Write-up: Bobbie Scarpino
Leader: Bobbie Scarpino
Co-Leader: Greg Sipp

In a dark, dark wood on Halloween night, a group of trick or treating Tramps ventured out knowing that their path would soon be lit by the light of a beautiful Hunters’ Blue Moon. Approaching the gate to South Woods at dusk, covered in webs and aglow with orange lights, two witches greeted them with their cackles and brooms.

Did the group continue on? Yes, indeed they did! As the group started their journey up the first switchback lined with lighted luminaries, the moon in all its glory began to rise over the horizon. Not long into their walk, they encountered a very stiff scarecrow stuck on a post. Suddenly it began moving and rushed out with its sickle searching for brains! The group offered up Sir Tom, but for some peculiar reason the scarecrow refused his brain!

Onward the Tramps walked, deeper into the woods. It wasn’t long before they discovered a fellow Tramp sitting slumped over on a stump, apparently passed out from having too much to drink from his “19 Crimes” bottle.Just beyond, an old man lying on a bench appeared to have succumbed to his age. But lo and behold, a few seconds later he rose from his prone position, not dead at all!A grim discovery was made at a cemetery with gravestones bearing the names of some notorious Tramps. And there was that darn scarecrow again, draped over a set of parallel bars. Running further down the trail the Tramps escaped from becoming brainless once again!All was seemingly calm as they passed by a hat left by one of the witches along with her jar of lighted eyeballs, an enormous spider precariously perched on a tree, hanging ghouls and ghosts, and a freaky face peering out from a hollow tree stump. A moving green light down the path captured attention. As the hikers approached, the green lighted stick figure on the hillside entertained them with its dance moves. Looming ahead on the trail was a lighted lantern being held by a grotesque extended arm. It illuminated a monstrous figure with eyeballs dangling from its sockets. Luckily, it was nothing more than an uprooted tree . . . phew!
Rounding the next switchback, Frankenstein appeared out of nowhere and then vanished into the darkness. Continuing onward and thinking they had all managed to escape unscathed by the creatures of the night, a tree of hanging eyeballs gave way to all of the spooks reappearing out of the woods to surround them! Moving away just as quickly as they could, the green dancing stick figure could be spotted following close behind.The glow of a fire could be seen as the hikers made their way down the last switchback and out of the woods. And there, standing beside it, was the one witch who had remained behind, cackling and waving her broomstick to beckon them in. Should they approach? Well, the Tramps certainly weren’t going to be scared away by just one more spooky witch! Proceeding into her lair, they were rewarded for their bravery with mulled cider, cookies and other delightful treats.

Many thanks to those who made this a fun and frightful night:

My crew of spooks – Carolyn Eastman, witch doctor, event co-planner; Diana Henry, scarecrow, set-up; Lori Waterman, old man, dancing stick figure, set-up; Sharon Kaelin, witch and fire maker; Howard Regner, Frankenstein.

Also to – Meg Higgerson, creator of Tramp dummy; Jerry Stewart, firewood, Amanda Zdanowicz, fire maker; and all of the above, as well as, Greg Sipp, and Sir Tom Smith for clean-up detail.