The group meets at the grassy knoll by the parking lot north of Lake Johanna Blvd. There we review safety guidelines, tell each other about our characters, suit up, and wait for latecomers.
Once everyone has arrived (or the group get tired of waiting), we hike up the hill, past the open field, down the dirt path, into the woods, and over the train tracks. Just past the swinging bench, we leave the path and head into the trees, where we are “building” a base camp from sticks and branches and other finds. (We plan to head in with trash bags one of these weeks as it so distresses us to see the litter within the woods.)
When we tire of base camp, we set out to explore, hiking through the trees and seeking new paths to follow. When you are within the trees, it feels like you are deep in the woods, but in fact, you are in just a small circle of forest and every direction leads to a paved walking path.
Before we know it, it is time for lunch, and we go back down to the picnic shelter nearest the parking lot (where the restrooms are unlocked).
After lunch, we head up the hill to the grassy field for melee battle. Last week, we introduced the melee referee and melee mediation because the desire to win (or at least not “die”) can drive the most mild-mannered LARPer berserk.
New kids join all the time. It probably helps to get there in time for the council at the picnic tables before we head into the woods, but everyone is welcoming of newcomers.
Many parents take the opportunity to hike through Tony Schmidt themselves, walking and talking with the other parents who choose to stay in the area. Some parents have brought younger siblings along. There are at least four playgrounds in the general area.