2009 (7th) RANSH Annual Sydney Rocks Xmas Pub Crawl Smokey.

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:10 am

Thanks Wayne, I'll let the gang know when I catch up with them in a couple of hours...! :thumbright:

Cheers...

CharlieS · **Posted:** Sun Nov 08, 2009 4:49 pm

Guys,

So sorry I had to bail at the last minute. Family first though. I will have one for you all :crybaby:

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Mon Nov 09, 2009 3:17 pm

You were sadly missed Chuckles... :roll:

A great time was had by all...

I'm in the process of :type:

resizing and sorting the photos out
for uploading, so expect my full report later tonight... :thumbright:

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 2:09 am

O.K., Gang, here we go... $\:D/$ here's the Official Report of our...

:thumbright:

2009 7th Annual RAN Skilled Hands
Sydney Rocks Xmas Pub Crawl Smokey

Don't forget, you can click on any :type:

pic for a BLOW UP...!
First to arrive at 'Jacksonï¿½s on George', :occasion5:

chasing bonus points,
were 'Basin Trialers' Steve ï¿½Shepï¿½ Shepherd and Col ï¿½Pussasanï¿½ Kelson

Soon the full RAN Skilled Hands Drinking Team
had assembled, on the left, Dean ï¿½Dinophotï¿½ Gedling, then John
ï¿½Chippy Nedï¿½ Kelly, his partner Ellen, then (front) Lesley, sitting
next to partner Nev Hoskins, behind Lesley, Sandy Robertson,
next to yours truly, Rick ï¿½Hippy Chippyï¿½ Pengilly, then Steve
ï¿½Shepï¿½ Shepherd, Col ï¿½Pussasanï¿½ Kelson, Sandyï¿½s other half, her
hubby Gordon Robertson, then finally, Mark ï¿½Mobesï¿½ Mobleyï¿½

At the threshold to The Rocks precinct, you couldn't help but be
impressed with the huge black and white ï¿½period photographï¿½
wall muralï¿½ :shock:

First stop, the ï¿½Fortune Of Warï¿½, one of a number of pubs in The
Rocks claiming to be Sydneyï¿½s Oldest Hotel, at least they display
the documentary evidence to back their claimï¿½ :evil3:

Somehow I managed to forget to take a photo of our next pub,
ï¿½The Observerï¿½, never mind, it was then off to Nedï¿½s favourite
ï¿½The Merchantile Hotelï¿½ï¿½ :drinkers:

Another group shot, this time on the stage at ï¿½The Mercï¿½, L to R:
Lesley, Dino, Col, Ellen, Ned, Nev, Shep, Gordo, Sandy, Rick
and Markï¿½

Next was the 'Harbour View', where we encountered the Canuk
barmaid from Winnepeg, who we conned into being our photographerï¿½

Our usual ï¿½group shotï¿½, L to R: Mobes, Shep, Nev, Col, Ned, Ellen,
Rick, Lesley, Sandy, Gordo and Dinoï¿½

Where Gordo and I got to do our version of :type:

Sniff ï¿½nï¿½ Stiff
on the baby grandï¿½

Then it was off to ï¿½The Hero Of Waterlooï¿½ï¿½

Which has a particular significance for Ned, heï¿½d met four of his
five ex-wives thereï¿½! :lol:

The troops enjoy a relaxing drink in the shadeï¿½

Lesley noticed a sign on the wallï¿½

Maybe at 76, :shock:

Nev felt the ï¿½proof of ageï¿½ bit applied to Colï¿½

The ï¿½Lord Nelson Hotelï¿½ was next, where we had lunchï¿½ :tonqe:

And we met the Orangutans who were also doing a ï¿½Rocks Pub
Crawlï¿½ to raise awareness of the plight of Orangutans in the wildï¿½
:munky2:

(Whatever excuse you needï¿½) :dontknow:

Whilst it was next on our list, we had to knock :violent1:

the ï¿½Hotel
Palisadeï¿½, on the head, it had been closed for renovations for
over a yearï¿½ :roll:

The ï¿½Captain Cookï¿½ is mainly remembered as one of three Rocks
Pubs that no longer stock Oyzoï¿½! #-o

The girls found an appropriate fence to lean on to ï¿½take fiveï¿½
before attempting the long, steep walk up the hillï¿½ :roll:

Which crosses under Sydney Harbour Bridge again, then it was
on to ï¿½The Australianï¿½ï¿½

By now we all felt the need for a ï¿½recovery sit downï¿½, hereï¿½s Dino
keeping Ellen amusedï¿½

Hereï¿½s Shep, Gordoï¿½ oh stuff it, you know them all by nowï¿½ :roll:

Think Shep was telling Ned how much he was missing having
SeeJay thereï¿½

Ned and I admire the innovative ï¿½been-thereï¿½ campaign ï¿½Tï¿½ shirt
the Orangutans had printed up for their pub crawlï¿½

Nev, Col and Mobesï¿½

Gordon and Sandy travelling well, with Lesley and Nevï¿½

The 'Lads'ï¿½ :3some:

The 'Gang'ï¿½ :wav:

Next port of call, the ï¿½Glenmore Hotelï¿½ï¿½

The Gangï¿½s all (still) hereï¿½

Always useful to have transport/ accommodation standing byï¿½ :shock:

The 'Lowenbrau Keller' is always a favourite, what with those
lovely fraulines and the guys in der lederhosenï¿½

Not to mention the Butterscotch Schnappes Shooters
and the huge steins of beerï¿½ :occasion5:

Still disputing whoï¿½s had whatï¿½

Time to audit the checklist againï¿½

Then it was onto our FINAL destination, The ï¿½Orient Hotelï¿½ï¿½

And not a moment too soon, as Dino decided to re-decorate the
table with his glass of redï¿½ #-o

Gordo does the right thing and mops it all up, wringing it out into
the ashtray, which we figured was easier for Dino to drink out ofï¿½! :lol:

Luckily Dinoï¿½s drink missed the official record of the event,
which we managed to retainï¿½

Which Dino had religiously maintained throughout the dayï¿½

And which was duly notorised by Ex-Naval Policeman Mark
ï¿½Mobesï¿½ Mobley and Ex-Police Sergeant Col ï¿½Pussasanï¿½ Kelsonï¿½

You'll notice Dino did get a '-1' score for his red wine effort...! :roll:

I believe young Dino was the 'last man standing', :partyman:

having
adopted a number of Army grunts at 'The Orient', suffice to say...

...a great day was had by all... :wav:

To those who couldn't make it, you were sadly missed, :notworthy:

to those
who simply wimped out, get off your and join us next year...! :thumbright:

Graeme Rhodes · **Posted:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 9:51 am

Nice work guys and gals.
Looks like you had a high ol' (no pun intended) time

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:40 am

Sure did Smiley... :thumbright:

and as a footnote to the report, I remember back to our very first Sydney Rocks Christmas Pub Crawl,
marvelling over the fact that on the day, participant Roger Fidler turned the big 60... None of us were that old at the time... :roll:

Then on Saturday, at age 76, hale and hearty Ex-WO Chippy Nev Hoskins didn't miss a pub, [-X