Nevada, Here I Come!

I had packed up a week’s worth of luggage and was ready to leave for the airport at 3:30 AM to catch my flight and after making two very tight travel connections I had arrived in Reno, NV to start my most intense laser tag trip yet. My goal was two-fold…I wanted to visit as many different laser tag sites as possible between Las Vegas and Seattle to make the most out of every second and experience all I could along the way like a laser tag buffet (sample a bit of everything). And I also wanted to knock out a big chunk of my long range goal to play laser tag in all 50 states. I figured I could fly to Reno and play in Nevada first. Then I rented a car and drove to California, after a couple of days I’d drive north through Oregon and play as many sites as I could there and do the same thing through Washington until I got to Seattle. Then a thought occurred to me…I may never be closer than this to Alaska, so I should make an effort to get up there too. With months of pre-planning I added one more flight to my agenda to get me to the last frontier and was ready to follow through with an aggressive itinerary to visit 26 laser tag arenas over the stretch of vacation time I had ahead of me. So when my plane landed on the other side of the country it was ready, set, Reno!

It sounds a little cliché that the first place I ended up in Reno was a casino resort, but this is because they were only five miles from the airport. Just in case anything prevented me from getting to my main Nevada destination I wanted to have at least one game of tag under my belt…even if it was technically before noon, local Pacific time. Although I must say, if you have the desire to play laser tag in the middle of a weekday a casino is as good a spot as any for finding people at all hours. So I walked into Fun Quest at the Grand Casino Resort and was able to join a small group for a casual game of Laser Runner.

This place probably had the best arena I’ve ever seen for Runner as many times it seems this system is played in small afterthought kinds of arenas, but this site had a slightly more spacious feel in an eighties-geometric designed space with raised levels and a decent amount of room to hide. Kudos on the arena!

 

I considered this my warm-up game before really getting off and running. I had another tag stop planned in Nevada before really getting this trip under way and making the drive to Sacramento before the evening. So I said goodbye to Fun Quest, detoured for some sushi for lunch (after crossing three time zones I was hungry!) and continued on my way towards tagging the west coast.

 

 

Comments or Questions?

Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

 

West Coast Adventure

I really don’t know how to begin recapping the amazing west coast adventure I had tagging my way from Nevada, through California, Oregon, Washington and even up to Alaska in my continuing effort to play laser tag in all 50 states. I played in 26 arenas in less than a week and had some wonderful experiences along the way that I will chronicle in my upcoming blog posts. I want to thank the management and staff at all of the locations I visited. I will link to them in the arena section of my website as always, but for now let me just express my appreciation by naming the locations that were part of my recent west coast trip.

 

 

Fun Quest and Grand Sierra Resort – Reno, NV
EZ Air Laser Tag – Reno, NV

Lazer X at Country Club Lanes – Sacramento, CA

Laser Tag of Carmichael – Carmichael, CA

Zaps Zone – Stockton, CA
Laser Quest Modesto – Modesto, CA

Lost Worlds Adventures – Livermore, CA
Laser Quest San Jose – San Jose, CA

Laser Quest San Carlos – San Carlos, CA

Q-Zar – Concord, CA

Stars Recreation Center – Vacaville, CA
Xtreme Craze – Rocklin, CA

Millennium Family Engtertainment - Yuba City, CA

Oasis Fun Center – Shasta Lake, CA
Paintball Palace – Eugene, OR

Pietro’s Pirate Adventure – Salem, OR

Family Fun Center and Bullwinkle’s of Wilsonville – Wilsonville, OR

Superplay – Beaverton, OR

YNOT Have Fun LaserPort – Beaverton, OR

Wunderland – Gresham, OR

Odyssey-1 – Tacoma, WA

Laser Fun Zone – Lacey, WA

Laser Quest Federal Way – Federal Way, WA

Family Fun Center of Tukwila – Tukwila, Wa

Virtual Sports – Tukwila, WA

Extreme Fun Center – Wasilla, AK

 

Thank you Laser Quest!

I want to thank Laser Quest for selecting my photo as their selfie contest winner for this week!

I'm appreciative of winning the four free passes because I have more Laser Quest centers that I am planning to visit in the very near future, so what a great surprise!

 

 

Comments or Questions?
Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

 

Weekend Getaway

I imagine most people who plan a trip out of state to play laser tag don't necessarily feel the need to warm up with a couple of games at a local arena first...then again, I'm that crazy person who leaves a tournament during the break to just go play more tag at another site before the tourney resumes! So since there was a two hour delay before setting out for Connecticut I decided to play a couple of rounds in Albany before heading for Newington, CT to play at their Laser Quest site. This was a great time!

Upon arrival I wanted to snap pic...

...and so did manager Mike who photobombed! Lol. :)

Next I needed an inside photo for the Laser Quest selfie contest, so we took a moment before going in.

Then by the time we were done with that a group of 17 players had shown up ready for the Ironman. Excellent...bring it on!

This game felt great from start to finish. I had a fantastic time playing here. I miss having a Quest arena nearby. This night was a lot of fun and I captured first place with what I believe is probably my highest LQ score yet.

That score won me a free frozen yogurt next door at Menchie's.

When did I become one of those people who take pictures of my food? Yum! This was a great night of travel and tag.

The next day was a chance to play at Spare Time in Bristol.

I must say, every Spare Time I have been to has had very well maintained equipment. They use Rift packs here and compared to the beat up equipment I'm accustomed to at my home site it is such a treat to play with packs in top functioning condition. Actually, this was a little different from other experiences I have had with Rift as I have never before played this system with stuns. Those different settings made this game even more interesting.

Visiting Connecticut again was a nice weekend getaway and on the way back I had contemplated trying to stop at one more site, but decided the detour to a nearby Lazer Runner site was too far out of the way. However, there was a different Runner site in my path a couple of days later.

After getting back to NY I had occasion to be in Cooperstown. So I took the opportunity to visit the Cooperstown Fun Park.

This was my last opportunity to check this place out before they close for the season later this week. The arena is constructed with tarp-style barriers and is small, but I could certainly see it being fun for the kids teams that populate the town during the summer season. For me it was a chance for a chance to get in a light game at a site I've never visited before.

It feels good to have three sites already getting me off and running towards playing at my next hundred arenas. ;)

　
Comments or Questions?
Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

100th Arena!

When the events in Utah we're over I called ahead to Outer Limits Fun Zone in Pocatello, Idaho. This would become my 100th arena!

I spoke to the manager Stacy to make sure that I would be able to play some Lasertron if I made the three hour drive north into Idaho. Timing this out would be tight as I had to return to the airport in Salt City in time to catch a midnight flight home. Stacy asked where else I had played Tron and when I told her about my goal to play my 100th arena at her center she was wonderfully accommodating. So, off to Idaho I went! :)

I arrived at the site and was informed that the ideal group for me to join would not be playing until 8:00. However, I needed to play sooner to make the pieces all fit into the schedule (and allow drive time back). So they were great to recruit a game with employees and some public players who were already there and I enjoyed talking about the other arena experiences that led me here.

While waiting to go into the game I bought a souvenir to take back home.

And then we went into briefing, got our vests and went in for some Tron.

To be honest I was exhausted from two days of travel and no sleep and I played a very marginal game. But I was also felt exhilarated when it was over as I drove back contemplating the fact that I have achieved this milestone number and have now played in 100 arenas...and still counting!

　
Comments or Questions?
Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Spontaneous Tournament Adventure...to Utah and Beyond!

When I left to go to work on Friday morning I did not think I would be headed for Utah by the afternoon...but life can surprise you! Having learned only the night before about a tournament with Nexus being planned at Seven Peaks in Lehi, UT as part of their "End of Summer Event" I wanted to play, but really didn't think crossing the country on a lark was feasible. However, I already had my tag clothes in the back of my car since I intended to play locally tag that night anyhow. I called the center and was told that this is the largest laser tag arena in Utah and that they would reserve my spot by phone. That claim to fame pretty much sold me on the idea that I needed to be part of this. So with nothing more than what I had with me for the day (figuring I could buy whatever else I needed once I got there) I hopped on a plane Friday afternoon, due to re-routing/connecting flights I actually slept in the airport that night and made it to Salt Lake City in time to rent a car at 10:30 in the morning and get to Lehi by noon to play. Well, this wouldn't be the first time I competed with literally no sleep! Laser tag runs on Dunkin'. :)

Ultimately this event was the most unusual tournament experience I've ever had, but plenty of fun and our team took home some cool prizes for coming in first (more on that later).

I got to the site and met the manager, Scott, who I had messaged with the day before. He showed me around the arena, which is huge, but only half of it would be in use today as they are doing some significant remodeling. Once renovations are completed the arena will have a space theme and look more like this...

But for now there is a different aesthetic. :)

The arena is not what you'd call "balanced", but there were lots of hides, alcoves and ramps, the most useful ones leading you to the highest ground above the in-arena scoreboard. Also lots of side rooms which make the space unique.

I warmed up by playing in a few public games (with quite a few players in those mid-day rounds) and spent that time exploring the map. Then at 1:00 the tournament teams gathered.

One of the things that made this event unusual was that in spite of early anticipation of a higher turnout and plenty of people playing the public games just beforehand, this event did not draw a ton of players so the teams were figured out on the fly and the intended format was changed accordingly (which was fine and worked out for the best). It was a first time event at this site and I imagine more of a learning experience for the organizers (but I give them lots of credit because, hey, I have to leave my state to do this more often than not). Kudos to those who participated. So to call what transpired a real "tournament" is a little broad and using the word quite loosely, but it was fun regardless.

My team included Ryan (aka Target) who is actually a competitive video gamer with some impressive skills (this guy has even had sponsors in the competitive video gaming scene...cool!) and a couple of more novice players, Cassidy and Mae. There were also players who came in from another local center where Nexus is run too. They had a couple of young guys who played quite fiercely...reminds me of home. :)

Teams went in for three consecutive rounds, high score team to be named the winner. No bases were active and this was scored a bit differently from most other Nexus games I've played. Single points were earned for each tag registered. So high scores were calculated in double digits, not in the thousands like I normally expect.

At the halfway mark I enjoyed a moment to sit in the cafe and chill with some Dippin' Dots and get to know my teammates a bit. This is when Ryan told me about his experience being sponsored in the competitive video game world. I am impressed and it's a shame the competitive laser tag scene doesn't have companies taking similar interest.

When all was said and done we had the high score and my team was invited to select prizes from the arcade. I took home a virtual reality 3D headset (which was perfect since a lava lamp would never be allowed on the plane going home!) and we said our goodbyes.

Things ended early enough that I had just enough time to do something crazy... I drove three hours north into Idaho to check off my 26th state and visit what would become my 100th arena (as my stop in Utah was #99). So thanks to everyone who was part of my visit to Utah and this completely spontaneous tournament adventure!


Comments or Questions?
Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

The Light Still Shines

Phocon is taking place this weekend at XP Lasersport in Laurel, Maryland. However, this is the first year that I have missed Phocon since it began. It's ok that they're down one Tivia this time because rumor has it they have two Bhodis there. :) Although I am sorry to not be there playing this weekend, I am still there in spirit and decided that while the Photon warriors are out playing hard tonight on the vintage system I would get back to my roots and play at FJ where my laser tag journey began...and then began again thanks to Phocon.

For those who don't know my tag story I was too young to be an old school Photon warrior back in the day, but finding Photon on the internet got me started with laser tag back around 2007. I adopted my codename of Tivia (the ninja princess of Photon) and cut my teeth at this very center playing Infusion. I was a casual player, but found that I was pretty good at it and played often. However, I eventually drifted away from tag. Phocon is what brought me back. When I stumbled onto the indiegogo campaign planning for the 30th anniversary of the original laser tag I knew I had to be there. I also realized that anyone making a trip to this event would likely have way more tag experience than me, so I got myself back to my local arena and started playing again. I began playing every weekend. Then I started getting into competitive tag and exploring the wide variety of laser tag systems. At some point I decided to try to play tag in all 50 states and I'll be more than halfway there within a couple of months. I also decided to aim to play at 100 arenas in the process...I will actually exceed that number within just a few weeks. I have met some great people, I've played with and against some amazing competition (I've been on teams with people who are literally world champions of laser tag) and I've had a wonderful time each step of the way as I've chronicled all my random laser tag adventures. I started this blog at the end of 2014, began putting together my personal tag website tiviachickloveslasertag.com and built the photonforever.com website that launched on International Laser Tag Day in 2015. I have since been called "the world's authority on the Photon television series" by the vice president of Zone Laser Tag U.S./curator of the Laser Tag Museum (quite a complement indeed). I've been lucky enough to get a personal guided tour of the Laser Tag Museum and hold history in my own hands and I have interviewed some remarkable people ranging from George Carter III (inventor of Photon and founder of the laser tag industry) to getting the coveted first and only interview with Christopher Lockwood aka THE Bhodi Li. :)

Perhaps none of this would have happened without the magic and nostalgia that surrounds Phocon. I am appreciative of Marc Mueller and XP Lasersport for continuing to host this event even after the initial Photon anniversary celebration. I feel very lucky to have been impacted by Photon despite the years and distance between me and any original Photon centers. I have the greatest respect for the fact that the entire laser tag industry owes its roots to Photon and that there are still Photon warriors keeping it alive against all odds. The light still shines!

Comments or Questions?
Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com