The End is Near!

Earlier this morning I found myself musing that we must be getting close to the 100 Day Countdown for Rag.  I logged on just to check the counter and lo and behold!  Today is the 100 Day mark!

100 Days to Ragnarok!

So I thought I would put together a quick list of things that citizens of the KoA should be thinking about and planning for as we approach The End of the World.

A Quickie Ragnarok Planning Guide:

It is highly recommended that you make sure to secure minimum camp arrangements before pre-registering.  Some things you need to consider are:

• Transportation:  How are you getting to Cooper's Lake?  Carpooling is a great way to save gas, but consider space needed for gear, and arrangements for getting home.  Talk with your House Lord if you need help making arrangements.

• Employment Arrangements:  Do you need to get vacation approval from your employer?  Now's the time to secure the week if you haven't already.  If you can't get vacation, now's the time to consider you options for job hunting when you get home (I'm KIDDING!  Don't quit your job for Rag...unless you REALLY hate your job).

• Camping gear:  At bare minimum you'll need some kind of shelter and a mess kit.  Typically this means a tent, sleeping bag, pillow, mess kit, towel and toiletries kit for the shower (your campmates thank you).  Though you can choose a more simplistic approach.  We once had a guy who slept on a hammock under a canopy for most of the week.  This isn't really recommended for tropical storm conditions.

• Cost:  Registration is one of a few costs to consider for Rag.  On top of registration, each attendee is asked to contribute money to cover firewood and food (more on this later).  You should consider bringing some spending cash for Merchant's Row, the camp store, restaurant night and laundry.  Also consider any costs to acquire/make necessary gear.

Now that we've got that squared away...

It is important that members Pre-Reg under our unit name (Kingdom of Akron!) so that The Powers That Be assign us enough land for all of our tents.  Pre-Reg info is here. You can come down any day of the week and costs are prorated accordingly but consider those transport options.  If your ride is coming down on Tuesday, you're coming down on Tuesday.

Now that you are officially attending, let's talk about what you'll need while you're there:

• Garb:  Yes you need garb.  Everyone is required to be in garb while outside of their home camp.  I posted the 2014 Rag Garb rules on the Facebook page.  Personally I recommend bringing at least four sets for the week if you have them.  Coin laundry facilities are available on site.  This year it looks like they are cracking down on shoes and easing up on Under Armor.  Please read the Guide.

• Weapons/Armor:  This is the area in which planning ahead will make the most difference in your Rag experience.  If you only have time to deal with one thing, make it this.  Based on our experiences I feel safe recommending you bring more weapons then you plan to use.  While you may want to bring a small repair kit, we recommend against bringing your entire foamsmithing/leathercrafting toolkit.  You really don't want to spend half of your vacation repairing that stupid old shield/flail/sword.  Instead, make a new one (or three) before you go and be sure to play-test them.  Also, consider how you are going to keep them safe and dry at camp.  Do you have room in your tent?

• Food:  You'll need to eat while you're there.  Meal plans are managed according to Houses so contact your House Lord for their food policy.  Most attendees opt into our nightly group dinner plan.  There is a per-person cost dependent on the food served and number of participants.  Kaelyn is in the process of working up this year's dinner meal plan so members can sign up in advance for the meals they want.  In the past, dinners ran $5-$10 a plate.  Be sure to make your own dinner plans on nights you opt out of group cooking.  We typically plan to dine out in town one night of the week, so bring some cash.  In the past there has been a cafeteria available to purchase hot meals and snacks from.  This is an option if you don't want to deal with packing your own food.  I know that the food plans have been a point of contention on occasion.  I am sure there are questions.   There will be more info provided as the details get worked out.  Please don't stress about this right now.

...and a couple of bits of miscellany to consider:

• Firewood:  Everyone is expected to contribute to the cost of firewood.  I believe last year it was about $15 a person.  Costs have probably gone up (yey inflation!).

• Trailers:  It is really too early to know if a trailer will be available to transport gear.  That being said, it is becoming standard practice that someone travels with a trailer and may have space for some of your gear for a price.  I would recommended talking to your House Lord if you might be willing to contribute to the cost of a trailer (rental AND gas).

While I'm sure I'm forgetting something, this should be plenty to get your cogs turning on the Rag planning front.  If you have any questions or need clarification on anything feel free to talk to any of the Rag Vets.  Like I said before, this info is based off of our past experiences and is certainly subject to change (especially if you've got a great idea on how to improve life at camp).

Happy Planning!

~Ravenna

P.S. Thanks to Kaelyn I was able to add a tab for the Rag Planning Guide.  I am hoping to work out the time to keep this updated as things progress, until and well after Rag.  Also, if anyone has any suggestions/ recommendations, let's get them up here!  I would really love to develop a fully comprehensive guide as time permits.  I think it would be a very valuable resource. Cheers!