bit earlier by AH4's volunteer “hare.”  Our lead harriers will yell “On-On!” back to us as they spot the successive splotches of baking flour.  The hare's trail will likely take us along a creative sequence of forested urban trails, powerline easements, residential streets, etc.  Feel free to walk/jog with me (Charlie, a.k.a. "Dirty Limerick") during this "follow-the-hare" part of the festivities.  We'll enjoy a refreshment stop along the way compliments of our AH4 hosts.
  After an hour or two following the trail of the hare (~3 miles or so) we’ll arrive at the “On-In” party area—usually the large back yard of one of the hashers.
  The custom is for each participant to bring a small duffel bag of Extra Garments, dry Shoes/Socks and a light Chair which are delivered for us from the "START" parking lot to the "mystery-location" party venue.  (See "Recommended Items to Bring" below) 
  
"CHEDDARHEAD"  PARTY DETAILS: The event gets its name from the fact that its founder, a veteran AH4 hasher known as “Public Enema” and his partners in crime are from Wisconsin. At the big party and outdoor cookout they provide delicious Wisconsin-style food and refreshments, including charbroiled bratwurst, blackeyed peas & rice, french fries, salad, beer & soft drinks, and an assortment of munchies & desserts.  You’ll love their fresh cheese curds, flown down from Wisconsin and deep-fried outdoors at the party!  There’s of course lots of friendly socializing plus door prizes, bawdy drinking songs, and obligatory “down-downs” of a small cups of beer for “notables” such as the hare, “rule violators,” and newcomers to the sport.  (You may request your non-alcoholic drink of choice for a "down-down" in lieu of beer.) Please plan to imbibe in moderation, esp. if you’re driving.

POST-PARTY FREE SHUTTLE: At about 5:30 PM our AH4 hosts will offer complimentary shuttle rides for us and our gear back to the "START" parking area.  After we reach our own vehicles it will be appreciated if some of us can take the time to provide the same short shuttle (typically about 5 minutes from Party to Start) for other partiers who may still need a ride.

OPTIONAL EARLY-EVENING BOWLING PARTY: After the afternoon excitement, feel free to re-group with some of our AH4 Cheddarhead hosts at about 6:00 PM at a nearby bowling alley (location TBA) for a few friendly games— about $5 per game and perhaps $8 for shoe rental if you decide to take part.

FOR the OFFICIAL NEW YEARS DAY 2011 “CHEDDARHEAD" ANNOUNCEMENT ARTICLE go to the following link on the AtlantaHash.com website:
   http://www.atlantahash.com/?page=events&n=1542
• For links to the numerous Hash House Harrier groups in Georgia including AH4 go to:
   http://www.onin.com/hhh/#georgia_hashes
• For more on the history, culture and worldwide popularity of the sport go to:
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers

Required Items to Bring:

• Wear comfortable well-broken-in Jogging Shoes or hiking boots, Long Exercise Pants, and Appropriate Clothing Layers for the weather forecast—consider carrying an Umbrella if showers are forecast.

• As mentioned above, bring $10 in Cash to give the AH4 registration volunteer in the parking lot Start Area.		Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

• Consider bringing a small Duffel Bag or daypack with extra warm dry Clothing including dry Socks & Shoes in case your feet get wet along the trail—also perhaps a light portable Chair—one that folds compactly into its own small duffel is appropriate. As mentioned above an AH4 volunteer driver will carry these personal items from the start area to the backyard party venue during the hiking portion of theevent.


How to Get There:
Event Directions:
The "START LOCATION" for the event will be the free Parking Lot of SUBURBAN PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER at the junction of Church Street and North Decatur Road (inside I-285 about a mile north of downtown Decatur—see address below).  We'll gather and park by the "BIG LOTS" store on the Church Street side of the shopping center.

DIRECTIONS FROM the "SPAGHETTI JUNCTION" I-285/ I-85 INTERCHANGE in NE ATLANTA:

1) Take I-285 "East" southward toward Augusta for about 5 miles and at Exit #39A bear right onto US-78 West (the western extension of the Stone Mtn Freeway toward Atlanta & Decatur).

2) Take US-78 West about 2.5 miles to the traffic light at Church Street. (This will be about a half mile beyond the merge of the freeway onto Scott Blvd.)

3) Turn Left onto Church Street and go about 0.5  mile to Suburban Plaza Shopping Center just beyond the traffic light at North Decatur Road.

4) We'll park and assemble between 1:30 and 2:00 by the "BIG LOTS" store on the Church Street side of the shopping center.  Look  for me (Charlie) wearing a white Atlanta Outdoor Club T-Shirt, red baseball cap, and my "Dirty Limerick" beaded AH4 necklace (among the crowd who are wearing festive running clothing, old running shoes, "cheese-wedge" headgear, etc).
 
FOR  A CUSTOM MAP or DIRECTIONS from your point of origin (or for use with your vehicle's navigation system) input the following address into your mapping program as your destination (at Suburban Plaza):

  2619 N Decatur Rd, Decatur, GA 30030

Here's the Google.com/maps link for Suburban Plaza:

http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2619+N+Decatur+Rd,+Decatur,+GA+30030&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=29.772081,41.660156&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2619+N+Decatur+Rd,+Decatur,+DeKalb,+Georgia+30030&ll=33.791578,-84.284148&spn=0.008934,0.013711&z=16

Notes:
* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost & Payment:
Member Cost:$10.00/Person
Non-Member Cost:$10.00/Person
Cost Includes:Pay $10 in cash to the AH4 registrar at the check-in area of the START parking lot to cover food, refreshments & door prizes.
Make a Payment:Although there is a cost for this event, you do not pay through the AOC. Please review the event details carefully for information about how/where to make your payment.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.